36C26125Q0032 0001.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 NUMBERED 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 amendment, 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) 00261 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 21 VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System 6900 N. Pecos Road, Building 6 North Las Vegas

NV

89086 00261 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 21 Southern Nevada Healthcare System 6900 N. Pecos Road, Building 6 North Las Vegas

NV

89086 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C26125Q0032 10-04-2024

X x x

See CONTINUATION Page x The Purpose of this Amendment (0001) is to address the following:

1.) Respond to Questions received from Vendors.

2.) Provide an updated Performance Work Statement (PWS).

3.) Update the Unit of Measure and Quantity on the Price/Cost Schedule

No other portion of the RFQ is changed. Offerors are reminded that all Amendments must be acknowledged in their quote submission.

James Postell Contracting Officer

A.1 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

ITEM INFORMATION

Provide Emergency After Hours Phone Answering Services, (HIPAA compliant physician).

Contract Period: Base POP Begin: 12-01-2024 POP End: 11-30-2025 PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 561421 - Telephone Answering Services PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: R699 - Support - Administrative: Other MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): None

Provide Emergency After Hours Phone Answering Services, (HIPAA compliant physician).

Contract Period: Option 1 POP Begin: 12-01-2025 POP End: 11-30-2026 PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 561421 - Telephone Answering Services

Provide Emergency After Hours Phone Answering Services, (HIPAA compliant physician).

Contract Period: Option 2 POP Begin: 12-01-2026 POP End: 11-30-2027 PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 561421 - Telephone Answering Services

Provide Emergency After Hours Phone Answering Services, (HIPAA compliant physician).

Contract Period: Option 3 POP Begin: 12-01-2027 POP End: 11-30-2028 PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 561421 - Telephone Answering Services

Provide Emergency After Hours Phone Answering Services, (HIPAA compliant physician).

Contract Period: Option 4 POP Begin: 12-01-2028 POP End: 11-30-2029 PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 561421 - Telephone Answering Services

B.3 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Subject: After-Hours Telephone Answering Service Place of Performance: This is a Virtual Service Contract.

Period of Performance: Base plus four one-year options.

Scope of Work: The Contractor shall furnish all management, labor, supervision, equipment, and materials to provide after-hours emergency Physician Phone Answering Services to the Veterans Affairs Pacific Island Health Care System (VAPIHCS), Regional Office located at 459 Patterson Road, Honolulu, HI 96819-1522.

The answering services is for emergency routed calls only. Services will be based on an average of twenty (20) emergency calls per month for the entire region. All incoming calls will be initially screened through the Department of Veterans Affairs primary phone operators. Once a call has been identified as an emergency call, the VA’s phone operators will dispatch the call to the contracted answering service. The contractor will then page and/or text the appropriate on-call provider entering the requesting physician’s telephone number as a call-back number. The contractor may also be responsible for sending an additional page/text to a secondary requesting physician if no response is received by the first line requesting physician. The contractor will conduct a follow-up call to the requested physician to ensure the call was successful.

The contractor must be able to offer reliable answering communication services for this region. It is imperative that all modes of communications be responsive without disruptions, delays, or lack of service. Please take into consideration, there will be multiple data providers affiliated with the mobile equipment assigned to the on-call providers. The contractor must be able to respond to various mobile communications and comply within the various time zones.

Government Furnished Equipment: Mobile devices and/or equipment are not required for this contract. Each physician has been assigned an alpha numeric digital pager or has provided a personal contact number to be reached via texting and/or paging the requested on-call physicians. The Department of Veteran Affairs will provide a monthly updated call roster with a list of on-call Physicians, their contact numbers, and recommended method of communication.

The emergency after-hour phone services will be provided for the following health departments and clinics:

• Geriatric

• Mental Health

• Laboratory

• Primary Care

• Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs)

Areas of Coverage: The services to be provided for the Veterans Affairs Pacific Island Health Care System (VAPIHCS), Regional location at 459 Patterson Road, Honolulu, HI 96819-1522. The Honolulu Regional Office of VAPIHCS serves the Veterans of Hawaii and the Western Pacific US Territories. Its jurisdiction covers many small island populations dispersed throughout an enormous geographic area of approximately 4.6 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean, and includes the State of Hawaii (Hilo, HI, Kahului, HI, Kauai, HI, Kona, HI, Maui, HI, and Lanai, HI) Hagatna, Guam and other US Territories of Guam, American Samoa, as well as the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (Saipan, Tinian and Rota).

