ATTACHMENT 3 RFI Questions and Answers.pdf

ATTACHMENT 3

SOLICITATION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (Q&A)

Prospective offerors submit the following questions pertaining to the subject solicitation for Behavioral Health Services (W912J726QA002). Please find the official responses and clarifications below and on Amendment W912J726QA0020002.

I. Staffing & Workload

Q1: Please provide the estimated annual and/or monthly workload, including counseling sessions, intakes, crisis cases, outreach events, and family support cases. A1: The clinical workload varies by month based on client needs. However, the historical averages per clinician per month are:

• Initial Intakes: Approximately 10 per month per clinician.

• Counseling Sessions : Approximately 63 sessions per month per clinician.

• Family Support Cases: Typically assessed in events of crisis and subsequently referred to established community resources.

• Outreach and Special Events: The planning factor is approximately six (6) support events per year (such as Soldier Readiness Processing, camps, or similar events).

Q2: Please provide the expected weekly/monthly work hours for each Behavioral Health Clinician.

A2: Clinicians are expected to work a standard 40-hour week. Calculated annually, the expectation is 2,080 hours (40 hours/week $\times$ 52 weeks = 2,080 hours). Under the billing terms, this corresponds to 1,880 billable productive hours per year (excluding the 200 hours of non-billable paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave).

Q3: Please confirm the expected weekly/monthly work hours for the full-time Administrative Support position.

A3: Same as clinicians; a standard 40-hour week. Calculated annually, the expectation is 2,080 hours (40 hours/week $\times$ 52 weeks = 2,080 hours), corresponding to 1,880 billable productive hours per year.

Q4: Approximately what percentage of services are expected to be delivered in person versus telehealth?

A4: Approximately 90% of clinical services are delivered in person. Only 10% are delivered via telehealth.

Q5: Are the LCSWs (3) expected to be full-time positions?

A5: Yes, all three (3) clinical positions are 100% full-time. Each clinician is expected to work a standard 40-hour week (equivalent to 1,880 billable productive hours per contract year).

II. Travel

Q6: The SAM.gov posting says the place of performance is Boise, ID, but PWS 1.6.2 offers six additional cities/locations. If travel between sites is contemplated, will the Government reimburse contractors for travel costs, or should contractors budget travel into their monthly prices?

A6: Travel to regional facilities (Caldwell, Twin Falls, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Lewiston, and Post Falls) is strictly on an as-needed, cost-reimbursable basis. Reimbursable travel expenses are paid under CLIN 0005 (Base Year) and CLIN 1005 (Option Year 1) in accordance with the JTR. Offerors should not budget travel costs into their firm-fixed-price monthly labor CLINs.

Q7: If travel is reimbursed separately, how many trips to each location listed in PWS

1.6.2 are anticipated, and how many personnel would be required on each trip?

A7: Monthly regional travel is uncommon. Historical contract data indicates fewer than six

(6) travel events in total across the entire team per fiscal year (approx. 1 trip every other month in total). Trips are executed strictly on an as-needed basis to support J9 programs or unit events (such as SRPs, camps, or similar events). Typically, only one (1) clinician is required per travel event.

Q8: Approximately how many travel days per month are anticipated for each Behavioral Health Clinician?

A8: Travel is infrequent. An effective planning factor is no more than six (6) total support events outside the Boise area per year.

Q9: Which Idaho National Guard locations are expected to require the most frequent travel?

A9: The regional facilities most frequented on a needs-basis are in the towns of Rexburg, Pocatello, Twin Falls, Lewiston, and Post Falls.

Q10: Will contractor personnel primarily travel between Idaho National Guard facilities, or will travel also include civilian/community locations?

A10: Authorized travel will be strictly limited to travel between Boise/Gowen Field and other Idaho National Guard regional facilities.

Q11: If travel is between Government facilities, will Government vehicles be made available, or should the contractor provide transportation?

A11: Transportation must be coordinated by the contractor and is reimbursed separately under the travel CLINs.

Q12: How much advance notice will normally be provided before travel to another duty location is required?

A12: The Government will typically provide 30 days or more of advance notice. Travel notice of less than 30 days is extremely uncommon.

Q13: Will overnight travel be required? If so, approximately how many overnight trips are anticipated annually?

A13: Overnight travel may occasionally be required depending on operational requirements. For planning purposes: Fiscal Year 2025 consisted of three (3) overnight trips, and Fiscal Year 2026 has had one (1) overnight trip.

III. Staffing Assignments & Locations

Q14: Where is the Administrative Support position primarily located?

A14: The Administrative Support position is primarily located in Boise, ID at Gowen Field Military Base.

Q15: Where are the LCSWs (Clinicians) to be primarily located?

A15: All three (3) LCSW Clinician positions are primarily located in Boise, ID at Gowen Field Military Base.

Q16: Will each clinician be assigned to a primary geographic region, or should all clinicians be prepared to support all Idaho locations?

A16: All positions are permanently co-located at Gowen Field in Boise, ID. However, all positions must be prepared to support any Idaho National Guard location via temporary travel when requested and pre-approved by the DPH/Program Manager.

Q17: Will dedicated office space be available for contractor personnel at each duty location?

A17: Yes. Permanent, dedicated office space is provided on Gowen Field in Boise, ID. When traveling, as-needed temporary office space will be made available within regional National Guard armories.

