36C24925Q0252 0002 Questions and Answers.pdf

36C24925Q0252 0002

Question 1: Who is the incumbent?

Answer: None. This is a new requirement.

Question 2: What is the current contract number?

Answer: None. This is a new requirement.

Question 3: Are there any changes in the current scope of Work? If yes, what are the changes?

Answer: No

Question 4: How many drivers/vehicles are currently used to service the current contract?

Answer: There is not a current contract . There is one driver/vehicle from each main campus. NOTE: this is not to intended to imply that one driver/vehicle per main campus can meet the requirements of contract. The offeror is responsible to provide for evaluation their proposal indicating how they intend to meet the contract requirements as identified in the Performance Work Statement.

Question 5: What is the vehicle size currently servicing this location?

Answer: Full size van

Question 6: Does the VA intended to make an award and start service with the awarded vendor on this date, or will the start be pushed out due to the short turnaround time with bid submission not due until 5/23?

Answer: The period of performance will be adjusted based on award date.

Question 7: The SOW reads: Mileage shall be calculated based on the routes submitted and approved by the COR. Mileage shall be invoiced and reimbursed on a per mile basis.

Reimbursement rate shall not exceed published GSA Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) mileage reimbursement at the time the mileage occurred.

Question: This is the first solicitation we have seen in 16 years, that has this line item included. Can you please provide more details on how this process should be followed? For example: How would you like us to distinguish between line item 1 vs. line item 2? Should line item 1 reflect our total price and line 2 only the combined mileage for all routes? Since the mileage reimbursement the government sets is different every year, how should we calculate this? It would be very helpful if you could precisely describe what you’re looking for.

Answer: Line item 1 would include all contract costs other than mileage.

Line item 2 would include mileage for all routes completed under Line item 1.

Line item 3 would include all costs, to include mileage, for On-call Courier services.

See 9.2 Mileage Reimbursement for further details.

Question 8: B3. Performance Work Statement > 9.9 states “These uniforms shall contain the vendor’s name, and the employee name upon the shirt”. Will an ID badge with driver name on it worn over their outermost garment suffice in lieu of a displayed name upon the shirt?

Answer: Yes, that is acceptable.

Question 9: Will the Contractor be expecting to service other locations not listed in the Solicitation?

Answer: No.

Question 10: Will there be any Clean/Soiled RME (Reusable Medical Equipment) transported in this contract? If so, which locations will receive RME?

Answer: No.

Question 11: The SOW reads: Laboratory deliveries to TVHS VA Medical Centers from the designated CBOCs must be delivered by 3 PM Local Time on the same day as it is picked up. In order to provide the most advantageous pricing to the VA, what is the pickup time window for the designated CBOCs?

Answer: All times are listed for each CBOCs.

Question 12: Please identify possible delivery locations for the On Call deliveries. For example:

Local to the Main Campuses or to the CBOCS.

Answer: Any of Daily Courier routes listed in PWS 9.0 Daily Courier Service may be needed for On-Call requirements. This shall also include between the two (2) main campus: TVHS Nashville VAMC and TVHS Alvin C York VAMC.

Question 13: Are the pickup and delivery times listed for the CBOCs considered a No Later Than time? Should it be assumed the pickup will be ready ( at CBOCs) before the provided times? If so, does a No Earlier Than time exist for the CBOCs? This would be helpful for route planning purposes.

Answer: Necessary times are designated by each location. Specimens will be prepared before designated pick up time for specimen stability.

Question 14: In the event of hazardous travel conditions (ice, snow, flooding), is there a contingency protocol in place for delayed service or rescheduling?

Answer: See 9.7 Contingency Plan for further details.

Question 15: How the proposals should be submitted?

Answer: Offers should be submitted in accordance with Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instruction to Offers-Commercial Products and Commercial Services 1.0 Offer Submission on page 70.

Question 16: Are all pickup locations staffed and accessible during morning hours? If not, should the contractor expect any idle wait time during daily routes?

Answer: Yes, Nashville VA Medical Center and Alvin C York laboratories are staffed 24/7.

Question 17: B3. Performance Work Statement > 9.0 Daily Courier Service states “due to the geographical region coverage and proximity of cetin CBOCs, it is anticipated that some deliveries and pickups to the VA Medical Center will occur after normal business hours. Most exterior entrances to the Medical Centers are locked between 6PM and 6AM the next day; outside normal business hours decreasing access. The vendor shall use the facilities Emergency Department entrance (or alternate location designated by signage to access the Nashville Medical Center and Urgent Care Center entrance to access the Alvin C. Yor Medical Center.”

This statement seems to be in direct contradiction to the below 3 snips that have a finite delivery back to the VA from the CBOCs stated as 3PM. Additionally in section 5.0 it states, “The VA Laboratory is open 24/7”, alluding to the acceptability of later delivery, and more in line with the quoted section above.

a. Can you please clarify if delivery back to the VA from CBOCs is expected at 3PM as stated?

Answer: Yes. In the event of unforeseen circumstances, the courier may arrive after the expected delivery time to a main facility and will have to use specific access to get into the medical centers to deliver specimens.

b. Are the pickup times at the CBOCs 1-5 for Alvin C. York, and 1-9 for Nashville VAMC finite as stated or are there acceptable pickup windows for each?

Answer: Pick up times are finite as stated by each location.

c. Some pickup site times may not be possible to deliver back to the VA by 3PM, would the VA prefer instead to provide current routes in the SOW so that offerors can mirror what is currently occurring to limit change impact on VA staff should a new vendor be chosen for this contract?

Answer: VA shall not dictate the routes to be utilized to meet the delivery times. The offeror is responsible to provide for evaluation their proposal indicating how they intend to meet the contract requirements as identified in the Performance Work Statement.