Attachment 11 - Murfreesboro Questions and Answers.xlsx
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- Q517--Staffing Service for Murfreesboro CMOP
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- 36C77022R0003
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| RFP Section | Page | Question | Government Response | ||
| PWS | Please clarify your FTEE equivalent and total number of hours. Section 1.3 indicates a higher number of needs and hours than stated in the Staff Matrix attachment. | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which corrects the Staff Matrix. | |||
| N/A | Please outline any peaks: What is the timeframe and by what % does the staffing demand increase? | Workload varies. See PWS 1.2.2.2. Average production rates can vary widely from day to day and week to week based on a variety of factors such as inclement weather, staffing shortages, workload transfer, and system malfunctions. PWS 8.3. | The contractor must attempt to maintain a 100% staffing rate per scheduled shift but at no time will a staffing rate below 97% be considered acceptable for each labor category. Rates below acceptable levels will result in action by the CO, unless otherwise authorized by the COR. If required to be staffed at less than 97%, notification will be made by COR to the contractor. | ||
| RFP | Can you confirm that these roles are eligible for benefits and holiday pay? What is the process to bill for those? | This is not a personal services contract and contractor personnel are not employees. Accordingly, the Government does not pay contractors for sick leave, holidays, vacation, etc. | |||
| PWS | Is a uniform required? | See PWS 8.4. All Contractor employees must be clearly differentiated from VA staff. All contract employees must wear apparel, or a badge issued by the contractor that clearly indicates the name of contracted agency. | |||
| N/A | What is the average assignment length of your temporary workers by job category/skill set? | As this question does not pertain to the solicitation, the Government has no response. Should the offeror desire information about the existing contract, the offeror can submit a FOIA request to: Ryan McFarland, Ryan.McFarland@va.gov. To the extent that the question regards staffing requirements, please refer to Section 1.3 of the PWS. | |||
| N/A | What challenges are you experiencing with your current contingent labor program? | This is an opportunity for offerors to ask questions pertaining to the solicitation. As this question does not pertain to the posted solicitation, the Government has no response. | |||
| N/A | Do you currently have an on-site program? | Yes. FAR 52.212-1 included details on a site visit which was available on Dec 15, 2022. | |||
| N/A | What is the current fulfillment rate on your openings by labor category? | The Government does not track this; it is internal to the contractor. | |||
| N/A | What is the current retention rate of your contingent workforce by labor category? | The Government does not track this; it is internal to the contractor. | |||
| RFP | Can paid sick leave, if any, be billed as used? | This is not a personal services contract and contractor personnel are not employees. Accordingly, the Government does not pay contractors for sick leave, holidays, vacation, etc. | |||
| PWS | Is automated timekeeping currently utilized for contingent workers? If so, which system? | The current Contractor owns and operaters all necessary equipment for detailed electronic timekeeping purposes to include hardware that would require personnel to physically clock in and clock out. | |||
| PWS | Please describe the orientation and training process that your hiring managers currently administer to temporary employees, including forklift certification. | The contractor is responsible for "hiring managers". Operation of forklifts is out of scope of this solicitation. See PWS 5.0 Tasks | |||
| PWS | Please outline your requirements for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Which PPE is expected to be provided (paid for) by the vendor? Please indicate which positions require which PPE. | PWS 7.4.1. The CMOP will supply disposable PPE to include gloves, aprons, eye protection and any other PPE required by OSHA. PWS 8.10 The contractor shall provide PPE in accordance with published Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance during any events such as a pandemic or other health/safety reason. | |||
| N/A | Can you please provide your safety record for 2022? | The Government does not track this; it is internal to the contractor. | |||
| PWS | What VA resources are available to the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Techs including technology/IT resources, data resources, and management/operational resources to assist with managing customer incidents or complaints. (Looking for VA management resources above and beyond the contract lead roles at the site) | VA QA at the CMOP manage customer incidents or complaints. It is not the contractor's responsibility to handle customer complaints. | |||
| RFP | The past performance requirements listed in the solicitation are too restrictive. As a SDVOSB set-aside solicitation, the only companies that can maintain the SDVOSB status and meet these requirements are Joint Ventures created under the all-small Mentor Protégé program. It does not allow teaming and subcontracting due to the fact SDVOSB companies will be leaning too heavily on their subcontractors to meet the past performance requirements. In the true spirit of the SDVOSB program, I kindly request you eliminate the minimum number of FTEs for the past performance references. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |||
| RFP | The key personnel resume requirements listed in the solicitation are too restrictive. As a SDVOSB set-aside solicitation, the only companies that can maintain the SDVOSB status and meet these requirements are Joint Ventures created under the all-small Mentor Protégé program. It does not allow teaming and subcontracting due to the fact SDVOSB companies will be leaning too heavily on their subcontractors to meet the key personnel resume requirements. In the true spirit of the SDVOSB program, I kindly request you eliminate altogether the key personnel resume requirements. Especially since, no matter who wins, the new vendor will hire the current workforce on the contract. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |||
| RFP | “Provide the actual number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians currently on payroll within a fifty-mile radius of the ****** CMOP” This requirement listed in the solicitation is too restrictive. As a SDVOSB set-aside solicitation, the only companies that can maintain the SDVOSB status and meet this requirement are Joint Ventures created under the all-small Mentor Protégé program. It does not allow teaming and subcontracting due to the fact SDVOSB companies will be leaning too heavily on their subcontractors to meet the actual number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians currently on payroll within a fifty-mile radius of the ****** CMOP requirements. In the true spirit of the SDVOSB program, I kindly request you eliminate altogether this requirement. Especially since, the current contractor has a clear advantage on this requirement. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |||
| RFP | In 2022, there is no reason why companies should have to print, bind and ship hard copy and electronic proposals. I request the submission of proposals be changed to email submittals. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |||
| On the Staff Matrix attachment 5 , there are zero hours for most of the line items. In other words, there are zero hours for overtime, nights, holidays, or any time for any work by lead positions. Was the Government intent, therefore, that only the four labor categories be priced (without any consideration for overtime, nights, holidays, or any time for any work by lead positions)? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which corrects the Staff Matrix. | ||||
| On Attachment 5, Staff Matrix, there are line items with reference to “lead” personnel. Are the “lead” personnel identical to the “key personnel” identified in the PWS? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which corrects the Staff Matrix and the revised PWS for Key Personnel. | ||||
| PWS | In paragraph 3 in the PWS - Key Personnel, addresses the requirement for key individuals for each of the four labor categories (pharmacist, pharmacist technician, shipping/packaging, and facility administration). Is the Government expectation that there be only one lead person per labor category? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which corrects the Staff Matrix and the revised PWS for Key Personnel. | |||
| PWS | Paragraph 8.8, states the Contractor must provide all necessary equipment for detailed electronic timekeeping purposes to include hardware that would require personnel to physically clock in and clock out. Personal electronic devices are not allowed on the production floor and cannot be used for this purpose. Records such as time and attendance logs must be used to verify Contractor's performance. Detailed timekeeping reports are to be submitted weekly, for verification and review, to the COR. Manual adjustments to timekeeping records must be easily identified to include a detailed rationale to support the adjustment. The Contractor shall provide the COR with any additional documentation necessary to validate invoicing. One timekeeping device shall be provided for each forty (40) personnel. Installation of timekeeping systems are the responsibility of the Contractor and are to be coordinated with the COR. Timekeeping records are to be maintained for six (6) years, three (3) months after the final payment is received on the contract. Will we need to supply hardware - device on-site (1 per 40 FTEs) so that the employees can clock in and out? | Yes. | |||
| PWS | Will our current process of logging time be allowed (i.e., PAYCOM)? | At this time, VA has no way of determining if your current process of timekeeping meets all of the PWS requirements. See PWS 8.8 for reference to this solicitations requirements for electronic timekeeping. Please refer to Section E, FAR 52.212-1 for information needed to submit with respect to your proposed timekeeping process. | |||
| PWS | Paragraph 8.9, states that the Contractor must provide all equipment, office supplies, office machines, and furniture required for on-site administrative contractor personnel, if required. Any installation required will be the responsibility of the contractor and must be coordinated with the COR. Any connectivity for electronic equipment is the responsibility of the Contractor. Is this just for the facilities administrator? What kind of equipment/furniture is required? | The VA will only supply a dedicated on-site workspace for the contractor (PWS 7.6). The equipment/furniture required for such workspace is wholly dependent upon what the contractor has determined to be necessary in order for its Facility Administrator(s)(FAs) and administrative contract personnel to perfom their required duties. | |||
| PWS | Is the facility open and operating 24 hours? | ||||
| No. The facility is not open and operating 24 hours. See PWS 1.6.1 | |||||
| RFP | In Factor 1, Technical Capability the Solicitation states that the shipper/packer is "unskilled labor": that is, this individual need only have: * Have a high school diploma or GED. * Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills with coworkers and staff. * Have basic typing skills, PC computer skills, working knowledge of MS Office. * Must read, understand, speak, and write English fluently under the authority of U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).* Must be able to lift to 50 pounds when required; push or pull up to 150 pounds on a rolling cart or using a pallet jack. * Able to sit/stand for long periods of time (8-10 hours) and being able to lift totes weighing up to 30 pounds repetitively. * Must be able to understand the precautions required when handling hazardous materials and hazardous waste. Will the Government accept past performance that does not include the labor category "shipper/packer," but includes other unskilled labor categories in a pharmacy setting that require the seven qualifications listed above? | Yes. | |||
