36C24725Q0853 0002_1.docx

LOX (557) - RFQ Q&A

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)

09-24-2025

557-26-1-2134-0001

N/A

Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 7 Network Contracting Activity 501 Greene Street Hatcher Building - Suite 2 Augusta GA 30901

Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 7 Network Contracting Activity 501 Greene Street Hatcher Building - Suite 2 Augusta GA 30901 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C24725Q0853 09-09-2025

X

X

See CONTINUATION Page

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1. Provide received responses to submitted questions.

2. Incorporate FAR 52.228-5 by reference.

Chelsea Smith Contracting Officer

SECTION I - CONTRACT CLAUSES

I.1 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.va.gov/oal/library/vaar/

36C24725Q0853 0002 Section I (End of Clause)

1. As the NAICS for this RFQ is 325210 Industrial Gas Manufacturing, please confirm whether this is a Service Contract or a Supply Contract. Supply.

1. What is the current contract number, and who is the current supplier? 36C24721P0111 - MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES OF AMERICA, LLC.

1. Please confirm that the contract resulting from this solicitation will be FOB Destination. Yes, FOB Destination.

1. PG 6 of 53 (Section 5.1.2) states that “…contracts that include the installation of contractor-owned equipment shall include a 60-day transition period at the beginning and end of the contract period.” However, PG 9 (Section 9.1.1) states that “…the contractor’s owned equipment shall be installed by the first day of the period of performance (directed by Contracting Officer) and shall be connected to the medical gas system on that date; provided that the contractor shall be allowed a maximum of sixty calendar days after receipt of notice of award to complete installation.” Please confirm that the VA is not expecting the awarded contractor to install tanks BEFORE the beginning of the period of performance, which is highly nonstandard. The RFQ contradicts itself by saying that the 60-day transition period starts at the beginning of the contract period (which is standard) but then goes on to state that the 60-day period begins after the notice of award and that equipment installation must be completed by the first day of the contract period. Please clarify this requirement. Supply contracts provide a 60-day transition period to ensure uninterrupted services. The official commencement of the new contractor's Period of Performance (POP) will begin on the 61st day. Throughout the 60-day transition, the current vendor will maintain service delivery, while the new vendor works to assume ownership and complete all necessary installations by the start of the 61st day.

1. PG 10 of 53 (Section 10.1.1) addressed government-owned cylinders remaining under the VA’s ownership. Does this opportunity require the use of any GFE cylinders, or was this included in error? The provided bulk tanks are listed as a 1500G main tank and a 234G reserve tank with no mention of a cylinder requirement. This is an error and has been removed from the SOW.

1. What is the VA’s current procedure for resupply? The contractor monitors the telemetry readings and works the schedule with the Matheson dispatcher. They let Marcus Pritcher on the Carl Vinson VAMC staff know when to expect the delivery via email.

1. Does the VAMC initiate refill via an order placed by an authorized VA POC or is refill a function of telemetry readings reaching a refill/reorder point, which initiates the scheduling of an Oxygen Delivery? Please see the previous answer.

1. What is the significance of deliveries on Wednesdays, i.e., is the facility requiring deliveries on Wednesdays irrespective of tank levels (if the facility is nowhere near the reorder/refill point)? Your refill schedule is based on your tank level, not on a specific day of the week.

1. Would the VA be amenable to allowing fills to be initiated based on an established reorder point, rather than a standing weekly delivery on a specific day regardless of current tank levels? This is an internal VA decision.

1. Would deliveries be allowed on other days of the week? Yes. Deliveries can be on different days if need be.

1. What is the estimated daily usage (in inches) for the VAMC? August 2025 was 2.16in.

1. When was the most recent annual inspection completed, and will the VA provide a copy of this? Please see the attached document.

1. Has there been any history of vaporizers icing up due to high volume? In the past five years, the facility has not had to contact Matheson to address that issue.

1. PG 32 of 53, under Instructions for Quote Submission, “The Quoter agrees to hold prices in its quote firm for a period of one-hundred-fifty (150) calendar days from the date specified for the receipt of quoters.” What is the GOV’s rationale that offerors must keep a quote valid for (5) months which is a highly irregular requirement in an industry where costs continue to escalate with time (When a requirement to hold quote pricing is include, it’s typically 60-90 days at most)? This is standard language to allow for appropriate technical reviews, along with the protest period.

1. There is no mention of required liability insurance in the solicitation. How is the GOV going to validate that offerors are properly insured for NAICS 325120/221210 – the actual requirement for this work to comply with the RFQ? How do offerors confirm to the GOV that they have the correct type of Liability Insurance, and does this need to be affirmed at the time of bid submission (if not, an awarded firm could be turned down or not be able to afford this coverage in the amounts the GOV requires, respective to NAICS 325120)? This is important because there are very few underwriters that will insure small businesses for the distribution of compressed gases and why confirmation of the applicable NAICS is being requested, in accordance with paragraph (a) of FAR 52.228-5 – Insurance Work on a Government Installation. FAR 52.228-8 has been incorporated by reference.

1. Does the evaluation committee/entity consider an unlicensed SDVOSB distributor of medical-grade gases (oxygen is a prescription drug) to be a responsible/eligible offeror pre-award? If so, how will the Contracting Authority ensure compliance to ensure that an unlicensed offeror will not deliver medical gases to the VAMC post-award until they are properly licensed in the state of Georgia? Recent GAO protests have stated that licensing is a contract administrative function, so how is the GOV enforcing contract administrative functions such as ensuring the awardee is compliant with federal regulations? Yes, as long as other documents have been submitted to prove prior experience with the requirement. As for ensuring proper license requirements, a notice to proceed will not be issued until a proper proof is obtained.

1. Please confirm who the GOV entity is that enforces and ensures post-award compliance with FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (incorporated by reference on PG 19 of 53 in the RFQ)? FAR and the agency.

1. Please confirm that the SDVOSB offeror must comply with the FDA/Code of Federal Regulations prior to first delivery to meet the requirements of the Statement of Work in the contract that will result from this solicitation (wholesale distribution of medical-grade oxygen/compressed gases where medical-grade oxygen is defined by the FDA as a prescription drug). The bid states multiple times that the offeror must be compliant with federal, state, and local regulations, and licensing for wholesale distributors of prescription drugs (e.g., medical-grade oxygen) is a highly regulated compliance requirement with the FDA, CFR, and the state of Georgia. Yes, the SDVOSB must comply with the FDA/Code of Federal Regulations before the first delivery.

1. Will the GOV please verify that the tank pad is only 4” thick, as this is pretty thin to sustain a 1,500 & 234 Bulk tanks (typically, the thickness is a minimum of 12”)? The pad is actually 14” thick, not 4”; that was miscommunication.