36C79124R0002 0002 12-27-2023.docx

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

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2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

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6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

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9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

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10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

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Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office.

is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

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Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

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16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

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(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (If other than Item 6) (Specify type of modification and authority) (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

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IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

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AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

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

Department of Veterans Affairs Commodities & Services Acquisition Svc (003B6E) 555 Corporate Circle Golden CO 80401-5621 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C79124R0002 12-27-2023

X

X

12:00 pm Mountain Time on 1/16/2024

The purpose of this solicitation amendment is to extend the due date for offers, answer vendor questions and edit various parts of the solicitation as outlined in amendment.

Attachment D.6 Pricing Schedule was edited. Attachments D.8 and D.9 were added.

Sandra McAnany Contracting Officer

CONTINUATION PAGE

Solicitation Amendment 0002:

Questions and Answers:

Question 1: Can the government please clarify a page limit for Volume 1 and Volume II? Is there a specific font to be used? Is there a minimum margin size?

Answer 1: There is a limit of 40 pages per volume. A minimum of 12 font for narrative, and 8 fonts for any charts/tables The minimum margin size is ½”

Question 2: Is there an incumbent for the contract?

Answer 2: No, this is a new contract.

Question 3: Is the contract augmenting existing government staff?

Answer 3: Yes

Question 4: If we are augmenting existing government staff will there continue to be government staff?

Answer 4: Yes

Question 5: Is teleworking an option available for this contract?

Answer 5: No

Question 6: Proposals are due 12/21/23 and the period of performance begins 1/1/24. Due to the short time and the advent of the Christmas holiday, if it is the Government’s intention to adhere to the schedule provided in RFP will, once the contract is awarded:

1. The government pause for the 10-day protest period, or will the contractor be granted a notice to proceed upon award?

1. How many days after award will the contractor be required to present resumes?

1. How many days after award will contractor be granted access to interview existing employees?

1. How many days will the government need to complete background investigations and provide PIV cards?

Answer 6: The proposal due date and contract start date have been updated.

3. FAR requirements will be met for contract start timeline decisions.

3. The resumes should be included with the proposal submitted.

3. This is a new contract. There are no existing employees.

3. Approximately 6-weeks.

Question 7: is this a 100% set-aside for SDVOSB? In the SF 1449, there is not a set-aside selected. Does the main contractor have a Veteran Certificate requirement?

Answer 7: this is a 100% set aside for a SDVOSB.

Question 8: "All offerors must be registered in the Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) system at the time the offer is submitted. See this link: Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov)." If a contractor is Certified by VIP (the old program before VA took over), and currently starting the new process for recertification, does this meet the solicitation requirement?

Answer 8: Requirements for the SBA VetBiz certification must be met: VetCert_FAQs_121322_508c.pdf (sba.gov)

Question 9: There are several mentions of subcontractors – is this mandatory? If so, is it required for them to have a Veteran Certificate?

Answer 9: Subcontracting is not required. Any subcontracting will need to comply with FR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (Oct 2022)

Question 10: Under Factor 2: Staffing Plan and Key Personnel Resumes, the government states to "Submit your Staffing Plan, Supervisor and Lead resumes." We need on the pricing sheet that the supervisor and leads are 2 each. Can the government please confirm that this means they are seeking a total of 4 proposed resumes in the technical proposal submission?

Answer 10: Total of 4 resumes: 2 x Supervisor and 2 x Leads.

Question 11: What is the rational with having 2x Full Time Leads & possibly 2x Supervisors, do they work in different areas, different shifts or focus on different aspects of the contract’s scope?

Answer 11: Intent is to have a minimum of 2 x Supervisor and 2 x Leads for shift coverage (different shifts with overlap), to facilitate an approximate 9:1 ratio of VSSTs to supervisors/leads for troubleshooting and management, and to adequately supervise VSSTs in different work locations within the DLC facility.

Question 12 for Service Contract Act (SCA) Labor Categories:

a. Since we see that the Wage Determination has been included in the RFP, does the government have a reference for the labor categories to use within the wage determination for mapping and pricing the VSST, Leads/Trainer and Supervisor?

b. Will the government please provide clarification on SCA wage determinations? In the PWS two occupation codes are mentioned: 'Veteran Services Support Technicians, General Clerk I, II, III' and 'Customer Service Representative I, II, or III.' As these are crossed referenced to the wage determination there is a significant pay difference between them. Will the government please clarify which occupational codes aligns with the PWS requirements? This will allow all contractors to provide fair and accurate pricing utilizing the pricing schedule.

c. The government has specified Employee Class rates for VSST, Lead/Trainer, and Supervisor, including Fringe Benefits as a GS equivalent. However, these rates significantly differ from the SCA Occupation Code Rates in Wage Determination no. 2015-5419. Could the government confirm if these rates should be in line with the GSA equivalent or provided SCA. This will allow all contractors to provide fair and accurate pricing utilizing the pricing schedule.

d. Will the government please provide guidance as to which labor categories can be exempt from the Service Contract Act Wage Determination or will the government allow the bidder to make that determination in our proposal?