| RFP | C.15 SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. (b) General Liability: $500,000.00 per occurrences. (c) Automobile liability: $200,000.00 per person; $500,000.00 per occurrence and $20,000.00 property damage. | ||||
| (d) The successful bidder must present to the Contracting Officer, prior to award, evidence of general liability insurance without any exclusionary clauses for asbestos that would void the general liability coverage. Does the above statement mean employees will be driving/delivering meds? If so, will they be using their POV or a government Vehicle? | Driving/delivering meds is not in the scope of this contract. See PWS 5.0 Tasks, for tasks that are within scope of this solicitation. | ||||
| One of the requirements listed in the PWS for all the CMOP Staffing Services Solicitations is that the Pharmacists will need to obtain VetPro Certification, a credentialing system that is required of all VHA licensed, registered, and certified health care providers. Will this enrollment be completed after onboarding or will pharmacists need to enroll prior? If prior, how? | VetPro requires that an application be APPROVED PRIOR to onboarding. Currently, the process is that the incumbent has the applicant complete required documentation. Using their internal processes, the application is submitted to the VA. The VA then submits the VetPro application. | ||||
| I saw that the government as included a FAR 52-222-42 statement of equivalent rate for federal hires for informational purposes, but the Wage Determination does not provide minimum wage rates for Pharmacists. Has there been a request to the DoL for a conformed rate for Pharmacists? | No. | ||||
| 32 | In order to get maximum competition from qualified vendors, would the government please consider changing the submission method to an email rather than physical mail delivery of Hardcopies and CDs? Given the close proximity of the final date for questions and the solicitation due date (December 23 and January 6, respectively), it is possible that some offerors may have mailed in their hard copy submission before all potential amendments can be acknowledged. | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation, which extends the proposal submission date. | |||
| Subcontractor Information Release Consent Form | 38,40 | This form is mentioned in the evaluation factors for both the Technical and Past Performance Volumes. Should it be included in both volumes, or is it preferred to only be included in one of them? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| BAA | 33 | This form that is required in Volume 1 did not seem to be supplied with the RFP. Can the government please provide a template? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation, which attaches the Business Associate Agreement. | ||
| PWS 8.9 | Can the government please provide a list of specific equipment, office supplies, office machines, and furniture that the offerors are expected to provide to ensure the government gets the most accurate, cost-effective quote possible? | The equipment/furniture required for such workspace is wholly dependent upon what the contractor has determined to be necessary in order for its Facility Administrator(s)(FAs) and administrative contract personnel to perfom their required duties. | |||
| PWS, SM, RFP | If a position is listed as a “Key Personnel” in the PWS but does not have any hours assigned to it in the staff matrix, are offerors still expected to provide a resume for that position in their response? (For example, a Lead Pharmacist is considered a Key Personnel, but has 0 hours assigned on the staff matrix.) | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. See Amendment 0004 to the soliciation which revised the PWS and Staff Matrix. | |||
| PWS, SM, RFP | Is the number of resumes required at proposal tied to the estimated annual hours in the Staff Matrix, or is it one per labor category designated as a Key Personnel? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |||
| SM | Should offerors complete itemized pricing for line items that have an estimated quantity of 0? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which revises the Staff Matrix. | |||
| SM | Can the government please confirm if the omission of a Fringe Benefits column for each ordering period is intentional? As it is, the itemized cells will not cleanly add up to the totals. | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which revises the Staff Matrix. | |||
| SM | Several cells requesting dollar amounts are locked in a date format. Can the government please correct the spreadsheet to remove these limitations? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which revises the Staff Matrix. | |||
| SM | Should there be rows for Pharmacist Lead Night and Pharmacy Technician Lead Night? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which revises the Staff Matrix. | |||
| SM | Should row 17 read “Pharmacy Technician Overtime (in excess of 40 hours per week)”? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which revises the Staff Matrix. | |||
| PWS | Section 7.4 states the CMOP will provide disposable PPE as required by OSHA but 8.10 says that contractors are responsible for providing PPE during a pandemic or for other health/safety reasons. Please provide additional clarification on the contractor’s responsibility to provide PPE. | PWS 7.4.1. The CMOP will supply disposable PPE to include gloves, aprons, eye protection and any other PPE required by OSHA. PWS 8.10 The contractor shall provide PPE in accordance with published Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance during any events such as a pandemic or other health/safety reason. | |||
| PWS | Section 7.4 states the CMOP will provide disposable PPE as required by OSHA but 8.10 says that contractors are responsible for providing PPE during a pandemic or for other health/safety reasons. Please provide additional clarification on the contractor’s responsibility to provide PPE. | No. VA will provide masks and hand sanitizer stations during pandemics. | |||
