36C25619Q1026-0002002.pdf

1. What was the previous award amount?

Answer: New Requirement

2. Who is the incumbent contractor?

3. Have there been any changes to the original contract that affected the previous award amount?

4. How many drivers are being used?

Answer: Four drivers

5. Will the VA provide coolers and totes for the unscheduled/stat deliveries?

Answer: Yes

6. What is the estimated daily/weekly or monthly unscheduled/stat calls?

Answer: Stats vary upon the volume of patients, but unscheduled stats are rare most stats are done in Baton Rouge.

7. What are the main pickup and delivery locations for the stat calls?

Answer: Essen and Anselmo

8. Will there be any specific permits necessary to conduct services?

Answer: No, there will be no special permits only the proper auto insurance needed to cover the vehicles transporting.

9. Our company is based out of state and we typically hire and train our drivers once an award is made.

Instructions to offerors states that we are to provide a valid driver license and record of characteristics and capabilities. Will you accept a license for a temporary driver that does not have a LA state license until one is hired and trained locally?

10. Bogalusa, Franklin, and Houma have contracts in place. Does this mean there will be no need for us to submit pricing for stat/unscheduled pick-ups for these locations?

Answer: These locations will not require pickups.

11. Can there be more clarification regarding pick-up and delivery times and locations for Baton Rouge under the courier service outline? For example: 8am labs (Essen to Anselmo) Tues-Fri. Is the courier picking up at 8am at Essen and delivering to Anselmo, or picking up at Essen at 8am then immediately picking up at Anselmo then delivering to the main VA in New Orleans?

Answer: The courier service will pick up labs at 8:00am from Essen to Anselmo(Tues-Fri) service is not needed at Essen on Mondays since this is the beginning of week, and Tues-Fri picking up at Essen at 8am then immediately picking up at Anselmo then delivering to the main VA in New Orleans.

12. I would like clarification of all lab pick up times as well. With the times and locations provided it looks as though on Tuesday’s for example: 8am lab pick up at Essen and Anselmo, with another 10am pick up at Anselmo, an 11:30am pick up for labs and instruments at Essen then at 12pm at Anselmo. Would that be 2 or 3 morning lab pickups for Anselmo and just two morning lab pick-ups for Essen?

Answer: It will be a total of three pickups for Baton Rouge, 1. Labs (Essen to Anselmo) Tues- Fri, 2. Labs (Anselmo to New Orleans) Mon-Fri, and 3. Labs, dirty instruments pickup (Essen to Anselmo to New Orleans) Mon-Fri.

13. 2:00 – 2:30pm pick up clean instruments (New Orleans to Baton Rouge Clinic) I am assuming we are picking up from the main hospital in New Orleans and delivering to both Baton Rouge Clinics is that correct?

Answer: This is correct.

14. There is an address for the mental health at 3426 and 3434 Canal Street, New Orleans. I do not see any pick up or delivery schedule for this clinic in the courier service attachment. Will there be scheduled runs for this location or just stat pick-ups?

Answer: There will not be any scheduled pickup or deliveries at either of those locations.

15. Will there be any need to start at the main VA before scheduled morning pick-ups at the CBOC locations?

Answer: No

16. Page 7 place of performance states the courier shall “receive, package, manifest, seal and transport soiled medical equipment and instruments.” Typically, our couriers just pick up pre-packaged equipment, and labs and the totes and coolers are sealed by a VA staff member. We do offer training that goes over properly packaging and sealing containers, I just want to verify that this is the case and the courier is fully responsible in packaging soiled medical equipment.

Answer: The courier personnel will only be required to pickup and drop-off, everything will be packed and sealed by VA personnel.

17. What are the vehicle sizes required?

Answer: The vehicles need to be larger enough to carry the totes attached in the procurement package.

18. Will dry ice be needed for specimen transport? Is it the responsibility of the contractor to provide dry ice?

Answer: The hospital will provide all required items needed for transport.

19. Regarding specific personnel and vehicles to perform and their documentation in the state of LA: It is common practice for small businesses that the drivers, cars and other equipment used for a contract are not sourced until after an award has been made, for cost effectiveness and to reduce loss. Will you be accepting this documentation after the award?

20. Will this contract be SCA enforced? After reviewing the solicitation on FBO, it contains language and dollar values regarding the Service Contract Act. This solicitation stipulates $15.12 minimum wage for courier drivers, $4.18 minimum H&W, Sick Time/Vacation. Do you verify now that those are the minimum required rates to be performed on this contract upon award?

Answer: Yes, SCA applies to this solicitation.

21. SBA Final Rule regarding FAR Clause 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting, dated June 30, 2016, reclassifies Independent Contractor drivers as Subcontractors — 13 CFR 125.6 “Work performed by an independent contractor shall be considered a subcontract.” Please inform us how the VA would like us to proceed upon award regarding this rule change given that it will affect our offer regarding pricing and performance.

Answer: FAR Clause 52.219-14 does not apply to SDVOSB set-asides and is not included in the solicitation. SDVOSB limitations are referenced in VAAR Clause 852.219-10- VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside.

22. How many deliveries do you anticipate for emergencies for each location per year?

Answer: 3-5 deliveries.

23. What are the estimated number of on call/emergency runs annually?

Answer: 3-5 deliveries.

a. Will there be a line item for on call/emergency runs?

Answer: It can be added or billed separately per emergency run once the fee is provided by the vendor.

b. Is there a maximum number of on call/emergency runs annually?

Answer: No

c. What are the time frames for the on call/emergency runs?

Answer: Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm

24. Section “F” notes security for “install and removal of sterile shelving”. I assume that the inclusion of this is an error.

Answer: Error; will be removed.

25. Can labs be picked up from Essen clinic at 9:00am? This will keep the courier from having dead time between Essen and Anselmo.

Answer: No, 8:00am is the chosen time setup by the Clinic Manager.

26. The Courier Service attachment reads: “2:00pm-2:30pm - Pickup clean instruments (New Orleans to Baton Rouge Clinic) MON-FRI”

a. Will the clean instruments be delivered to both the Essen and Anselmo clinics?

Answer: Only the Essen clinic.

27. Please confirm the anticipated start date.

Answer: As soon as possible.

28. Can you provide an estimated number of historical per-month or per-year “hotshot” i.e. on-call/STAT services for each location?

Answer: Maybe one or two at our Baton Rouge locations and one at the other locations.

29. In the B.2 Price/Cost sections, it appears that this RFP is asking for a lump sum annual cost for each of the 5 years of this contract. How will additions and deletions to the route be handled? If this is an annual amount paid in 12 monthly payments, and a particular stop cannot be run on a certain day or days due to weather or other issues, then will the VA deduct from the normal monthly payment for those missed stops? How will the amount be determined? Should this RFP be formatted by daily route or stop, then extended out to annual (after deducting the daily rate for holidays)?

Answer: See line item revisions.

30. In the RFP in the same section, all of the locations are listed. However, there is no schedule listed within the RFP that we can see. The schedule is listed on a separate PDF document. We will be basing our proposal on this PDF document. Is that correct or did we miss a revised version of the actual RFP that lists the actual schedule, along with times, PU locations and delivery locations?

Answer: See line item revisions.

31. On Demand Stat orders. Where are we to provide On Demand STAT pricing? How should we provide On Demand STAT pricing – mileage charge with a minimum?

Answer: Mileage charge is fine.

32. Regarding STAT pricing, will there be the possibility of After Hour, Weekend or Holiday needs? If so, how would we provide additional pricing for the “outside of normal business hours” services?

Answer: No