Attachment 4 - Questions and Responses.pdf

MEMORANDUM

Date: July 10, 2026

From: Jacob Blalock, Purchasing Agent

Subject: Questions and Answers - 75H71326Q00057 Solicitation

To: All Concerned Parties, Contract File

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

1. Textile quality/specification. The PWS does not specify fabric weight, material composition, color, thread count, or any barrier/AAMI rating for the rental textiles (scrubs, dental gowns, patient gowns, lab coats, dental towels). Is there a minimum quality standard the Government expects, or is textile selection left to the Contractor provided the cleanliness/usability standards in Section 6.2 are met?

Response: Per the Performance Work Statement, no specific fabric weight, material composition, thread count, color, or barrier/AAMI rating is required. The Contractor may select the textile items, provided the items are suitable for the identified clinic use and the Contractor meets the cleanliness, usability, packaging, infection-control, and PAR-level requirements stated in the Performance Work Statement. The Contractor shall include rental/provision and ordinary replacement of the required textile items in the quoted annual fixed price.

2. Loss, theft, and abuse responsibility. Section 6.4 requires the Contractor to notify the Government of lost, damaged, contaminated, or unserviceable items, but does not state who bears the cost of items lost, stolen, or abused beyond normal wear. Please confirm whether such costs are the Contractor's responsibility to absorb within the fixed price, or whether there is any Government cost-share or replacement mechanism.

Response: Per the Performance Work Statement, the Contractor shall include costs for stock support, inventory maintenance, replacement for normal wear, unusable items, and related support in the annual fixed price. The Contractor is responsible for ordinary replacement, including normal wear, staining, damage, loss, ruined items, or items becoming unserviceable.

The Contractor shall not invoice separate replacement charges unless specifically authorized by the Contracting Officer.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN

PUBLIC HEALTH

Indian Health Service Portland Area Office

1414 NW Northrup St, Suite 800 Portland, OR 97209

3. Incumbent inventory transfer. Is there any mechanism for the incoming Contractor to purchase or receive transfer of the incumbent's (Vestis Services, LLC) existing on-site textile inventory at transition, or must the new Contractor supply 100% new startup inventory?

Response: No mechanism is provided in the solicitation for Government transfer of the incumbent's existing on-site textile inventory to the awardee. The Contractor shall provide/rent the required textile items and maintain textile inventory sufficient to support the PAR levels.

4. Transition timeline. Given no separate transition period is contemplated and service must begin July 19, 2026, how much lead time after award should the awardee expect before the service start date to stage inventory, set up routes, and coordinate facility access?

Response: Per the Performance Work Statement, within five business days after award, the Contractor shall coordinate a routine weekly pickup and delivery schedule with the Government.

5. Pickup/delivery access window. Can the Government confirm the specific business-hours window (e.g., exact start/end times) during which pickup and delivery may occur at the exterior door next to the loading dock, for route-scheduling and labor-cost purposes?

Response: Pickup and delivery shall occur during normal business hours at the exterior door adjacent to the facility loading dock, unless otherwise directed by the Government. For purposes of this solicitation, the normal business-hours access window is Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time, excluding Federal holidays and facility closure days. The Contractor shall coordinate the routine weekly service schedule with the Government after award.

6. Unisex cut - scrubs and lab coats. Section 5 lists scrub and lab coat quantities by size only (Small through XXL) without specifying garment cut. Should scrubs and lab coats be provided in a unisex cut, or does the Government require gender-specific (men's/women's) cuts?

Response: The solicitation/PWS does not require gender-specific cuts for scrubs or lab coats.

Unisex scrubs and lab coats are acceptable, provided the Contractor furnishes the required sizes and the items are suitable for clinic staff use and meet the cleanliness, usability, PAR-level, and other requirements stated in the Performance Work Statement. No separate men's/women's size distribution is established by the solicitation.

7. Lab coat length. For the lab coats in Section 5(j)-(l), is a consultation-length (knee-length/mid-thigh, approximately 34-38") lab coat acceptable, or does the Government require a full-length (lab-length, approximately 40-45"+) coat?

Response: The Government requires standard full-length lab coats. Offerors shall provide commercially standard full-length lab coats suitable for clinic staff use. Lab coats shall meet the size, cleanliness, usability, PAR-level, and other requirements stated in the Performance Work Statement.

8. Dental towel definition. Section 5(m) lists "Dental towels" without further description. Please confirm whether this item is a reusable cloth hand/procedure towel (and if so, the expected size, weight, and material), or whether it refers to a reusable cloth dental bib/patient bib used for patient draping during dental procedures.

Response: For purposes of this solicitation, “dental towels” means commercially standard reusable cloth dental/surgical procedure towels for the Dental location, not disposable paper dental bibs or bib-specific patient drapes. Towels should be comparable to standard reusable surgical towels commonly used in clinical or dental settings, generally low-lint, absorbent, suitable for repeated laundering, and typically within the approximate range of 16" x 26" to 18" x 31". The solicitation/PWS does not require a specific brand, item number, color, weight, thread count, or material composition, provided the towels meet the cleanliness, usability, packaging, PAR-level, and other requirements stated in the Performance Work Statement.