Amendment 3 - 36C26224Q1027 0003 Non-Emergent Medical Transportation.pdf

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)

0003 None

36C262

Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 22 VA Loma Linda Healthcare System 11201 Benton Street Loma Linda CA 92357

To all Offerors/Bidders 36C26224Q1027

06-11-2024 X

X 1

The purpose of this amendment it to post questions and answers; see continuation page.

CONTINUATION PAGE

Questions and Answers

1. Q: The contract base period displays the contract as being 7/01/2024-9/30/2024. Is this only a 2 month contract with an estimated 58,000 trips or is this a full year contract? Are there any option years or is this a 1 year bridge contract?

A: This a 90-day contract, due to the budget constraints we have limited availability of FY 24 funds. The quantities have been updated to reflect the estimated trips required during the 90-day period. The contract will include the following clauses as listed in the solicitation: 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services, 52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity, 52.217-6 Option For Increased Quantity, and 52.217-7 Option For Increased Quantity— Separately Priced Line Item.

2. Q: We are performing independent research on the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation (36C26224Q1027). We would like to know if this is a brand new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services. If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number?

A: Requests for contract information must be submitted through the VA FOIA. The following link may be used to request information FOIA Requests – Freedom of Information Act (va.gov).

You may also submit your request to:

VA Claims Intake Center Department of Veterans Affairs P.O. Box 4444 Janesville, WI 53547-4444 Regional Call Centers 1-800-827-1000 Fax: 844-531-7818

DID: 608-373-6690

3. Q: I just read the Long Beach NEMT solicitation. I see that the term is for only 3 months. Please explain the reasoning behind issuing a solicitation for only a 3 month contract. The estimated quantities that are listed on the pricing schedule are more what you’d expect to see over a 12 month period instead of over a 3 month period.

A: This a 90-day contract, due to the budget constraints we have limited availability of FY 24 funds. The quantities have been updated to reflect the estimated trips required during the 90-day period. The contract will include the following clauses as listed in the solicitation: 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services, 52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity, 52.217-6 Option For Increased Quantity, and 52.217-7 Option For Increased Quantity— Separately Priced Line Item.

https://department.va.gov/foia/foia-requests/ https://department.va.gov/foia/foia-requests/

4. Q: Also, the below forms are not attached to the solicitation.

D.3 VENDORIZATION FORMS

See attached document: W-9 Form.

See attached document: VA10091.

See attached document: FMS Vendor File Update Request Form

A: The documents have been uploaded as attachments in SAM.gov as part of Amendment 0001

5. Q: This is what is written on the SF 1449:

Contractor shall reference Performance Work Statement for Non-Emergent Preventative Maintenance Service.

Also, the estimated quantities that are listed on the pricing schedule are more what you’d expect to see over a 12 month period instead of over a 3 month period.

A: Amendment 0001 was posted on 6/13/2024 to SAM.gov Correct block 20 on page 1 FROM Contractor shall reference Performance Work Statement for Non-Emergent Preventative Maintenance Service TO Contractor shall reference Statement of Work for Non-

Emergent Medical Transportation.

6. Q: We are in receipt of your Solicitation and wonder if the B.2 Price/Cost Schedule is correct. It indicates a period of performance from 07-01-2024 to 09-29-2024, without any additional option periods. Is this correct?

A: B.2 Price/Schedule is correct, there are no options on this contract. This a 90-day contract, due to the budget constraints we have limited availability of FY 24 funds. The quantities have been updated to reflect the estimated trips required during the 90-day period. The contract will include the following clauses as listed in the solicitation: 52.217- 8 Option to Extend Services, 52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity, 52.217-6 Option For Increased Quantity, and 52.217-7 Option For Increased Quantity—Separately Priced Line Item.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS RECEIVED AFTER 6/13/2024

7. Q: I am writing to seek confirmation regarding the due date for the bid submission for the following solicitation:

Solicitation Number: 36C26224Q1027 Title: V212--Non-Emergent Medical Transportation

i. Could you please confirm if the due date for submission is still set for June 24?

ii. Additionally, I would like to request clarification on Section B.2 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE. Specifically, could you provide details on the "Units" designated as "EA"? Is "EA" meant to represent TRP (Trip), JB (Job), or MI (Mile)?

A:

i. Due date for submission has not changed; it is June 24, 2024 at 1:00 PM PST

ii. Ea = each one way 20 mile trip, Each mile beyond 20 miles is charged at the specific rate, Each billable wait time beyond 15 min is charged at the specific rate.