Schedule: The VAPIHCS normal business hours usually operate between 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. The requested services shall be provided seven (7) days a week, to include weekends and holidays, and are anticipated 365 days out of the calendar year. Services shall be provided from 4:00 PM to 8:00 AM for all Areas of Coverage and shall be based on the individual time zones within the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)/World Clock. See below the time zones included for the requested services:

Time Zones Covered: Hawaii Islands: Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST) - HAST is 10 hours behind of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Note that some places observe daylight saving time/summertime during summer and are therefore using HADT instead in the summer.

American Samoa: Samoa Standard Time (SST) - SST is 11 hours behind of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Guam Territories & Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands: Chamorro Standard Time (ChST) - ChST is 10 hours (+1 day) ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Federal Holidays: The following National holidays observed by the Federal Government:

· New Year’s Day January 1

· Martin Luther King Day Third Monday in January

· Presidents’ Day Third Monday in February

· Memorial Day Last Monday in May

· Juneteenth June 19

· Independence Day July 4

· Labor Day First Monday in September

· Columbus Day Second Monday in October

· Veterans’ Day November 11

· Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November

· Christmas Day December 25

When one of the above designated legal holidays falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as a legal holiday. When a legal holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as a holiday by U.S. Government agencies.

Contractor Personnel Security Requirements: Upon contract award, all key personnel shall be subject to the appropriate type of background investigation or screening per VA/VHA directive 0710 and must receive a favorable adjudication from CCA Personnel Security Specialist or VA Security and Investigations Center (SIC) depending on investigation or screening required. This requirement is applicable to all subcontract personnel. If the investigation or screening is not completed prior to the start date of the contract, the Contractor will be responsible for the actions of those individuals they provide to perform work for VA.

Privacy and Security

1. No access to a VA system or network is require for this contract.

2. VA sensitive information will be exchanged with vendor in the form of phone calls.

i. PDAT – Degree of Potential Damage to the Public Trust from Misconduct. No risk to National Security. Protection of personal, private, controlled unclassified or proprietary information (including PA and FOIA, etc.), the nature of which does not impact national security.

ii. Limited impact - Duties are carried out under such restrictive controls that the risk of violating the public’s trust is extremely limited.

iii. Controls – After hours phone answering service provide contact with VA on-call providers without giving out personal or direct phone access to the public.

iv. Position Risk/Sensitivity – For all positions required under this contract, the position risk/sensitivity has been designated as: Low Risk.

v. Incorporate the security clause (Appendix B) into the contract and the appropriate security/privacy language outlined in Appendix C into the solicitation.

vi. Privacy Officer has determined that a BAA is required.

NARA Records Management Language for Contracts (May 2017):

https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/handbook/records-mgmt-language.html

RECORDS MANAGEMENT OBLIGATIONS

A. Applicability This clause applies to all Contractors whose employees create, work with, or otherwise handle Federal records, as defined in Section B, regardless of the medium in which the record exists.

B. Definitions Federal Record as defined in 44 U.S.C. § 3301, includes all recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, made or received by a Federal agency under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the United States Government or because of the informational value of data in them.

The Term Federal Record:

1. Includes [Agency] records.

2. Does not include personal materials.

3. Applies to records created, received, or maintained by Contractors pursuant to their [Agency] contract.

4. May include deliverables and documentation associated with deliverables.

C. Requirements The following standard Items relate to records generated in executing this contract and should be included in a typical contract where records could possibly be created, maintained, or dispositioned:

1. Contractor shall comply with all applicable records management laws and regulations, as well as National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records policies, including but not limited to the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. Ch. 21, 29, 31, 33), NARA regulations at 36 CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B, and those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). These policies include the preservation of all records, regardless of form or characteristics, mode of transmission, or state of completion.

2. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, all data created for Government use and delivered to, or falling under the legal control of, the Government are Federal records subject to the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended and must be managed and scheduled for disposition only as permitted by statute or regulation.

3. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, Contractor shall maintain all records created for Government use or created while performing the contract and/or delivered to, or under the legal control of the Government and must be managed in accordance with Federal law. Electronic records and associated metadata must be accompanied by sufficient technical documentation to permit understanding and use of the records and data.

4. [FACILITY] and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of [FACILITY] or destroyed except for in accordance with the provisions of the agency records schedules and with the written concurrence of the Head of the Contracting Activity. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701.

