D.8 ATTACHMENT 8 QUESTIONS - ANSWERS - COURIER SERVICES - 662.pdf

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR

RFQ 36C26127Q0050 Medical Delivery – Methadone Services

1. Courier Experience: For the performing subcontractor's three-year courier experience requirement, would documented Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) and healthcare transportation experience satisfy any portion of the required experience? The contractor must demonstrate at least three years of courier experience specifically relevant to secure, compliant delivery of controlled substances or similarly regulated materials. This requirement supports VA’s mandate for secure transport, chain-of-custody accountability, and controlled-substance handling.

NEMT experience alone may not satisfy the requirement unless the vendor can show it involved regulated, secure transport comparable to Schedule II medication handling requirements in the PWS.

2. Pickup and Delivery Schedule: Attachment D1 identifies the listed service locations. Please clarify which locations will serve as pharmacy pickup locations versus receiving/delivery locations, along with the required pickup times, delivery days/windows, and anticipated frequency for each location. If available, please also provide historical route or shipment volume. All locations listed in Attachment D1 serve only as receiving/delivery locations. Each facility receives medication originating from the same pharmacy pickup site; Deliveries are requested as needed; When services are used, courier delivery occurs no more than once every two weeks; Delivery windows are set by the receiving facility and may vary; the VA does not prescribe fixed windows for each site; Standard frequency: Not to exceed once every two weeks; 2026 usage: 19 courier service requests to date; Shipment volume:

varies; typically packaged in boxes sized 12.2 × 7.8 × 8.2 inches.

3. Bangor Location: Attachment D1 lists two organizations at 40 Coyote Moon Trail. Should these be treated as one stop or two separate deliveries, and what is the anticipated service frequency?

There is only one Bangor location. Approximately 12 deliveries per year (=25% of total courier requests).

4. Daily Coverage: Does the 6:00 AM–6:00 PM service requirement require a dedicated driver and vehicle to remain available throughout the entire window, or does it require completion of scheduled deliveries occurring within that window? The 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM service requirement does not require the contractor to keep a dedicated driver or vehicle continuously available for the full 12-hour period. It only requires the completion of scheduled deliveries that occur within that window.

5. After-Hours/Emergency Deliveries: What response time and estimated frequency should offerors anticipate for emergency or after-hours deliveries? Should all after-hours/emergency deliveries be included within the firm-fixed monthly price? The Performance Work Statement requires after-hours and emergency deliveries to be available upon COR request; pricing structure (inclusion or separate CLIN) will be determined by the solicitation and pricing schedule

6. Delivery Volume: What anticipated delivery volume should offerors use when developing the firm-fixed monthly price? If routes, locations, or delivery frequency materially change after award, how will those changes be addressed under the firm-fixed-price structure? Offerors should base pricing assumptions on a low-volume, as-needed workload, with typical order sizes small enough to fit in the standard box dimensions above. If delivery routes, delivery locations, or frequency materially change after award, and the resulting workload exceeds the scope contemplated in the original flat-rate pricing, the Government will issue a contract modification, provided the change is within scope.

7. Performance Standards: PWS Section 10 identifies an on-time delivery standard greater than 98%, while the quality table in Section 13 identifies 95% schedule compliance and references a Susanville clinic. Please clarify which performance standard and locations apply to this requirement. Both performance standards apply, and an offeror will be considered compliant if meeting or exceeding either the 95% schedule compliance threshold or the ≥98% on-time delivery threshold. These standards apply across all delivery locations identified in the solicitation.

8. Independent Contractor Drivers: May the performing subcontractor utilize qualified independent-contractor drivers to perform deliveries? If permitted, what documentation, if any, must be submitted with the quote for those drivers? Answer: (1) Independent contractors may be used if they meet all VA requirements for background checks, training, and controlled-substance handling. (2) The contractor must provide documentation of qualifications, training records, and compliance with chain-of-custody and security protocols.

