36C24526Q0099 _ VISN Wide RMW BPA Q_A_v1.pdf

Item # Question Response 1 The quantities of sharps containers currently in use, broken out by the following container sizes:

a. 2-gallon

b. 4-gallon

c. 10-gallon

d. 17-gallon

Pending Response

2 Identification of which facilities are currently using each of the above container sizes. Pending Response

3 We understand that the solicitation provides estimated quantities and that final container counts may be definitized at the task order level. This request is intended to better understand the existing service configuration and improve pricing accuracy, should this information be available for release.

Pending Response

4 Tiered Evaluation Process; If one or more SDVOSB quotations are determined technically acceptable, will evaluation and award consideration be conducted exclusively within Tier 1 (SDVOSB), without further consideration of Tier 2 or Tier 3 offerors?

To make an award at a given tier, we are seeking at least two responsible quotes with prices deemed fair and reasonable from certified vendors at that tier. If only one responsible quote is received and the price cannot be determined as fair and reasonable, we will proceed to the next tier to obtain the necessary competitive quotes.

5 Comparative Evaluation Under FAR 12.203; In the event multiple technically acceptable quotations are received within the same tier, does the Government anticipate conducting a comparative assessment of relative strengths and weaknesses, or will award be based primarily on price among acceptable quotations?

Evaluations will be conducted as stated within section E.8 of the RFQ.

6 Task Order Structure; Does the Government anticipate issuing task orders primarily on a facility-by-facility basis, or may task orders be consolidated across multiple facilities or geographic groupings within VISN 5?

Given the independent funding management across various medical centers, it is likely that task orders will be issued individually for each medical center, including their associated Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).

7 Sharps Program Transitions When a facility transitions between reusable and disposable sharps programs, will such changes be executed via bilateral modification at the task order level, consistent with the BPA scope?

Pending Response

8 Did VISN 5 ever issue an RFI prior to issuing Request for Quotation: 36C24526Q0099? A virtual industry day notice was advertised on www.sam.gov under SAM Notice ID 36C24526Q0024 . The event was conducted on 10/15/2025.

9 The scope of work spanning the entirety of VISN 5 would seem to exceed the Kingdom rule threshold of $250K annually over the proposed five-year period of performance.

This question would require clarification as it appears unrelated to Kingdomware. Information regarding the Kingdomware decision can be found at the following website: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/579/14-916/.

10 Is there any way that the RFQ can be resolicited as Unrestricted vice an SDVOSB set-aside? Not at this time.

11 Would the agency consider a short extension of the RFP deadline to ensure we can submit a complete and competitive quote, given that it was posted just before the Christmas holiday when many organizations had limited staffing?

Yes, within Amendment 0001 we will extend the current RFQ response deadline to 3FEB2026 at 10AM ET.

12 Baltimore hospital & others using reusable sharps containers, are these self-service or full-service? Will VA staff handle collection and consolidation or is that the contractor’s responsibility?

Pending Response

13 What is the step-by-step pickup process at each hospital? Pending Response

14 Cultures, stocks & Trace Chemo waste, states this waste must be incinerated – is autoclave treatment, followed by WTE Incineration processing acceptable? This is approved in Maryland per Maryland Department of Environment as an approved treatment method for these waste streams.

Pending Response

15 As long as we follow our permit approved processes, would autoclave processing following by incineration at a Waste-to-Energy facility be an acceptable treatment method for this bid? Please keep in mind that the State of Maryland has approved this method for all regulated medical waste.

Pending Response

16 Are 200 gallon carts acceptable at all sites similar in operation and volume to Baltimore hospital?

a. If not, please explain how red bag waste is collected and packaged throughout each VAMC hospital site.

Pending Response

17 What is line 103 RMW containment material equipment and alike? This is a CLIN with multiple Sub-CLINs under it that provide details on the the specific equipment. This CLIN is Not Separately Priced (NSP) and will not require any unit pricing to be provided.

18 Regarding the DC Hospital location, how is the billing being managed for reusable sharps? Is there a fee Per Pickup or Per Month or Per Container?

Please describe how the DC Hospital location is being charged for their reusable sharps container program.

Pending Response

19 Badging process – how many contractor staff need to get badged and what is the process? Pending Response

20 Parking at each facility – Is there dedicated parking for sites under construction? Pending Response

21 Does each hospital have adequate storage for 200 Gallon medical waste carts for Red Bag waste? If not, which hospitals do not have storage. Pending Response

22 Please confirm what locations will need onsite labor for RMW-Sharps packaging. Pending Response

23 Scintillation Fluid - Are these cell/tissue samples in formalin? Is this a RCRA waste? Pending Response

24 Fort Belvoir and Fort Detrick are under the DHA contract currently, does the VA have a small clinic operating separately or are they taking this contract over?