| PWS | Is the requirement for the contractor to provide PPE during a pandemic or other health/safety reason only for administration staff? | PWS 7.4.1. The CMOP will supply disposable PPE to include gloves, aprons, eye protection and any other PPE required by OSHA. PWS 8.10 The contractor shall provide PPE in accordance with published Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance during any events such as a pandemic or other health/safety reason. | |||
| PWS | Are contractors currently required to provide additional PPE? If so, what PPE is the contractor currently required to provide? | PWS 7.4.1. The CMOP will supply disposable PPE to include gloves, aprons, eye protection and any other PPE required by OSHA. PWS 8.10 The contractor shall provide PPE in accordance with published Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance during any events such as a pandemic or other health/safety reason. | |||
| 39 | Are sentences 3-5 of this paragraph (copied below) instructions for the resumes themselves or are they requests for additional items/narratives on top of the requested resumes? Sub-factor D: Key Personnel - Provide the names and qualifications of the Key Personnel, referenced at PWS Para 3, proposed for this project in the form of resumes. Resumes for each individual must include educational qualifications, if applicable. Clearly present the separate credentials of each proposed key team member and provide a concise summary of each individual’s separate duties and responsibilities as proposed for this solicitation. Describe up to three (3) examples demonstrating the experience of each individual designated as key personnel. Projects should be relevant examples of similar size, scope, and complexity. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |||
| 39 | Please confirm if there is a specific required format for clearly presenting the separate credentials of each proposed key team member? Will a statement on their resume suffice? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |||
| site visit | During a recent site visit at the Lancaster, TX CMOP location, it was mentioned that the contractor is expected to certify top-performing workers as “certified staff trainers,” which were approved by the VA to provide training for newly hired personnel on standardized processes and procedures. We are curious if this process applies to the Leavenworth CMOP location as well. | This procurement does not require "certified staff trainers". Please refer to the PWS 5.0, Tasks. | |||
| site visit | Are these certified staff trainers the same as the leads for each discipline? | This procurement does not require "certified staff trainers". Please refer to the PWS 5.0, Tasks. | |||
| site visit | If these certified staff trainers are not the leads, will the government consider putting them on a separate line item on the staff matrix to provide additional compensation for the extra responsibilities and requirements? | This procurement does not require "certified staff trainers". Please refer to the PWS 5.0, Tasks. | |||
| site visit | Is the government going to provide training covering best practices and expectations for these certified trainers to prepare them for their new role or is this training the contractor’s responsibility? | This procurement does not require "certified staff trainers". Please refer to the PWS 5.0, Tasks. | |||
| PRS | Will the government please define the performance standards for each labor category? | Performance Standards are located at PWS Paragraph 10.0. | |||
| PRS | Will employees tasked with onboarding/training new staff be held to the same performance standards as the individuals in their labor category that do not have that additional responsibility? | The contractor's portion of onboarding is the responsibility of the FA unless the contractor elects to use their own Administrative Staff to complete these tasks, see PWS Paragraph 2.3 for clairty. No other labor categories bear the responsibility for onboarding training new staff. | |||
| Would the Government consider changing the Experience and Past Performance requirements to focus on the numbers of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians and Shipper/Packers hired and placed in total across the organization, and not under a single contract in a specific geographic region? The current language could be considered “unduly restrictive” under the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984, which requires that requires that solicitations generally permit fair competition and contain restrictive provisions only to the extent necessary to satisfy the needs of the agency (See 10 U.S.C 2305(a)(1)(B)(ii)(2006). The language as currently written favors the incumbent offeror/team in that few facilities outside of the CMOPs themselves contain this number of FTEE under a single contract and in a specific location. GAO has noted in numerous pre-award protests that unduly restrictive language tied to experience and past performance requirements must be reasonably necessary to meet the agency’s needs, and that the agency much ensure that it is rational and can withstand logical scrutiny. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||||
| Over the past year, what union activities, requests, or communications have occurred specific to work contemplated by the solicitation? | This is a non-personal services contract therefore, VA does not communicate with Unions that may represent contract workers. | ||||
| What is the identifying title/number of the union representing contractor employees currently performing the work contemplated by the solicitation? | This is a non-personal services contract therefore, the incumbent contractor would have this information. VA does not want to risk misidentifying title/number of any Unions | ||||
| Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Instructions, Conditions, & Notices to Proposals | 33 | The table included in this section defines the number of digital (CD) and Hard Copies (binders) required for the solicitation submission. The Paper Reduction Act of 1995, requires that agencies obtain approval before requesting collection of information requiring paper. In addition, with COVID being an issue with handling and distribution of this type of media, has electronic delivery of the proposal been considered? This will eliminate the paper requirements as well as any potential issue with handling of the required media for submission. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| 1.3; 1.3.1; 1.3.2; 1.3.3 & Attachment 6 Staffing Matrix | PWS page 1; Solicitation page 38 | In the solicitation it states the minimum number of FTEEs totals 75 (37 pharmcists and pharmacy technicians, 38 shipper/packers) (page 38 of the solicitation). In the PWS (page 1) the staffing numbers historical data implies that we are expected to bid on 86 FTEEs. Attachment 6, Staffing Matrix numbers do not match this number, as with the stated hours it is approximately 192 FTEEs. Please clarify the discrepancies. | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which revises the PWS and Staff Matrix. | ||
| SF1449 | 1 | This section states that WD 2015-5105 r18 dated July 10, 2022 will apply to this solicitation and resultant contract. This document does not include the Murfreesboro area. WD 2015-4647, Rev 22, dated 27 June 22, which does include the Murfreesboro area is not the required document. Please confirm and or clarify this discrepancy for the WD documents. | Block 20 of the SF1449 should be corrected to read: WD 2015-4647 Rev 22 dated 12-27-2022 applies to this soliciation and resultant contract. | ||
| E.6 | 37 | This states: Technical and Past Performance, when combined are significantly more important than price. However this does not say what the weight of each of these is in relation to the other. Please provide us the scoring criteria for each evaluated section - Technical, Past Performance and Price. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor A | 39 | This states: Provide the actual number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians currently on payroll within a fifty-mile radius of the Murfreesboro CMOP. As this is evaluation criteria for the technical volume - how is this number quantified as being acceptable? What number will achieve the highest rating? How is a rating obtained? The incumbent has a distinct advantage in having placed these positions and makes this a violation of Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) and is unduly restrictive and sets this contract up for a possible GAO Protest. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor A | 39 | This states: The offeror shall provide the actual number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and shipper/packers (unskilled labor) successfully placed in the last 24 months. As this is evaluation criteria for the technical volume - how is this number quantified as being acceptable? What number will achieve the highest rating? How is the rating obtained? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor A | 39 | This section is a request for documentation. How is this information used in the quantifying of the offeror's and ability to provide appropriate staffing? How is this quantified and scored? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor A | 39 | Request for documentation showing experience in navigating the VA's unique credentialing, background, and on-boarding process for a large number of contract personnel. If no VA on-boarding experience, please provide examples of on-boarding processes specific to your organization. Will the Government please quantify how much evidence of credentialing, background, etc. is required and how is this scored? If examples are provided - how are they scored and what number of examples should be provided? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor A | 39 | Please provide scoring and evaluation criteria for recruitment practices. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor B | 39 | Please provide scoring and evaluation criteria for offeror electronic timekeeping and records management. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor B | 39 | Please provide the scoring and evaluation criteria for company provided experience relating to facility administrators. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor B | 39 | Please provide the scoring and evaluation criteria for offeror provided Quality Control Plan. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor C | 40 | Please provide the scoring and evaluation criteria for offeror provided timelines and milestones related to transition. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor C | 40 | Please provide the scoring and evaluation criteria for offeror provided documentation demonstrating transitioning of personnel. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 1, 1) Sub-factor C | 40 | Please provide the scoring and evaluation criteria for offeror provided processes and procedures that speak of offeror experience in maintaining production standards and goals during transition periods. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 2, Past Performance | 40 | Please provide the scoring and evaluation criteria for the Past Performance. Is this a pass/fail? What constitutes a pass? Or a fail? Is this a confidence rating? If so what constitutes each level of confidence? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Factor 2, Past Performance | 40 | Is there a minimum and maximum number of past performance contracts to be provided? Is the number of Past Performance contracts provided important to any rating that is provided in response to question #16 above. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Contractor Phase In/Phase Out | PWS page 8 | If the contractor does not accept less than the full 90-days, will the Government either extend the incumbent or offer concessions to the awarded contractor? If concessiosn, will the VA consider financial compensation for acceptance of a reduced transition period. | PWS 5.6 discusses phase in/phase out services. 90 days is a contract requirement and subject to change upon mutual agreement. | ||
| 1.3 | PWS page 1; Solicitation page 38 | The PWS states the historical number of FTEE's for the weekly requirements for the contract. Please clarify if this FTEE count includes the leads for these positions. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| Subfactor A | RFP 39 | The PWS states that documentation for o-boarding is required as well as navigating the VA's unique credentialing, background, and on-boarding processes. Please provide the VA credentialing criteria and requirements. Without this information being provided it gives the incumbent an unfair advantage, limits competition, and sets the award up for a GAO Protest. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | ||