9. Volume and Scheduling

a. What is the expected number of deliveries per day or per week for each of the 11 locations in

Attachment D.1? When courier service is requested, the VA typically requests one delivery no more than once every two weeks for any location. There is no fixed daily or weekly schedule, and delivery frequency depends entirely on operational need.

b. Can you share historical monthly delivery volume from the current or prior contract, along with the current contract number? Thus far in 2026, the VA has utilized courier service 19 times total.

No additional historical monthly volume or prior-contract number is available.

c. Are deliveries required every day, Monday through Sunday, or only on specific days for certain locations? Delivery is not required every day. No, deliveries are not required Monday through Sunday; they occur only on VA-requested days.

d. What are the scheduled pickup times and the required delivery windows for each location? Pickup times are Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Delivery windows are set by the receiving facility and vary by destination. The VA does not prescribe specific windows for each location

e. Is service required on the federal holidays listed in PWS Section 8? No, courier service is not required on federal holidays.

10. Delivery Locations

a. Locations 5 and 8 in Attachment D.1 both list 40 Coyote Moon Trail, Bangor, CA. Are these one stop or two separate deliveries? They are one single stop, not two separate deliveries.

b. How often are the Bangor locations serviced compared to the Bay Area locations? Bangor accounts for approximately 25% of all courier requests. This means Bangor is serviced less frequently than Bay Area sites overall but still represents a significant proportion of total courier activity due to the as-needed nature of the service.

11. After-Hours and Emergency Deliveries

a. Should after-hours and emergency deliveries be included in the flat monthly rate, or priced separately? What volume of these requests does the VA expect? (1) After-hours and emergency deliveries are required only on an as-requested basis by the COR, not as part of routine service; (2) The pricing structure (whether included in the flat monthly rate or priced separately) will be determined by the solicitation and pricing schedule; (3) The VA indicates no known or anticipated volume of after-hours or emergency delivery requests, and vendors should prepare operational capacity to support unpredictable, medically necessary requests; (4) Additionally, internal clarification states that no after-hours deliveries are expected at this time.

12. Scope and Handling

a. PWS references "laboratory specimens," "biohazard materials," and "Susanville clinic." Please confirm the scope is limited to opioid treatment medication deliveries and that surveys will be taken from VASFHCS staff. (1) Yes — the scope is limited solely to opioid treatment medication deliveries (OTP). The VA states it will not be requesting courier service for “laboratory specimens,” and a formal modification will remove those references from the PWS.; (2) The VA also clarified that surveys referenced in PWS performance standards (including those mentioning the Susanville clinic) apply generally to performance measurement and will be conducted by VASFHCS staff, consistent with OTP operations.

b. Do any shipments require temperature control? If so, what range must be maintained? No shipments under this requirement require temperature control; No temperature range is required because all methadone deliveries are in sealed, pharmacy-prepared packaging and do not require environmental control during transport.

c. Please confirm the contractor is not required to hold its own DEA registration when transporting methadone on behalf of the VA pharmacy. Answer (1) The courier transports VA-dispensed, sealed methadone packages under VA authorization; DEA registration is not required for transport. (2) The contractor must comply fully with chain-of-custody, security protocols, and controlled-substance handling procedures described in the PWS.

13. Requirements and Forms

a. What type and minimum amount of bond is required for couriers (PWS 11.1 and 14.1.2)? Please confirm the $1,000,000 liability minimum in PWS 11.1 governs over the amounts listed in Section C.5. (1) Until an amendment is issued, offerors should assume the higher requirement may apply, as is standard in federal solicitations, but this is not formally confirmed.

b. The full text of VAAR 852.219-75 is not included in the solicitation package. Can you provide the form to be completed and signed? VA stated that if the offeror is a certified SDVOSB, then VAAR 852.219-75 will be required to receive credit.

c. The Price Summary lists Option 1 as 12/11/2027 to 12/10/2029. Please confirm the correct dates are 12/11/2027 to 12/10/2028. The dates will depend upon the evaluation results and time to get the contract awarded.

d. For the Tier 1 background investigations, will the VA initiate the process after award, and should we expect a timeline that affects the 12/11/2026 start date? Yes — all courier personnel performing services for the VA must complete a Tier 1 (Low Risk) background investigation. This requirement is mandatory, applies to all individuals engaged in contract performance, and is the only sensitivity tier designated by the VA for courier duties.

