Attachement G - Questions and Answers - VISN 15 - Durable Medical Equipment.pdf

Compiled Inquiry Questions Solicitation 36C25525R0054

Durable Medical Equipment, VISN 15

Q: Does the solicitation permit post-award TJC accreditation within a 12-month window, provided the bidder demonstrates prior Medicare compliance and operational readiness?

A: No. As stated in Performance Work Statement section (n)(1): “The Contractor must be accredited by the Joint Commission, or similar accreditation that meets the Joint Commission standards, and must maintain that accreditation throughout the term of the contract.” This includes the first day of award.

Q: In reference to PWS Section (e)(1)(ii) and (iv), if a Veteran or caregiver cannot be reached during an after-hours or emergency delivery attempt, should the contractor still dispatch to the last known address to meet the 4-hour obligation? Or, will such situations defer to the next business day once reported?

A: Per PWS section (e)(3), Delivery/Pick-Up: “The Contractor shall not make deliveries when a Veteran patient or an authorized representative is not at the residence. Scheduling of deliveries will be at a time that is mutually acceptable to the Contractor and Veteran patient, but shall, as much as possible, meet with the Veteran patient’s requirements.”

Q: Could you please provide insight into the cause of the estimated workload increases over prior years?

A: Adjustment were based on changes to previous workload estimates.

Q: If an order originates from a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), should mileage be calculated from the CBOC location, or the affiliated parent VAMC?

A: Mileage shall be determined using MapQuest (https://www.mapquest.com/), and shall be calculated based on the nearest VA Medical Center or Health Care Center to the Veteran patient as listed in the solicitation. VAMC and Health Care Centers locations are listed in PWS section (a)(3).

Q: For situations where one VAMC ships equipment to a contractor who must deliver it to a Veteran under another VAMC’s jurisdiction, is mileage calculated from the VAMC nearest to the Veteran’s address, regardless of the equipment’s origin?

A: Per PWS section (e)(3)(viii): “One VAMC may ship equipment to any Contractor awarded under this solicitation to be delivered to a Veteran patient who resides within the jurisdiction of another VAMC in VISN 15. Delivery of that equipment will be completed at the same rates as outlined for the jurisdiction where the Veteran patient will reside, and any excess mileage will be computed from the VAMC nearest to the Veteran patient’s deliver site.”

Q: Does the VA have a preferred number or geographic distribution of warehouses (or minimum size) that the contractor should maintain to support the VISN 15 region?

A: No. Facilities should be adequately placed to ensure performance requirements and ability to pick-up items directly from the VAMC. Per PWS section (e)(2)(ii): “The Contractor facility must be of sufficient size to store and maintain the minimum quantities of VA-owned DME.”

Q: Will the VA be enforcing a 96% quality compliance level, in alignment with Joint Commission standards or other accreditation metrics?

A: No. In accordance with the PWS section (n)(7), Performance Requirements Summary, the Acceptable Quality Level is 100%.