Questions and Answers to solicitation.pdf

Questions and Answers

1. For the above reference solicitation for COVID testing, would you consider accepting FDA approved rapid antibody testing. Results are within 15 minutes.

The information that you sent me has to do with antibody testing and reading the test result visually without the use of an analyzer. This puts a lot of emphasis of the tech’s ability to see a blue line or not. With my 38 years as a Medical Technologist, I can tell you that seeing a blue line is very subjective and I don’t need that type of testing in my lab. It is also a total antibody test which detects IgG and IgM at the same time. I can tell you that Evolution Medical test kit is NOT of the FDA list of vendors not to use.

Currently our facility has the EUA Beckman Coulter DXI SARS-CoV-2 IgG validated and live. Soon EUA Beckman Coulter DXI SARS-CoV-2 IgM out and we will process correlations ,validate, and hopefully go Live by end of Aug 2020.

2. The project states that the setup and collection of the nasal swabs will be held on the VA location premises; does that mean that the premises is going to be a parking lot large enough to allow setup of a drive through scenario and to allow the vehicles to be lined up to facilitate that?

The set up location is up to the vendor but whatever location the vendor chooses it has to be in Amarillo, Lubbock, Childress, Dalhart, and Clovis for the Veteran patient to not have to drive more than 20 minutes to the drive through site. Ex. If they pick a parking lot in Childress, let’s say the north corner lot of Untied grocery store, they need to request/have permission to do so behand (there may be a fee maybe not but the fee is on the vendor not on the Government) and the area needs to be big enough for drive through collections and not interfere with the store’s business. May it could be the parking lot at Dalhart at the clinic. Whatever location they choose, it needs to be a consistent location each time.

3. When completing the bid document, the document indicates that the quantity is equal to 30,000 - is that 30,000 patients? Trying to make sure we are on the same page.

The estimated number is 30,000 Veteran patients only (not their friends, family, children, etc..) but the contract also states that the Government cannot guarantee what the total collection will actually be for the 12 month contract. This is voluntary but the AVAHCS has a total of 30,000 veterans listed. Dalhart may have 600, Childress may have 900, Clovis may have 2000, Lubbock may have 8,900 and Amarillo may have 17,600 on their roll call. Will everyone show up? I don’t think so.

4. With the current volume that laboratories are experiencing with COVID samples, the Turn Around Time has increased from 3-5 days and sometimes 7 days; in the project, it states 24-36 hours of sample receipt in the laboratory. Because of the extenuating circumstances, is this extendible to allow for the volume influx of samples into these laboratories?

The answer is no. 24-36 hours from the receipt of sample in the laboratory.

5. Lastly, because the laboratory does the testing, is it expected that the laboratory does the billing for the testing for the laboratory portion or can we incorporate that charge as part of the end of the month invoice submission?

Yes, you can pay the lab for its testing and then turn around and bill us for everything that and add the /test onto the invoice.

6. Is it simpler to allow the laboratory to bill for the testing as a subcontractor?

If you subcontract out the lab testing, you must be liable for payment to the lab first and then you can add the charge to your invoice to AVAHCS.

7. In the documents, the duration says through April of 2021, but if the number of patients is 30,000 this equates to more like August if the minimum per day is 75 patients. Is the contract for 12 months from August?

Yes, twelve months from August 2020 to July 31, 2021.

8. Can the location of the collection site be on the premises of each of the VA clinic and hospital locations?

If the space is available certainly but you will need to check with each facility to make sure and get permission.

9. Has each of the locations set aside space for the collection site?

AMA VAHCS in Amarillo may have the space but it is not allocated . I’m uncertain about Lubbock, Childress, Dalhart, and Clovis as they are leased buildings.

10. Do we have to call each of the locations to get permission to have the collection site on premises for each clinic and hospital?

Yes