14. Insurance: PWS Section 11.1 requires the courier company to carry a minimum of $1,000,000.00 liability insurance, while Section C.5 requires general liability of $500,000 per occurrence. Please confirm which requirement controls. Please see Question 48 for answer.

15. State license: Section 11.1 requires the courier company to hold "a state license." California has no generic courier license — could you specify which license or permit is required (e.g., PUC carrier authority, local business license, or a pharmacy-related permit)? Please see Question 49 for answer.

16. Controlled substances: the contract involves transport of methadone, a Schedule II controlled substance, in VA-dispensed sealed packages. Is the courier required to hold a DEA registration or any other controlled-substance permit beyond the state license referenced in Section 11.1? No.

The courier is not required to hold its own DEA registration to transport methadone under this contract.

The courier transports VA-dispensed, sealed methadone packages under VA pharmacy authorization, which does not require the contractor to possess DEA registration. The contractor must still fully comply with all PWS-mandated requirements for:

• Chain of custody

• Security controls

• Controlled-substance handling procedures

• Documentation standards

17. Experience: Section 14 requires a minimum of 3 years' experience, and Factor 2 requests contracts where the offeror was the prime contractor. For a small-business prime proposing to perform through a similarly situated subcontractor, may the subcontractor's contracts and references be submitted under Factor 2 and counted toward the 3-year responsibility criterion? PWS 14.1 requires the offeror to “possess a minimum of three (3) years’ experience.” “Factor 2 – Experience requires submission of contracts in which the Offeror was the Prime Contractor.”

18. References: Sections 11.1, 11.4, 11.5, 11.10 and Factor 1 instructions repeatedly refer to "specimens" and "laboratory specimens." Please confirm these paragraphs (bonding, biohazard training, incident reporting) apply to medication couriers as written. The Government has already clarified that the repeated references to “specimens” and “laboratory specimens” do NOT apply to this methadone delivery requirement. “We only plan on requesting courier service for methadone, not ‘specimens.’ An amendment has already been posted.

19. Offer acceptance period: the base 52.212-1 provision states 60 days while the addendum states 120 days. Please confirm 120 days controls. Vendors must hold a 120-day acceptance period.

20. Route volume: the price schedule is a flat monthly rate. Is any historical volume data available — expected delivery frequency per site, stops per day, or total monthly stops? The VA has confirmed that no historical route volume, stop count, or per-site delivery frequency data is available for estimating workload.

21. Temperature: is any temperature-controlled transport or monitoring required, or is the

"temperature excursion" incident reporting precautionary? Temperature-controlled vehicles, coolers, monitoring devices, refrigeration, or cold-chain recordkeeping are NOT required for this contract; You do not have to maintain or monitor temperature; but if a methadone package is exposed to an environmental condition that could impact dosing integrity (e.g., left in extreme heat), it must be reported as an incident.

22. PWS 11.1 says the Contractor must be a courier company with a state license, and PWS 14.1 requires three years of courier experience. Must the prime offeror itself hold the courier license and possess that courier experience, or may it document those qualifications through a named performing subcontractor while retaining contract responsibility? The prime offeror must:

• Be a courier company with a state license (PWS 11.1), and

• Possess at least three years of courier experience (PWS 14.1), and

• Provide Prime-Contract past performance for Factor 2.

o The subcontractor cannot satisfy these requirements on behalf of the prime.

