Attachment 10 - MbM Questions and Answers.xlsx
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- Q517--Staffing Service MbM Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- 36C77022R0010
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Sheet1
| RFP Section | Page | Question | Government Response |
| Staff Matrix | The staff matrix attachment has comments under the hourly rate and overhead columns saying to use a valid date format. Will the government revise the staff matrix sheet to use a number format instead of a date format? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which corrects the Staff Matrix. | |
| Staff Matrix | In the staff matrix spreadsheet, there is not a column for "Fringe". Are we to include both the direct labor rate and fringe rate under column "Hourly Rate"? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which corrects the Staff Matrix. | |
| Staff Matrix | There is no formula calculating the total fully burdened rate in the staff matrix. Can we modify the spreadsheet to add a formula? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which corrects the Staff Matrix. | |
| Staff Matrix | For all except MbM (does list a requirement for Cheyenne): | ||
| Staff Matrix | There are no estimated annual hours under Pharmacist Lead. Are we not to provide a Fully Burdened Rate and pricing for Pharmacist Leads? | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which corrects the Staff Matrix. | |
| PWS Attachment 1 | page 2 | Can the Government provide the physical location of the Murfreesboro facility at which services are required? | 3209 Elam Farms Parkway, Murfreesboro TN 37127 |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 2 | Section 1.4.7 of the PWS states that “Contract staff shall be released prior to the end of a scheduled shift if workload queue has been cleared; contract personnel are not guaranteed a forty (40) hour work week or an eight (8) hour day.” Can the Government provide an estimate or historical information on how often this occurs? | Workload is based on a varity of factors that cannot be predicted. See PWS 1.1.2.6 Average production rates at facilities can vary from day to day and week to week based on a variety of factors such as inclement weather, staffing shortages, workload transfer, holidays, and system malfunctions. |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 2 | Section 1.4 of the PWS provides that shifts are “eight (8) hours between 7:00AM – 7:30PM [6:30AM – 6:00PM] Monday through Friday local time.” Can the Government clarify if coverage is needed for 12.5 hours per day at the facility or if there is one 8 hours shift that is to be scheduled within the time frame? | Coverage is required during the times listed at PWS 1.4. Start times are staggered and considered one shift. |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 2 | PWS Page 2, Section 1.4.1 – 1.4.4 ‘Eight Hour shifts between 7.00am -7.30pm and 6.30am to 6.00pm’ These are 12.5 and 11.5 hour shifts respectively. If the Government is requesting 8 hour shift overlaps, can the Government provide data on when is the time of the day that is most busy to utilize the overlap time frame? | MbM utilizes staggered start times. |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 12 | PWS Page 12, Section 8.2.4 to 8.2.5 ‘for training and orientation activities for specific job tasks….’ Can the term ‘specific job tasks’ be clarified please. Is the reference to the task to be carried out at the specific facility, or is it for training in the use of the VA HCS Vista and CPRS systems. It is only befitting that most pharmacists and technicians should have had some experience with the VA HCS, but if this is not so, is there a chance of them being trained in the system prior to starting to work | Specific tasks can be found in PWS 5.0. Training requirments can be found in PWS 8.3. |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 12 | PWS page 12 Section 8.3. Administrative Functions and Meetings: About how many hours annually are staff expected to attend these functions? | Hours vary by site and job position. Attendance at these functions constitutes billable time therefore, attendance will be considered part of the normal workday. |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 10 | Can the Government please carefully clarify the differences between REMOTE and VIRTUAL services please? There seem to be conflicting descriptions in the documents. | PWS 7.1 Telework and virtual/remote work are related, but also somewhat different. Telework is broadly defined as to any arrangement where the employee performs assigned tasks at an approved alternative worksite (e.g., home office) on a regular and recurring basis in combination with work at VA workspace. Remote work is defined as the employee performs their assigned tasks 100% at an approved, non-VA space (e.g., employee works 100% from home or vendor office space.) Virtual work is where the employee performs their assigned tasks 100% at VA workspace (e.g., VA space other than the space of the VA program employing the vendor). |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 1 | PWS Page 1, Section 1.2 Estimated # of personnel required by facility: For Dublin, GA and Cheyenne, WY, it is stated that 40 pharmacists are needed for each site; does this include Virtual and Remote Pharmacists? | Yes. |
| N/A | Page 1 | How many scripts are processed by VPS annually? | PWS Para 1.1.2 provides average weekly production rates. |
| N/A | Page 1 | How many scripts are processed by Remote pharmacists annually? | PWS Para 1.1.2 provides average weekly production rates. |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 2 | PWS Page 2, Section 1.3.4 Places of Performance: ‘for eligible staff who may work from home in the continental US located within 50 miles from a local Medical Center or VA CBOC’. For clarification, is it that any pharmacist aptly credentialed to work on this Contract as a Virtual location pharmacist, is eligible to work anywhere in the continental US, once they are physically located in a 50-mile radius from a VAMC or CBOC? | Yes. Please note this the lower 48 (CONUS). |
| N/A | Does each facility have its own SOPs available for use by the Contract company? Or, is there an overarching SOP set for all facilities? Or, Should the Contractor offer SOPs for each facility to comply with Quality Management? | Overarching SOPs are available for the program. | |
| Staff Matrix | The Pharmacist Lead and Pharmacy Technician Lead positions do not have line items for regular night shift; however, they have line items designated for “Overtime Night” and “Holiday Night”. Is this an oversight? Please advise. | See Amendment 0004 to the solicitation which corrects the Staff Matrix. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | page 30 | Will the Government provide on-site facility administrator space for both facility administrators? | On-site facility administrators are not a requirment of this solicitation. PWS 9.1 For the convenience of the Government, a dedicated on-site workspace for the Contractor on-site designated lead will be provided at each facility. |
| N/A | In order to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and align with other VA contracting offices, we kindly request that you allow for Offerors to submit their proposals via email in lieu of hard copies. If not, we kindly request an extension to allow more time for production efforts over the holidays. | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | To demonstrate staffing within a 50-mile radius, can a bidder provide resumes? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |
| PWS Attachment 1 | What inventory/furniture/furnishings will be provided as part of the Government furnished office space for the on-site facility administrator? | On-site facility administrators are not a requirment of this solicitation. PWS 9.2 The Government shall provide all equipment, office supplies, office machines, and furniture required for on-site contractorpersonnel. Any computer equipment or software installation required for on-site, will be the responsibility of the Government and shall be coordinated between MbM COR and contractor administrative leads. Any computer equipment or software installation needed for telework arrangements will be provided by the Government | |
| 36C77022R0010 | How many on-site facility administrators are required? Will space be provided for all? | On-site facility administrators are not a requirment of this solicitation. | |
| PWS Attachment 1 | What equipment/system is being used for electronic timekeeping currently? | Electronic timekeeping equipment/system is owned and operated by the incumbent contractor | |
| 36C77022R0010 | Will the government please confirm resumes can be provided in an appendix that is not included in page count? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | In alignment with other VA contracting office practices as well as to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), we request that bidders be allowed to submit their proposals via email instead of hard copies. If not, we sincerely request an extension to allow adequate time for production efforts during the holidays. | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | Will the government please confirm if resumes can be submitted to demonstrate staffing within a 50-mile radius, in order to address the Factor 1 Technical Capability requirement ( “Provide the actual number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians currently on payroll within a fifty-mile radius of the MbM facilities”) ? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |
| Staff Matrix | The pricing worksheet (Staff Matrix) does not have a column for fringe benefits. Where should offerors show the costs associated with fringe benefits? | Amendmend 0004 revises the staff matrix. | |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Will the Government please provide a list of items that will be provided as disposable protective equipment (PPE) as required by OSHA for specific job functions? | PWS 8.5.1 The MbM shall provide disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by OSHA, VA, or MbM for specific job functions as well as training on wear and use. Items provided must be worn by contract personnel to maintain OSHA and/or VA practice standards and compliance. | |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Will the Government please provide a list of all inventory/furniture/equipment provided by the Government in the Government-provided on-site designated lead space? | PWS 9.2 The Government shall provide all equipment, office supplies, office machines, and furniture required for on-site contractor personnel. Any computer equipment or software installation required for on-site, will be the responsibility of the Government and shall be coordinated between MbM COR and contractor administrative leads. Any computer equipment or software installation needed for telework arrangements will be provided by the Government | |
