S05_Q_As_RFQ 36C25721Q0111.pdf

Q & As

RFQ Number: 36C25721Q0111

RFQ Title: COVID-19 Door Screening Guard

November 24, 2020

1. Is a vehicle required for the supervisor?

A. Since supervisor is not required onsite they should have a form of transportation to commute to assigned location if their presence is required.

2. Is the supervisor at the Guard II rate?

A. Yes

3. Is there a separate line item for Special Events, Flu Clinic, and job fairs??

A. No

4. No Page/Section

a. Is there an incumbent? If so, may we receive all information regarding the incumbent and the incumbent agreement including:

i. All technical, price and general proposal information for previous and current security guard services

ii. Winning proposal, Master Agreement and Contract for services

iii. Any related addendum or amendments concerning this award

iv. Contract expiring date, option renewals and current price rate per person, armed guard, unarmed guard, unarmed and armed supervisor, and armed and unarmed personnel for screening services.

A. There is no incumbent

5. E.1 Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items, Offer Submittal Instructions (4)

a. The instructions provide for minimum documentation/information required.

i. Is additional information allowed.

ii. If so how much space/how many pages are allowed for the use of additional information?

A. Yes, 2-page max

6. Page 14 - Safety Requirements

a. Solicitation states that Contractor shall develop SOP for communication regarding incidents with door screeners and that SOP must be submitted to COR for approval.

i. How soon after appointment of COR will this be required?

A. 15 days

7. 4. Page 16 – Special Events

a. Solicitation states that contractors shall be notified in advance of special events requiring more employees.

i. How far in advance should we expect notification?

A. 24 hour minimum

8. Page 16 – Proposed Plan

a. States contractor has fifteen (15) calendar days for full operation implementation and staff requirements. Section “Performance and Notification” requires “Contractor to provide names and information on personnel within seven (7) days of award.”

i. Which is operative?

A. 15 days

9. Page 16 – 17 – Reduction of Service

a. Solicitation says that, ““A notice to the Contractor to discontinue or reduce the level of service at the Government convenience shall not result in any service charge or assessment fee or reduced service.” The statements regarding reduced service are contradictory.

b. Can this language be clarified?

A. The government reserves the right to reduce contractual services at no additional fee.

10. Page 17 – Performance Standard

a. “Contractor shall ensure that 95% of the door screening wait is no more than five (10) minutes to go through the…process…It should take no longer than 3 minutes for an individual to pass through screening process.”

i. These numbers are all contradictory. Is no more than five (5), ten (10), or three (3) minutes the operative number?

A. No more than 3 minutes.

11. 8. Page 17 – Complaints

a. States that contractor must respond to complaints within 48 hours, but on Page 9 - Personnel Questions, the solicitation states that complaints must be resolved within 24 hours.

i. Which number is operative?

A. 24 hours. Extended resolution times must be notified to the COR.

12. Page 20 – Badges

a. Requires contractor issued employee ID badges and employee ID badge with company logo.

i. Are these to be two separate badges or one photo ID badge?

A. One photo ID Badge

13. Training / License / Qualifications Pg. 8/55 - What type and dollar limits requirements are there for the bonding that is required for the door screening staff. On Staffing. All from page 6.

A. Yes bonding is required.

14. It appears that you require 2 door screeners on duty at the main entrances of each (6) facility, is that correct? 20 hrs of service per day, 5 days a week. =100 hrs per week per facility.

A. Correct.

15. It states that there are 2 supervisors (door screeners) required for the 2 Harlingen locations.

Am I to understand correctly by the wording that it's 1 on duty that covers both facilities mon-fri 10 hr shift 50 hpw?

A. One supervisor will oversee two Harlingen locations (HCC & HOPC) AND McAllen location (MOPC). The other supervisor will oversee one Laredo (LOPC) and two Corpus Christi (CCOPC & CCSC) locations.

16. It does not appear that the other 4 locations are requiring an oversight supervisor of any type. Corpus has two locations.

A. 1 supervisor will oversee 2 Harlingen locations (HCC & HOPC) AND McAllen location (MOPC). The other supervisor will oversee 1 Laredo (LOPC) and 2 Corpus Christi (CCOPC & CCSC) locations.

17. Will the supervisor(s) at Harlingen have virtual oversight of the other 4 locations as well sir?

A. 1 supervisor will oversee 2 Harlingen locations (HCC & HOPC) AND McAllen location (MOPC). The other supervisor will oversee 1 Laredo (LOPC) and 2 Corpus Christi (CCOPC & CCSC) locations.

18. What COVID screening questions are to be asked of the individuals entering the building/s?

As a health care system, the question asked are as followed:

1. Have you experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 48 hours?

Fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.

2. Within the past 14 days, have you been in close contact (6 feet or closer for at least 15 minutes) with a person who is known to have laboratory-confirmed COVID 19 or with anyone who has symptoms consistent with COVID-19?

3. Are you isolating or quarantining because you may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 or are worried that you may be sick with COVID-19?

4. Are you currently waiting on the results of a COVID-19 test?

5. What brings you in today?

19. Is taking the temperature of everyone entering the building with a touchless IR Thermometer one of the tasks to occur for COVID screening? A. YES

20. Are there pictures or drawings the Government can provide for each facility, entry etc where you are expecting Contractor Screeners to be positioned? A. YES

21. Are all work positions in doors, outdoors or a combination? If outdoors or a combination please explain in greater detail. A. Indoors

22. Please clarify – Contract COVID screeners will use PPE provide by the Contractor;

however, the Government will provide PPE to be positioned at each COVID screening location for the purpose of staff, guests, patients entering the building who require PPE, or ONLY require PPE due to having increased COVID? A. Health Care system will provide Mask for patients or visitors if needed.

23. What is the criteria used to determine if an individual does not pass the COVID screening?

What actions by the screener needs to occur next, to include reporting? Within the SOW/RFQ it states the Screener will escort the possible COVID individual to an additional screening location.

Please expand on the distance and location of the screening location, requirements to remain with the individual etc… This could potentially impact the staffing at the entry point reducing from 2 to 1 individual screener while performing the escort functions. This could cause delays in allowing entry which would exceed the measured time of five (5) minutes for the individuals entering the building to pass screening.

A. If a positive screen is determined patient/ visitor would be asked to step to the side to an assigned location. Screener will call nursing assistant and secondary screening by a health care professional will be conducted for evaluation prior to entering the facility. Screener does not have to stay with patient/visitor.

24. The Government is only asking for two CLIN on the BASE YEAR and OPTION YEARs to be populated with a fixed hourly rate. Would the Government consider an additional CLIN for the BASE or OPTION YEAR which would include Contractor provided items: Uniforms, Annual Training, Annual Drug screening, Background checks, Podium, PPE, Signage, radios / cell phones, automation equipment, chairs, other items required to perform the tasks directed within the RFQ/SOW. Without a third CLIN being offered it is possible that an Offeror may inadvertently not properly resource all Contractor provided items as well as bid an hourly rate to fill all FTEs. A. YES

25. Are two (2) FTEs always required at each entry? Does this include during lunch, bathroom breaks, PTO/Sick Leave etc? A. FTE are required at every entry this will allow coverage for breaks in between. If sick leave occurs contractor is responsible to provide an additional screener.

26. Page 16 …”Contractor shall provide real time tracking system for door screeners to capture workload, peak times, and stats on screening by location and entry point”… Can the Government please expand on what ‘real time tracking system’ mean? What additional data is required for the Door Screeners to capture and report? Eg: A negative COVID screened individual it is required to capture their name or just count the occurrence/frequency? A. REAL TIME meaning daily/ Weekly report on positive screens. No PHI necessary.

27. Is this requirement for COVID Screeners or unarmed screening guards? Can you provide a description of ‘guard’ duties? We want to ensure that we are matching the correct skill set up with the requirements. A. Guards should be able to communicate properly no special skill are necessary.

