36C25923Q0887 A0002.docx

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

GENERAL INFORMATION

Network Contracting Office

NCO 19

6162 South Willow Drive, Suite 300 Greenwood Village CO 80111

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Danielle Kramer danielle.kramer@va.gov 303-712-5725

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

(See PWS section 3.5)

POSTAL CODE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

Vet Center Call Center (VCCC) Operations Support Services

Additional Questions and Answers

Question 1: Does the Contractor need to perform the work from a location in Colorado, or can we propose performing from a Contractor facility in another U.S. State? If the work must be performed in Colorado, does the Contractor's facility need to be within a set distance from the VCCC in Lakewood, CO?

Government Response: Performance will take place remotely at Contractor’s facility. The Contractor’s facility does not need to be within Colorado, but performance shall operate on Mountain Time.

Question 2: What is the current average wait time for phone calls? Please specify the average call handling time. What is the average call handle time?

Government Response: Average Wait Time 20 Seconds; Average Call Handle Time 54 Seconds

Question 3: What is the current Average Speed to Answer calls?

Government Response: Average Speed to Answer is 13 Seconds

Question 4: What time of day, days of the week, or times of the year do calls typically peak?

Government Response:

Peak Time of Day – 8am to 10am and 2:30pm to 4:30pm in each U.S. Time Zone Peak Days of Week are in consecutive order – Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun Peak Times of Year – Jan, Feb, March, May, July, September, and holidays

Question 5: Does the VCCC require bili ngual agents under this contract? If yes, please specify the languages.

Government Response: No, There is a VA translator service.

Question 6: Is this a new initiative or does the VCCC have an incumbent on this? How many agents are currently working under this contract?

Government Response: This is a first-time requirement, therefore there is not incumbent Contractor and are no current agents working under this requirement.

Question 7: Refer to “Offer Submittal Instructions”, it is our understanding that the vendor needs to submit all the requested information in one single proposal. Is it correct?

Government Response: All items under “Offer Submittal Instructions” need to be submit. This can be completed by submitting all requested information in one document or in separate documents.

Question 8: Does the VCCC have any set format for past performance or do the vendors need to submit the past performance in their format? If VCCC has any set format past performance, then kindly share the same.

Government Response: There is no specific format required for past performance.

Question 9: Is it possible for the VCCC to increase the 8-page limit of “Technical Capability”?

Government Response: No, 8-pages is sufficient number of pages to capture the technical capabilities portion of the response to the solicitation.

Question 10: What government furnished equipment will be provided?

Government Response: Laptop.

Question 11: Reference PWS Section 3.5 cites the place of performance as contractor’s facility, but Wage Determination 2015-5419 (Colorado) was included in the solicitation: Please confirm primary place of performance and Will remote/virtual work be acceptable for the performance of this contract?

Government Response: Performance will take place remotely at Contractor’s facility. Wage Determination will be updated to the Contractor’s facility location for the award.

Question 12: FAR clause 52.222-41 is included in addition to WD 2015-5419, will the Government include FAR clause 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates, and any applicable information regarding the personnel that is required to service this contract?

Government Response: 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates will not be included due to the inclusion of the Wage Determination. Wage Determination will be updated to the Contractor’s facility location for the award.

Question 13: Reference PWS Section 3.7.2.3 States; "Contract personnel who require access to national security programs must have a valid security clearance". Does this contract require any contract personnel to have a security clearance? Is a public trust adequate? If not, what level of security clearance is required? please confirm the level of background investigation that is required.

Government Response: The Tier Level 1 is required by the VA to obtain a VA PIV Card. No higher security clearance is needed.

Question 14: Reference PWS Section 4.1 States "The contractor must develop a quality assurance plan and ensure the contingency center must have standards symmetrical with or exceed those of the VCCC. The contractor must review current VCCC quality assurance standards to guarantee the plan is adequate. The VCCC must approve the quality assurance plan before implementation." Will the VCCC standards noted above be provided after contract award? When is the quality assurance plan due to the VCCC to ensure enough time for VCCC validation and any corrective action to accelerate implementation?

Government Response: Yes, Within 4 weeks of award.

Question 15: The Service Contract Labor Standards govern much of the service required for this contract, will the Government include FAR clause 52.243-4 to allow for applicable equitable adjustment requests, if/when needed?

Government Response: FAR 52.243-4 will be included in the award. However, the quotes should anticipate the change of price per option year due to the Service Contract Labor Standards and not be relying on equitable adjustments.

Question 16: The Service Contract Labor Standards govern much of the service required for this contract, will the Government include FAR clause 52.243-4 to allow for applicable equitable adjustment requests, if/when needed?

Government Response: FAR 52.243-4 will be included in the award. However, the quotes should anticipate the change of price per option year due to the Service Contract Labor Standards and not be relying on equitable adjustments.