23. If such an arrangement is permitted, how should the prime demonstrate compliance with FAR 52.219-14's limitation on subcontracting for this total small-business set-aside? Can a similarly situated small-business courier perform the delivery work, and what documentation is required?

A small-business prime: May not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance to subcontractors that are NOT “similarly situated entities.” Anda subcontractor who is a “similarly situated entity” (i.e., a small business under the same NAICS) does NOT count toward the 50% cap, and their further subcontracting does count.

24. SF1449 warns that a signed VAAR 852.219-75 certificate is mandatory. That clause's published text refers to SDVOSB/VOSB set-asides, whereas the RFQ identifies a total small-business set-aside. Please confirm the applicable version/certification and any amendment. This is answer in question number 13 “VA stated that if the offeror is a certified SDVOSB, then VAAR 852.219-75 will be required to receive credit”

25. What is the required delivery frequency (days per week) for each of the 11 facilities listed in

Attachment 1? “The answer to this varies. When we utilize this service, we request delivery once every 2 weeks.” In addition, the consolidated Q&A confirms: “There is no fixed daily or weekly schedule… deliveries occur only as needed.”

26. Are the Bangor (Butte County) facilities served on the same daily route as the Bay Area facilities, or on a separate schedule? No indication exists that Bangor is on a "combined route" with Bay Area sites; instead, routing is determined by the VA only when a delivery is requested.

27. What are the expected daily/weekly delivery volumes (number of packages or totes) per facility?

No daily or weekly package volume estimates exist for any site; Volume is low and intermittent and varies by request; Deliveries generally involve one small package per delivery event.

28. From which VA pharmacy site(s) does daily pickup occur, and what are the pickup times? The

Government provided a clear, consistent answer in multiple Q&A sources: All pickups occur at one pharmacy location: Building 1, San Francisco VA.

29. Are deliveries required on federal holidays, given the 6 AM–6 PM seven-day operating window?

Although the PWS lists federal holidays and states a 6 AM–6 PM operating window Monday–Sunday, the official clarification confirms that courier service is not required on any federal holiday.

30. Would hiring two direct employees with at least three years of relevant courier experience satisfy PWS §14.1, even if ARMA lacks three years of company experience? When the company itself lacks three years of experience. Offerors must justify their approach within their proposal, as instructed by the

VA.

31. Can employee résumés and references demonstrate capability under Factor 2, despite its requirement for prime contractor past performance? Employee résumés and references alone cannot satisfy the Factor 2 requirement, because Factor 2 explicitly requires prime contractor past performance submissions. However, the offeror may still include employee résumés and references to strengthen the technical narrative, provided they also explain in the quote how their staffing demonstrates capability, as instructed by the Government. The Government will ultimately determine whether such justification is adequate during evaluation.

32. Would one primary driver and one qualified backup be sufficient? Please clarify anticipated delivery frequency, pickup locations, delivery windows, and emergency/after-hours workload for accurate pricing. Because workload is low, intermittent, and predictable, an offeror could propose that two drivers are sufficient—but the Government requires this justification to be fully articulated in the quote.

33. Specimen/Laboratory Language

a. Several portions of the PWS refer to “specimens,” “laboratory test specimens,” Universal

Precautions/biohazard training, lost or broken specimens, and restrictions concerning Uber/Lyft.

Since the primary scope of this solicitation appears to involve the secure transportation of methadone and other opioid-treatment medications, could you please confirm whether these specimen/laboratory provisions are applicable to this requirement?

34. Insurance Requirements

a. Could you please confirm the exact insurance types and coverage limits required for this contract, including whether the stated $1,000,000 liability requirement applies to commercial automobile liability, general liability, or both? Also, should the required coverage be in place at the time of proposal submission or prior to the start of contract performance?

35. Bonding Requirements

a. PWS requires proof of bonding and references bonded couriers. Could you please specify the required type of bond, required bond amount, and when proof of bonding must be submitted?