8. Q: We are currently working to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the transportation contract (36C26224Q1027) and have a couple of questions that require your clarification:

i. Pricing Structure:

Currently, the pricing structure includes a unit price that encompasses a 20-mile radius with an additional charge per mile beyond that distance. Would it be permissible to establish a base rate for each level of service plus a mileage charge, instead of the current unit price system? We believe this might streamline our billing process and provide greater clarity in our pricing.

ii. Treatment of VA Personnel Transport:

Section 1.5 of the contract states that if VA clinical personnel are required to accompany the patient on the transport, our company is required to transport the VA personnel back to the pickup location. Should this be treated as a round trip for billing purposes, or is there a specific way this should be documented and billed separately?

iii. Given the significant scope of this contract, obtaining comprehensive information will enable us to provide the most accurate and competitive quote possible.

Understanding whether there was a previous incumbent and having the associated contract ID number will greatly assist us in our pricing decisions. Could you please confirm if this solicitation represents a new contract, or if there was an incumbent previously performing these services?

iv. If this is not a brand new contract, could you provide the current or previous contract number associated with these services?

We understand that some information may need to be requested through the VA FOIA. If that is the case, could you confirm the appropriate process or provide guidance on how to effectively request this information?

A:

i. The base rate is for trips within a 20 mile radius, anything beyond a 20 mile radius is biller per milage.

ii. This will be billed as a one trip each way

iii. This solicitation does not represent a new contract.

iv. Requests for contract information must be submitted through the VA FOIA. The following link may be used to request information FOIA Requests – Freedom of Information Act (va.gov).

You may also submit your request to:

VA Claims Intake Center Department of Veterans Affairs P.O. Box 4444 Janesville, WI 53547-4444 Regional Call Centers 1-800-827-1000 Fax: 844-531-7818

DID: 608-373-6690

9. Q: I have a question regarding the RFQ. I noticed that in the documents attached in sam.gov, section B for price/cost schedule, a base rate within 20 miles is requested.

I was wondering if you VA Long Beach Healthcare System only operates with base rate, and additional charge beyond 20 miles radius. Or are we open to different cost structures, where the cost of each rides depends on the number of miles? Thus, the prices for each trip would vary according to the distance traveled.

A: The standard catchment areas for Long Beach on average is 20 miles from the VA Long Beach. We are not open to any other structure currently.

10. Q: In reviewing the FMS Vendor File Update Request Form, this is not a form the Vendor fills out. This is a form the VA fills out. You can tell be numerous boxes, especially for box 18:

18. Before we may enter any new vendor information within the VA database the mandatory registration sites shall be checked along with the status of the vendor’s ability to do business within the Federal Government. Failure to check the mandatory field(s) could result in administrative action. The following two sites are your final check.

http://epls.arnet.gov/ & http://exclusions.oig.hhs.gov/

An amendment will need to be issued to address this issue.

A: Section E.1 Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instruction to Offerors-Commercial Items, on page 56 of the Solicitation posted on 6/11/2024 states this form is required to be filled out by the vendor and shall be faxed or emailed to https://www.cep.fsc.va.gov directly to https://department.va.gov/foia/foia-requests/ https://department.va.gov/foia/foia-requests/ http://epls.arnet.gov/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fexclusions.oig.hhs.gov%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cdaedd0f2168b42b54a1708dc91611181%7Ce95f1b23abaf45ee821db7ab251ab3bf%7C0%7C0%7C638545093303395413%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aLJeTHBHVLOF1Q2qVaDk71t8KnWaGtcH48LsuEp6U%2BY%3D&reserved=0 https://www.cep.fsc.va.gov/ the VA Financial Service Center in Austin, Texas and be submitted with their quote.

Failure to include this information can eliminate the offeror from award consideration or considerably delay the award.

11. Q: In Section A.1 Price/ Cost Schedule the Afterhours Fee line item 0009 does not indicate if it’s for Wheelchair, Hired Car or Gurney.

Can these line items be added separately to reflect proper price for each service?

A: This would be the same as the base price + any additional mileage however they can charge an additional fee for after hours, whatever the cost would be for them to assemble a crew afterhours. The afterhours charge would be for all transports.

12. Q: Is there anyway the VA can award to a SDVOSB sole source award for this 90-day contract? We would keep our pricing the same as we are currently charging the VA.

You could do the same thing with the Gurney Transportation provider. Combining the 2 contracts together for only a 90-day contract, especially given the amount of volume, will be a logistical challenge given the July 1, 2024 start date.

A determination not to compete a proposed contract is solely within the discretion of the Government. A sole source contracting action is the non-competitive (sole source) procedures authorized in VAAR 819.7007 or 819.7008 up to $5,000,000 for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.

Since the value of this 90-day period will be less than $5M, it is well within your purview to award a non-competitive sole source contract for the Wheelchair and Hired Car Services and another non-competitive sole source contract to the current Gurney Transportation contractor.

Is this something you can consider?

A: Our priority is to promote competition when awarding contracts. FAR Part 6.101 Policy under Competition Requirements Part 6 - Competition Requirements | Acquisition.GOV provides information as to why Government contracts must be competed.

Non-Emergent Medical Transportation https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-6#FAR_Subpart_6_3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-6#FAR_Subpart_6_3