Question 17: Solicitation 36C25922Q0777 was released in September 2022 and never awarded. Can you share the circumstances of that RFQ?

Government Response: No award was made in result of Solicitation 36C25922Q0777. No additional details will be given as that solicitation is separate from this one.

Question 18: Will call center employees be reporting to contractor supervisors or current VA personnel supervisors?

Government Response: Contractor Employees with report to Contractor Supervisors.

Question 19: Place of performance is noted as the contractor’s facility. Is remote work acceptable if VA privacy and security concerns are met?

Government Response: Yes, remote work is acceptable.

Question 20: Can you specify how you arrived at the hours count since 5 personnel for 14,600 = 2920 hours per personnel, per year; there are 2080 regular direct hours per year?

Government Response: This is a 365/24/7 operation. Each shift is 8 hours. An 8-hour shift for 365 days = 2920.

Question 21: How does the VA envision that the requested staff of 4 or 5 personnel, depending on the shift, will be able to assume responsibility for 100% of VCCC calls, as required by 3.16.13 and 3.16.14?

Government Response: This is an estimated minimum per each of the 3 shifts 7 days a week. The call volume is expected to increase annually by at least 30%. The contractor will be responsible for 30% of purposeful calls and the additional time frames identified.

Question 22: Reference Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Notice, Section VIII; In this section, the Government states, “The quote shall include 3 relevant past performances evaluations with a rating of “Satisfactory” or higher along with their quote”. Can the Government please clarify if vendors are to provide an official CPARs Evaluation for the 3 relevant past performances? Please clarify if the Past Performance write-ups are out of count.

Government Response: Yes, Contractors may submit official CPARs Evaluation to satisfy the relevant past performance evaluation criteria. Past performance evaluation criteria are separate from the “technical capability” submission and is not apart of the 8-pages.

Question 23: Can the required remote contract facility be anywhere in the United States? Or, does it have to be within a certain proximity to the VA VISN area of performance? Will this service be on location or is it able to be located off site in a different location? If it is authorized to be in a different location, can the training be provided by the closest VA site and computers be shipped to the awarded company or the closest VA?

Government Response: Yes, anywhere in the Continental U.S.

Question 24: Reference PWS Section 3 Scope of Work; The Vet Center Call Center averages 8000 calls offered per month. The Contractor shall be responsible for handling 30% calls offered in the form of purposeful routed calls. In September 2022, on a previous solicitation, the Government cited that average monthly call volume was 11,942 at the VA-staffed call center. Can you confirm the current monthly average call volume for the VCCC?

Government Response: 8,000 is the current average.

Question 25: Reference PWS Section 3.16.4; Ensure every call receives a proper risk assessment and, if deemed to be at imminent risk of suicide, seek to ensure the callers are linked with appropriate levels of emergency and/or expedited follow-up services toward securing their safety. Does the Government require the ability manage calls in Spanish or other languages, if requested?

Government Response: No. Translator services are provided by the VA.

Question 26: Reference PWS Section 3.19; With the requirement of documentation in 90 seconds, can the government provide information on the documentation form and type of information to be documented? Is this a free text case note or a menu/check box driven form to aid in timeliness?

Government Response: Demographics are collected during the call. The documentation requires selections from a pull-down menu and free text.

Question 27: Reference PWS Section 3.20; Electronic communication must be forwarded to the appropriate Vet Center and associated RCS staff on behalf of the caller during the call or immediately upon call completion. Will all program staff be required to obtain a VA email address to ensure encryption of electronic communications?

Government Response: Yes, VA email will be obtained by Contractor staff.

Question 28: Reference PWS Section 3.22.1; CISCO UIC data reporting requirements. Can the Government provide the Service Level Agreement standards for all the metrics listed?

Government Response:

3.22.1 CISCO Unified Intelligence Center Data reviewed weekly by the VCCC:

A. Ring Time Standard (Not to exceed four (4) occurrences over 13 seconds per week per contract employee) B. Abandon Rate -Standard (VA Standard 5% or less) C. Calls Abandoned - Standard that contributes to a 5% or less abandonment rate.

D. Calls Presented - No Standard this is the number of calls that come into the queue.

E. Calls Handled – Standard that contributes to a 5% or less abandonment rate.

F. Average Que Time – Standard 20 seconds G. Average Speed to Answer – Standard 13 seconds H. Average Time to Abandon – Standard 20 seconds I. Average Handle Time – Standard 54 seconds

Note: Questions that were received by the question deadline that are not on the list above are still being worked. An additional amendment is forthcoming with those answers.

Close date listed in Section XV is hereby updated to 09-20-2023 @ 14:00 MST in lieu of 09-18-2023 @ 14:00 MST.

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Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation