S05. Courier Services Questions and Answers.pdf

Courier Services

Questions/Answers

36C26324Q0384

1. Are any hours or times windows set up for the Pick Ups?

On page 22 of the solicitation. The contractor will be required to make pick-ups and deliveries at all Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) between 3:30PM (1530 hours) and 4:30PM (1630 hours) local time (this geographical area covers two time zones Central and Mountain), excluding federal holidays or any additional National holiday that is declared by the President of the United States. Contractor will make deliveries and pick-ups from the Fargo VA Medical Center (hospital) after normal hours of operations, for security reasons contractor personnel (employees, agents, and/or sub-contractors), shall enter the building through the main entrance on the North side of the Medical Center (hospital).

2. Can we pick up anytime? No, Please see page 22.

3. Is there a delivery deadline by which items must be delivered to be lab in Fargo?

All samples shall arrive no later than 8pm. The 2 am arrival is for sites are longer than 4 hours from the Fargo VA Health Care Facility.

4. Do samples need to be delivered “same day” or is early next morning acceptable?

All samples shall arrive same day unless the facility is more than 4 hours away from the Fargo VA Health Care Facility.

5. Do you know the acceptable time for Dickinson & Williston based on like CBC expiring, for Fargo processing?

Complete Blood Count (CBC)- lab blood test, expires in 29 Hours.

Urinalysis (UA) – Lab urine Test, expires in 24 Hours.

Quantiferon – TB Test – expires on 16 Hours.

6. If next morning, when would Friday’s Pickups be delivered?

Laboratory is staffed 24 hours 7 days a week, all deliveries all arrive at 8 pm on Friday or 2 am on Saturday morning for all CBOCs longer than 4 hours from the VA Fargo VA Health Care Facility.

7. Does the driver need to carry a cooler to keep specimens temperature controlled?

Each CBOC site has 3 specimen coolers in rotation to allow for one cooler to always be available onsite for same day packing and pick up.

See page 22 Lab Courier Services & Environmental Controls for more detailed information.

8. Do samples need to be kept: ambient, refrigerated, and frozen; all three? If yes, is ice and dry ice provided at the main lab in Fargo?

Fargo utilizes frozen ice packs and small green tote inside. The white coolers for room temperature items.

9. Does the driver need to stop at the main lab location in Fargo before starting the route for items being sent back to the locations?

Yes, drop off specimens and return the same cooler after emptied, cleaned to be returned to CBOCs.

10. Note: Some specific time parameters are needed to know how to efficiently route the stops provided

The contractor will be required to make pick-ups and deliveries at all Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) between 3:30PM (1530 hours) and 4:30PM (1630 hours) local time (this geographical area covers two time zones Central and Mountain), excluding federal holidays or any additional National holiday that is declared by the President of the United States. Contractor will make deliveries and pick-ups from the Fargo VA Medical Center (hospital) after normal hours of operations, for security reasons contractor personnel (employees, agents, and/or sub-contractors), shall enter the building through the main entrance on the North side of the Medical Center (hospital).

Green totes will be ready in Fargo by 4 pm CST. Only take totes that are closed with red zip ties. Each CBOC should have minimum of 1 cooler and 1 tote daily. Leave any separate medical devices with the green totes.

11. What’s the vehicle size required?

The contractor, based on the requirement, will need to make the assessment on how many vehicles will be needed for fulfill the requirement. The following types of vehicles are prohibited from use:

Bicycles Motorcycles Vehicles without a secure cargo area, such as convertibles

Pickup trucks without a fully enclosed and lockable bed cover, unless cargo is secured in the drivers compartment.

Totes may vary in size and number transported daily to each site; Some of the packages/boxes may be of odd dimensions, for example, those containing crutches, wheel chairs, canes, laboratory supplies and paper supplies.

12. How many locations may change on this contract?

Unknown, at this time. All or some CBOC’s depending on their lease agreements may change addresses but will remain in the same city/ adjacent city.

13. Will these routes start and end the clinics?

Routes can be determined by the courier as long as drop off and pick up time are met.