| 36C77022R0010 | The solicitation states “The Contractor shall provide all necessary equipment for detailed electronic timekeeping purposes.” Question – What is the current electronic timekeeping system/hardware being utilized on-site? | Electronic timekeeping equipment/system is owned and operated by the incumbent contractor. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | The solicitation states “Contract employee to be placed with MbM must be screened for improper use of drugs by the Contractor as part of pre-employment”. Please confirm this means that every employee for this requirement must be drug tested prior to employment. | PWS 16.2: Services provided under this contract are subject to VA’s Drug-Free Workplace Policy. As such, Contractor shall be expected to provide personnel consistent with the aim of that policy, i.e., personnel that are drug free. Contractor shall be expected to have its own guidelines in place to promote the utilization of drug free personnel, including the ability to administer drug testing on their personnel during situations of “reasonable suspicion” of drug use and testing following any incidents of “accident or unsafe practices”. It is also recommended that Contractor have procedures in place for random drug testing. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | Page 32 | C.3.a states that offeror shall provide in Volume I "contractor information" and "subcontractor information" - will the USG please define what specifically they'd like provided in these sections? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions. |
| 36C77022R0010 | Page 30 | A.1 Proposal submission details POC and address. Will the USG please provide detail as to how best offeror may confirm receipt of shipment(s)? Is contract POC prepared to sign for all deliveries? Or may Offeror request confirmation of receipt following details from tracking on package? Alternately, are hand-delivered proposals acceptable is coordinated with POC? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions. |
| 36C77022R0010 | Page 31 | Section C.2 states “Printing shall be easily readable (12-pitch type or 10 point proportional spacing).” Can the USG confirm that graphics and tables can be 10-pitch type? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions. |
| 36C77022R0010 | Page 31 | Section C.2 states “digital copies shall be provided on CD-ROM disk in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and/or Excel.” Can the USG confirm that Adobe .pdf is also acceptable? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions. |
| Attachment 8 | Past Performance includes Instructions to Prime Contractor (contractor submitting proposal) – can the USG confirm this information is the same for subcontractors on a prime’s team? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |
| Attachment 8 | Respondent Information states “number of FTEE YOUR FIRM provided” – can the USG confirm that this information is to be completed by the prime / subcontractor / teaming partner and not the Reference Contact and to confirm the additional contractual information? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. | |
| Attachment 8 | Page 33 | Section 2.c.3 states “See Attachment 8 – offeror shall provide documentation outlining offeror’s past performance with contracts, as a prime or major subcontractor, which is the same or similar in size, time, scope and complexity to the services being procured under this solicitation. The submittal shall include….” Attachment 8 does not provide space for any of the information outlined in this section to be provided by the contractor. Can the USG please confirm where on Attachment 8 this information should be provided? Or is this information to be provided in any format within the Past Performance Volume? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| 36C77022R0010 | Page 37 | Factor 1 states “you must obtain written permission from all proposed business partners via a signed Subcontractor Information Release Consent Form.” Can the USG confirm that we are able to cross reference to the Past Performance Volume for this requirement? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| 36C77022R0010 | Page 37 | Factor 1, 1) states to provide specific information as to how your company proposes to meet the requirements of the performance work statement. The information requested below then refers to current pharmacists on payroll within a fifty-mile radius of the MbM facilities. However, if these pharmacists are already on payroll, they are not able to be a component of the staffing plan for this contract, as they are currently employed on another contract. Requesting the number of personnel able to deploy to this contract within the 50-mile radius would be a better indication of technical capability. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| 36C77022R0010 | Page 39 | Factor 2, section a) states “these references shall address your company’s ability to provide pharmacist and pharmacy technician services, shipper packer services” – please confirm that shipper packer services are not required for this contract. | Shipper packer services are not required for this contract. |
| 36C77022R0010 | Page 38 | states that “proposals from offerors that failed to meet the minimum requirements will be deemed unacceptable and will not be further considered.” Can the USG confirm what the minimum requirements are? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| Staffing Matrix | Staff Matrix sets forth 2080 hours per FTE. Do positions require back-up coverage during paid time off for vacation and holiday? | The contractor is requred to ensure coverage during production hours. | |
| Staff Matrix | With allowances for vacation and holiday - Productive Hours are estimated as total hours in a work year LESS vacation & holidays (e.g. 1,912 hours = 1 one full time FTE contractor employee for one year = two weeks (80 hours PTO) & 11 holidays (88 hours) (e.g. 1,912 hours = 1 one full time FTE contractor hours/day x 5 days/week for approximately 48 weeks productive hours per year). Costs associated with vacations and holidays are normally included in the fringe benefit rate, which is included in the fully loaded hourly price rate. Will the government provide payment for all hours, productive and non-productive (PTO and Holiday pay)? Or will the government pay for productive hours only? | The Government does not pay for sick leave, holidays, vacations, etc. The PWS details what is considered billable time. | |
| Staff Matrix | Staff Matrix contains lines for overtime and holiday with no hours. Is the offeror required to submit pricing for these hours? If so please provide an estimate of hours for each labor category. | Amendment 0004 revises the staff matrix. | |
| PWS Attachment 1 | KEY PERSONNEL: 2.1 Management Staff for the Contractor shall be specified as key personnel and listed in rosters submitted to each facility COR. Key Personnel are not specifically identified in the Solicitation, only the number of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians required at each of the 3 Facilities. Please advise who the “Key Personnel” will be? | Amendment 0004 revises the 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. | Amendment 0004 revises 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 1.1.2.6. Average production rates at facilities can vary from day to day and week to week based on a variety of factors such as inclement weather, staffing shortages, workload transfer, holidays, and system malfunctions. | |
| Staff Matrix | 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 Attachment 1 | Is a uniform required? | Contract personnel shall be required to wear apparel that identifies them as a contractor and to distinguish them from government personnel. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| N/A | 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 Attachment 1 | 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 Attachment 1 | 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, Tasks. | |
| PWS Attachment 1 | 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 8.5, The MbM shall provide disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by OSHA, VA, or MbM for specific job functions as well as training on wear and use. | |
| Can you please provide your safety record for 2022? | The Government does not track this; it is internal to the contractor. | ||
| PWS Attachment 1 | 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 MbM manage customer incidents or complaints. It is not the contractor's responsibility to handle customer complaints. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | 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. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | 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. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | “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. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | 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. | |
| I am inquiring if the VA has any plans to solicit Q517--Staffing Service requirements to SB set-asides other than SDVOSB? | No. | ||
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 1 | Section 1.2 Estimated # of personnel required by facility: For Dublin, GA and Cheyenne, WY, it is stated that 40 pharmacists are needed for each site; does this include Virtual and Remote Pharmacists? | Yes. |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 2 | Section 1.4.4. Normal Hours of Operation/Scheduling MbM VPS hours of operation: Is it that Virtual Pharmacists work times will be restricted only to the hours between 6.30am to 6.00pm in each of the respective facilities’ time zones? | Yes. PWS 1.4.4 MbM VPS hours of operation: Eight (8) hour shifts between 6:30AM-6:00 PM Monday through Friday local time. |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 2 | Section 1.4.1 – 1.4.4 ‘Eight Hour shifts between 7.00am -7.30pm and 6.30am to 6.00pm’ These are 12.5 and 11.5 hour shifts respectively! So, requesting 8 hour shift overlaps begs the question, when is the time of the day that is most busy to utilize the overlap time frame? | MbM utilizes staggered start times. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 31 | Section E.1, Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 C.2 Table. The solicitation requires submission of three (3) hard copies and one (1) digital copy of offeror’s proposal. Shipping delivery dates are often delayed due to increased volumes around the holiday season. Additionally, the accepted practice over the last several years across federal procurements has been requiring only electronic submission of proposal files. Will the VA please consider requiring only an electronic submission of offers in response to this solicitation? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 38 | Subfactor C: Transition Plan. 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 | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 38 | Subfactor C: Transition Plan. 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? | 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 the Staffing Matrix. The transition will begin on the first day of a signed contract therefore, there would be no need to modify the hours. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 37 | Factor 1, Technical Capability, Subfactor A: Staffing Plan. RFP 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; 8. Time to fill vacancy per number of business days for each position; 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 36C77022R0010 | Page 38 | 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/MbM Industry Day communication indicated that neither direct nor VPN access within VA CMOP/MbM 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 MbM facilities must be reviewed and approved by VA prior to implementation Installation must be coordinated with the COR. See PWS 9.2 The Government shall provide all equipment, office supplies, office machines, and furniture required for on-site contractor personnel. Any computer equipment or software installation required for on-site, will be the responsibility of the Government and shall be coordinated between MbM COR and contractor administrative leads. Any computer equipment or software installation needed for telework arrangements will be provided by the Government |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page 2 | 1.4.5. 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 1.4.7. Contract staff shall be released prior to the end of a scheduled shift if workload queue has been cleared; contract personnel are not guaranteed a forty (40) hour work week or an eight (8) hour day. |
| PWS Attachment 1 | Page | PWS 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? | None. Clerical and administrative labor categories will not be added to Attachment Staffing Matrix. This statement reaffirms this is a non-personal service. See PWS 1.0 for reference. Furthermore,it is up to the contractor to deterime how they will manage administrative duties. PWS 3.2 Program Management : Program management and oversight is a major component of the described services. The Contractor shall provide all necessary personnel to perform and manage the requirements of this contract. This position requires oversight of human resource management tasks, oversight of policy compliance to include on-board processing, mandatory training and orientation of contract personnel, on-going competency assessments of contract personnel as well as performance management and quality control of services provided. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 38 | Factor 1 Tech Cap, Sub-factor B: Program Management c) Quality Control Plan. 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? | No certification from TJC is necessary. The statement "ongoing state of readiness, available for inspection, an Orientation/Training/Competency Assessment Record (electronic or hard copy) for each contract employee refers to their file. PWS 10.6 describes what is required. Attachment PRS. "Periodic inspection of current personnel; 100% inspection of new personnel". No certification from TJC is necessary. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 38 | Factor 1 Technical Capability, Paragraph 1.D. 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 16.8.7 Contractor Personnel Security Requirements |
| Attachment 7 – Staff and Matrix | 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 7 to reflect their own structure? | Amendment 0004 revises the staff matrix. | |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 31 | Section E.1.C.2. 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? | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 31 | Section E.1.C.2. 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? | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 31 | Section E.1.C.2. 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? | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 31 | Section E.1.C.2. 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? | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 31 | Section E.1.C.2. 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? | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 38 | Factor 1: Technical Capability, 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. Currently, the government is requesting several 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 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| Solicitation/36C77022R0010 | Page 31 | E.1.C.2.A Format. What is the font type (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, etc.) and font size (e.g. 10 pt) requirement for graphics and tables? | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. |