In the event of any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records, Contractor must report to [FACILITY]. The agency must report promptly to NARA in accordance with 36 CFR 1230.

5. The Contractor shall immediately notify the appropriate Contracting Officer upon discovery of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of information, data, documentary materials, records or equipment. Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know as described in the [contract vehicle]. The Contractor shall ensure that the appropriate personnel, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is properly protected. The Contractor shall not remove material from Government facilities or systems, or facilities or systems operated or maintained on the Government’s behalf, without the express written permission of the Head of the Contracting Activity. When information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is no longer required, it shall be returned to [FACILITY] control, or the Contractor must hold it until otherwise directed. Items returned to the Government shall be hand carried, mailed, emailed, or securely electronically transmitted to the Contracting Officer or address prescribed in the [contract vehicle]. Destruction of records is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED unless in accordance with Paragraph (4).

6. The Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, contracts. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and [FACILITY] guidance for protecting sensitive, proprietary information, classified, and controlled unclassified information.

8. The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public [FACILITY] information that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract.

9. The Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected from public disclosure by an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act.

10. The [FACILITY] owns the rights to all data and records produced as part of this contract. All deliverables under the contract are the property of the U.S. Government for which [FACILITY] shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest.

11. Training. All Contractor employees assigned to this contract who create, work with, or otherwise handle records are required to take VHA-provided records management training. The Contractor is responsible for confirming training has been completed according to agency policies, including initial training and any annual or refresher training. [Note: To the extent an agency requires contractors to complete records management training, the agency must provide the training to the contractor.] D. Flowdown of requirements to Subcontractors

1. The Contractor shall incorporate the substance of this clause, its terms and requirements including this paragraph, in all subcontracts under this [contract vehicle], and require written subcontractor acknowledgment of same.

2. Violation by a subcontractor of any provision set forth in this clause will be attributed to the Contractor.

Questions and Answers- RFQ 36C26125Q0032- After-hours Answering Service

1. Will any training materials be provided for this solicitation?

No, just the contract with the statement of work.

2. What type of communication(s) will be required throughout the process?

Phone calls with the Administrative Officer on Duty (AOD).

3. Are there specific systems or software platforms we will need to interface with or access?

The is no specific system or software required.

4. Is there a central system in place, or will we be working with disparate systems?

Yes, the AOD is on duty 24/7.

5. How many agents will be required per shift?

As many as the contractor sees fit, to cover after hours operations.

6. How many recipients or doctors will we be supporting?

Four (4) on duty doctors, Primary Care, Specialty Care, Mental Health and GREC. Maybe a couple more, but four will be on duty to receive calls after hours.

7. What is the expected verification time period?

It’s typically 15 minutes to perform verification.

8. Was there previous support for this service? If so, what were the shortcomings, and what improvements are expected moving forward?

Yes, there was a contractor for this service, and they provided good support. Contract is complete and government requires that the contract be announced for competition.

9. Will our agents need to be HIPAA-compliant?

Yes, all agent performing on this contract must be HIPPA-Compliant. HIPAA compliance means complying with all applicable standards, requirements, and implementation specifications of the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Regulations in order to safeguard the privacy of Protected Health Information (PHI) and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI created, received, maintained, or transmitted electronically.

10. Can you share who the previous support service provider was? A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request is required for disclosure of this information.

11. Subcontractor Location: My subcontractor will be located in the Philippines, while I, as the prime contractor, will handle contract management in the U.S. with an active TS/SCI clearance and polygraph. Are there any specific security or compliance requirements we need to follow, given the subcontractor’s offshore location?

All employees must be HIPAA compliant. The Department of Veteran Affairs’ staff/employees will handle Personal Identification Information (PII) and Personal Health Information (PHI), no need for any formal classification.

12. Training and Manuals: If awarded the contract, will the VA provide structured training or manuals for the answering services agents, particularly since they will handle sensitive personal information?

No, there is no training or manuals for this contract. Only what is in the Statement of Work in the contract. If a meeting is setup to introduce the call center to the AOD staff, then we can discuss the Statement of Work and what we need from the call center.

13. Staffing Requirements: The solicitation outlines service hours as 4:00 PM to 7:30 AM. Is there a specific number of agents required during this time frame, or is staffing left to the contractor’s discretion?

All interested parties shall determine the required number of staff to perform the contract as they see fit.

