Questions and Answers sheet for Solicitation # 191Z1120R0002.pdf

Questions & Answers sheet for Solicitation #

191Z1120R0002

Q 1 – I would like to ask about the way the offers are delivered, is it delivered by hand to the US Embassy in Amman through our representative or by express mail? Knowing that sometimes there is a delay of applications by mail?

Answer: Contractors are allowed to submit their offers electronically to (RSU-Amman- Contracts@state.gov ) or by mail to the U. S. Embassy in Amman -Jordan to the address mentioned at the solicitation covering letter.

Q 2 – If we win the contract, how is the payment system, will it be one payment by the Embassy, or will it be in several installments?

Answer: As per section G, point G.4 submission of invoices, subpoint G.4.2. Frequency of payments: All payments under this contract will be made at the conclusion of the period covered.

Invoices may be submitted monthly with payments being made monthly by the U. S. Government.

Q 3 – If this requirements are currently being performed under a contract:

a- Who is the contractor?

b- What is the contract number and awarded date?

c- When does the contract expire?

d- What is the current contract value?

Answer: No previous contract was in place to cover this insurance requirement. The U. S.

Embassy was making direct payments on claims made by our Iraqi employees of the Embassy.

Q 4 – What months are included in the claims paid numbers for 2019, and if that amount included the cost of travel to receive medical services outside the country?

Answer: Claims paid were from October 2018 to September 2019 (Fiscal Year). The amounts did include the cost of travel to receive medical services out of the country. Reimbursement was based on 80% of the total medical cost, which included transportation to medical evacuation location, hotel accommodation, and medical services. For employees to receive reimbursement, there had to be a clear need for the services, not available in Iraq, and preapproved by Embassy Management. If the employee experienced an emergency during travel outside of Iraq, the reimbursement would cover only medical cost at 80%, but not transportation.

Q 5 – Excess Coverage - We note employees can purchase excess coverage - see B.5.1.

How will the contractor receive the employee’s payments for the excess coverage they purchase?

Will the embassy collect these funds and remit them to the contractor on behalf of the employee?

Answer: The contractor will arrange for payment directly with the employee for both Excess Coverage and Catastrophic Coverage. The Embassy will not collect these funds and remit them to the contractor.

Q 6 – Does this solicitation number 191Z1120R0002 contain the same requirements as the current contract? If not, please provide section C from the current contract.

Answer: This is a new insurance requirement for Iraqi employees; no previous or current contract are in place.

Q 7 – Are there dependent children to be covered who are studying outside the country? If yes, please provide the country and number of dependent children studying there.

Answer: We have no method in place to track the number of dependent children studying outside the country or their location. However, this population makes up a very small portion (1- 2%) of the coverage pool.

Q 8 – Please provide the address of the American Embassy Amman where we should send our proposal.

Answer: Please refer to the solicitation covering letter for instructions on how to submit the proposal. Proposals can be submitted in three forms; mail, electronic email or personally delivered to the U.S. Embassy in Amman.

Q 9 – Please confirm this solicitation covers only Iraqi citizens working at the US Embassy in Baghdad.

Answer: Solicitation# 191Z1120R0002 covers only Iraqi citizens that work for the U.S.

Embassy.

Q 10- Claims Activity in Prior Periods, please provide additional information crucial to the development of our rates. Please note the current contractor has access to this information and we and others would be at a significant disadvantage if we didn’t also have it.

Please provide the last three full years and the current partial year of loss data by year of account including:

a. three + years premium billed

b. three + years number of incurred claims

c. three + years amount of incurred claims

d. three + years total number members on the last day of the contract year. This is the total number of employees + spouses + dependents on the last day of the contract year for each period.

I've included below an example of an illustration of the information we are asking for. This illustration assumes the contract year ends on June 30.

Period Premiums Billed Number of

Claims Incurred Amounts of Claims Incurred

Total Number of Members on June 30

July 1, 2019 to current (please include the date these numbers are through)

July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019

July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018

July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017

Answer: As mentioned above, this is a new insurance requirement. The U. S. Embassy was self-insured and making direct payments for claims as reimbursable expense for our Iraqi employees. There are no prior contract years in place to provide the additional information requested and it is not necessary for the submission of the proposal. All information required to bid on this contract can be found in the solicitation.