Answer 12:

a. See response below Answer b. for VSST.

b. Customer Service Representative I, II or III.

c. SCA is the minimum rate a contractor may pay. The contractor may choose to propose a higher hourly rate.

d. The contractor is responsible for meeting SCA requirements.

Question 13: Can you explain how the 2,000 hours per employee was arrived at in Attachment D.6 Price schedule given that the agents are SCA employees. SCA employees cannot work 2,000 hours a year without overtime. The maximum number of hours an SCA employee can work without overtime is 1,856 (2,080 – 88 hours for the eleven holidays and 80 for vacation/PTO and 56 for sick leave).

Answer 13: The contractor is responsible for meeting SCA requirements when proposing for the hours required.

Question 14: CSR I-III in SCLS Wage Determination rates for the local area are $16.20 - $19.85 and General Clerk I-III in SCLS Wage Determination rates for the local area are $18.24-$22.58. However, the government has provided Statement Equivalency Rates starting at $51,726 for GS-7(01) for the VSSTs. This equivalency seems very high in relation to the wage determination rates. Has the government considered these differences and market trends in its IGCE? Does the government require supporting documentation for offeror FFP LH pricing?

Answer 14: The SCA is the minimum hourly rate for contracted FTE. Companies may choose to propose a higher rate.

Question 15: Please confirm that EO 14026, which increases the minimum wage to $17.20 on January 1, 2024, is in effect for this contract. Will the Government pay all invoices in accordance with the $17.20/hr. Federal Minimum wage in accordance with Federal Register Notice 2023-21114 requirements effective 01.01.24?

Answer 15: The contractor is required to follow the SCA and any additional federal and state regulations when pricing and invoicing the contract.

Question 16: FAR Clause 52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires lists the VSST Employee Class as a GS-7. GS-7’s is listed by the Department of Labor as “bachelor’s degree with Superior Academic Achievement…OR 1 academic year of graduate education or law school”.

The SCA job categories and job requirements listed in the RFP call for High School diplomas and six months experience, which maps to a GS-2 level of education. In addition, the RFP states that the “Agents must know and understand all available DLC products and services” and “are fully competent subject matter experts…for all DLC products”. Would the Government consider increasing the amount of education and experience required such that the contractor VSSTs can be as effective and efficient as the expectations for the current staff of GS-7’s?

Answer 16: All contracted FTE requirements are included in the Performance Work Statement.

Question 17: The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CLDE) and its Division of Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) law takes effect beginning 1 January 2024. Both employers and employees contribute a portion of the premium with employers paying half and employees paying half through simple payroll deductions. Can the Government provide guidance on how this new law will be implemented and how contractors will reflect this requirement in the offeror’s proposal.

Answer 17: The Contractor’s proposal is required to meet federal and state regulations.

Question 18: Referencing Section B.1 Contract Administration Data. B.1, Contract Administration Data is not included in the Attachments provided by the Government, nor is it listed in the attachment listing on page 61 of the RFP. Please clarify.

Answer 18: B.1 is available within the solicitation on page 4 of 99.

Question 19: The general nature of contact center work requires overtime on occasion for a call that runs over an individual’s scheduled shift which could lead to overtime. Higher call volumes could also lead to an individual’s overtime. How will overtime be billed on this contract?

Answer 19: Overtime will not be required or offered for this contract. Agents will stop taking inbound phone calls, answering emails, scanning cards and/or order forms at minimum 15 minutes prior to the end of their assigned working hours. This 15-minute period will allow for the agent to finish up call, process orders and clean their work area. This 15-minute period is considered work time and not any additional downtime or shrinkage and does not affect their production rate(s).

Question 20: Referencing PWS Section 2, regarding onboarding, will both supervisors and lead positions be hired first to receive initial training? After the initial training, will the other VSSTs be hired, trained, and then begin work?

Answer 20: Yes. Initially the 2 x Supervisor, 2 x leads, and any VSSTs hired will be trained by government employees. Once initial training for the supervisors and leads/trainers is complete, they will be responsible for training new and additional VSSTs. Note: it is not required to wait until the initial supervisors and leads have completed their training to begin hiring VSSTs. Government employees will be available to assist with training VSSTs (as needed) until contract supervisors and leads have completed their training and have the necessary skills and knowledge to forward information and train new hires.

Question 21: Can the government provide the length of initial training for “train the trainers”? After the initial training and contractor is responsible for conducting training, can this be provided on government site? If so, will classrooms and equipment be available for contractor use? Can training begin prior to NACI being completed?

Answer 21: Training the leads/trainers and supervisors will take approximately 4 to 6 weeks. Training conducted by the contractor can be performed on-site utilizing government provided facilities, equipment, and supplies. Training cannot start until the National Agency Check with Inquires (NACI) are completed.