14. What type of vehicles are being utilized now? Company vehicles or personal?

The contractor shall furnish all supervision, labor, vehicles, meals, and other related items necessary to perform scheduled daily (Monday through Friday – Pickup NLT 3:30pm- 4:30pm daily) courier services as described herein for the Fargo Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System.

Contractor shall provide comprehensive automobile liability insurance required by the state of Minnesota and/or North Dakota. The contractor (offeror) shall provide certified proof of automobile liability insurance for all vehicles used by the contractor (offeror) in the performance of this contract, this will be provided to the contracting officer, no later than, 10-days after the award date and upon request of the COR/CO.

The following types of vehicles are prohibited from use:

Bicycles Motorcycles Vehicles without a secure cargo area, such as convertibles Pickup trucks without fully enclosed and lockable bed cover, unless cargo is secured in the driver’s compartment.

15. How many drivers are currently being used?

Unknown

16. How many totes will there be per location?

Unknown quantity the minimum will be one lab cooler and one tote per day.

17. Will dry ice and ice packs be furnished?

Ice packs will be furnished by the VA, no dry ice is utilized.

18. Will coolers be provided by us or the VA and if so can we please have a good description of what the VA is requiring for this contract?

Totes will be provided by the VA Facility and will vary in size

19. How many runs per day will be needed?

One trip per day from CBOC to deliver at Fargo VA. Pick up at CBOC is between 1530- 1630 local time (two time zones MT and CT in this contract). When they go to CBOC they should drop off minimum one tote and one cooler. Driver would pick up minimum one tote (possibly more items) and minimum one cooler(possibly more) every day to deliver to Fargo. Repeat Mon-Fri. Provide timely delivery of Laboratory Specimens no later than 8:00 p.m., with exceptions made for those locations more than 4 hours away from the FARGO VA Health Care System. Same day (<4hrs away) and by 2am for Williston/Dickinson/Minot.

20. How many drivers are needed?

Drivers are determined by the Courier provider, as long as the requirements of pickup and delivery are being successfully met.

21. How many stops with each route?

The Courier service provider can determine their own routes.

22. What is the mileage between each location?

It is the responsibility of the Courier Service provider to determine their own route and mileage. The mileage locations vary between the CBOC’s, below are the current addresses for all CBOC’s:

a. Bemidji CBOC, 1217 Anne Street NW, Bemidji, MN 56601 (Courier drop-off and pick-up point for daily (Monday through Friday) deliveries)

Phone: (218) 755-6360

b. Fergus Falls CBOC, 1839 North Park Street, Fergus Falls, MN 56537 (Courier drop-off and pick-up point for daily (Monday through Friday) deliveries) Phone: (218) 739-1400

c. Bismarck CBOC, 2700 State Street Suite # F, Bismarck, ND 58503 (Courier drop-off and pick-up point for daily (Monday through Friday) deliveries) Phone: (701) 221-9152

d. Jamestown CBOC, 2430 20th St SW, Suite 8, Jamestown, ND 58401(Courier drop-off and pick-up point for daily (Monday through Friday) deliveries) Phone: (701) 952-4787

e. Grafton CBOC, 1319 West 11th Street, Grafton, ND

58237 (Courier drop-off and pick-up point for daily (Monday through Friday) deliveries) Phone: (701) 352-4059

f. Grand Forks CBOC, 3221 32nd Avenue South, Suite 700, Grand Forks, ND 58201 (Courier drop-off and pick-up point for daily (Monday through Friday) deliveries)) Phone: (701) 335-

g. Minot CBOC, 3400 South Broadway Street, Minot, ND 58705 (Courier drop-off and pick-up point for daily (Monday through Friday) deliveries) Phone:

(701) 727- 9800

h. Dickinson CBOC, 766 Elks Drive, Suite 6H, Dickenson, ND 58601(Courier drop-off and pick-up point for daily (Monday through Friday) deliveries)

Phone: (701) 483-1850

i. Williston CBOC, 1542 16th Street West, Suite 300, Williston, ND 58802 (Courier drop-off and pick-up point for daily (Monday through Friday) deliveries) Phone: (701) 572-2470

j. Devils Lake CBOC, 1031 7th Street NE, Devils

Lake, ND 58301 (Courier drop-off and pick-up deliveries) Phone: (701) 662-5801

k. North Fargo VA Clinic, 721 1st Ave north, Community Resource and Referral Center, Fargo, ND 58102 (Courier drop-off and pick-up deliveries) Phone: (701) 461-7330

23. What is the price of the schedule explained?

This contract is a firm fixed price.