28. Page 8, PATIENT ASSISTANCE: Contractor shall be required to assist patients that need assistance at all entrances getting in and out of their vehicles as well as assist with removal of wheelchairs, walkers, carts and/or personal medical equipment from vehicles”… Can the Government expand on this requirement? How many entrances are there where this requirement will occur? What is the process for assisting patients? Does this fall into the category of ‘direct patient care’ or ‘direct patient contact’ since there is a physical act and physical interaction with the patient vs COVID Screening questions? A. This will be removed from SOW. Contractor will not responsible for assisting patients with wheelchairs as a requirement.

29. Insurance / Bonded: There are several places within the PWS/SOW it refers to the Contractor’s requirements to be insured and/or bonded. Can the Government expand this requirement by specifying the dollar amounts and categories of insurance; and the level at which the Contractor is to be Bonded? A. No answer provided.

30. Page 9. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing a facility orientation to all door screening staff, offer a training program on security, patient privacy, safety, emergency procedures, accidents/injuries and communication with Medical Center staff. ‘….

Will the Government provide the Contractor facility level SOPs used by Government staff, volunteers etc so we are not in conflict with the Contractor level training and the Government’s own training? A. YES Will the Government assist or provide facility orientation, eg: public areas; patient only areas;

fire alarm and other emergency procedures, Joint Commission requirements, etc? A. YES

31. Page 9, CLAIMS/DAMAGE: Any claims of damage or missing/stolen property involving patients/customers shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. The VA assumes no responsibility for such claims.”… Can the Government clarify the scope of Contractor liability? Is the Contractor liable for theft that may occur within the entire building, patient rooms, staff break rooms, etc or ONLY limited to the podium and work space where the screeners physically are located? As written it implies or specifies that the Contractor is liable for all missing and stolen property involving patients/customers etc. There are no exclusions or defining boundaries of liability. A. Only the area occupied by contractor

32. Page 10,

• Contractor shall be required to be familiar with the VA entry points and to answer questions pertaining to entry requirements, operation hours and days and locations.

• Contractor shall be required to be familiar with the VA facilities to answer general questions pertaining to drop off and pick up locations at entry points.

• Contractor shall be required to have general information and knowledge of locations for outpatient clinics, outpatient procedure areas as well as the different entry point for customers utilizing the VA such as buildings and locations on property.

Will the Government provide the necessary information and details upon contract award so this information is available for staff orientation and training prior to first day of work? A. YES

33. Page 10

• Use appropriate screening and selection criteria when employing screeners.

• Report individual concerns outside established protocols while remaining cognizant of confidentiality requirements such as personnel information.

Will the Government provide the details of ‘appropriate screening selection criteria’ prior to RFQ Due date? A. YES Will the Government provide the details of “outside established protocols” prior to RFQ due date? A. YES

34. Page 11. ..”Constantly assessing door entry situation taking into consideration needs to adjust the level of personnel required to perform under the contract.”… This requirement is difficult to forecast and provide pricing since it implies staffing may exceed the Government’s estimate or requirement of 2 FTEs per facility per main entrance location. At what frequency does the Government anticipate or estimate more than two(2) screeners will be required? Does the Government allow the Offeror/Contractor to reduce staffing to 1 FTE per site if the Contract assesses that one FTE is capable of meeting the requirement? A. NO Our recommendation is the Government clarify or remove this requirement. – Removed agreed to avoid confusion

35. What are the screening questions or requirements? Please clarify basic or minimum screening questions. eg: Have the individuals entering the building show their photo ID; ask a series of questions about COVID exposure and symptoms; take a touchless thermometer and at what temperature is deemed elevated, eg: above 101.4 F? A. Screeners will ask a series of question identified by health care. If any question is answer positive a second screening will be called for healthcare professional to conduct. Temperature will be required anything over 100 will be considered positive screen.