Question 22: Referencing PWS Section 2 under “the contractor staff shall”.

1. Can the government please provide the specific scanner technology being used currently?

1. Can the government provide the specific remote order entry system software currently being used?

1. What credit card payment system is currently being used to process payments?

Answer 22:

a. Scanner technology currently in used is Parascript. Scandallpro and PAP scanning software is used to scan in card images for order processing.

b. Software used for Veteran records and ordering: ROES (Remote Order Entry System), VISTA programs (these are specific to the Denver Logistics Center), and Laboratory Workload System II (LWS II). The phone software used is Mitel and Shoretel.

c. Credit card payment system: Pay.gov

Question 23: The PWS states that high call volume hours are 8:00am – 1:00pm Monday – Friday (MT)

a. Can the Government provide an average call volume breakdown by day of the week and hour of the day for the past year?

b. Can the Government provide annual call volumes for the past 3 – 5 years?

Answer 23: Additional call volume information is being provided in in Attachment D.8 CSS Transaction Volume

Question 24: Referencing PWS Section 2

a. Is there a current SOP and/or training materials?

b. If so, will they be provided for utilization by Leads/Supervisors to the Agents?

c. If not, can we create them, or is there proprietary information that prohibits such?

Answer 24:

a. Yes, we have training support materials and a timeline/schedule for training.

b. Yes, these will be provided to the contractor for use.

c. The current materials can be fully utilized as needed. If the Contractor identifies any infrastructure gaps and/or processes for improvement, they may bring those issues/processes identified to the Government Supervisory FTE for their consideration.

Question 25: Referencing PWS Section 2. The PWS states agents will use various resources (Job Aids, Knowledge Management, FAQs, email alerts, Bulletins, SOPs and mandated scripts, and reference materials) to improve knowledge.

a. Are these resources already developed?

b. If so, how often does the material change or need to be updated based on policy / process changes?

c. The PWS also states these various resources are considered the “first source” of information. Is there a process for when content is not available to deliver a resolution?

Answer 25:

a. Yes, these are existing documents and references that are provided. The resources that do not already exist are received through updates and changes, such as new products that replace items that are being phased out by manufacturers.

b. Typically, most major changes occur every six months, corresponding with contract reviews, updates, or options.

c. There is a support system is in place that provides a process for elevating issues, questions, or problems within the DLC to provide resolution which is included in the training.

Question 26: Referencing PWS Section 3.1, What is the anticipated schedule for the VSSTs (Agents)? For the Leads and Supervisors?

Answer 26: 8.5 hour shifts between the hours of 6:00am and 6:00pm Mountain Time. Preferred 8.5-hour shift times: Supervisor #1: 6:00am -2:30pm, Supervisor #2, 9:30am – 6:00pm (MT). Lead #1: 6:00am – 2:30pm. Lead #2: 9:30am – 6:00pm. VSSTs shifts will be 8.5 hours long beginning at 6:00am, 7:00am, 8:00am, and 9:30am. The 8.5-hour shift includes a 30-minute lunch break and 2 15-minute breaks during the 8.5 hour shift.

Question 27: Referencing Section 3.1. The PWS states all contract personnel shall be proficient in using office automation equipment and software. Can the Government describe the office automation equipment in use today?

Answer 27: Scanners and scanner technology currently in use is Parascript. Also use Scandallpro and PAP scanning software to scan in card images for order processing.

Software: ROES (Remote Order Entry System), VISTA programs (these are specific to the Denver Logistics Center), and Laboratory Workload System II (LWS II). Phone software is Mitel and Shoretel.

Credit card payment system: Pay.gov Outlook, Microsoft Office suite, laptop and tower computers and peripherals, Jabra headsets (various models).

Question 28: referencing Section 3.1. The PWS indicates that a Government FTE Supervisor will be “responsible for forecasting labor requirements and forecasting contractor staff schedules.”

a. Given that this contract is listed as non-personal services, can the Government clarify how this role will impact the contractor’s scheduling responsibilities?

b. Given that the contract is intended to be awarded as FFP, will the Government consider adding an optional CLIN to accommodate surge needs above the LOE indicated in the Price Schedule?

c. A Government FTE Supervisor in the Call Center will be responsible for forecasting labor requirements and forecasting contractor staff schedules. How often are the schedules changed? Is there a lead time for changes? Changes are made to existing schedules a minimum of one pay period / two weeks in advance. Once schedules are determined, they are typically changed no more than two times a year.

