36C24620Q1028 0001.docx

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE

7.

ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF

PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODE

CODE

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE

OF YOUR

ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office.

is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERE

D CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES

SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR

OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendmen t, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED

STATES OF AMERICA

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF

CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.243 (Type or print) (Type or print) (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (If other than Item 6) (Specify type of modification and authority) (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF

SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer) 10-21-2020 534-21-1-783-0003 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 6 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton VA 23667 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 6 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton VA 23667 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C24620Q1028 10-21-2020

X X X

THE PURPOSE OF THIS SOLICITATION

AMENDMENT IS TO ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS RECEIVED DURING THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD AS

SPECIFIED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS.

SEE ATTACHED Q&A DOCUMENT.

Cole J. Culley Contracting Officer

VA-VHA-RPOE-201

9-369AC7BE

SOLICITATION 36C24620Q1028 Questions and Answers

Reference: RFQ § F.1.a.vi, Salient Characteristics, High Definition Touch Screen Display Control Panel Question: As background to this question, every enterprise OEM’s (e.g., Stryker, Storz, Olympus) touch panel presents its “layout” in a different way, yet they all are utilized for the same purpose – accessing and routing video, audio, and miscellaneous applications throughout the surgical suites. The steps, menus and overall layout employed to accomplish these tasks varies significantly by OEM, but all are utilized for the same functionality.

RFQ Amendment 0008 revised the referenced “minimum specification” to include the following requirement: “upon connection ancillary equipment must be prioritized on display panel screen to maintain all active inputs in a chronological order so end user has all available inputs located on a single page.” The only OEM which arranges its touch panel inputs in this manner is Olympus. The minimum needs for the touch screen are that it (1) display all sources, and (2) provide a safety mechanism to keep sources from inadvertently pushing into the operative field. Other enterprise OEMs provide touch screens which meet these minimum needs, just in a different manner than the Olympus-unique “single page” touch screen arrangement. For instance, the Storz touch panel can show up to 8 selectable inputs on the left side. These 8 inputs can be manually assigned, and the top 8 most utilized inputs would always be shown on the first page. Should an account have more than 8 inputs, the remaining inputs would be shown on the second page (Note: the Charleston VA’s inputs fit on 2 pages). With a single touch, the user can easily switch between page 1 and page 2. This plainly meets the VA’s minimum requirements with regard to touch screen functionality, as do the touch screens of other OEMs (but which also don’t have the Olympus-unique single-page screen layout).

It is a basic principle of procurement law that “unduly restrictive” technical specifications limit competition for the government’s requirements and should be avoided wherever possible. The contracting agency may only utilize a restrictive specification - like the Olympus “single page” screen layout - if such restrictive specification is rational and necessary to achievement of the agency’s minimum needs. As detailed above, the Olympus-unique single-page screen layout is unnecessary to achievement of the VA’s minimum needs with regard to touch screen functionality. We therefore request that the VA issue an RFQ amendment removing this restrictive specification prior to taking Quotes.

VA RESPONSE:

· The question above references an old solicitation. Please review the statement of work, that has been revised, provided in solicitation # 36C24620Q1028, dated 10/15/2020. No other solicitations or its amendments are relative to the abovementioned solicitation.

· Please see page 7 of the solicitation section “High Definition Touch Screen Display Control Panel”.

Reference: B.3 Price/Cost Schedule Question:

CLIN 003 is described as the Integrated Audio System. Audio systems are imbedded within the larger “Operating Room VIDEO/audio Integration” system. Your price schedule does not have a spot for the larger Generic Description. Recommend change CLIN description to the underlined for price schedule match up.

VA RESPONSE:

· Please see page 6 of the solicitation. The CLIN description and section title are uniform, no title change is required.

Question:

There is no CLIN for the 15 each Camera Head Trays described in RFQ. Could that be added to the price/cost schedule.

VA RESPONSE:

· Please see page 8 of the solicitation for all requirements that shall be included in the pricing for CLIN 15.

Reference: E.1 Instructions to Offerors – Section D Technical Approach—“The Technical Volume shall not exceed thirty (30) pages in length (minimum 12- point font and no less than ½ inch margins). Page limitation includes any drawings, charts, images, etc., and excludes section dividers, table of contents, glossary of terms, cross-referencing indices, and resumes. If more than 30 pages (not counting excluded pages) are submitted, only the first 30 pages will be considered.”

Question:

Does the 30 page reference limit include the literature annotated and referenced within the technical write up?

VA RESPONSE:

· No, however, all references to outside literature shall be cited in a way that allows the technical reviewers to efficiently find the information referenced.