Attachment E Question and Answers 36C24822Q0322.pdf

RFI

36C24822Q0322 Questions and Answers

1. Question: Are offerors required to poses SDVOSB Contractor licensing requirements in the State of Florida?

Answer: Solicitation has been revised.

2. Question: Can you please confirm estimated quantities listed in solicitation are accurate as they appear to be low for a facility like Miami?

Answer: Estimated quantities have been revised. See updated solicitation.

3. Question: Please confirm that the Prime Contractor (SDVOB) must have a Current State of

Florida Drug Wholesale distributor’s license?

4. Question: PG 7 of 97, Section e. under DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS: Contractor shall deliver Liquid

Nitrogen 230 Liter to Miami VA location Operating Room service area. At Government request, at time of delivery the Contractor shall disconnect the Liquid Nitrogen 230 Liter tank connected to the Operating Room refrigerator and connect the full tank to the Operating Room refrigerator

SOW requires the contractor to disconnect Liquid Nitrogen 230 Liter tank in the OR and connect a new tank however this is highly irregular. Our delivery drivers do not go into the facility potentially interacting with patients for liability reasons especially with COVID protocols.

Recommend removing this language or allowing a delivery fee (for locations we do not interact with patients – such as research) ‐ for a nonstandard contractor function (was not on the previous contract) and does not present a situation where the GOV may say that the contractor damaged the GOV manifold that cylinders are being replaced at inside the hospital.

5. Question: PG 13 of 97, PERFORMANCE OF PHYSICAL INVENTORY: The SOW requires a joint inventory each quarter as well as with each contract option year however there are costs associated with the vendor deploying representatives to site each quarter. Can we please have a CLIN added to cover vendor costs to conduct quarterly inventories? Quarterly inventories are excessive, costly, and are subject to COVID 19 Protocols – recommend an annual inventory and a CLIN to bill for it (RPOC Centrals does this).

6. Question: Additionally, this section requires joint inventory of Government Owned Tanks but inventorying of GFE’s is not the responsibility of the contractor. Comment – for GFE, we pick up any empties cylinders that are at the loading dock/receiving ‐ and return them filled, i.e.. We only fill what the GOV provides us empty ‐‐ we only track these refills of GFE as we must bill the

GOV, on hand quantities is a Facility responsibility. Recommend removing any mention of the

Contractor inventorying GFE.

7. Question: SOW states “There shall be an initial joint inventory within 10 days of award and at the beginning of each option period.” 10 days is an extremely short turn around to coordinate after the award and typically the inventory is performed between the VA & the current supplier.

Is the GOV willing to provide a CLIN for the initial joint inventory?

8. Question: On the current schedule, there is no CLIN for performing yearly inventories at the beginning of each option period, will there be one added?

9. Question: SOW states “The contractor and COR shall conduct periodic physical inventories each quarter of no less than 3 locations covered under this contract.” However, SOW mentions yearly requirement. Will the GOV add a CLIN for “quarterly” inventories? Please clarify or recommend change to annual inventories with a CLIN to bill those costs?

10. Question: Please note that if tanks are lost by subs or prime contracted personnel, that the prime contractor will be responsible for the costs, not the medical facility. This verbiage is vague and alludes to the sub or prime contracted personnel losing tanks. Is this verbiage pertaining to the Government‐owned tanks?

11. Question: P. 5 OF 97 – DAYS AND HOURS OF OBSERVATION, Juneteenth is not listed as a Federal Holiday.

Answer: Yes, Juneteenth observed on June 19 is a Federal Holiday.

12. Question: P. 6‐7 OF 97 – DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS, SOW states “d. ‐ At the time of each delivery, the contractor shall provide signed and dated invoices. Document will be counter‐ signed by the facility MVAHS representative supervising the delivery.” Instead of invoices, recommend it reads POD or (Proof of Delivery). Will the GOV change “invoices” to read “Proof of Delivery”?

13. Question: P. 10 OF 97 – LOST OR DAMAGED CONTRACTOR OWNED CYLINDERS, SOW states “For each contractor‐owned cylinder lost or damaged beyond repair while in the Governments possession, the Government shall pay to the Contractor the replacement value, less the allocable rental paid for that cylinder.” Can the GOV clarify the verbiage “…replacement value, less the allocable rental paid for that cylinder”? Since the time of loss is only revealed upon a

Joint Inventory, there is no applicable “rent paid?” Please clarify, or recommend removing

“allocable rent paid” because that is neither relatable, nor quantifiable?

Answer: Solicitation has been revised.

14. Question: P. 10‐11 OF 97 – QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS, Paragraph 3 “A valid certificate of analysis shall be provided with each delivery of oxygen.” The certificate shall include, at a minimum: etc… This verbiage appears to be for BULK LOx, can the

GOV remove this paragraph from the SOW?

15. Question: P. 11 OF 97 – QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING, Paragraph 1 “The contractor shall provide records of training and competency assessment of contractor personnel involved with the performance of this contract (Delivery). All new contractor personnel will have completed all required training prior to delivery of oxygen. Documentation will be provided to the VA Contract

Officer at time of solicitation submission.” What kind of records is the Contract Officer looking for? How can we provide “records of training and competency” as we don’t maintain our subcontractor’s delivery drivers’ records? Does the GOV have a template for what the GOV

Employees have for MED CYL Training?

16. Question: Are the estimated quantities a yearly estimate?

17. Question: There is no CLIN for Hydrostatic Testing of GFE CYL but the Schedule of Items identifies multiple GFE tanks, will the GOV provide a CLIN for hydrostatic testing of GFE tanks?