36C24918Q9632-0004001.pdf

Questions and Answers (Attachment 1)

1. With regard to Paragraph C.1.e., contractor requests that the VA adjust the requirement limiting the use of third party solutions for the Secure Print solution due to the fact that third part solutions require multi-vendor support. This requirement as it stands is unnecessary and will limit the eventual RFQ to one vendor. This requirement is unnecessary when a vendor, such as Vendor has the ability to manage the service issue to its completion. Also, some vendors, such as Canon will claim that its Secure Print solution (UniFLOW) is manufactured by Canon, but it is not. It is as third party solution that has been rebranded by Canon. Ultimately only 1 vendor (Lexmark) will be able to satisfy this requirement. That will limit the Government’s options in terms of price and functionality. This is particularly relevant to functionality, because, to best support a multi-vendor print environment (as in the case with most VA facilities), it is often best practice to use a third-party (and tightly integrated) solution for print management and network scanning. Using software that is proprietary to a hardware vendor limits the inclusion of existing and legacy print devices and hampers scalability of the solution. Given these factors, will the VA accept proposals that include third party software on the Multi-Function device, provided it is accessible from the native panel of the device and installed and managed by the selected vendor?

Answer: No, we prefer a one shot solution. We do not want to have to support two separate solutions and software from two different companies. If we choose to go with anyone other than Lexmark we would have to put an intake request for the Enterprise Service Line (ESL), which will take time to get everything set up (approximately 2 weeks). We also have 79 FAX lines that are currently using Lexmark devices and the downtime to do this would affect them too, which in turn directly impacts patient care.

ESL is essentially Tier 3 OI&T admins for the VA. So, instead of having a local system admin that supports everything, what this is suggesting is they have Enterprise admin roles that support specific things. In this case, we would have to request a new virtual server (or a few depending upon the products), and a new data base (or a few). Local MOU OI&T Tier 2 is not able to create these.

It would be preferable to OI&T to only have to work with one solution. We would prefer not to have to stand up multiple servers, or sets of servers, for 2 or more solutions.

2. With regard to Paragraph F. CLIN 1, will the Government consider reducing the minimum total paper input to 1,100 sheets if the device has two 500 sheet paper drawers and a bypass tray?

Answer: No, minimum total input needs to be 1,200 including by-pass tray

3. With regard to Paragraph F. CLIN 2, will the Government consider reducing the size of the 10 inch color touch screen to 9 inches to allow for greater competition?

Answer: Yes

4. With regard to Paragraph F. CLIN 3, will the Government consider the following adjustments:

a. Reducing the device speed to 42 pages per minute for B&W and 36 pages per minute for color to allow for greater competition and lower cost?

Answer: No, 42 PPM B&W and 36 PPM color are already very slow compared to top end commercial printers. The fastest models can print over 200 monochrome pages per minute (12,000 pages per hour). The fastest color laser printers can print over 100 pages per minute (6000 pages per hour).

b. Eliminating the minimum monthly duty cycle requirement or reducing it?

Answer: And what happens when we go over the 20,000 amount? Will they charge us extra? Then no.

Minimum monthly duty cycles are determined and drafted by the marketing departments of the MFD and printer vendors. They can be exaggerated and arbitrary numbers and are therefore not reliable or valuable barometers of a device’s reliability. In this case, the requirement of this Sources Sought is for 200,000 monthly pages, when the next requirement states an average of 4,000 pages per month. No 50 page per minute device is designed to actually process 200,000 pager per month. An average of 4,000 pages per month, however, is very reasonable. Vendor would recommend a device for this need that is designed to handle a maximum average of 20,000 pages per month. And the typical average monthly volume for the model is 3,000 – 5,000 pages, which is exactly in line with the requirements of the Sources Sought. Will the Government consider changing the requirement to a maximum of 20,000 pages per month and an average monthly volume of 3,000 – 4,000?

Answer: No, as of 12 Mar 18 we have 19 devices that use over 4,000 prints a month. We also have 20 devices with a total print count over 100,000, 3 over 200,000 and 88 devices over 20,000.

c. Reducing the paper capacity from 1,600 to 1,350 pages to allow for greater competition and lower cost?

Answer: No, minimum total input needs to be 1,600 including by-pass tray

d. Reducing the color touchscreen size from 10 inches to 9 inches to allow for greater competition and lower cost?

Answer: Yes

e. Adjusting the 1st page out speed from 7 seconds to 6.2 seconds for B&W and 10.5 seconds for color to allow for greater competition and lower cost?

Answer: No, the maximum is 7 and it needs to stand.

Section A. General Information / Places of Performance

E4. The four places of performance listed below are in rural areas where providing next business day service will be quite challenging. Are these locations receiving next business day service for their IT output equipment today?

Answer: They haven’t needed this service yet, but they would get next day service .

Our research indicates that parts delivery time and limited service technician proximity will drive the need for second day service. Will the VA please accept second day service as compliant for these four locations?

Answer: Yes

• NORTON – 654 HWY 58 EAST, NORTON, VA 24273

• MARION (CBOC) – 4453 LEE HWY, MARION VA, 24354-4270

• JONESVILLE (CBOC) – 32613 WILDERNESS ROAD, SUITE 101, JONESVILLE

VA, 24263

• VANSANT (CBOC) – 1941 LOVERS GAP LANE, SUITE A, VANSANT VA, 24656-