36C79122R0006 0002.docx

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

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Commodities & Services Acquisition Svc (003B6E) 555 Corporate Circle Golden CO 80401-5621

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Contracting Officer Bradley Geghan Bradley.Geghan@va.gov 303-273-6214

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Amendment to RFP – Clarification Questions and Answers for Solicitation June 17, 2022

Sections B.1 & 2

1. Question: B.1 Schedule of Premiums – Washington D.C. and Northern Mariana Islands are listed as areas “The Contractor shall provide schedule of premium rates for base and optional years”, however their Rating Region is not defined in Attachment’s V or IX. Can you please clarify what Rating Regions they should be represented in? Can you please clarify if the Philippines should be represented in Rating Region 23? Can you please clarify if 18 Rating Regions are the correct number?

Answer: In attachment V for the RFP, Washington D.C. is on the map and in region 6 colored in green. Northern Mariana Islands is in region 21.

VHA has made several changes to this map (Attachment V) over the years and several regions were merged together, which has reduced the actual regions down to just 18 rating regions.

2. Question: B.2 Schedule of Premium Rate Plans – Both section B.2 and Attachment IX depict entire States in single Rating Regions, however Attachment V shows States having multiple Rating Regions. For example, Attachment IX lists the State of California is in rating region 21 in its entirety, but Attachment V depicts California being split into two Rating Regions 21 & 22. Can you please clarify if Attachment IX is the controlling document for defining Rating Regions or, if Attachment V is the controlling document? If Attachment V controls, can you please provide the five-digit ZIP code definition for all Rating Regions?

Answer: There are 18 rating regions, which are stated below in Chart 1 with 2 minor corrections from Answer 1. Each state listed in a region in Chart 1 below shall be the whole state. For instance, the whole state of California is in rating region 21.

Chart 1

3. Question: Can you please confirm that the Rating Regions defined by the VA will be required to be the same for all VADIP carriers for the duration of the Contract and that unique “rating zones” (B.4.2.4 Plan Requirements) within the Rating Regions will not be allowed? If “rating zones” within Rating Regions are allowed, can you describe how the monthly premium values by Rating Region should be calculated for insertion into Attachment IX?

Answer: A premium dental rate is required for each rating region in Chart 1 above for at least two plans (Basic and High Plans). If you want to do a third dental plan (i.e. standard plan), which includes rating zones, that is your option.

4. Question: Can you please confirm that the Rating Regions defined by the VA will be required to be the same for all VADIP carriers for the duration of the Contract and that unique “rating zones” (B.4.2.4 Plan Requirements) within the Rating Regions will not be allowed? If “rating zones” within Rating Regions are allowed, can you describe how the monthly premium values by Rating Region should be calculated for insertion into Attachment IX?

Answer: See the answer to number 3 above.

Section E5

5. Question: E.5 Factor 3 – There are instances where a ZIP code includes more than one state (straddles). When compiling our MS Excel file that reflects monthly premium rates by ZIP code and State, can we use the State’s Rating Region to drive the premium rate in instances where the ZIP code straddles State boarders? Are three-digit ZIP codes to be used or five-digit?

Answer: As stated under Answer 3, provide a veteran and CHAMPVA plan rate by the rating region and whole states listed within the rating regions. If the program office wants to change this in the future, a modification will be made to the contract.

6. Question: E.5 – Factor 3 – Premium Rates (Volume1) – Attachment IX requires Veteran and CHAMPVA single only monthly premium rates to be input for evaluation. In instances where two eligible Veterans or two or more eligible CHAMPVA beneficiary dependents are enrolling as one unit, does the VA require the premium rates for two enrollees to be 2x the single rate and for 3 or more dependents premium rates to be 3x the single rate?

Answer: Offering more than a single rate for a veteran or CHAMPVA is an option. It is not required. For example, 3 or more dependents premium rates to be 3x the single rate is an acceptable option in addition to the single rate for the veteran and the CHAMPVA categories for the specific rating region.

7. Question: E.5. – Factor 2 Past Performance– Can you confirm that Attachment S1 is Attachment S2-Past Performance Questionnaire posted on SAM.gov?

Answer: Yes, attachment S2 should have been labeled as attachment S1- Past Performance Questionnaire. It was a Typo. There are no other attachments.

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