24. With the 250 trips per each site and 20 trips to Minneapolis, is this daily, weekly or monthly?

Fargo VA to CBOC / CBOC to Fargo VA, Daily runs to and from the Fargo VA

Trips to VA Minneapolis Health Care System as needed.

Address as follows: 1 Veterans Dr, Minneapolis, MN 55417

25. Will totes and coolers be provided?

VA will supply totes/Coolers for transport items.

26. What is the payment schedule?

Payment will be monthly in arrears

27. Will our team be accessing any information or systems for the VA? If so, how will the training be held? Online, In person?

Contractor will not access any VA systems for this contract

28. How would the cyber security awareness VA Privacy training be held? Online or in person?

No training required.

29. Can this contract also be subcontracted out in partnership with another business?

VAAR 852.219-75 VA NOTICE OF LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING—

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION

(JAN 2023) (DEVIATION)

[ (i) [X] Services. In the case of a contract for services (except construction), the contractor will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs listed in the SBA certification database as set forth in 852.219–73 or certified VOSBs listed in the SBA certification database as set forth in 852.219–74. Any work that a similarly situated certified SDVOSB/VOSB subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 50% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Other direct costs may be excluded to the extent they are not the principal purpose of the acquisition and small business concerns do not provide the service as set forth in 13 CFR 125.6.

30. What is the Award ID of Current Contract?

36C26318D0088

31. What are the number of miles between each pick up and delivery locations?

Addresses and locations are included in this document, the courier service provider can determine the route and mileage

32. What is the cost of the final full Option Year of the Previous Contract?

Refer to FPDS

33. What’s the name of the previous awardee’s?

Refer to FPDS

34. What are the maximum weights for the supply pickups?

Pickups are typically under 50lbs per item, if larger than 50lbs the courier service provider will be notified.

35. How many approximate boxes per location?

Minimum 1 tote and 1 cooler daily, maximum unknown

36. Is this a new contract? This is a new solicitation.

37. How many drivers are currently being used?

Unknown – It is up to the vendor to determine the number of drivers needed based on the requirements as stated in the SOW

38. What is the weekly, monthly, or annual estimated trip volume for trips in the total, and/or as needed trips per contract location?

One trip per day from CBOC to deliver at Fargo VA. Pick up at CBOC is between 1530- 1630 local time ( two time zones MT and CT in this contract). When they go to CBOC they should drop off minimum one tote and one cooler. Driver would pick up minimum one tote (possibly more items) and minimum one cooler(possibly more) every day to deliver to Fargo. Repeat Mon-Fri. Provide timely delivery of Laboratory Specimens no later than 8:00 p.m., with exceptions made for those locations more than 4 hours away from the FARGO VA Health Care System. Same day (<4hrs away) and by 2A for Williston/Dickinson/Minot.

39. The Statement of Work indicates a “NLT” 15:30-16:30 pickup time window – does this mean that pickups can occur prior to 15:30?

No

40. Do you accept CPARs evaluations as additional Past Performance information?

Yes, CPARS is always used for past performance information

41. Regarding specifics employees information: It is common practice for small businesses that the drivers, cars and other equipment used for a contract are not sourced until after an award has been made, for cost effectiveness and to reduce loss. However, we will be forwarding our standard Training Certificates-Procedures for your reference, is this information acceptable?

Prospective awardee must provide all information after award notice but before services start.

42. Please describe in detail the expectations for tracking and any required software.

The contractor shall supply a code/PIN/ID number for each and every delivery individually so that requests for delivery or pick up are confirmed. The code/PIN/ID should coincide with each requesting VA department’s deliveries separately and be attached with invoices to allow each VA department to verify their deliveries.