Pending Response

25 The SOW encourages proposal for reusable or disposable opposite of what the location is currently using. If providing an alternate proposal, will the VA require labor at those facilities moving to Resuable containers?

Pending Response

26 On Page 9 of 101 #3 **Contractor should provide per container cost breakdown when submitting proposal, are you asking us to provide something outside of the pricing spreadsheet provided with the bid?

Pending Response

27 Is the VA wanting us to provide liners for the interior collection containers throughout the hospitals or just for the final packaging for removal? Also, do we need to provide trace/chemo liners for throughout the hospital? **These I believe are on those pricing lines provided**

Pending Response

28 Can the pickup schedules be changed if approved by the COR's? Pending Response

29 SOW says to have reports back by the 5th working day of the following month. We need at least 15 days. Can they change this? Pending Response

30 Page 30 of 101 in the bid mentions that vendors have only 2 calendar days following receipt of a valid order to initiate services unless otherwise specified in the order. Does this mean that upon contract award and receipt of the award documents and task order(s) the vendor will have only two calendar days to initiate services at all VISN 5 locations? That would not be realistic especially for a new vendor who would need to order supplies/equipment, identify, and hire onsite service technicians, allow time for delivery and installations of containers, etc. Please advise regarding the Governments expectation and time frame for vendors to ramp up services and installations for all VISN 5 locations.

We are hoping to get this awarded with atleast 30 days of tranisiton time for the new vendor to intitate services.

31 Will the Government be making one award for this opportunity to one vendor or potentially make multiple awards? Single Award within the limitations of subcontracting required by the respective clauses/provisions.

32 When preparing bid submissions can vendors bid on select VISN 5 facilities or must all locations be included in the vendors bid in order to be compliant?

We are seeking a Single Awardee to cover all services while remaining within the limitations of subcontracting required by the respective clauses/provisions.

33 Please confirm that facilities not currently utilizing reusable sharps containers are not expected to convert during the BPA base period absent a bilateral modification and facility-specific quotation based on the true inventory at the time of the conversion and that vendors will not be required to absorb conversion, equipment, or increased service frequency costs within existing unit pricing.

Pending Response

34 The solicitation states: “Contractor must be a permitted, licensed and insured transporter for regulated medical waste with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as well as each state they propose services. Contractor shall clearly identify any proposed subcontracting of regulated medical waste removal services. Contractor shall submit all licenses and permits for collection, transportation and disposal of RMW for West Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia. Contractor shall hold party status to U.S. DOT Special Permit 16279. The contractor must be an established business in operations and licensed in all states for a minimum of five (5) years prior to the submission of their proposal and be able to provide references from other healthcare facilities.”

Please confirm that this requirement applies only to offerors that are directly permitted, licensed, and insured to transport regulated medical waste, and that the Prime Contractor must hold all required state transportation permits and U.S. DOT Special Permit 16279 in its own name. Further, please confirm that proposals relying on pass-through or brokerage arrangements, where the Prime Contractor does not hold the required transportation permits and DOT Special Permit authority, would not meet the solicitation requirements.

Pending Response

35 The Statement of Work notes that “quantities for sharps are estimated, but replacement and incineration will be needed per facility,” and the pricing schedule includes both autoclave and incineration treatment options. Please clarify whether the VA’s intent is to prefer or require incineration-based treatment at certain facilities as a means to reduce the risk of waste misclassification and to support the compliant management of regulated medical waste and sharps together with non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste and trace chemotherapeutic waste through a single, controlled treatment process.

Additionally, please identify whether any VISN 5 facilities are expected to require incineration-only treatment going forward so that pricing and operational assumptions may be aligned accordingly.

Pending Response

36 Do any of the sites require any specialized equipment, such as cart stackers (Balitmore VA has one on site). Pending Response

37 Is the VAMC DC moving from the RMW roll off to containers and will they provide a storage area for containers. We did not see any reference to the medical waste roll off.

Pending Response

38 Plesae clarify that the pick up at the Baltimore VAMC is Daily M-F (5Week) it shows both daily and weekly in the solicitation. Pending Response

39 Please clairfy which sites currently have reusable sharps programs, which sites intend to move to them and which sites will require the labor to excahnge the containers

Pending Response

40 Currenlty Loch Raven does not use reusable sharpsm(bid shows they do), is it their intention to move to them? Pending Response

41 Please clairfy that we are only to provide red bags as packaging for our containers, not throughout the facilities for collection. Pending Response

42 Also pls review the labor by hour. It should be by day week or month. The hours of 260 are low for these services. Pending Response v1 1/13/2026

36C24526Q0099 QUESTIONS

Q&A