36C24720R0008-005.pdf

1. According to SF 1449 Block 8 offers are due 10:00 AM EST 2/27/ 2020. The schedule B indicates the POP will begin March 1, 2020. Is it the Government’s intent to review all proposals then make an award decision in two (2) days? Please clarify. Proposals are due on 2/27/2020 at

10:00AM. The POP has been changed to April 1, 2020, the government will not review and decide in two days.

2. SF 1449, Block 20, lists the service as Wheelchair/Ambulatory Transportation services, the

Schedule B lists the service as Wheelchair van service. Is the scope for wheelchair/ambulatory transportation services different than the scope for Wheelchair van services? Please clarify. Block

20 has been updated to reflect” Ambulance Transportation Services and Wheelchair Non-

Emergent Van Services. The two requirements have a different scope of work as listed in the attached Performance Work Statement (PWS). There are two pricing schedules. Vendors may submit a proposal for Ambulance Services or Wheelchair Non-emergent Van Service or BOTH.

Ambulance Services pricing schedule starts on page 6 of RFP and Wheelchair Non-emergent Van

Service pricing schedule starts on page 12.

3. SF 1449, Block 28, this block is typically completed on solicitations. Am I to understand this block was intentionally left blank? Please clarify. That was an error, please sign/ date and return one (1) copy of this RFP to the Contract Specialist.

4. Invoices, page 5 of 96: the list of items a properly prepared invoice shall contain is inconsistent with the list in paragraph A.9, Payment -Tungsten of the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

What does a properly prepared invoice contain? Please follow the procedures listed on page five

(5) of the RFP. Additionally, the PWS for both services have been updated accordingly.

5. Section E.6, 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items (Oct 2014), page 75 of 96: does not address the basis for award. What is the basis for award? The basis for award is listed under

EVALUATION CRITERIA starting on page 75 of the RFP.

6. Factor 2, Technical - staffing plan, page 77 of 96: “including an organizational chart, clearly showing the relationships, lines of authority, and their responsibilities “The staffing plan should indicate the level, education, and qualifications of onsite Contractor personnel and state certifications. Is this a requirement for ambulance and wheelchair services? It is unclear why contractors performing on this contract will be on site. What state certifications is being addressed in this section? Please clarify. When contracting personnel transport patients to and from the Dorn VA Medical Healthcare and CBOCs, it is considered “ONSITE”. There will be no staging of Ambulances at the VA hospital or CBOCs. State certifications and training for

Ambulance Services are listed in paragraphs 19 and 20 of the PWS and Qualifications for

Wheelchair Non-emergent Van Services are listed in paragraph A.12 of the PWS.

7. Transition Plan, page 78 of 96: “The offeror shall submit documentation outlining a 30-day transition… Does the government anticipate it will take 30 days to transition from the current contract? Yes, but 30 days is an estimated time frame.

8. Performance Work Statement, A.1, Purpose: Contractor shall provide Ambulette Service. What is

Ambulette Service? Ambulette Service provides Non- Emergency care, mainly for individuals that are disabled. Is Ambulette Service in addition to Wheelchair Van services and Ambulance

Transportation Services? No, Ambulette Service is part of the Wheelchair Non-Emergent Van

Services. Ambulance Transportation Service is unique to stretchers.

9. A.2.1.1 Vehicle Inspections (4): An updated list of newly added vehicles shall be provided to the

COR monthly. When is this due on 1st, 15th 30th of the month This task is not listed on the

Performance Standard summary table, is this a task that will be monitored by the COR? This task will be monitored by the COR, newly added vehicles shall be provided at the end of the month (in which a new vehicle is added).

10. A.3.2 Same Day Transportation Request: The contractor shall have a vehicle at the Dorn VAMC within 45 minutes after a request for service has been placed. Are all “Same Day Transportation

Requests for DORN VAMC only? According to paragraph A.1, Purpose, the contractor shall furnish wheelchair van transportation services to beneficiaries of DORN VAMC and CBOCs.

Will there be any same day transportation requests at a beneficiary’s home? Please clarify the pickup point(s) for “Same Day Transportation Requests”. There will be instances where same day transportation will be requested at a beneficiary’s home, Dorn VAMC, and CBOCs.