Answer 28:

a. In times of surges and/or government FTE short fall, the Government FTE will meet with contract supervisor to discuss the needs based off of forecasting, example holidays, and may request the contractor to shift agent’s hours to cover peak call times/surges and will provide a notice of a minimum of a 2-week notice.

b. An additional CLIN will not be added. The Government will also be able to forecast and staff government personnel accordingly.

c. Schedules are not expected to change; however, if the Government experiences significant staffing shortages, the Government will work with the Contractor and may request for temporary & voluntary changes in staffing schedules to help fill in any forecasted gaps of resources to ensure that there is adequate and appropriate coverage during peak call times. The Government will provide a minimum of 2 weeks advance notice to the contractor for any request of a schedule change to contractors scheduled shifts. There will be no work permitted outside of DLC’s operating business hours Monday-Friday (6:00am – 6:00pm, MT), additionally no work will be permitted on Saturdays, Sundays or any Federally observed holiday.

Question 29: Referencing PWS Section 3.1, Remaining on site for the entire term of the contract, Does this mean that Supervisors must be onsite versus telework?

Answer 29: All work is onsite.

Question 30: Referencing PWS Section 3.1 Hours of Operation and Staffing. In 3.1 the government mentions, "The contractor shall name a Program Point of Contact (POC) who shall be available via telephone Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM MT until 5:00 PM MT...” In addition, section 4.1.3 (J) says, “The on-site Supervisor shall have a full authority to act on behalf of the contractor on all matters …” Please clarify if the government wants these two positions to be two different people?

Answer 30: This can be the same individual.

Question 31: Referencing PWS Section 4.0. Can the Government confirm how many email response templates are in use today? What percent of the total email volume is not templated?

Answer 31: Currently six templates are in use. Approximately 10% are not templated.

Question 32: Referencing PWS Section 4.1 Dues and Responsibilities. Regarding the statement, “The contractor is required to provide support to VA DLC with all tasks listed in the PWS. Primarily, the contractor shall staff and schedule contractor FTE and part-time employee (PTE), and work directly with Government FTE, Chief of Operations, and Chief of Veteran Services Division to monitor the Call Center needs and workload.” Is it acceptable to staff with FTE contractor staff versus a mix of FTE and PTE?

Answer 32: Parttime FTE have been removed from the Performance Work Statement. The scope the contract will be performed by a minimum of eighteen (18) but no more than twenty-five (25) of full-time VSST’s. The contract will also require a minimum of two (2) full-time Leads, and a two (2) full-time Supervisors. Full-time is defined as 40 hours per work week, Monday-Friday with work being performed as an 8.5-hour shift worked between hours of operations 6:00 am – 6:00 pm. Mountain Time (MT). The 8.5-hour shift will include a one (1) 30-minute lunch and two (2) 15-minute breaks. The government will determine and forecast the number of agents required to meet work demands within the range specified above to satisfy work requirements. When the government determines a reduction in force is needed, the contractor will reduce staffing through attrition. The government will direct the contractor to not hire replacement VSSTs as attrition occurs (agents quit or are terminated for other reasons such as unsatisfactory performance). When the government determines, additional staffing is needed to meet work demands, the government will direct the contractor to hire additional personnel beyond the minimum threshold and up to the maximum number of VSSTs stated above and bilaterally modify any current task order to reflect the change.

Question 33: Referencing PWS Section 4.1.1. The RFP States: b) Responsibility for accuracy and timeliness of orders received at the DLC. In this capacity VSST will:

Process routine orders within two (2) days and priority and emergency orders the same day.

Evaluate orders from Veterans to determine the appropriateness of the priority.

Apply product knowledge to customer requests to determine accurate order descriptions and quantities.

Ensure that the Veteran has the appropriate eligibility to order items requested and process Government credit card orders for payment of charges made under the PAY.GOV program.

Will the contractor be held financially responsible for any mistakes made on credit card purchases?

Answer 33: No, the contractor will not be held financially responsible for mistakes.

Question 34: Referencing PWS Section B.3 1.1.1 and 4.1.1 The PWS states: The VA DLC procure, stock, and distribute – worldwide - commodities, including hearing aids and accessories, cochlear implants and accessories, assistive listening devices and accessories, assistive devices, batteries, prosthetic socks, orthotic soft goods, aids for visually impaired, Home Telehealth equipment, and peripherals.

...Responsibility for a stream of products or continuing processes based on direct application of established policies, practices, and criteria such as: correct credit card ordering procedures, shipping procedures, return policies, lost and damaged hearing aids, sleep apnea, telehealth service entry procedures in ROES, advising clinicians of how to resolve Veteran database record errors under established guidelines, and time and policy procedures.

Will the contractor be responsible for physically maintaining, or shipping/receiving any devices? If not, where are the devices located, who is responsible for them, and will the contractor be held responsible/liable for any errors/delays associated with this organization?

Answer 34: No, the contractor is not liable for the physical inventory of any devices and items. Managing the inventory and shipping is the responsibility of the logistics and warehouse sections in Golden, Colorado and Hines, Illinois.

Question 35: Referencing PWS Section 4.1.1.c. Historically, approximately how many hours does it take to train one VSST in all SOPs, manuals, systems (e.g., 40 hours, 80 hours, or more)?