| RFP | 40 | The RFP evaluation section E.6 indicates that a transition plan is evaluated. However, the pricing requested does not evaluate transition pricing. Please update the 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors and 52.212-2 Evaluation criteria to include instructions for transition pricing and how this pricing will be evaluated. | The transition Plan will be evaluated to determine your company’s experience in transitioning from an incumbent contractor. Pricing will not be any different than what was identified in Attachment 6 Staffing Matrix. The transition will begin on the first day of a signed contract. The transition period will not be a separately priced CLIN but is a contract requirement. | ||
| RFP | 40 | The RFP evaluation section E.6 indicates that a transition plan is evaluated. However, the pricing requested does not include transition pricing. Is transition included and are we allowed to modify the hours to reflect the Offeror’s transition plans? | PWS Para 5.6 provides information on the transition. The transition period will not be a separately priced CLIN but it is a contract requirement. It is up to the contractor to determine how they will price their proposal. | ||
| PWS | 8 | Para 6.3 speaks to VetPro. Is VetPro required for both Pharmacists and Certified Pharmacy Techs, or is it required for only Certified Pharmacy Techs? Can the government please confirm which positions require VetPro? | Certified Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacists require VetPro. | ||
| RFP | 38 | Does the addition of “healthcare workers” indicate that additional healthcare labor categories beyond Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, and Shipper/Packers are being solicited by the government; and will they be billable under the resultant contract? | Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians are considered Healthcare workers. See PWS 1.12.13. | Healthcare Worker: As defined by the CDC, health care personnel “refers to all paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials." Furthermore, the Government used the same rationale for Shipper/Packers by opening it up to unskilled labor | |
| RFP | 39 | Factor 1 Technical Capability, Subfactor A, Staffing Plan states: “c) Provide documentation to support item b) above. At a minimum, documentation must be provided for each example and shall include […] 7. Time taken for placement/on-boarding of the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and 8. Time to fill vacancy per number of business days for each position; as well as d) Provide documentation to show your organization’s experience in navigating the VA’s unique credentialing, background, and on-boarding processes for a large number of contract personnel. If no VA on-boarding experience, please provide examples of onboarding processes specific to your organization.” The VA’s unique system requires clearances for NACI, CAC, VetPro, on-site facility access, and local finger printing requirements that are not found in commercial hiring environments. Can the government provide estimates of VA processing time for each of these aspects? If not provided, should we exclude the government/VA portion of the time to fill and on-boarding number of business days, thus reflecting Contractor’s process portion of the process? | Exclude the government/VA portion of the on-boarding number of business days, reflecting only the contractor’s portion of the process. | ||
| RFP E.6 ADD. to FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation—Commercial Products and Commerical Services | 39 | Factor 1 Technical Capability, Sub-factor B: Program Management states: “The Offeror shall demonstrate their experience and effectiveness in managing a staffing contract with a large number of personnel. Response should include, but not be limited to: a) Provide your proposed method of electronic timekeeping and records management for large numbers of personnel. Include all equipment, software, and/or other approaches you are proposing for timekeeping purposes. Examples must include a sample of timekeeping, attendance and payroll reports and how they are used to support attendance, invoicing, and productivity.” Prior CMOP Industry Day communication indicated that neither direct nor VPN access within VA CMOP facilities is allowed for on-site company personnel electronic timekeeping. Will the government provide on-site ethernet connection as well as facility space for the on-site SDVOSB SCA employees and FA personnel to record their time on a daily basis? If not, what bandwidth can be expected for on-site personnel to conduct time recording? If no on-site provision will be furnished, will the on-site workers’ time away from the facility for time recording for each SCA labor category (i.e., pharmacy technicians and shipper/packers) be billable to the contract or must that time for each SCA FTEE be absorbed by the Contractor on a daily basis? | The contractor will not utilize the VA network, therefore, must be separate from the VA domain. It is the responsibility of the contractor to establish their own network, either fiber or hot spot, etc. to support the timekeeping system. All external Internet connections to VHA CMOP facilities must be reviewed and approved by VA prior to implementation. Installation must be coordinated with the COR. See PWS 8.9. The Contractor must provide all equipment, office supplies, office machines, and furniture required for on-site administrative contractor personnel, if required. Any installation required will be the responsibility of the contractor and must be coordinated with the COR. Any connectivity for electronic equipment is the responsibility of the Contractor. | ||
