S06 - 36C24625Q0828 0003 Amendment Additional Clarifications.pdf

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 NUMBERED 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 amendment, 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)

1 13

0003 07-16-2025

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

36C24625Q0828

06-27-2025

X

X X

X 1

1. The purpose of this Amendment is to provide additional clarifications to the Government answers to vendor questions issued under Amendment 0001.

2. Please see pages 2-13 for details.

3. All other terms and conditions in the solicitation document remain unchanged.

David E. Smith

Contracting Officer

Request for Clarification No. 1: The Solicitation's Pricing Structure Does Not

Align with Its Mandatory Service Requirements for Critical Care Transport

(CCT).

Background: A primary concern for prospective offerors is the structural inconsistency between the mandatory service requirements detailed in the Performance Work Statement

(PWS) and the pricing structure provided in Section B.2 of the RFQ. This discrepancy creates considerable uncertainty for offerors and may impede the VA's ability to conduct a comparative evaluation on a common basis.

• Basis: The RFQ requires the contractor to provide CCT services.

o PWS Section 1 explicitly states the contractor shall provide resources for

“Critical Care Transport (CCT) services”.

o PWS Section 4.2 reiterates the requirement for “Critical Care Transport

(CCT) Tier 1, 2, and 3 ambulance services”.

o PWS Section 4.6.1.6 requires the capacity for four simultaneous transports, one of which “may require CCT capability up to Tier III”.

o Attachment A requires offerors to certify their capability to transport patients with advanced medical needs specific to the CCT environment.

Despite these clear requirements, the Price/Cost Schedule in Section B.2 provides

Contract Line-Item Numbers (CLINs) for Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life

Support (ALS) services only. It does not contain any CLINs for a CCT Base Rate or CCT

Mileage. This critical omission was highlighted to the VA during the question-and-answer period. In response to a direct question regarding the lack of CLINs for no-show reimbursement for CCT services (Question 5), the VA response (Answer 5) confirmed that CCT services are indeed compensable, stating “No show- will be paid 1 way based on the rate of the service being provided (ALS, BLS and CCT).” However, the answer failed to identify where the “rate” for CCT could be found or to add the necessary CLIN.

The VA response, therefore, acknowledges the requirement for CCT compensation while simultaneously failing to cure the solicitation's defect, reinforcing the patent ambiguity.

Government Response: The price Schedule table in the solicitation has been revised to incorporate two (2) new CLIN’s (0013 – CCT Any Trip & 0014 – CCT Milage) to capture trip and milage rate cost accordingly for CCT services. Please see attached revised price schedule table for details.

Request for Clarification No. 2: The Solicitation Contains Multiple Ambiguous Terms

That Require Clarification.

Background: The RFQ contains several terms that are open to multiple interpretations.

Clarification of these terms is necessary to ensure all offerors are preparing their quotations based on a common understanding of the requirements.

• Ambiguous Mileage Calculation (PWS § 4.10.2): The RFQ states that mileage reimbursement will be based on the VA's Bing Maps API, which is "optimized to determine mileage based on the shortest time of travel". This term creates uncertainty, as the route with the shortest travel time may not always be the most prudent or safe route for patient transport. The solicitation does not provide a clear process for addressing and reimbursing necessary deviations, which prevents offerors from reasonably pricing their mileage rates.

Government Response: As stated in the solicitation, the Government will use the mandatory VETRIDE system which uses the Bing Maps API to accurately calculate and reimburse for milage traveled therefore, any unexpected deviations to the route being traveled will be calculated and paid for via the VETRIDE billing and payment system.

• Undefined “Surge in Service” Requirement (Section E.1, Factor 1): The evaluation criteria require offerors to describe their ability to “Handle any surges in service,” but the RFQ does not define what constitutes a “surge”. Without a quantitative definition, offerors cannot frame a responsive approach, and the evaluation of this factor may be unduly subjective.

Government Response: The requirement “Handle any surges in service” was inadvertently included and has been removed from Section E.1, Factor .1.

Please see attached revised page for details.

• Ambiguous Wait Time Trigger (PWS § 4.10.1): The RFQ indicates that billable wait time begins only after the “appointment time has elapsed”. This provision is unclear as it applies to emergent, urgent, or other unscheduled transport that do not have a pre-scheduled “appointment time.” This ambiguity makes it difficult for offerors to accurately price the risk of uncompensated wait time.

Government Response: The Government does not anticipate nor expect any unscheduled trips since all trips (appointments and discharges) are all scheduled appointments. Therefore, no revision is needed for this section.

Request for Clarification No. 3: The Solicitation Fails to Establish a Valid

Indefinite-Quantity Contract by Omitting a Guaranteed Minimum.

Background: The RFQ is intended to establish an Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity

(IDIQ) contract but appears to omit a required element, creating uncertainty about the nature of the contractual commitment.