14. Billing Time Extension: Would it be possible to bill an extra 30 minutes, making it a fixed 16-hour shift, to account for any necessary handover or wrap-up activities before or after the specified service window? Yes, that is a great idea, recommend before the start of each shift.

15. Privacy and Security Protocols: Since VA sensitive information will be exchanged over the phone, are there specific privacy and security protocols that our agents must adhere to? Will the VA provide training or certifications for handling this sensitive information?

All employees must be HIPAA compliant. The Department of Veterans Affairs will not provide training or certifications for handling PII and PHI.

16. Background Checks: The solicitation mentions background checks according to VA/VHA Directive 0710. Could you clarify the type of background investigation required and the expected timeline for completing this process?

Tier 1 background check through VA-Personnel Security Adjudication Center (PSAC) Resource Site. Timeline to be up and running, no later than 30 days.

17. Communication System Requirements: Is there a preferred system or platform for paging or texting on-call physicians, considering the time zones and regional locations? Are there any specific standards for mobile communication systems?

No, just the phone numbers provided.

18. Time Zone for Emergency Service Hours: Given that the contract involves three time zones (Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam), which time zone should we follow for the service hours of 4:00 PM to 7:30 AM?

Hawaii Standard Time. VA will answer the phones for American Samoa and Guam during Hawaii Standard Time working Hours.

19. Wage Determination: After reviewing the wage determinations for Customer Service Representatives in Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam, which wage determination would you recommend we follow given our service locations?

Wage determination shall be based on the employee’s physical location while performing the duties of this contract.

20. Additional Emergency Calls: The solicitation notes that additional emergency calls should be quoted separately. Could you clarify what qualifies as an "additional emergency call" and how these should be quoted and billed?

Any call given to the answering service will be considered an emergency call. Services will be based on an average of 20 emergency calls per month for the entire region. This average has been identified as an approximate number of emergency calls received on a monthly basis and can fluctuate periodically. Any calls above the 20 calls per month is considered an additional emergency call.

21. Reporting and Documentation: Are there specific reporting or documentation requirements (e.g., call logs, follow-up procedures) expected from the answering service? How frequently should reports be submitted, and through which channels?

Only the invoice is required. Please, include all required information on the monthly invoice as stated in the contract. If anything needs to be reported, please, contact the COR or the Contracting Officer.

22. Federal Holidays: For services on federal holidays, especially when a holiday falls on a weekend, how does the VA expect services to be handled, and how might this impact billing or staffing?

VA will have an AOD (Administrative Officer of the Day) on duty, in the building, and on site 24/7, to include nights, weekends, and holidays. Also, an on-call list of doctors is in place as well. VA needs an afterhours Medical HIPAA compliant phone answering service. Vendors, please give a proposal on how you will staff and bill to cover our afterhours needs. You are expected to determine the required staffing and cost of performing these services based on your understanding and experience of the requirement.

23. Is there an incumbent for this work? Yes, there is.

24. Would you consider setting this aside as a SDVOSB solicitation? The VA rule of two was not met during the market research, meaning there wasn’t at least two or more SDVOSBs that responded to support a SDVOSB set-aside.

25. It is not clear if this is on site or at contractor’s facility. Please advise if this is on site or on contractor facility. This is a virtual requirement.

26. Are FAR provisions that restrict or prohibit the use of foreign workers noted on the solicitation? No, all contracted employees planned for this requirement must be HIPPA- Compliant.

27. The VAPIHCS normal business hours are between 8:00am to 4:00pm and the Contractor hours are between 4:pm to 7:30am, who is responsible for the 30 minutes (between 7:30am to 8:00am)? Business hours have been corrected to reflect 8AM – 4PM and is updated on the Performance work statement.

28. Call Volume Fluctuation: While the PWS mentions call volume fluctuations, it doesn't specify how significant these fluctuations might be (e.g., a reasonable range). More specific information will help with staffing and resource allocation.

There is no way to predict call volume. We might have 1 call per month sent to the answering service. Or a mass casualty situation could happen at a veteran function and multiple calls may result. So, a reasonable range is 1-20 calls per month. "Additional Fees": How are "additional fees" for calls exceeding the estimate calculated and billed? A clear pricing structure is needed. If additional calls exceed the estimated volume, they shall be billed at the same rate per call quoted.