| PWS | 1 | Language within these sections indicates an expectaion of varying day-to-day production levels. This may result in days where the Contractor may be over staffed. Will the VA pay the wages for contractor staff who are sent home early or are otherwise on down time? | No. See PWS 1.6.8. Contract staff must be released prior to the end of a scheduled shift if workload queue has been cleared; contract providers are not guaranteed a forty (40) hour work week or an eight (8) hour day. | ||
| RFP | 39 | Factor 1, Technical Capability, Sub-factor B: Program Management states: “b) Provide documentation addressing your company’s experience in providing both onsite/ or virtual facility administrators (FA’s) to oversee and manage a large workforce to include, but not limited to human resource related issues, attendance, productivity…” Section 2.3 of the PWS states: “In addition to the Shipper/Packers, Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians, Facility Administrator(s) (FA) shall be on-site at the facility during all production hours to ensure daily on-site supervisory and technical monitoring of contractor staff. Given the requirement in the PWS that all work must be conducted on-site during production hours, what is the purpose of providing documentation demonstrating experience in providing virtual facility administrors? In addition, section 2.3 of the PWS goes on to require the Facility Administator to supervise clerical and administrative staff. There are no labor categories identified for these positions in Attachment 6 – Staffing Matrix. What clerical and administrative labor categories and hours does the VA intend for contractors to propose? | See Amedment 0002 which revised evaluation criteria. | ||
| RFP | 30 | Quality Control Plan requirements state: “Provide documentation showing how your company plans to meet the requirements of the contract to include assessing contract personnel’s performance, documenting identified performance issues, implementing performance improvement measures, and monitoring of corrective actions and effectiveness of corrective actions;” While the PWS 8.6 states: “Pursuant to The Joint Commission standards, the Contractor must maintain an ongoing state of readiness, available for inspection, an Orientation/Training/Competency Assessment File for each contract employee.” Given the requirement of meeting the Joint Commission standards, is the government looking for the Contractor to have Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval® for Health Care Staffing Services Certification? If not, what is the VA standard for assessing the ongoing state of contractor readiness? | The statement "ongoing state of readiness, available for inspection, an Orientation/Training/Competency Assessment File for each contract employee" refers to the training files. VA Standards for PWS 8.6 can be found in Attachment 2 PRS. "Periodic inspection of current personnel; 100% inspection of new personnel". No certification from TJC is necessary. | ||
| RFP | 38 | RFP requires navigating the VA’s unique credentialing, background, and onboarding process. Is the Contractor responsible for the associated costs related to the VA actions or does the VA cover those costs? If the Contractor is responsible, what are those costs? | The contractor is not responsible for VA actions. The contractor responsibilities can be found in PWS 24.0. Contractor Personnel Security Requirements | ||
| PWS | 7 | The government states, ‘Orient new contract technicians and assist with the evaluating performance;” should the reference be to “new Shipper/Packers” under this requirement? | PWS 5.2 .2 will be amended to read: 5.2.2 Orient new contract Shipper/Packers and assist with the evaluating performance. | ||
| PWS | 7 | The government states, “Orient new contract technicians and assist with the evaluating performance;” should the reference be to “new Pharmacists” under this requirement? | PWS 5.4 .3 will be amended to read: 5.4.3 Orient new contract Pharmacists and assist with the evaluating performance. | ||
| PWS | 7 | Section 5.4.3 shows Pharmacist Lead tasks to include “Orient new contract technicians and assist with evaluating performance.” Section 5.6.2 states the same requirement for Pharmacy Tech Leads. Is this a Pharmacist Lead or Pharmacy Tech Lead task, or are both a requirement? | PWS 5.4 .3 will be amended to read: 5.4.3 Orient new contract Pharmacists and assist with the evaluating performance. This is a Pharmacy Lead task. PWS 5.6.2 references Pharmacist Tech Leads. Both tasks are a contract requirement. | ||
| Attachment 6 – Staff and Matrix | Att 6 | The worksheet requires a breakout of direct rate, overhead, and fee. Should we include fringe and G&A in the overhead column? Given that Contractors have differing indirect cost structures, should contractors modify Attachment 6 to reflect their own structure? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation correcting the Staff Matrix. | ||
| RFP | 33 | The Solicitation states: “All text shall be single-spaced and printed black on white paper (Black and white requirement does not apply to graphics, photos, etc.).” Does the black text on a white background requirement apply for tables, or are tables considered graphics? If this requirement does apply, can any colors be used for tables, for example, gray and white banding to make it easier to distinguish rows and columns? | Color or B&W may be used for tables and graphics. | ||
| RFP | 33 | The government states, “All text shall be single-spaced and printed black on white paper (Black and white requirement does not apply to graphics, photos, etc., Company stationery and logos are acceptable.” Will the government allow for Section Headers to be in a different color printed on white paper? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation for revised submission instructions. | ||
| RFP | 33 | The government states, “Printing shall be easily readable (12-pitch type or 10-point proportional spacing).” Will the government clarify the 10-point proportional spacing requirement? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation clarifying submission instructions. | ||
| RFP | 33 | The government states, “Printing shall be easily readable (12-pitch type or 10-point proportional spacing).” Is this proportional spacing requirement for line spacing or paragraph space? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation clarifying submission instructions. | ||