11. A.4.1 Cancellations/No-shows: The contractor shall not charge for scheduled trips cancelled thirty (30) minutes prior to trip begin time. Considering where the beneficiaries live, to include the location of the CBOCs, some locations are more than 30 minutes away from an appointment location where the driver will need to leave way in advance to ensure the beneficiary is picked up on time to make the scheduled appointment. The driver may be on the way to a scheduled pick up when the trip is cancelled. IN this instance, will the contractor be reimbursed for a one -way trip? If an appointment is cancelled enroute the contractor will get paid for a one-way trip.

12. Period of Performance: The Period of Performance (POP) is listed as TBD. According to the

Schedule B, the POP has been established. Please clarify. The POP has an estimated POP of

04/01/2020- 31 March 2021 for at least the base year, barring any potential protests filed.

13. Patient Welfare and Abuse (3): Patients have the right to an escort….Will the contractor be informed of special needs, if any, of the individual escorting the beneficiary? NO

14. May I have the requested last 2 historical awards for this job please. The current Ambulance services contract was awarded under 36C24720C0007 and the current Wheelchair Non-emergent

Van services is under contract 36C24719P0084.

15. Reference the subject solicitation, on page 37 52.222-42 Equivalent Rates, under the SCA prevailing wages, do the Wheelchair Transportation Employee Class identifies the driver as

Shuttle Bus Driver? This is the classification consistent with the service that closely aligns with industry from Department of Labor.

16. Are we to calculate the mileage cost in the pick-ups? Price will be based on a per trip basis as outlined in the pricing schedule.

17. Is there a current incumbent providing the same services or is this a new effort? The current incumbent for Ambulance is Professional Staffing and the current incumbent for Wheelchair non-emergent Van services is Transport Care Services. This resulting solicitation will yield two separate Requirement contracts.

18. One more clarification, can you submit a proposal for only the wheelchair services? Potential vendors can submit a proposal for the only the wheelchair, only the ambulance, or both.

19. My question below on number 2 reference the mileage. I just saw in the Clin 0003 plus options years, you have 110,419.00 Trips. Is this supposed to state Mileage? No, Pricing is not derived by mileage. All prices will be based on a per trip basis as outlined in the pricing schedule.

20. Can you please provide the past performance evaluation form referenced on page 76? Past performance will be documented on the questionnaire provided. Check all attachments to the

RFP.

21. For entities that do not meet the set aside requirements of being a “Service-Disabled Veteran owned small business,” will the contractor proposal be considered, or will it be automatically disqualified? Yes, they will be automatically disqualified. This is a Service-Disabled Veteran

Owned Small Business set-aside.

22. If the proposed contractor were to utilize a sub-contractor, how is that portion of business over the life of the contract term monitored? Are there maximum amounts of business, i.e. transports the sub-contractor can perform? The resulting contract will be subject to the rules of VAAR clause 852.219-74, located on page 28 of the RFP.

23. Is it feasible to be notified in the case that no other “Service-disabled veteran owned small businesses” Bid on the RFP? If no Service-Disabled Veteran Owned businesses submit proposals, The Government will modify the existing solicitation to capture other socioeconomic categories or provide for full and open competition and extend the response, as necessary.

24. The Non-emergent Ambulance Service Work Statement details that BLS and ALS ambulances are requested in this RFP. In the cost/price breakdown, ALS and BLS do not have separate cost designations. Does this mean that the same level of payment will be provided for all levels of ambulance transport? Or please provide the cost breakdown for the distinct levels of care? 90% ambulance services are BLS, 10% is ALS, as identified on page 3, RATES of the PWS for

Ambulance Services.

25. Is there a required number of ambulances or wheelchair vans to be available? A minimum of 15 for the Non-emergent Ambulance Services to support transporting veteran beneficiaries. There is no limit for the Wheelchair non-emergent Van Service.

