VENDOR QUESTIONS and ANSWERS Lab Routine and Unscheduled Courier Services updated 2.docx

VENDOR QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (Q&As) Lab Routine and Unscheduled Courier Services

(RFQ# 36C24825Q0372)

Amendment 0002

The following questions were asked of the Government relating to the subject requirement which are hereby posted and responded to.

Q&As:

1) Question: Will clean and soiled RME be transported within this contract? If yes, which locations will require RME transport?

Answer: No.

2) Question: Will the courier be transporting clean and soiled laundry? If yes, how many bags on average and to/from which locations?

Answer: No.

3) Question: Is there designated courier parking near the James Hailey Hospital Warehouse?

Answer: No. Parking at the warehouse entrance is “first come.”

4) Question: Please confirm that Lecanto Clinic morning specimens are delivered to NPR Clinic and afternoon specimens are delivered to James Haley VA Hospital.

Answer: Correct.

5) Question: Please confirm that there is no delivery from the NPR Clinic to James Haley VA Hospital.

Answer: Incorrect. The 1st pick up from NPR is at 12:30pm with delivery to James Haley at 2pm. There is 2nd pick up from NPR is at 4:00pm with delivery to James Haley at 6pm.

6) Question: What is the actual start date?

Answer: Estimated to be 10/01/2025, subject to change based on whatever date the contracting officer defines in the award.

7) Question: Are the estimated quantity of Unscheduled / STAT runs accurate? Our experience was there were much more than 24 per year.

Answer: The laboratory does not currently have a contract for Unscheduled / STAT runs. The “24 per year for lab” does not include an additional 500 unscheduled pickup/drop-offs for pharmacy. I would like to INCREASE the estimated total number of unscheduled transports from 24 to 550 per year.

8) Question: As the previous incumbent from 2015-2020 and subsequent 2020 solicitation, the price schedule was much more detailed had line items for most of the following:

· Laboratory Specimens

· Clean Laundry

· Inter-Office Mail

· Bulk Medical Supplies

· RME

· Unscheduled / STAT runs

Answer: This contract is primarily used for Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) only and all pickup/drop-off locations are with the P&LMS spaces. The statement of Need includes the following:

· Laboratory specimen containers

· Lab reagents and/or supplies weighing less than 50 pounds per package.

· Boxes of less than 25 pounds

· Blood and Blood Components for transfusion

· Medical supplies, examples include but not limited to, equipment, pharmacy, etc.

· Office supplies

· Inter-office mail

· Sensitive/Confidential documents

· Electronic and portable media devices

9) Question: Depending on your answers to questions 1 and 2, but certainly for the STAT runs, will a similarly detailed price schedule be provided with estimated quantities per week or per month so we can provide a more accurate quote, and subsequent invoicing can also be provided? We feel this would much more beneficial to the VA.

Answer: This contract is primarily used for Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) only and all pickup/drop-off locations are with the P&LMS spaces. STAT pickups will be for items listed above. Pharmacy medications may require an unscheduled pick up on a “as needed” bases Monday through Friday in accordance with an estimated maximum of 10 times per week.

10) Question: How many drivers/vehicles are currently used to service the current contract?

Answer: This information is unknown.

11) Question: What is the vehicle size currently servicing this location?

Answer: The information regarding the current courier is unknown. For this new contract, with exception of routes 1 and 4 from Attachment A, a compact to mid-sized sedan should be sufficient. Routes 1 and 4 would require a medium to large vehicle due to the quantity Laboratory specimen containers on the routes.

12) Question: How many cubic feet of storage are required for transportation, and what is the maximum size and quantity of items to be transported daily?

Answer: From the SOW (also see question 8 above)

· Laboratory specimen containers (not to exceed 24” x 24” x 18”) weighing less than 25 pounds per bag. See Attachment A for additional information per route.

· Lab reagents and/or supplies weighing less than 50 pounds per package. – as needed, not daily

· Boxes of less than 25 pounds – as needed, not daily

· All other items listed are of nominal quantity, weight, and size. – as needed, not daily

13) Question: Please clarify if the government will require the vendor to provide equipment (coolers, totes, locks, and temperature logs).

Answer: The only expectation would be driver specific transport devises (cart, dolly, etc.), if necessary to assist with the transport of items from the lab to the vehicle or vice versus.

14) Question: What is the weekly, monthly, or annual estimated trip volume for as-needed trips in total, and/or as-needed trips per contract location, if any? The PDF titled Attachment A – Courier Route Schedule would not open from the Performance Work Statement. Could you please provide a working version of this document so we can formulate a quote at the best possible value for the VA?

Answer: Attachment A has been reposted for your review.

15) Question: If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number?

Answer: The previous awardee has been posted on Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) SAM.gov.

16) Question: What was the cost of the final full option year of the previous contract?

Answer: The previous awardee has been posted on Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) SAM.gov.

17) Question: Will pharmaceuticals also be delivered to residential locations?

Answer: Pharmacy medications shall be picked up on an as need bases Monday through Friday The contractor shall pick up the pharmacy medications from the James A. Haley Veterans’ Outpatient Pharmacy Service, 12210 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, (designated POC, phone no. 813-972-2000, x 3038) and deliver them to: New Port Richey VA Outpatient Clinic Pharmacy Service (room no. C134, designated POC, 727-869-4131). The pharmacy medications shall be enclosed in Styrofoam containers, normally weighing approximately 5 pounds each. Each container will have security wrap tape which is not to be tampered with.

18) Question: If the radius for the unscheduled runs varies by more than just a handful of miles, line items should reflect the potential distances (0-50, 50-100, as an example)

Answer: Vendor can quote how they prefer to invoice for the unscheduled trips.