Answer 35: Current training plan covers a six-calendar week period of time. This is adjusted (either compressed or expanded) depending on proficiency displayed. Leads and supervisors, depending on prior experience, may take less to train i.e., four calendar weeks.

Question 36: Referencing PWS Section 4.1.3 section C, can the government provide the call data metrics referenced?

Answer 36: The call data metrics are the Shoretel phone system reports that are used to monitor volume of phone calls and associated data such as length of calls, length of time an Agent is logged in, etc. Use of the Shoretel system, generating reports that capture relevant data, and analyzing report data will be taught to contracted supervisor and leads by current CSS federal employees.

Question 37: Referencing PWS Section 4.2

a. Are other system proficiencies required/desired (e.g., ServiceNow, Maximo)?

b. How many systems (e.g., UPS, Maximo, ServiceNow, Outlook) are to be utilized on a daily basis by Agents, Leads, and Supervisors?

Answer 37:

a. Microsoft suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams)

b. Approximately five: Mitel phone system, Outlook, VISTA, ROES, various other Microsoft programs.

Question 38: Referencing PWS Section 5.1

a. What specific SLA documentation will be provided for quality control collaboration between the Government and the Contractor?

b. How is this information extrapolated?

c. By whom?

Answer 38: VISTA generates a Production by Technician report that captures the quantity of transactions (items ordered) by employees. This, coupled with a corresponding Shoretel report that provides number of phone calls received/serviced by technicians serves as weekly quality control and production standards reporting. Leads and supervisors will have access to and be trained to generate, interpret, and analyze these reports.

Question 39: Referencing PWS Section 5.2 Performance Metrics Section “2. Workload Management and Quality Control” notes “wait time, staffing compliance, and abandoned call rates are within parameters.”

a. Can the government provide the acceptable quality levels for all established parameters?

b. Error rate: What CRM tool is currently being used?

c. Regarding Error Rates, can the Government provide examples of occurrences an agent will be evaluated on? Specifically, we are looking to better understand what may count against the agent towards the 15 errors per year limit.

d. Will the 5 audits per month be based on a quality assurance score card? If so, can that be provided in advance?

Answer 39: See added attachment D.9.

Question 40: Referencing PWS Section 5.2, The Workload Management Quality Control section speaks to Call Monitoring Evaluation Sheets. Please confirm if these documents are already established, or will contractor need to create them?

Answer 40: See Attachment D.9.

Question 41: Referencing PWS Section 5. Deliverables and Schedule. What is the requirement for the deliverables required under this PWS? For example, the “Mail Sorting” that is done daily, how will the Contractor provide daily evidence that it is complete? Would you provide example reports? Further clarification is requested for these deliverables below. Will the “Weekly Production Report” include all bullets below? What are the daily volumes for each task?

a. Mail Sorting (numbers)

b. Scanning/ Reorder cards (auto-process entry)

c. Reorder Card processing (data entry)

d. Email processing

e. Customer Order Processing (Data entry)

f. Credit Card Order Processing

g. Credit Card Pay Reconcile Pay.Gov

h. Telephone Order Processing

i. Order Tracking

j. Provide customer guidance with ordering software (ROES)

k. Interpret and evaluate product orders and warranties for timeliness.

l. Process/Approve ROES loop orders.

m. Weekly Production Report

Answer 41:

a. This is verified by supervising leads/trainers and/or supervisors. No written report is utilized, the numbers are reported by the individual scanning mail-in cards to leads and reported to supervisors.

b. This is verified by supervising leads/trainers and/or supervisors by accessing the online scanning software (Parascript) and confirming the auto-processed card orders.

c. This is verified by supervising leads/trainers and/or supervisors by running a Production by Technician report in VISTA that can be generated for individual agents. No example will be provided as this includes proprietary and/or personal individual information.

d. This is verified by supervising leads/trainers and/or supervisors by running a Production by Technician report in VISTA that can be generated for individual agents. No example will be provided as this includes proprietary and/or personal individual information.

e. This is verified by supervising leads/trainers and/or supervisors by running a Production by Technician report in VISTA that can be generated for individual agents. No example will be provided as this includes proprietary and/or personal individual information.

f. This task is performed by leads/trainers and supervisors. The pay.gov system generates emails to government supervisors to verify work and transactions completed.

g. This task is performed by leads/trainers and supervisors. The pay.gov system generates emails to government supervisors to verify work and transactions completed.

h. This is verified by supervising leads/trainers and/or supervisors by running a Production by Technician report in VISTA that can be generated for individual agents. No example will be provided as this includes proprietary and/or personal individual information.

i. Order tracking and status is accessed through the Remote Order Entry System (ROES) to confirm the status of the order and the shipping confirmation and status. No overall report is generated, leads/trainers and supervisors have access to this system to confirm proper status of orders placed.