| Solicitation/36C77022R0010 | Page 38 | FACTOR 2 Past Performance: The RFP states "Provide references (in the form of the Past Performance Questionnaire attached) from other entities with whom your company has contracted with or had agreements with to provide pharmacists and pharmacy technicians within the last three (3) years of the solicitation release date that are of similar scope, magnitude and complexity. These references shall address your company’s ability to provide pharmacist and pharmacy technician services, shipper/packer services, the quality of the service provided and the duration." Question: Are shipper/packer services being solicited under this solicitaion. | Shipper packer services are not required for this contract. |
| Solicitation/36C77022R0010 | Page 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 6 | Page 1 | VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for Combatting COVID-19. Will the time spent by each employee getting tested be considered direct charged time to the contract? | |
| Not at this time. VA will reimburse the Contractor for the cost of time spent for COVID-19 testing if legislation changes that will require VHA to cover the costs | |||
| Attachment 6 | Page 1 | Will the VA reimburse the Contractor for the cost of the COVID-19 testing? | Not at this time. VA reimburse the Contractor for the cost of the COVID-19 testing if legislation changes that will require VHA to cover the costs |
| Attachment 6 | Page 1 | VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for Combatting COVID-19. Section 2 indicates that Contractor employees are subject to daily screening for COVID-19. The screening tool is an on-line set of questions. Is every employee expected to log into the tool each night and print the results of the survey or will the VA have computers available at the site so that Contractor employees can complete their screening prior to entering the facility? | |
| 1) No. This is a contract requirement and contractors shall be responsible for pricing this in their proposal. 2) 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 36C77022R0010 | Page 30 | Section C.2.a indicates that Offerors shall submit an original and the number of copies listed in the table below of their proposal” Please confirm that the Orginal is not included in the copies shown in table. | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. |
| Solicitation # 36C77022R0010 | Solicitation # 36C77022R0010 – Q517 Staffing Service MbM Question. What is the applicable minimum wage rate required under Executive Order 14026 or Executive Order 13658 for a “Pharmacist” as it’s not listed Wage Determination. | Pharmacists are not covered by the FLSA. | |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 40 | Factor 2: Past Performance. For Factor 2, the RFP states, “Past Performance Questionnaires shall be included as part of the proposal submissions and shall not be sent directly to the Contracting Officer from the reference source.” Oftentimes, clients who provide sensitive/confidential information about an Offeror’s contract performance are reluctant, or will outright refuse, to provide such data back to the Contractor directly. We respectfully request the Government modify this requirement and have the client provide the PPQ directly to this solicitation Contracting Officer. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Page 32 | Proposal Preparation Instructions, 2 Format. The Government states "The Offers shall be organized into four (4) volumes. Offerors shall submit an original and the number of copies listed in the table below of their proposal. Each hard copy volume of the proposal shall be separated and bound. A cover sheet should be in each volume, clearly marked as to volume number, title, copy number, solicitation identification and the offeror's name. 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. Printing shall be easily readable (12- pitch type or 10 point proportional spacing.) Cross-references should be utilized to preclude unnecessary duplication of data between sections. The proposal shall not exceed the limits stated in table. If the page limits are exceeded, the pages in excess of the limit shall be removed and returned, unread, to the offeror. The Government will not accept any changes to the contractor’s proposal after the closing date of the solicitation. In addition to submitting hard copies of the proposals, digital copies shall be provided on CD-ROM disk in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and/or Excel as outlined in Table 3.” We respectfully request that the Government revise the requirement for hard copy submission to an all electronic submission, preferably email, given the Government Paperwork Elimination Act that "requires Federal agencies, by October 21, 2003, to provide individuals or entities that deal with agencies the option to submit information or transact with the agency electronically, and to maintain records electronically, when practicable." | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Proposal Submission Date. Can the Government please extend the due date by 2 weeks to Jan 12, 2023? | Amendment 0004 extends the proposal due date. | |
| Attachment 6 | In Attachment 6, there are some formatting and data validation issues where the cells are validating that inputs are in the date format (e.g. Cell D4). Can offerors fix this attachment to remove data validation issue and intake dollar values? | Amendment 0004 revises the staff matrix. | |