• FAR 52.216-22, Indefinite Quantity, incorporated at Section C.5, requires the

Government to order “at least the quantity of supplies or services designated in the

Schedule as the ‘minimum.’” A review of the Price/Cost Schedule in Section B.2 reveals that while it contains an “Estimated Maximum” quantity, it fails to state any corresponding contract minimum quantity.

Government Response: The “Estimated Minimum” quantity has been added to the top of the Schedule page to meet requirement of FAR Clause 52.216-22 as requested. Please see attached revised page for details.

Request for Clarification No. 4: The VA Responses to Questions issued under

Amendment 0001 Introduce Additional Ambiguities and Unreasonable

Solicitation Terms.

Background: The VA issued Amendment 0001 to provide answers to vendor questions.

While intended to provide clarity, the answers have unfortunately introduced new ambiguities and unreasonable terms that further prevent offerors from competing on an equal basis.

• The VA Improperly Establishes Fixed Prices for Mileage and Waiting

Time, Precluding Price Competition.

o Basis: In response to Question 2, which asked if offerors could submit competitive rates for CLINs 0013 (Mileage Outside Base Rate) and 0014

(Waiting Time), the VA responded, “Rates set by the Government at $5.00

& $7.50 per mile.” This establishes a fixed, non-negotiable price for these services.

Government Response: The “Rates set by the Government” were inadvertently listed on the price schedule table. Rates have been removed so vendors can now provide pricing for these CLIN’s. Please see attached revised price schedule table for details.

• The VA Provides an Ambiguous and Illogical Basis for Evaluating Waiting

Time Costs.

o Basis: In response to Question 3 regarding the lack of a total quantity for

CLIN 0014 (Waiting Time), the VA responded, “Total # of each is 10,000 miles for each.” The unit of issue for CLIN 0014, however, is a “15-minute

Increment,” not miles. Applying a quantity of “10,000 miles” to a time-based service is illogical and creates a patent ambiguity.

Government Response: The “Unit of Issue” has been changed to read “30 Minute

Increment” on the “Waiting Time” CLIN to mirror with the CLIN Description. Please see attached revised price schedule table for details.

B.2 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE (UPDATED)

** The guarantee minimum quantity number of trips, including the base year and option year if exercised, is 1 and the maximum quantity amount of trips, including base year and option year 1 if exercised, shall not exceed 12,790 trips.

AMBULANCE (Ground)

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES – PRICE SCHEDULE

BASE YEAR: 8-22-2025 to 8-21-2026

NOTE: A price quote must be provided for all data elements shaded in YELLOW within this

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES – PRICE SCHEDULE for any offeror to be determined technically acceptable for consideration for an award.

Line

Item

Description of

Services

12-Month

Quantity

(Estimated

Maximum)

Unit of

Issue

Unit Price Total Price

(Maximum

NTE)

Base Rate Transport

(Using Bing Maps)

One-Way

Trip

0001 BLS: Any Trip within twenty (20) Miles from the Durham VAHCS or the Greenville HCC

(Load weight only).

Includes arrival and acceptance of patient at point of departure and delivery of patient destination

4,000 Per Trip

(One-Way)

0002 BLS Mileage: Rate per mile beyond the twenty

(20) miles radius from the Durham VAHCS or

Greenville HCC (ONE

WAY ONLY) - This rate is in addition to the rate per trip of Items

51,000 Per Trip

#1) above. (Load

Weight Only)

0003 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Asheville

VAMC, 1100 Tunnel

Road, Asheville, NC

28805 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

20 Per Trip

0004 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Beckley

VAMC, 200 Veterans

Ave, Beckley, WV

25801 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

0005 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and

Fayetteville VAMC, 2300 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

(ONE WAY ONLY)

50 Per Trip

0006 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Hampton

VAMC, 100

Emancipation Dr., Hampton, VA 23667

(ONE WAY ONLY)

20 (One-Way

Per Trip)

0007 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and

Richmond VAMC, 1201 Broad Rock

Blvd., Richmond, VA

23249 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

0008 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Salem

VAMC, 1970 Roanoke

Blvd., Salem, VA

24153 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

0009 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Salisbury

VAMC, 1601 Brenner

Ave., Salisbury, NC

28114 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

45 (One-Way

0010 BLS: Any Trip within twenty (20) Miles from the Durham VAHCS and Garner OPC to

(Load weight only).

Includes arrival and acceptance of patient at point of departure and delivery of patient destination

1000 (One-Way

0011 ALS: Any Trip within twenty (20) Miles from

Durham VAHCS

(Load weight only).

Includes arrival and acceptance of patient at point of departure and delivery of patient destination.