j. Along with accessing order status as answered in the above question, customers can be provided order tracking information (i.e., UPS and USPS tracking numbers).

k. Leads/trainers and supervisors can access the individual customer records to confirm accuracy of orders placed and, if applicable, verify warranty information as needed. This is accessed through the VA DLC’s proprietary VISTA system.

l. This is verified by supervising leads/trainers and/or supervisors by running a Production by Technician report in VISTA that can be generated for individual agents. No example will be provided as this includes proprietary and/or personal individual information.

m. The DLC VISTA system provides a production report that compiles all transactions complete (order entry) by each individual. This is the primary report for validating order entry and processing for the Customer Service Section. This production report and the Shoretel phone system report that shows quantity of phone calls accepted by each individual are used to verify work. No example will be provided as this includes proprietary and/or personal individual information.

Question 42: Referencing PWS Section 5.2 Performance Metrics:

a. The Performance Metrics state that the “Agent must meet the minimum required time on the telephone, established for his/her work schedule.” Can the Government specify the “minimum required time”?

b. Can the Government describe what dashboards or reports are currently available to visualize performance at every level of the production workflow?

Answer 42:

a. As the performance metric states, the minimum required time on the telephone is dependent on the work schedule established (i.e., if an agent is assigned four hours of servicing phone calls during the day and a different task (such as processing email orders) for the remaining hours in the day, then the agent must meet the required four hours on the phones.

b. The mail sorting results in order cards being scanned and/or uploaded electronically into the DLC systems for either automatic or manual order entry. This is accessed and observed / verified and documented for reporting purposes. The DLC VISTA system provides a production report that compiles all transactions complete (order entry) by each individual. This is the primary report for validating order entry and processing for the Customer Service Section. This production report and the Shoretel phone system report that shows quantity of phone calls accepted by each individual are used to verify work.

Question 43: Referencing PWS Section 6, Is a Quality Control Plan required as part of the proposal? If so, should it be in Volume I?

Answer 43: This is not required with the proposal.

Question 44: Referencing PWS Section 5.2 Performance Metrics: Table, section 2 Workload Management and Quality Control includes a Performance Standard to “Manage to 10% available Agent shrinkage”.

a. Will the Government define what is included in shrinkage how available Agent shrinkage should be calculated?

b. Does available Agent shrinkage include time spent in training or attending required meetings?

c. Can the Government confirm that shrinkage is measured monthly?

Answer 44:

a. Shrinkage includes the amount of time that an agent is not engaged in a work activity, excluding breaks and lunch. This is displayed within the Shoretel system that agents are required to log into each day to track work activities and time.

b. No

c. Yes, shrinkage is measured on a monthly basis and addressed within the current monthly performance feedback report that is generated for each agent.

**Each agent will stop taking calls, 15-minutes before the end of his/her assigned shift. The 15-min. is part of the work and not counted in the shrinkage. This allotment of time is for the agent to finish up a call and/or to clean work area.

Question 45: Referencing PWS Section 6, The RFP states that one of the monitoring methods used is direct observation. Please clarify if calls are recorded for future access or are all monitors done in real time?

Answer 45: Currently calls are monitored in real time only as the current phone system does not record calls.

Question 46: Referencing PWS Section 7.3.2. Can the Government confirm the timeline from the point of candidate submission to PIV approval/access? Will interim access be allowed so staff can start prior to full clearance adjudication?

Answer 46: Approximately six weeks. Yes, interim access can be granted contingent upon the initial background check.

Question 47: Referencing page 25, paragraph 7d: please describe how VA estimated liquated damages at $37.50 per individual. For this contract, what dollar amount of insurance is the contractor required to carry for liquidated damages.

Answer 47: 37.50 is a calculated amount used in most other VA contracts. All insurance requirements to meet solicitation requirements must be met.

Question 48: Referencing PWS Section 9, Nonpersonal Services. “The Government will neither supervise contractor Agents nor control the method by which the Agents perform the services” However this section mentions, “Monthly the Manager/Designee will review 50% of the employee performance folders, per team, for accuracy and completeness.” Please clarify that this review only involves the employee scorecard performance on the program. Are there other measures of success to be defined by the Government?

Answer 48: Yes, this pertains to the review of employee performance reports and scorecards. Other measures of success may be developed and mutually agreed upon by the government and the contractor.

Question 49: RFP pg. 68, Factor 2: Staffing Plan and Key Personnel Resumes. So that an offeror may accurately develop a staffing plan to meet the needs of the call center, will the government provide the following information?

a. How many calls/emails daily, weekly, and monthly are received?

b. Average talk time/handle time?

c. Is there expected post processing (wrap-up) time for agents? If so, how long is it?

d. What is the expected abandonment rate?

e. What is the expected average speed of answer?

f. What system is used to process emails, and does it have a reporting platform?

g. Please confirm that the Offeror would we be using the government’s phone system to receive calls. And what kind of telephone system is in place and who is responsible for administration of this system?

h. Assuming the government is providing the telephone system, how long are recorded calls stored for contractor to have access to?

i. Is there an established QA scoring system for call monitoring by VSST in place? And what is the vendor/platform? Or is this a manual process?

j. Is there scheduling software currently used for shift scheduling?

k. Is there forecasting software (reference PWS 3.1)? If so, what is it?

l. What equipment is available for veterans with hearing impaired disabilities to communicate with staff?