| RFP | 33 | The government proposal submission guidance is silent on multiple sizes for fonts and line spacing requirements. Will the government update the criteria to include a 10-point Calibri font for all proposals, tables, and graphic text with a 6-point paragraph proposal text spacing for readability? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation clarifying submission instructions. | ||
| RFP | 40 | Currently, the government is requesting four (4) detailed resumes outlining the credentials and experience of key personnel within the 50-page limit of Volume II. Will the government accept Offerors placing these detailed resumes in an Appendix to Volume II, unlimited? This will ensure the Offeror has enough page count to present and demonstrate the value of their Key Personnel as required by Factor 1: Technical Capability, Sub-factor D: Key Personnel in the RFP evaluation requirements. | See Amendment 0002 which revised page limits. Amendment 0004 revises the PWS and clarifies that the only Key Personnel is the Facility Administrator. | ||
| Solicitation | 31 | What is the font type (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, etc.) and font size (e.g. 10 pt) requirement for graphics and tables? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation clarifying submission instructions. | ||
| Solicitation | 38 | In the Solicitation, the government states, “To be recent, the services must have been performed within the past 3 years of the date of this solicitation release,” and does not provide a minimum or a maximum number of past performances an Offeror could provide. Will the government add that each Offeror shall present a minimum of 5 past performance citations/PPQ relevant in size, scope, and complexity? Providing this information would align to the Key personnel requirement of supporting 3 similar projects of size, content, and complexity. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation clarifying submission instructions. | ||
| Solicitation | 23 | Section C.15 Supplemental Insurance Requirements of the Solicitation includes the statement “(d) The successful bidder must present to the Contracting Officer, prior to award, evidence of general liability insurance without any exclusionary clauses for asbestos that would void the general liability coverage.” Is the VA indicating there is a risk of exposure to asbestos in the VA facilities? If not, what is the purpose of including this requirement, as it could have a significant cost implication? | Per VA policy, Section C.15 Supplemental Insurance Requirements is required to be included in solicitations and resultant contracts when the conditions for FAR Clause 52.228-5 are met. | ||
| Attachment 5 | Attachment 5 - VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for Combatting COVID-19 – requires contractors to show negative COVID-19 test results for unvaccinated employees who work or visit the VA. Questions 1) | Will the time spent by each employee getting tested be considered direct charged time to the contract? | |||
| 2) | Will the VA reimburse the Contractor for the cost of the COVID-19 testing? Section 2 indicates that Contractor employees are subject to daily screening for COVID-19. The screening tool is an online set of questions. Is every employee expected to log into the tool each night and print the survey results, or will the VA have computers available at the site so that Contractor employees can complete their screening before entering the facility? | Pre-screening is completed by an instant temperature check and issuance of a mask prior to entering the facility when Covid-19 Community Transmission levels are high. If there are any pre-screening requirements when transmissions levels are medium, guidance will be provided by the CMOP. | |||
| RFP | 33 | Will the government allow for 11x17 size pages in the pricing volume? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation clarifying submission instructions. | ||
| Section E.1, Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 C.2 Table | 33 | The solicitation requires submission of three (3) hard copies and one (1) digital copy of offeror’s proposal. This will require travel by offeror for both production and submission during the December holiday period and during CDC anticipated peak COVID-19 transmission periods. Given that industry standards and predominant government requirements have favored electronic submission of proposal files for several years, and in consideration of the health and safety of industry and the limited resources of SDVOSB offerors, will the VA consider electronic submission of offers in response to this solicitation? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation clarifying submission instructions. | ||
| Section E.6, Addendum to FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation—Commercial Products and Commercial Services | 38 | In Factor 1 Technical Capability, the Government requires that the Offeror demonstrate the following past performance on a single contract: “Demonstration means actual hiring and placing of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, healthcare workers and shipper/packers (unskilled labor) in a healthcare or pharmacy environment prior to the issuance of the solicitation with a MINIMUM of 11 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians; and 18 shipper/packers (unskilled labor) for a total of 29 FTEE in a single contract.” However, those detailed requirements do not appear in the Factor 2 Past Performance requirements. Please clarify. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation clarifying submission instructions. | ||
| Section E.6, Addendum to FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation—Commercial Products and Commercial Services | 38 | What is meant by “requests in your proposal” in this text from the RFP?: “The requests in your proposal must also clearly identify each business partner’s specific role in relationship to contract performance, down to the task level.” | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
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