36. California/San Francisco Licensing

a. PWS states that the contractor must be a courier company with a state license. Could you please identify the specific state, city, county, or other licenses/permits that the successful contractor will be required to maintain to perform this contract?

37. Local Physical Presence

a. Must the contractor already maintain a physical business location in California or the San Francisco area at the time of proposal submission, or may the contractor establish the required California operating presence after award and before the start of contract performance?

38. Delivery Locations and Workload

a. Could you please confirm the expected delivery workload associated with Attachment A, including the delivery locations, approximate delivery frequency, number of stops, and expected pickup/delivery windows? If the quantities are estimates, please also confirm whether they are guaranteed or provided for planning purposes only.

39. Emergency/After-Hours Deliveries

a. PWS provides after-hours/emergency deliveries upon COR request. Could you please clarify whether these services are included in the monthly CLIN price or whether they will be separately compensated? Is included an estimated frequency or volume of emergency/after-hours deliveries available?

40. Driver Background Checks and Training

a. Could you please identify the specific background investigation/check and training requirements that apply to drivers who will handle controlled medications, including any controlled-substance security, chain-of-custody, privacy, or VA-specific training? Please also clarify whether any required training is provided by the VA.

41. VA Privacy/Cybersecurity Requirements

a. The solicitation contains extensive VA information-security, privacy, cybersecurity, and contractor-access provisions. Could you please clarify which of these requirements specifically apply to courier personnel who are transporting sealed medication and who may have limited access to VA information but do not require access to VA computer systems?

42. Option 1 Performance Period

a. The CLIN schedule identifies Option 1 as 12/11/2027 through 12/10/2028, while the Price Summary appears to identify a different ending date. Could you please confirm the correct Option 1 performance period and whether an amended solicitation will be issued if necessary? This will be updated on the next amendment along with the Q&As.

43. Pickup locations: D.1 Attachment 1, Pick-Up and Delivery Locations, lists delivery locations.

Please identify the VA pharmacy pickup site(s) referenced in PWS paragraphs 9.1.1 and 15.1, and confirm whether deliveries to all listed locations, including Bangor, CA, originate from the same pickup site. This applies to every delivery location listed in D.1 Attachment 1, including:

• The Bay Area facilities

• The Bangor, CA location (40 Coyote Moon Trail)

• Any other receiving sites included in the attachment

• No alternative pickup site exists for this requirement.

44. Attachment reference: PWS paragraph 5.1 refers to facilities "listed in Attachment A." Please confirm that D.1 Attachment 1 is the attachment referenced. Please also confirm whether entries 5 and 8, which share the address 40 Coyote Moon Trail, Bangor, CA 95914, there is only one delivery point as stated above.

45. Workload: Please provide the anticipated number of scheduled deliveries per week to each location in D.1 Attachment 1, the service days required, and, if available, the historical frequency of after-hours or emergency deliveries referenced in PWS paragraph 7.1.

• There is no set weekly schedule of service days.

• Deliveries occur only when ordered, and not on weekends or every weekday by default.

• There is no recurring daily route.

46. Federal holidays: PWS paragraph 7.1 states hours of operation Monday–Sunday, and PWS Section

8 lists federal holidays. Please confirm whether deliveries are required on federal holidays.

Offerors may safely assume zero holiday delivery requirements unless an amendment states otherwise.

47. Wage determinations: The attachment titled D.4 Attachment 4, Marin, is Wage Determination

2015-5625, Revision 28, which lists its area as California Counties of Ventura. Please provide the wage determination applicable to Marin County. Please also confirm how the attached wage determinations apply to routes that cross county lines. This Attachment does not pertain to this RFQ.

48. PWS Section 11.1 requires the courier company to carry a minimum of $1,000,000.00 liability insurance, while Section C.5 requires general liability of $500,000 per occurrence. Please confirm which requirement controls.