Answer 49:

a. Currently the DLC CSS receives approximately 50,000 phone calls, 5000 emails, and 22,000 order cards each month. Individual agents are required to handle a minimum of 65 phone calls each day; agents are required to input a minimum of 225 transactions each day (a transaction is an order placed for a single item).

b. Approximately 4 minutes

c. 20 seconds

d. 0

e. Within 5 minutes.

f. Outlook, There is not a reporting platform.

g. Yes, the government phone system in place, Mitel, will be provided and utilized. Government IT personnel are responsible for its administration.

h. With current system, calls are not recorded.

i. This is currently a manual process performed by leads/supervisors.

j. No, a manual process is used (Excel sheets that have been developed and will be available for contractor use)

k. No forecasting software is used at this time.

l. None is available. Caseworkers or family members have historically called in orders for hearing impaired Veterans.

Question 50: Regarding evaluation criteria. Will the government please clarify the evaluation criteria for 'exceeding' qualifications for Supervisor and Lead personnel? For the Key Personnel resumes required that exceed the minimum qualifications how will the government provide additional “credit” for personnel that exceed the government requirements in the evaluation process as there is now evaluation scale. If there is no additional evaluation credit for this this would be a technically acceptable not a best value/tradeoff evaluation.

Answer 50: Candidate strengths will be considered for the technical rating.

Question 51: The contractor is mandated to submit resumes for Supervisor and Lead personnel, raising the risk level of the government to ensure evaluated resumes are truly the individuals prepared to perform the work. Recommend the government require Letters of Intent for all submitted resumes or a higher evaluation is given to those bidders that submit Letters of Intent for all submitted resumes. This prevents the bait & switch and lowers the risk of performance to the government.

Answer 51: Letters of Intent are not required.

Question 52: Referencing pg. 67 – item H, bullet 3. Will the government allow illustrations, graphics, and table text to be less than 12 pt font size? Will no smaller than 8 pt font size be allowable?

Answer 52: Yes

Question 53: pg. 68-9. Factor 3 Past Performance states, “A major subcontractor is defined as a subcontractor that is awarded a subcontract that equals or exceeds 10% of the value of the contract, with a $800,000 or higher subcontract value, under which the subcontract is awarded.” In above statement, does the government mean that if an offeror uses a subcontractor past performance in its proposal, that subcontract must be at least $800,000 to be evaluated?

Answer 53: Yes

Question 54: pg. 71, Factor 3 – Past Performance states, “A major subcontractor is defined as a subcontractor that is awarded a subcontract that equals or exceeds 10% of the value of the contract, with a $1,000,000 or higher subcontract value, under which the subcontract is awarded.” Can the government clarify if the minimum contract value for a subcontract to be relevant is $800,000 or $1,000,000 in subcontracted value?

Answer 54: $800,000

Question 55: Will the government consider allowing offerors to submit past performance information for contracts within the last 5 years since most contracts are 5 years in length?

Answer 55: Yes

Question 56: Attachment D.3 - Past Performance Reference format defines the following:

Work Performed:

· Title of the first area of the contract being bid [alphabetical and numerical section numbers from the procurement]: Summary of [The Winning Company]’s recent and relevant work. Mention tools, methodologies, and processes.

· Title of the second area of the contract being bid [alphabetical and numerical section numbers from the procurement]: Summary of [The Winning Company]’s recent and relevant work. Mention tools, methodologies, and processes.

· Title of the third area of the area of the contract being bid [put the alphabetical and numerical section numbers from the procurement here]—repeat as needed: Summary of [The Winning Company]’s recent and relevant work. Mention tools, methodologies, and processes Can you clarify if the government is looking for the offeror to insert its contract information or the VHA DLC Call Center Services numerical sections in the area defined under Work Performed in the PP Reference form as “Title of the first area of the contract being bid [alphabetical and numerical section numbers from the procurement]?” For example, should we reference VHA PWS section 2.0 – General Scope and Requirements in that portion of the PP write up? Or should this reference be sections from the contract we are submitting as the past performance reference?

Answer 56: Please insert/add information from the contracts that you are using for a reference.

Question 57: Please clarify the PPQ requirement: If the past performance reference provided in Attachment D.3 is for a contract with available CPARS/PPIRS reporting, do we need to also provide Attachment D.4, the PPQ for those contracts in addition to Attachment D.3?