26. What is the pricing for wait time for ambulance? The Work Statement mentions that wait time will be reimbursed by the quarter hour based on the schedule; however, the price/cost schedule in the RFP document does not list a reimbursement rate for ambulance wait time. Wait time for transport due to causes beyond the Contractor’s control, the Contractor shall be reimbursed at the rate of one-fourth (1/4) the hourly rate established in the award for each quarter-hour of fraction thereof in excess of one quarter-hour from the time reported to the Special Mode Transportation

Coordinator. All wait time must be approved, unauthorized wait times are not reimbursable. The

RFP has been updated to reflect a wait time CLIN for Ambulance Services.

27. The size standard for the VA contract is listed at $16.5 million. Please clarify if this total encompasses both ambulance and wheelchair proposals. It encompasses both stretcher ambulance and wheelchair service (The size standard is for each service. Posting portal for

Government solicitations will not allow entering two (2) NAICS code to capture full total.)

28. Oxygen services is not included in cost/price schedule for ambulance transportation. Can this line item be proposed and if so, what quantity would the VA be? The RFP will be amended to add two CLINS for ALS and BLS Oxygen at a quantity of 24 each.

29. How will ambulance service trips outside of 143-mile green band be priced? Will be negotiated with the Contracting Officer and Contractor, as this is a very rare instance.

30. Are all EMTs required to have two years of experience in the EMS field in addition to their certification training? Similarly, is five years of EMS experience required for all paramedic-level employees? EMTs shall have completed training in accordance with the standards published by the Department of Health and Human Services with a minimum of 127 hours or “equivalent”, which includes 10 hours in a Hospital Training Environment. Training programs shall be acceptable under the regulating requirements for local EMS Systems supported by DHHA under

PL 93-154. The “equivalent” training program successfully completed by the EMT shall be submitted to the COR for appropriate action. EMT shall be certified, licensed or otherwise officially recognized by the local State, or Regional Government or public entity where the

Emergency Ambulance Service is operated, or by which it is governed. The EMT shall be enrolled in “refresher” continuing education, or Advanced raining Programs as required by the local or State Governmental entity in which the service is rendered to Veterans, but in no instance, shall this be less frequently than every three (3) years. Such “refresher” training must be equivalent of that developed by the Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety

Administration. Proof of such training must be submitted annually to the COR.

31. Please confirm that item 3 in the wheelchair pricing refers to price and quantity of miles and not trips. Based on trips within the radius of 25 miles

32. What was the actual wheelchair volume for the month of December for the VA Columbia and all the CBOCs separately? (Dorn VAHMC) approximately 527 trips, (Greenville) 39 trips, (Florence) 53 trips, (Orangeburg) 28 trips, (Sumter) 53 trips, (Spartanburg) 40 trips, (Anderson)

16 trips, and (Rock Hill) 30 trips. Total number of trips for the month of December 2019 = 786

33. Should a partially executed version of the business associate agreement (signed by contractor) be submitted with the proposal? YES

34. What is the hourly rate for a wheelchair driver? Please see page 57 of the RFP, Shuttle bus driver is aligned with this service.

35. The wage determination for both the 12010 Ambulance driver and the EMT is $19.05. That is an increase of $3.61 over the previous contract. Will you please provide clarification behind the increase? The Wage determination referenced in the RFP is 2015-4427 revision 13. The government will reference the most recent wage determination at the time of solicitation and award.

36. Does EO 13707 establish a paid sick leave policy for only employees assigned full-time to services covered under this agreement? Please read Executive Order 13706, sick leave policy is granted for Full time and part time employees.

37. For multiple offers, please confirm that we can provide a technical proposal that encompasses proposed solutions and capabilities for both ambulance and wheelchair service and provide two separate pricing structures with associated line items: (1) ambulance only, and (2) ambulance and wheelchair? Contractors may provide technical solutions for ambulance or wheelchair services or both; however, each technical proposal must stand on its own. Pricing should be submitted IAW the pricing schedules contained in the RFP. Evaluations are done independently.

38. Do the Health & Welfare EO and Vacation policies apply to only employees assigned full-time to services covered under this agreement? Please read pages 59-60 of the RFP.

39. Is there a need for a passenger van under the wheelchair contract? If the passenger van can safely transport our wheelchair veteran beneficiaries, it can be used, but is not needed.