• Liability insurance: PWS paragraph 11.1 states a minimum of $1,000,000.00 liability insurance, and clause C.5(b) states General Liability of $500,000.00 per occurrence. Please confirm which amount applies. 1. General Liability Insurance – Minimum $1,000,000. Although Clause C.5(b) specifies $500,000 per occurrence, PWS 11.1 requires $1,000,000 in liability coverage. In the absence of Government clarification, the Offeror will adhere to the higher requirement to ensure full compliance with all applicable solicitation provisions.

• Compliance With Clause C.5 Supplemental Insurance Requirements

• The Offeror will maintain all additional coverage identified in Clause C.5, including but not limited to:

o General Liability o Automobile Liability o Property Damage o Employer’s Liability

• These coverage levels will meet or exceed the minimums identified in Clause C.5(b) and any state or federal regulatory requirements.

49. State license: PWS paragraph 11.1 states the Contractor must be a courier company with a state license. Please identify the specific license(s) required. Because the VA did not define the requirement, offerors must explain which state or local credentials they possess that satisfy PWS 11.1, such as:

• California Motor Carrier Permit (if applicable)

• CA DMV commercial registration or carrier operating authority

• Local business license for the jurisdiction of operations

• Any specialized transport permit if the offeror deems it relevant

• The Government will evaluate responsibility based on the offeror’s explanation.

50. Temperature control: PWS paragraph 9.5.1 references reporting of temperature excursions. Please confirm whether temperature-controlled transport or temperature monitoring is required and, if so, the required range. Temperature control and monitoring are not required under this solicitation. All methadone deliveries are VA-sealed, do not require environmental control, and are not subject to laboratory/specimen temperature requirements.

51. Specimen references: PWS paragraphs 11.1, 11.4, 11.5, and 11.10, and the Factor 1 instructions in the Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, reference specimens and laboratory specimens. Please confirm whether these requirements apply to this medication delivery requirement. “The Government has already clarified that the repeated references to ‘specimens’ and ‘laboratory specimens’ do NOT apply to this methadone delivery requirement.” “The amendment was posted to answer this question.

52. Performance standards: The Performance Standards table under PWS paragraph 13 references surveys of the Susanville clinic manager and staff and a 95% threshold for schedule compliance, while PWS paragraphs 9.3.3 and 10.1 state an on-time delivery standard of ≥98%. Please confirm the applicable standard and the facility where surveys will be conducted. Both standards apply to this requirement. Compliance is achieved by meeting either: 95% schedule compliance (as shown in the PWS table), or≥98% on-time delivery (from PWS 9.3.3 / 10.1). This resolves the discrepancy by treating both performance thresholds as acceptable.

53. Period of performance: The SF 1449 lists the base period as 12/11/2026 – 12/11/2027, Section B.2 lists 12/11/2026 – 12/10/2027, and the Price Summary lists Option 1 as 12/11/2027 – 12/10/2029. Please confirm the intended dates for each period. This was an oversight and this will be updated once the questions are answered.

54. Incumbent and prior contract context: Is there a current or recent incumbent providing this level of effort (LOE)? If so, can you please provide the incumbent name, contract award number and contract award value? No

55. If there's an Incumbent, what scope changes have been made from the old contract to the new contract? No

56. IGCE Range: Does the government have an IGCE range it can share, or provide historical pricing from prior similar work at this location? The Government will not provide an IGCE range.

57. Can you confirm the anticipated contract start date, base period, and available option periods?

Tentative dates can be changed if needed.

58. What are the estimated daily and weekly numbers of pickups, deliveries, stops, and route miles?

Because all pickups originate at Building 1, San Francisco VA, route miles depend solely on:

• The destination selected that day,

• And the fact that deliveries occur infrequently (≤ every two weeks).

• No other route or mileage expectations were provided.