29. Physician Availability: What happens if the contractor can't reach the on-call physician after the second attempt? Is there an escalation procedure or a designated backup contact? Yes, there is a primary and a secondary on-call physician on the rosters provided. As well as the contact information for the Service Chief for each schedule to contact. This is an emergency call; this requires an operator that will keep calling until they get ahold of someone.

30. Call Logging and Reporting: What type of call logging is required? Should the contractor provide reports on call volume, physician response times, etc.? If so, what is the format and frequency?

Please, do not create any official records. Keep your notes as working papers and report your calls as an attachment on your invoice to document your calls.

31. Suggested Method of Communication": Section 2.1 mentions a "suggested method of communication" for each physician. Is the contractor obligated to follow this suggestion, or can they use alternative methods if they deem it necessary? Method of communication will be provided on the On-call schedule provided each month.

32. Equipment and Software: While mobile devices aren't required, what about the contractor's phone system and software? Are there any specific requirements or compatibility needs (e.g., with VA systems)? No access to VA systems is required. It is the contractor’s responsibility to provide all equipment needed to provide services.

33. Training: Will the VA provide any training on their procedures, call handling protocols, or specific needs of the different health departments? No formal training will be provided by the VA, but all questions will be answered during the kickoff meeting. The Statement of Work has everything the contractor needs to know.

34. Please, refer to the RECORDS MANAGEMENT OBLIGATIONS section of the Statement of Work. Training will be provided for contractors whose employees create, work with, or otherwise handle Federal records.

Areas of Coverage:

35. Time Zone Overlap: Given the multiple time zones, how will shift changes and coverage be handled to ensure seamless service during transitions? There are no time zone problems, VA will cover Hawaii Standard Time from 8am to 4pm and the answering service will cover 4pm to 8am.

36. Communication Reliability: What are the specific requirements for "reliable answering communication services"? Are there performance metrics (e.g., uptime, call answer time) that need to be met? Reliable should be specific enough. When the phone rings, the customer expects someone to answer. As an answering service, the contractor should have their own performance metrics to ensure reliable service.

37. Mobile Communication Providers: While the PWS mentions multiple providers, it doesn't specify if there are any known challenges or limitations related to specific providers in the region.

The Statement of work does mention that there will be multiple data providers affiliated with the mobile equipment assigned to the on-call providers. So far, no known challenges or limitations have been noted.

Schedule:

38. "Usually Operate": Section 2.3 states VAPIHCS business hours "usually operate" between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Does this mean there are exceptions, and if so, how will those be communicated to the contractor? No need to worry. Our AOD are on duty 24/7. Times should not change.

Contractor Personnel:

39. Key Personnel: Who is considered "key personnel" requiring background investigations? Clear definitions are needed. Anyone involved with this contract. Including telephone operators, supervisors, and all subcontracted personnel.

40. VA/VHA Directive 0710: Please clarity on background check requirements.

Each contracted employe will need to be adjudicated by the VA Security and Investigations Center (SIC). This can be achieved online after the contract is awarded.

NARA Records Management:

41. Contract Vehicle: The term "[contract vehicle]" is used in item 5. C specific contract type can you please provide the contract type. Firm Fixed Price

42. This is listed in the Records Management section of the contract. “Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know as described in the [contract vehicle].” This means the contract. As described in the contract. Specifically, the statement of work. If a telephone operator or supervisor has a question about the call, ask the AOD on duty.

43. VHA-Provided Records Management Training: Details about this training (content, format, scheduling) need to be provided. Training will be provided online after the contract is awarded.

Section 6 of the Performance Work Statement requires Contractor approval before engaging subcontractors who require access to sensitive information. Could you please clarify the following:

44. Approval Process: What information needs to be included in the request for approval, and what is the expected timeline for receiving a decision? Each contracted employe will need to be adjudicated by the VA Security and Investigations Center (SIC). This can be achieved online after the contract is awarded. Decisions will be made within 72 hours.

45. Guidance: Where can we find the specific Government and VAPIHCS guidelines for protecting sensitive information that subcontractors must follow?

The Records Management section of the Statement of Work is generic and needs to be updated for each contract. This section assumes that contractor employees and/or sub-contractors will be onsite. This contract will be virtual and not onsite.

46. Partnerships: Does this clause also apply to partnerships, or are those considered differently from subcontracting relationships?"

This clause applies to any employee involved in the service of this contract. I assume a business setup as a partnership is the same business. The partner will be just as liable as the primary partner.