| Attachment 7 - Past Performance | Page 2 | On page 2 of the Attachment the respondent information box states that it is to be completed by the reference contact. The last row of that table request the number of FTEE "your" firm provided. This box should be completed by the offeror and not the respondent. We ask that the Government move this request to the p1 box that is to be completed by the offeror. | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | In Section C (Proposal Preparation) part 3a (Content). If the offeror is in teaming arrangement agreement, with their subcontractors, are Business Associates Agreements required in addition to the Teaming Agreement arrangement? | See Amendment 0002 to the solicitation which revised proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria. Amendment 0004 adds the BAA attachment. | |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | In Section C (Proposal Preparation) part 3d (Content). Is the Customer allowing escalation year over year? | No. The offeror is to estimate/capture costs for each Ordering Period. See Staffing Matrix | |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | In Section C (Proposal Preparation) part 3d (Content). What is the maximum escalation rate allowed? | The offeror is to estimate/capture costs for each Ordering Period. See Staffing Matrix | |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | In Section C (Proposal Preparation) part 3d (Content). What are the Full Time Equivalent hours for this opportunity? | See Staffing Matrix for Estimated Annual Hours. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | Solicitation 36C770-22-R-0010 CMOP Meds by Mail Staffing services does not provide a physical address for the Murfreesboro, TN Facility, will members there telework? | Currently no contract staff work at Murfreesboro regarding the MbM program. | |
| Attachment 7 | For the Lead Pharamcist positions, what does the government envision as the percent of time spent for these roles on managerial tasks versus operational / scope excution tasks? | The Government does not supervise contractor employees; it is up to the contractor to determine their approach to ensure all requirements of the contract are met. | |
| Attachment 7 | For the Lead Pharmacy Tech positions, what does the government envision as the percent of time spent for these roles on managerial tasks versus operational / scope excution tasks? | The Government does not supervise contractor employees; it is up to the contractor to determine their approach to ensure all requirements of the contract are met. | |
| Attachment 7 | Does the government intend for the Lead Pharmacist or the Lead Pharmacy Tech role serve as the onsite Project Manager for each site? | PWS Para 3 describe the services required; it is up to the contractor to determine their approach to ensure all requirements of the contract are met. | |
| Attachment 7 | Are the incumbent Pharmacy Technicians currently SCA employees? | Yes. | |
| Attachment 7 | Assuming 2080 equates to 1 FTE, the Attachment 7 rate card hours do not align with the outlined FTEs per location for the Dublin, GA, and Cheyene, WY locations. To expand, the PWS indicates for GA location 40 Pharmacists and 30 Technicians but Attachments 7 gives 37 Pharmacists and 27 Technicians for that location; and the PWS indicates for WY location 40 Pharmacists and 30 Technicians but Attachments 7 gives 35 Pharmacists and 23 Technicians. Can the government please clarify which FTE count is correct? | Amendment 0004 revises the staff matrix. | |
| Attachment 7 | Can the government please clarify what the service hourly target, excluding overtime, is per FTE (i.e. 1880, 1912, 1920, 2080)? | 2080 | |
| PWS Attachment 1 | PWS 1.2. Can the government please delineate the Key Personnel at the IDIQ level? | The PWS defines KP at PWS Paragraph 2. | |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Submission Instructions. Will the government consider changing RFP submission to electronic submission instead of the Hardcopies and CDROM? | Amendment 0002 clarified submission instructions. | |
| RFP 36C77022R0010 | Award Type. Can the government please clarify if they intend to award the IDIQ to a single vendor or multiple vendors? | Single. | |
| PWS | In the PWS section 1.8.1 it states "Services must be ordered via the issuance of task orders from each of the nine facilities covered in this contract requiring services"; Can the government clarify what the 'nine' facilities referenced in 1.8.1 are? | Amendent 0004 revises the PWS. | |
| 36C77022R0010 | Is this a new requirement or an existing requirement? | Existing requirement. | |
| N/A | How many incumbents are there performing this work | 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 | What are the incumbent names, contract #s, and revenues received under the incumbent contract? | 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 | How many FTEs were on the previous contract? Has the PWS Changed? | 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 | What did you like about the previous contract? Dislikes? | 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 | What are your KPIs? | 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. |
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