36C24719Q0908-0001001.pdf

1. If the classroom is let’s say 6-7 miles away from the facility. Would this be technical unresponsive and the vendor quote will not be considered?

ANSWER: Yes. 5 miles is the requirement

2. If 6 or 7 miles is not technically acceptable, can you change the requirement to 10 miles?

ANSWER: No

3. Delivery: 45 Calendar Days ARO, We believe this means that delivery can start 45 days after award. Is this correct?

ANSWER: Yes

4. When does the Govt want to complete the 3 classes by?

ANSWER: Classes should be scheduled in coordination with the customer with a few months in between each. The 3 should be completed within 1 year of award.

5. Since It is not necessarily applicable in the search for highly qualifies IT instructors, Can the requirement for a college degree be removed?

ANSWER: We will not exclude due to education level if they are highly qualified in other areas.

6. Since most highly qualified instructors are contract instructors and don’t have access to the evals that the company that hires them collects can the required evaluations for the A+ and Microsoft instructors be for any like class? For example Network+ and Security + are a higher level cert and are more representative of a quality instructor that would also teach A+ In addition, ANSWER: That’s acceptable if the evals are for similar or higher-level classes.

7. Can the instructor provide proof of the certification post award and before the class starts? I have a situation of a highly qualified instructor that teaches multiple CompTia classes but his A+ expired and he is teaching over the current period of time with no chance to take the exam.

ANSWER: Proof of certification must be provided with the proposal since it used as evaluation criteria.

8. On page 2 of the synopsis (copied below) Is this a typo?

ANSWER: That language does not apply to this solicitation.

(v) If this procurement equipment then it’s for NEW EQUIPMENT ONLY; no remanufactured or "gray market" items. All Equipment must be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

Gray market items are Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (OEM) goods sold through unauthorized channels in direct competition with authorized distributors. This procurement is for new OEM medical supplies, medical equipment and/or services contracts for maintenance of medical equipment (i.e.

replacement parts) for VA Medical Centers. No remanufactures or gray market items will be acceptable.

Vendor shall be an OEM, authorized dealer, authorized distributor or authorized reseller for the proposed medical supplies, medical equipment and/or services contracts for maintenance of medical equipment (i.e.

replacement parts), verified by an authorization letter or other documents from the OEM, such that the

OEM’s warranty and service are provided and maintained by the OEM. All software licensing, warranty and service associated with the medical supplies, medical equipment and/or services contracts for maintenance of medical equipment shall be in accordance with the OEM terms and conditions.

The delivery of gray market items to the VA in the fulfillment of an order/award constitutes a breach of contract. Accordingly, the VA reserves the right enforce any of its contractual remedies. This includes termination of the contract or, solely at the VA’s election, allowing the Vendor to replace, at no cost to the Government, any remanufactured or gray market item(s) delivered to a VA medical facility upon discovery of such items.

(vi) Description of requirements for the items to be acquired.

9. #2 of the pricing info on page 3 of the synopsis says , New Equipment only; no remanufactured or "gray market" items, however on page 4, # 4 of the items that need to be technical acceptable says “If the offeror is quoting/offering “or equal” items, the offeror must clearly identify the exact make, model, manufacturer and item description for each line item to be considered.

Quotes/offerors that do not provide an adequate description of how the “equal” product meets the salient characteristics will not be considered for award. Therefor can you clarify if the PMP needs to be delivered by a PMI certified provider, the A+ needs to be provided by a CompTia Partner, and the Microsoft class needs to be Microsoft official curriculum delivered by an Official

Microsoft learning partner?

ANSWER: The instructor teaching the class must have the certification to teach that class.

10. Because of the uncertainty of how these questions will be answered, and the effect upon our selection of resources to commit to this requirement, can the due date be extended to Sept 5th?

ANSWER: The solicitation can be extended until September 5th.

1. For A+, the SOW lists 5 days. A+ is a course that maps to two separate exams both of which typically require 40 hours of teaching time for each exam, as follows:

CompTIA A+ 220-1001 (Core 1) and 220-1002 (Core 2)

Please advise if you are allowing for training providers to quote for 40 hours for each exam for a total of

80 hours of classroom time for A+ training.

ANSWER: The A+ course shall be condensed to just 5 days to cover material on both exams. Assume that the students have solid foundational knowledge and experience, and this course is meant just as a refresher.

2. Windows Microsoft Server 2016 is a 3 class, 3 exam track. It too, is listed as 5 days. Are we able to teach the three segments for five days each for a total of 120 classroom hours?

ANSWER: Only the “Installation, Storage & Compute with Windows Server 2016” is required. This should be a 5 day course.

3. We have two talented multi-decade instructors that are current on the certifications required in the

SOW, however, they do not hold Bachelors degrees. One has an Associates degree from the AF College, the other hold 10+ certifications and has been a Microsoft MCT for over a decade. Would they be eligible to teach?

ANSWER: Yes, we will not exclude due to education level if they are highly qualified in other areas.

4. In your Solicitation Number: 36C24719Q0908 for IT and Project Management Professional certification training you are requesting the exam for two of the courses be proctored on the last day of training. Our classes are 5 days, 8 hours each day with breaks and lunch (approximately 37.5 hours total). We encourage students to take the exam while the material is fresh and provide them with test prep material but do not proctor the exam at the end.

Is it acceptable to provide test prep material and the exam voucher which has a one year expiration from date of issue but not proctor the exam at the end of class?

ANSWER: Proctored exams at the end of the CompTIA and Windows Server courses is required.

Arrangements should be made by the contractor with a testing center to have a proctor onsite.

5. What is the approximate Period of Performance?

ANSWER: Each course will be scheduled by coordination with the customer. Upon contract award, the first scheduled course would be no sooner than 3 months away, and the final course should be completed within a year of award.

What Time of Aug 30th is this due?

ANSWER: 2:00 pm however, the solicitation will be extended until September 5, 2019 at 2:00pm.

Can the instructor provide proof of the certification post award and before the class starts? I have a situation of a highly qualified instructor that teaches multiple CompTia classes but his A+ expired and he is teaching over the next month with no time to take the exam.

ANSWER: Proof of certification must be provided with the proposal since it used as evaluation criteria.