Attachment 5 - Questions and Responses.pdf

MEMORANDUM

Date: May 29, 2026

From: Jacob Blalock, Purchasing Agent

Subject: Questions and Answers - 75H71326Q00034 Solicitation

To: All Concerned Parties, Contract File

The following is a list of questions received regarding subject solicitation with responses:

1. Textile Rental vs. Laundry Only. Should pricing include the rental/provision of the textile items, or will the facility provide the textile inventory and the contractor only handle laundering, pickup, delivery, and related support?

Response: Per amended Performance Work Statement, the Contractor shall provide/rent the required textile items and shall include rental/provision of textile items, laundering, pickup, delivery, stock rotation, removal of unusable items, inventory maintenance, and related support in the quoted annual fixed price. The facility will not provide the textile inventory unless otherwise stated in the purchase order.

2. Replacement of Items. If rental/provision of textile items is required, who would be responsible for replacement costs related to normal wear, staining, damage, loss, or items becoming unserviceable?

Response: The Contractor is responsible for replacement costs related to normal wear, staining, damage, loss, ruined items, or items becoming unserviceable. Normal wear and ordinary replacement shall be included in the Contractor's quoted annual fixed price. The Contractor shall not invoice separate replacement charges unless specifically authorized by the Contracting Officer through the contract or a written contract modification.

3. Par Levels / Inventory Expectations. Are there required par levels or minimum on-site inventory levels by item type, or should offerors use the estimated weekly quantities as the main basis for planning and pricing?

Response: Per amended Performance Work Statement, the required PAR levels are stated in Section 5. Offerors shall use the stated PAR levels as the basis for planning, pricing, staffing, and inventory purposes. The prior estimated weekly utilization quantities are replaced by the PAR levels in the amended Performance Work Statement.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN

PUBLIC HEALTH

Indian Health Service Portland Area Office

1414 NW Northrup St, Suite 800 Portland, OR 97209

4. Billing Method. Attachment 1 requests one annual price, while the PWS allows weekly or monthly invoicing in arrears for accepted services. Will payment be based on a prorated weekly/monthly amount from the annual price, or will invoices be adjusted based on actual weekly quantities serviced?

Response: Payment will be based on the awarded annual fixed-price CLIN amount, prorated or otherwise billed in accordance with the purchase order for the weekly or monthly billing period.

Invoices shall be submitted weekly or monthly in arrears for accepted services. Invoices will not be adjusted based on actual weekly quantities serviced unless the contract is modified by the Contracting Officer.

5. Changes in Weekly Volume. Since the weekly quantities are estimates only, how would material increases or decreases in usage be handled during performance? Would a significant change in volume require an adjustment?

Response: The amended Performance Work Statement states the required PAR levels. Routine fluctuations in laundry usage shall be included in the annual fixed price. If the Government requires a material change to the scope, PAR levels, or required service, the change will be addressed by the Contracting Officer through a written contract modification, subject to availability of funds and the terms of the contract.

6. Bags, Carts, Bins, and Containers. Should the contractor include all bags, carts, bins, containers, reject bins, and clean/soiled transport support in the quoted price?

Response: Yes. The Contractor shall include bags, carts, bins, containers, reject bins, and clean/soiled transport support necessary to perform the requirement in the quoted annual fixed price. Per requiring activity, Pod 1, Pod 2, and Dental are the three hamper locations. Dental goes through approximately 2 to 3 bags a week. Pods just 1.

7. Inventory-Maintenance / Stock-Support Units. Can you please clarify what tasks are included in the estimated 5 weekly surgical towel inventory-maintenance/stock-support billing units, and how those units should be priced?

Response: The amended Performance Work Statement replaces the prior weekly utilization estimates with the required PAR levels. No separate weekly surgical towel inventory-maintenance/stock-support billing unit shall be priced or invoiced. Stock-support/inventory-maintenance tasks include maintaining clean and soiled textile inventory levels, rotating stock, removing unusable items, and related support necessary to maintain the PAR levels. These costs shall be included in the annual fixed price.

8. Additional or Emergency Service. The PWS lists routine weekly pickup and delivery. Should offerors include any additional pickup, delivery, emergency service, or surge service in the annual price, or would those be handled separately if needed?

Response: The facility does not require offerors to include separate additional, emergency, or surge pickup/delivery services in the annual price beyond routine weekly pickup and delivery and correction of contractor-caused service issues. The only time this has happened historically is when the laundry company forgot to drop something off. In the event of unexpected outcomes during the course of performance, which require correction by the Contractor, the Contractor will coordinate with the designated Contracting Officer’s Representative to resolve the mishap. If the Government requires additional or emergency service outside the contract requirement, it will be handled separately by the Contracting Officer.

9. Facility Access Requirements. Will pickup and delivery personnel need background checks, badges, training, escorting, or any other facility-access approvals before service begins?

Response: Per amended Performance Work Statement, background checks and badges are not required for routine pickup and delivery personnel. Contractor personnel shall use the exterior door next to the facility loading dock for pickup and delivery during normal business hours. This exterior door leads directly into the room where hampers and laundry bags are staged for laundry service. Contractor personnel will not use the loading dock for routine laundry pickup and delivery unless otherwise directed by the Government. Contractor personnel shall access only those areas necessary for pickup and delivery and shall comply with applicable parking, safety, security, exterior-door access, and restricted-area requirements while on Government premises.

10. Laundry Standards / Certifications. Are there any specific healthcare laundry certifications, accreditations, sanitation standards, or state/local licenses required beyond the general health, safety, OSHA, transportation, and environmental requirements listed in the PWS?

Response: No specific healthcare laundry certification or accreditation is required by the solicitation/PWS beyond the general health, safety, OSHA, transportation, and environmental requirements stated in the Performance Work Statement. The contractor shall process clinic scrubs using recognized healthcare laundry infection-control practices sufficient to return items hygienically clean, dry, free of visible soil, and protected from recontamination.

11. Start Date / Transition Setup. Is service expected to begin on July 19, 2026, or will there be a transition/setup period for scheduling, inventory coordination, containers, route setup, or facility access?

Response: The anticipated service start date is July 19, 2026. Per Performance Work Statement, within five business days after award, the Contractor shall coordinate a routine weekly pickup and delivery schedule with the Government. Scheduling, inventory coordination, containers, route setup, and facility access coordination shall be accomplished sufficiently to support performance beginning July 19, 2026. The solicitation/PWS does not establish a separate transition period during which service is not required after July 19, 2026.

12. I hope you are well. I just want to confirm that my company which is 55 percent owned by federally recognized american indian could bid on this solicitation.

Response: This requirement is set aside for Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises. The Government does not pre-approve offerors through questions and answers. Offerors are responsible for reviewing the solicitation and submitting the required IHS Indian Economic

Enterprise Representation Form with the quotation. To be considered for award, the offeror must qualify as an Indian Economic Enterprise and a small business concern under the applicable NAICS code at the time of quotation, at the time of award, and throughout contract performance.

13. We would like to know if this is a brand new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services.

Response: This is not a new requirement. There is an incumbent performing these services.

14. If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number?

Response: The current/previous purchase order number is 75H71321P00107, awarded to

VESTIS SERVICES, LLC.