Solicitation_Q A.docx

Q: To be classified as a specialist in the veterinary world you need to be board certified. Are you looking for a board certified Ortho Specialist or Experience in Ortho?

A: We need orthopedic specialty to be available but do not have to have a board certification.

Q: Can the government further elaborate the above question?

A: Vendor should have Ortho experience, and able to refer out to a specialist if necessary.

Q: Does the vendor need AAHA accreditation?

A: Yes, it is a means to maintain quality control of veterinarians working with our dogs. This specification failed to appear in the original statement of work, but is necessary.

Q: The solicitation states that the government would select the technically acceptable proposal with the lowest evaluated price. How will the lowest evaluated price be calculated? Is it the total aggregate price of all the Line Items submitted on Attachment 1 for the Base Year only? Or is it the total aggregate price of all Line Items submitted on Attachment 1 for the Base Year and all Option Years?

A: Lowest evaluated price will be based on the line items (multiplied by their estimates) for the base and all option years. Unknown quantities will be evaluated at quantity of 1 for price evaluation purposes.

Q: The solicitation indicates that we need to add transportation costs. Does the contract require as part of the Scope of Work, that the Vet facility transport the canines to/from the USDA facility?

A: No, we will transport the canines to and from the Vet facility. The cost that needs to be included in the line item pricing is to be inclusive of any travel that may be needed to the facility. No travel expenses are to be reimbursed on this contract, therefore quotes should take that in consideration with pricing.

Q: Attachment 1 currently omits or does not specify or list in detail all the vaccines, injections/medications, and dog food that the USDA currently requires for its canines. For example, Attachment 1 contains a general line item for “Canine Preventative Vaccinations” but does not specify the exact vaccinations required as part of this contract. All dogs are different and cannot accept the same vaccinations, as a result, it is difficult to come up with a single unit price for preventative vaccinations. Should we provide a list of prices for the vaccinations we offer or provide the government an estimated average price for preventative vaccinations?

A: It is understood that it may be difficult to price due to the nature of the requirement. Each offeror is encouraged to provide the best price they possibly can for the items mentioned while understanding and accepting the risk of the pricing they offer.

Q: Regarding Attachment 1, if an item/service (injection/medication/dog food) is not listed on Attachment 1, will that injection/medication/food no longer needed from the vet facility and/or part of the Scope of Work under this solicitation?

A: If it can be reasonably assumed that any service listed in Attachment 1, could require food please price the line item accordingly.

Q: Attachment 1 lists OTC Heartworm/flea/tick medication, but this could be a variety of different products. Does the government require a specific OTC Heartworm/flea/tick medication? Should we provide a list of prices for the various OTC heartworm/flea/tick medications we offer or provide the government an estimated average price for OTC Heartworm/flea/tick medications?

A: The intent of the treatment is for medication that works best in the region. Please do not provide a list. Name brand or generic is up to each offeror to decide, keeping in mind that award will be made to the lowest technically acceptable price.

Q: Some of the items listed on Attachment 1 are priced per ml. based on the weight of the dog. Would you like an average weight used? How would you like an accurate calculation?

A: Please provide quotes priced on an ml basis.

Q: For some Items/Services it is unclear what the Unit Price should be because the item is sold in various quantities. For example, OTC Heartworm/Flea/Tick is often sold in 1 month, 3 month and 12 month quantities. We are unsure what quantity the government will seek to buy. How should we price items that can be sold in various quantities? If this is not clarified we may be forced to provide pricing for many of the line items that is much higher than what the government ultimately wants, because we had to assume the risk you could mean the higher quantity.

A: Provide the price for each category (i.e. 1 month, 3 month and 12 month). For evaluation purposes, all the prices will be added together with the estimated quantity applied to each.

Q: For Line Item “Canine Preventative Vaccinations,” is the government asking for a unit price for each separate vaccination that could be administered in a visit, or are you seeking a bundled price for multiple vaccinations that could be administered during a visit?

A: A bundled price (Please identify the vaccinations that are included).

Q: Under 1.2, the Government states that documents establishing the vendors’ ability to meet the technical needs of the government’s requirement shall not exceed 10 pages. Does this mean that the entire quote must not exceed 10 pages or that only the section of the quote specifically demonstrating the 3 areas mentioned in 1.2 cannot exceed 10 pages? Further, a fully filled out and printed Attachment 1 alone is more than 10 pages, when you include all option years. Should we exclude Attachment 1 from the page limit calculation?

A: The only thing that applies to the 10 page limit (which is a guideline), is information explaining technical capabilities. The quote using the excel format (attachment 1) will not be considered as counting against the page count.