100 Per Trip

(One-Way

0012 ALS Mileage: Rate per mile beyond the twenty

(20) miles radius from the Durham VAHCS

(ONE WAY ONLY) -

This rate is in addition to the rate per trip of

Items #2) above. (Load

Weight Only)

1000 Per Trip

0013 CCT: Any Trip within twenty (20) Miles from

Durham VAHCS

(Load weight only).

Includes arrival and acceptance of patient at point of departure and delivery of patient destination.

0014 CCT Mileage: Rate per mile beyond the twenty

(20) miles radius from the Durham VAHCS

(ONE WAY ONLY) -

This rate is in addition to the rate per trip of

Items #2) above. (Load

Weight Only)

0015 (A0425) Mileage Trip

Outside the Base Rate

(Price Per

Mile)

0016 (A0420) Waiting

Time (more than 30 minutes shall be paid in 30-minute increments).

(30-minute

Increment)

Total Estimated Cost of Base Year: $____________________

AMBULANCE (Ground)

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES – PRICE SCHEDULE

OPTION YEAR 1: 8-22-2026 to 8-21-2027

NOTE: A price quote must be provided for all data elements shaded in YELLOW within this

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES – PRICE SCHEDULE for any offeror to be determined technically acceptable for consideration for an award.

Line

Item

Description of

Services

12-Month

Quantity

(Estimated

Maximum)

Unit of

Issue

Unit Price Total Price

(Maximum

NTE)

Base Rate Transport

(Using Bing Maps)

One-Way

Trip

0001 BLS: Any Trip within twenty (20) Miles from the Durham VAHCS or the Greenville HCC

(Load weight only).

Includes arrival and acceptance of patient at point of departure and delivery of patient destination

4,000 Per Trip

0002 BLS Mileage: Rate per mile beyond the twenty

(20) miles radius from the Durham VAHCS or

Greenville HCC (ONE

WAY ONLY) - This rate is in addition to the rate per trip of Items

#1) above. (Load

Weight Only)

51,000 Per Trip

0003 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Asheville

VAMC, 1100 Tunnel

Road, Asheville, NC

28805 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

0004 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Beckley

VAMC, 200 Veterans

Ave, Beckley, WV

25801 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

0005 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and

Fayetteville VAMC, 2300 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

(ONE WAY ONLY)

0006 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Hampton

VAMC, 100

Emancipation Dr., Hampton, VA 23667

(ONE WAY ONLY)

Per Trip

0007 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and

Richmond VAMC, 1201 Broad Rock

Blvd., Richmond, VA

23249 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

0008 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Salem

VAMC, 1970 Roanoke

Blvd., Salem, VA

24153 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

0009 Flat Rate of

Beneficiary one way between the Durham

VAHCS and Salisbury

VAMC, 1601 Brenner

Ave., Salisbury, NC

28114 (ONE WAY

ONLY)

45 (One-Way

0010 BLS: Any Trip within twenty (20) Miles from the Durham VAHCS and Garner OPC to

(Load weight only).

Includes arrival and acceptance of patient at point of departure and delivery of patient destination

1000 (One-Way

0011 ALS: Any Trip within twenty (20) Miles from

Durham VAHCS

(Load weight only).

Includes arrival and acceptance of patient at point of departure and delivery of patient destination.

100 Per Trip

0012 ALS Mileage: Rate per mile beyond the twenty

(20) miles radius from the Durham VAHCS

(ONE WAY ONLY) -

This rate is in addition to the rate per trip of

Items #2) above. (Load

Weight Only)

1000 Per Trip

0013 CCT: Any Trip within twenty (20) Miles from

Durham VAHCS

(Load weight only).

Includes arrival and acceptance of patient at point of departure and delivery of patient destination.

0014 CCT Mileage: Rate per mile beyond the twenty

(20) miles radius from the Durham VAHCS

(ONE WAY ONLY) -

This rate is in addition to the rate per trip of

Items #2) above. (Load

Weight Only)

0015 (A0425) Mileage Trip

Outside the Base Rate

(Price Per

Mile)

0016 (A0420) Waiting

Time (more than 30 minutes shall be paid in 30-minute increments).

(30-minute

Increment)

Total Estimated Cost of Option Year 1: $____________________

Total Estimated Cost of Base and 1 Option Year: $____________________

Factor 1: Technical/Management Approach “Updated”

The evaluation process will consider whether the quote demonstrates a clear understanding of the technical features involved in meeting the requirements of the solicitation.

• Offeror shall submit a detailed technical approach for completing the requirements of the Performance Work Statement (PWS). To include but not limited to the firm's ability to:

o Respond to dispatches in accordance with PWS section 4.6.1.9 o Ability to provide the minimum number of vehicles and bring on additional vehicles if needed.

• Capability to Perform - Offeror shall demonstrate that it currently possesses and employs personnel with appropriate skill mix/qualification, equipment, standards, work processes, and general resources to accomplish the requirements of the

Performance Work Statement.