Answer 57: No, CPARs will be reviewed as part of the past performance evaluation.

Question 58: pg. 70, Factor 4: Price, item d. requires the offeror to submit fully completed and signed Representations and Certifications. If the offeror’s Representations and Certifications are up to date and accurate in SAM, will affirmation that an offeror’s Representations and Certifications are accurate and updated suffice in the proposal response? If not, may the Representations and Certifications be provided as a separate file to reduce the overall file size of Volume II?

Answer 58: This should be included within Volume II.

Question 59: pg. 69, Factor 4: Price states that the Price file shall be name [offeror Name] Volume I, Price.xls. Please confirm that this is a typo, and it should be Volume II Price. Can a separate excel spreadsheet be included within Volume II for pricing?

Answer 59: Price should be included in Volume II – Business. A separate Excel spreadsheet can be included.

Question 60: In reference to Attachment D.6 Price Schedule: If the vendor believes we can staff with less than max staffing approach, can the vendor propose a reduced number of positions in the pricing file?

Answer 60: No.

Question 61: Will the government provide additional workspace/equipment if staffing increases past the current FTE/PTE counts provided in the Attachment D.6?

Answer 61: Staffing will not increase past the FTE counts provided in Attachment 6.

Question 62: Are VSSTs required to do any troubleshooting/technical support on veteran purchased products/equipment?

Answer 62: No

Question 63: Will the government allow a transition period of 30-60 days for onboarding, security background, PIV card, and training? Will it be separately priced?

Answer 63: Yes, the transition time is expected and will not be priced separately. Hours will be invoices and paid for the start-up period for trainings and in person onboarding.

Question 64: How will task orders be issued?

Answer 64: One task order will be issued per performance period.

Question 65: The RFP says that it intends to award a Firm Fixed Price contract, but the invoicing instructions describe a labor hour type contract, with hours worked, rates and extended amounts. Will the Government confirm the contract type? Could the government clarify its requirement to provide hourly breakdowns as this is a FFP contract and doing itemized hours potentially turns this effort into a FFP Level of Effort or a T&M based contract.

Answer 65: IDIQ FFP contract.

Question 66: Referencing Attachment D.6: Solicitation page 8 defines the scope of the contract as being performed by a range of number of personnel. Attachment D.6 states the specific number of personnel Offerors are required to bid per position. Paragraph 14 on page 27 states the Government intends to issue a Firm Fixed Price contract for this requirement. The paragraph then describes including a maximum number of hours and only invoicing for the hours specified in the contract. Will the government consider issuing a T&M/labor hour with a fixed price per unit type contract?

Answer 66: No, the Government will not issue this as a T&M contract. Hours will be billed on a monthly basis after services are provided.

Question 67: Could the Government provide the rating definitions for how each evaluation factor will be scored? Will the Government describe how the non-price factors will be combined and evaluated in conjunction with Price?

Answer 67: See FAR 52.212-2 for updated evaluation information.

Question 68: Given the Government’s interest in the Offeror’s “knowledge of industry standards”, will the Government consider requiring that Offeror’s have certifications for ISO 9001:2015 and CMMI Level 3 for Services?

Answer 68: No, not at this time.

Question 69: Referencing E.1 Instructions to Offerors: 11(e) states that “Offerors are encouraged to submit multiple offers, presenting alternative line items, provided that the alternative line items are consistent with FAR subpart 4.10, or alternative commercial products or commercial services for satisfying the requirements of this solicitation. Each offer submitted will be evaluated separately.” Can the Government confirm this clause applies to this solicitation?

Answer 69: Multiple offers will be evaluated if they meet solicitation requirements.

Question 70: Referencing C.11 VAAR 852.209-70: The RFP states: (b) The offeror shall provide a statement with its offer which describes, in a concise manner, all relevant facts concerning any past, present, or currently planned interest (financial, contractual, organizational, or otherwise) or actual or potential organizational conflicts of interest relating to the services to be provided under this solicitation.

Is it necessary to provide this statement if the offeror has no current or planned conflicts of interest?

Answer 70: The Contractor is responsible for meeting the requirements of VAAR 852.209-70.

Question 71: Referencing Section B.3 Invoicing, page 26 of 99: Each invoice shall include supporting data which shows the Item# and the hourly rate as listed in the current B.2 Schedule, employee name and hours worked, total hours and dollar amount for each Item#, and grand total hours and dollar amount for complete invoice.

The Contract type is listed as FFP in E.10 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984).

The invoicing instructions do not align with standard FFP invoicing.

Will the Government revise the invoicing instructions to align with milestone deliverables, typical for a FFP contract or change the contract type to FFP LOE or T&M?

Answer 71: The contract will be awarded as a FFP IDIQ contract. Hourly rates for services provided shall be invoiced on a monthly basis.

Question 72: Referencing page 27, Are we able to bill the VA for Federal holiday hours where the DLC is not open for business?