59. Are the routes fixed, on-demand, or a combination of scheduled and unscheduled services? The courier services under RFQ 36C26127Q0050 are strictly on-demand, with no fixed routes, no standing schedule, and no recurring sequence of stops.

60. Are evening, weekend, holiday, STAT, or emergency deliveries required? No evening, weekend, holiday, STAT, or emergency deliveries are required or anticipated under this RFQ. All VA clarifications indicate a Monday–Friday, business-hours-only workload, with no after-hours operational demand unless a future COR request creates an exception.

61. What are the expected medication volumes and typical package sizes and weights? Standard methadone delivery container size: 12.2″ × 7.8″ × 8.2.″ This is the maximum expected container size for typical deliveries.

62. Are temperature-controlled vehicles, validated coolers, temperature monitors, or refrigeration required? Temperature-controlled vehicles are NOT required; Validated coolers, refrigeration, or temperature monitors are NOT required; Methadone is delivered in sealed packages that do not require temperature regulation.

63. Will the VA supply medication containers, shipping materials, seals, manifests, and chain-of-custody documentation? The VA prepares and seals the methadone packages before releasing them to the courier. The contractor must comply with all chain-of-custody, security, and controlled-substance handling requirements but is not responsible for generating or supplying manifests or custody documents for the methadone itself. Yes — the VA supplies all medication containers, seals, shipping materials, and chain-of-custody/manifests needed for methadone transport. The contractor does not need to provide these items; instead, the contractor must handle, secure, transport, and document the packages in accordance with VA-mandated procedures.

64. Are dedicated vehicles and drivers required for each route? This confirms that while dedicated vehicles are not required, the contractor must:

• Have enough vehicles to cover all routes,

• Maintain backup vehicles that meet all PWS requirements, and

• Ensure continuous service even during breakdowns, absences, or disruptions.

65. What driver qualifications, background investigations, identification credentials, HIPAA training, drug testing, or other certifications are required? This will need to be addressed in your quote to explain. The VA did not impose any mandatory distance requirement for contractor facilities or dispatch centers. The responsibility is placed on the offeror, to describe in the proposal how its operational footprint (e.g., dispatch location, facilities, response capability) will ensure reliable performance. You are not required to maintain a dispatch site within a specific radius of any VA facility. However, you must explain: 1. How your operational setup supports timely pickups and deliveries; 2. How you will meet required service windows; 3. How your facility/dispatch location enables continuity of operations.

66. Is the contractor required to maintain facilities or dispatch operations within a specified distance of the VA locations? The VA does not mandate: A local office; a California-based facility; a dispatch point within any mileage radius; a physical presence near the San Francisco VA or any receiving sites.

The contractor may operate from any location as long as: service windows are met; delivery reliability is ensured; the proposal clearly explains how operations will support timely courier performance; what the VA does require; although no distance requirement exists, the VA does require offerors to: Explain:

1. How your operational setup supports timely pickups and deliveries; 2. how you will meet required service windows; and 3. how your facility/dispatch location enables continuity of operations.

67. Are subcontractors permitted if the prime contractor maintains full responsibility for performance, safety, quality control, and regulatory compliance? Yes — subcontractors are permitted; The prime contractor must retain full responsibility for: Performance, Safety, Quality control, and Regulatory compliance; The offeror must explain in its quotation how subcontractors will be used and how the prime will maintain oversight and responsibility.

68. Is prior VA or federal medical-courier past performance required, or will comparable commercial experience be accepted? Offerors do not need prior VA or federal medical-courier past performance to be eligible. Comparable commercial courier experience is acceptable, provided it demonstrates the capability to perform the work as described in the PWS.

69. Are estimated historical route volumes, mileage, or incumbent contract information available to support accurate pricing? Not at this time. No additional historical monthly volume or prior-contract number is available. There is no incumbent. The Government will not provide an IGCE range.

70. Can you confirm that offers are due October 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. PT? This will be updated as needed and after all questions are answered.