36C25623Q0223 0003.docx

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE

7.

ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF

PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODE

CODE

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE

OF YOUR

ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office.

is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO:

Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERE

D CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES

SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR

OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendmen t, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED

STATES OF AMERICA

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF

CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.243 (Type or print) (Type or print) (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (If other than Item 6) (Specify type of modification and authority) such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF

SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer) N/A 36C256 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 16 2002 Holcombe Boulevard Houston TX 77030 36C256 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 16 2002 Holcombe Boulevard Houston TX 77030 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C25623Q0223 01-12-2023

X X X February 8, 2023, 12:00PM (Central Time) See CONTINUATION Page X Amendment is hereby issued to announce the decision of NAICS Code appeal/protest from Office of Hearing (OHA.)

The NAICS Code is hereby changed from 561320 to 621320.

Attachment 1 - NAICS Code Appeal/Protest decision of Laredo Technical Services Inc.

Attachment 2- Price Schedule

a. Due to NAICS Code change, any follow-up questions need to be submitted by 30 January 2023 by COB.

Please see the following pages for answers to questions.

Deadline for solicitation submissions is: Refer to Block 11 above Melanie Hawley Contract Specialist

CONTINUATION PAGE

36C25623Q0223 – Solicitation Questions/Answers:

1. In reviewing the solicitation documents and the SAM.gov notice, there are two different dates for the questions to be submitted. One date is January 18, and the other is January 19th. In order to ensure fair and equitable competition, will the Government please answer our questions submitted as they are imperative for our proposal submission, and we believe other offerors will require similar answers from the Government.

Answer: According to the Solicitation the date to return questions was January 18th, 2023, however, with this amendment any further questions need to be submitted Monday, January 30th, 2023, by COB.

2. On Page 94, 3. INSTRUCTIONS ON SUBMITTING OFFER FOR EVALUATION, in the instructions it mentions four volumes, however there are no instructions on what is required for the Volume 4, can the government please provide clarification?

Answer: Technical- 1a, Technical- 1b, Price- 2, and Past Performance- 3 make up the 4 volumes.

3. Will the government please consider an extension to the due date by 3 or 5 Days?

Answer: The government is extending the Solicitation due date to February 8, 2023.

4. Are any incumbents still working on the contract? Which positions are currently vacant and at what locations?

Answer: The incumbent is FebBiz Advisor. We are unable to state vacancies and locations as this new solicitation is based on current needs of the SLVHCS facility and have increased from the current contract.

5. Can the government please share the reason the previous contract option year was defunded?

Answer: There is/was no option year in current contract. Refer to response to the above question #4.

6.Pg 23, 2.1.2: The solicitation includes a requirement for optometrists to be certified by the American Board of Optometry. This certification is not an industry standard and unnecessarily limits the pool of candidates that can support the SLVHCS requirements. State licensure exams are certified through the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and provides professional validation of optometrist competency. Would the VA consider eliminating the ABO certification requirement from the solicitation and any resulting contract?

Answer: The American Board of Optometry (ABO) certification is a VA requirement for this solicitation and cannot be eliminated.

7.Pg 29, 2.9.3: Please clarify coverage requirements during planned vacancies, long duration medical absence. Given the 4-8 week VA onboarding timeline, it is impractical to provide backfill personnel within hours or days. We're assuming we'll submit eligible candidates well in advance for credentialing and background clearance (NACI) as this can take time, in order to have them readily available. These candidates will also need to complete all training requirements in advance, correct? Will they also have PIV card, or will training and PIV activation happen just in time?

Answer: The personnel requirements will not change. It is the contractor’s responsibility to provide coverage 5 days a week excluding holidays. All personnel must meet the training requirements and will be issued a PIV card upon completion of credentialing and background.

8. Pg 95, 3.1.2: COAs are listed as requiring state licensure, but these individuals have a certification, and contradicts PWS, pg 23, 2.1.3. Please clarify.

Answer: Contractor’s personnel shall have appropriate current COA certification and be currently certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) or equivalent. All continuing education courses required for maintaining certification must be kept up to date at all times. Documentation verifying current certification shall be provided by the Contractor to the VA COR on an annual basis for each year of contract performance. (Refer to Paragraph 4.4.2)

9. Pg 25, 2.1.7: Table lists BLS as a 1-hour training. BLS renewal is typically a 4-hour class, please confirm this is the renewal course that is available through AHA or ARC, or is this a VA specific course?

Answer: The solicitation is updated to state training will occur “every two (2) years… the number of hours was removed from the table.

10.Pg 26, 2.1.8: The requirement states TB test and other medical requirements are due within 5 calendar days of award, yet pg 94 (3.1.1) and pg 95 (3.1.2) state this is required upon submission of bid. Typically gathering TB test, vaccination or proof of immunity can take more time to get results/documents. Please clarify when these are required (upon bid submission or upon award), and if it's acceptable to take more time given those actions are often dependent on outside resources to accomplish and gather results.

Answer: The required documentation will be accepted within 5 calendar days after award, however, it is preferred to be provided with offer as requested in the “Instructions to Offerors.”

11. Price/Cost Schedule, Amendment 0001: This amendment corrected the locations for the required optometrists but puts all the COA requirements at the New Orleans location. Line Item #001 and #004 both reflect New Orleans, LA as the COA duty location. Please clarify that Line Item #004 is a requirement for a COA at the Baton Rouge CBOC.

Answer: The revised Price Schedule is attached to this amendment. All line items were corrected on the Solicitation Amendment, 36C25623Q0223 0003.

12. Requires DEA certificates for optometrist candidates to be submitted with offerors proposals. Optometrists typically obtain/maintain DEA certificates only if they work in a specific practice environment. Would the VA consider making this a post award requirement?

Answer: It is preferred with offer, however, we will accept it within 5 days after award.

13.We would like to ask for clarification on CLIN 1002 and 1004. Both are for optometrists in Baton Rouge. Should one of these CLINS be for an Optometrist in New Orleans?

Answer: Refer to response to Question 11.

14. Could you confirm this is correct or if Large Businesses are eligible to respond.

Answer: This solicitation is set-aside 100% for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB.) No Large Businesses are eligible to respond.

See attached document: ATTCH 1 - NAICS Appeal of Laredo Technical Services Inc. SBA No. NAICS-6186 (2023).

See attached document: ATT 2 - Price Schedule 02.

End of Amendment 3