IV. Scheduling & On-Call Coverage

Q18: Approximately how many drill weekends or special events requiring contractor support are anticipated each year?

A18: Drill weekend and special event support is dependent on the organization's operational tempo. Six (6) support events per year is an effective planning factor for the clinical team.

Q19: What is the typical advance notice provided for weekend support or special events?

A19: The typical advance notice is 30 days or more. Advance notice of less than 30 days is uncommon.

Q20: Approximately how many after-hours or critical behavioral health responses occurred during the previous contract period?

A20: After-hours availability is not a requirement under this contract.

Q21: Per PWS section 5.3.11, clinicians must "coordinate with the DPH to provide supplemental 24/7/365 access to critical incident event support." Does this require on-call coverage?

A21: No. After-hours on-call availability is not a contract requirement. State and national hotline resources are utilized for 24/7 critical incident access.

Q22: Is there a response time requirement for support requests?

A22: Yes. Common clinical practice under this program requires returning non-crisis support requests within one (1) business day.

Q23: Will the Government add an additional CLIN to price on-call coverage?

A23: No. Since after-hours on-call coverage is not a requirement, no additional CLIN will be added to the solicitation.

Q24: What is the typical work schedule and shift schedule for each position?

A24: The standard shift is 0700 to 1630 (Monday through Friday). Clinicians may occasionally schedule appointments after-hours at their discretion to accommodate their clients' work schedules.

Q25: How are drill weekend or critical event hours paid? Can they exceed 40 hours per week?

A25: Overtime is not authorized. Clinicians are expected to flex their hours during the week in which they support a weekend drill or special event to ensure their total weekly work hours do not exceed 40 hours. Drill weekend and critical support are expected to be minimal.

V. Incumbent Information

Q26: We would like to know if this is a brand-new contract OR if there is an incumbent performing these services. If there is an incumbent, please provide their name, contract numbers, staffing levels, and previous award value.

A26: The requirement has changed based on current organizational needs, and it is not an exact 1-to-1 replacement of prior contracts. Quoters must review and base their proposals on the current PWS. Offerors prepare quotations based upon the requirements contained in the solicitation and any subsequent amendments.

Q27: Will incumbent personnel be eligible for transition to the successor contractor?

A27: The requirement has changed based on current organizational needs, offerors prepare quotations based upon the requirements contained in the solicitation and any subsequent amendments.

VI. Pricing & Contract Administration

Q28: Can the government identify the proper labor category in the DOL SCA Wage Determination that should be used for the Administrative Support position?

A28: Positions are identified as professional employees as defined under 29 CFR 541 and are exempt from the wage determination requirements pursuant to 41 U.S.C. Chapter 67, provided professional compensation standards are met. As the required job descriptions are purely for professional services and do not fit the SCA/WD, the Government will rescind the inclusion of the SCA/WD from this requirement.

Q29: The solicitation includes FFP monthly CLINs, while the PWS references actual hours worked and facility closures. Please clarify the intended basis for invoicing under the FFP monthly CLIN structure.

A29: Invoicing shall be submitted monthly in equal FFP installments based on the proposed CLIN monthly rate. However, each monthly invoice must be supported by certified labor hour tracking sheets verifying that productive hours are being delivered. In the event of unforeseen Government facility closures (unplanned holidays or emergency weather), invoicing is governed by PWS Section 1.6.3: actual hours worked are billable, and non-essential contractor employees who cannot telework are not paid for hours missed.

Q30: Should proposal pricing include contractor coverage for employee leave (vacation, sick, etc.), or will staffing adjustments be permitted during approved absences?

A30: Proposed monthly pricing must be fully burdened to account for the contractor's internal leave policies (paid vacation, sick, and holidays). The 1,880 productive hours framework mathematically accounts for these leave periods. The contractor is responsible for managing its workforce schedule and, if necessary, providing temporary or cross-coverage to ensure that clinical and administrative services remain fully operational and continuous during approved absences of the primary clinicians.

Q31: Will contractor travel time be considered compensable under this contract? A31:

Yes. The Government takes into account that travel time must be paid. The intent is to flex travel time within the weekly schedule to ensure that total hours (travel time + clinical time) remain under 40 hours per week per FTE.

VII. Proposal Submission, Formatting, & Evaluation

Q32: What is the page limit for the Technical Proposal?

A32: Section 1 (quote) Complete SF 1449 or the quoter's vendor commercial quote (no page limit). If providing a commercial quote without the SF 1449, the commercial quote MUST include all elements in paragraph (a) of this provision, and the statement requested in (a)(6), provide information pertaining to price only and provide complete pricing per SF 1449 line item schedule excluding Travel CLINS.

Q33: How many past performance references are required, and what are the recency/relevancy criteria?

A33: See updated instructions in 52.212-1 (Tailored) (a)(7)(iii), quoters shall submit a three-page past performance sheet following the prescribed formatting and minimum information specified in the "Example past performance format." listed.

Q34: Per Section B, the CLIN quantity is listed as 12. Should the unit of issue be "Months"?

A34: Yes. The unit of issue for CLINs 0001–0004 and 1001–1004 is Month, with a quantity of 12 per contract year. This represents twelve (12) consecutive months of clinical and administrative services. This has been updated in amendment W912J726QA0020002.

Q35: How will the Government determine "Best Value" under this solicitation?

A35: 52.212-2 has been updated and tailored in amendment W912J726QA0020002.