Contractor Q As.docx

1. Are these services currently performed in house or by a contractor?

No

2. Is this a multi-year contract? If so how many years out.

Yes--see solicitation line items 1001, 2001, 3001, 4001

3. How many Medical Group/Base closures other than Holiday closures are anticipated during a normal year? Unsure beyond the normal holidays, we have training days, resiliency days, ACC Down Days and Family Days just to name a few.

The awarded contractor will be provided a specific listing of these days upon award.

Note that all days cannot be forecasted (ex: snow days)

4. We assume that all Holidays and other Medical Group Closures are to be staffed 24 hours?

Yes

5. What is the requirement of "Time specified for receipt of offers" Provision at FAR 52.212.1 Instructions to Offers, Commercial Items (Feb 2012).

See solicitation information--last paragraph.

6. The SOW does not provide a specific period of performance. Please clarify.

The period of performance will begin upon award of the contract and last one year. With four option years. Please reference question #2.

7. The solicitation lists yearly provisions through 2017, but does not indicate begin / end dates and is silent regarding annual contract renewals or the terms of those renewals.

The begin/end dates of the optional option years will depend on when the contract is awarded. See answer 2 and 6.

8. It is unclear if the RFQs should be prepared separately for each yearly service term listed or should the RFQ be for a 5-year quotation ending (date) in 2017. In the event that offers should be executed separately for each year, are those yearly offers to be submitted under a single offer document.

Please provide one quote that lists the pricing for each option year in accordance with FAR 52.217-5 as listed in the solicitation.

9. The package information includes a register of wage determinations under the Service Contract Act (SCA). Does this suggest, and can you confirm that the SCA requirements apply to this particular solicitation.

Yes the SCA requirements apply to this solicitation as referenced in the provisions list on the solicitation=FAR 52.222-41

10. The solicitation states that it shall incorporate provisions and clauses that are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-55. The specific FAC content item is not referenced in the listing, but in the event that this solicitation includes Item IV - Time-and-Materials and Labor-Hour Contracts for Commercial Items (FAR Case 2009-043), it would be in conflict with FAR content 16.600 which states that Time & Materials (T&M) and Labor Hour (LH) contracts are not fixed-price contracts. Please clarify if: (a) this is a time-and-materials (T&M) and labor-hour (LH) contract to acquire call center services, or (b) this is a Fixed Price Contract. We note that one of the conditions of the solicitation is that it anticipates the ..."award will be a Firm Fixed Price Contract..."

The award will be a Firm Fixed Price Contract as stated in first paragraph of solicitation.

11. The solicitation requests that quotes must indicate quantity, unit price and total amount. How is this RFQ breakdown anticipated and how detailed should it be, especially when factoring in the possibility that this might be a T&M and LH contract type.

It is not T&M or LH type contract. See the answer to #10.

12. Based on the SOW I cannot determine if the government will provide the “location/facility” for the Operators or the Contractor must provide the location/facility. Can you please clarify?

The government will not supply a location/facility for the operators. Please reference the Government Furnished Equipment section of the Statement of Work.

13. We were looking through it and cannot find any forms that I have to submit for this solicitation.

There are no forms required. You just need to provide a Quote (email is acceptable) as directed in the second paragraph of the solicitation.

14. We see the reference to SF 1449 but noticed that there was not one provided. Is there an SF 1449 or similar that is to be provided?

No, the contract will be written on an SF1449. This form can be googled if you would like to see the format.

15. There is no technical or past performance required in the proposal package to be submitted?

Correct

16. Is there a particular costing format that is to be used for submission?

No as per the solicitation: Provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instruction to Offerors Commercial Items (Feb 2012) applies to this acquisition. The following addenda is provided to this provision: Request for Quotation should be submitted and shall contain the following information: Solicitation Number; Time Specified for receipt of offers; Name; Address; Telephone Number of Offeror; Terms of the expressed warranty; Price, Payment terms, Any discount terms, CAGE code, DUNS number, Tax ID number and acknowledgement of all solicitation amendments. Quotes must indicate quantity, unit price and total amount. Offerors that fail to furnish the required information, or reject the terms and conditions of the solicitation may be excluded from consideration.

17. The proposal is to be submitted electronically via fax or email?

See IMPORTANT NOTICES section of the solicitation.

18. On your "Performance Work Statement". In the first paragraph where it states the required coverage from Monday through Friday from 4:00p.m. to 6:30a.m.; and 4:00p.m. Friday through 6:30a.m. Monday. Then, on the bottom of Personnel section 2.2 Availability, you state that the contractor shall be available via telephone for support to the POC after business hours 4:30p.m. to 7:30a.m. 5 days a week, Mon-Fri. and 24 hours on weekends, holidays and down days. You can't have 24 hrs. and then have different times changed within 30 minutes if you notice your times? Because you will have open from 6:30a.m. on Sun. until 4:00p.m. in the afternoon?

The first paragraph is in regards to the answering service operators.

The bottom of the Personnel section is in regards to a Point Of Contact for the company.

19. Am I reading this solicitation correctly when it states a set aside for Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business? Does this mean only business that meet that classification can bid the job?

Only quotes from qualifying businesses “for Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business” will be considered for award.

20. Are health benefits required?

This service is being contracted out so that the government does not have to worry about paying health benefits to employees. It is up to you to pay your employees in accordance with labor laws.

21. Will the government tell us what wage rate and job description to use? The government does not select the wage rates or the job descriptions. That is the contractor’s responsibility.

22. What is the value of the wage determination sheet?

It is part of the Services Contract Act requirements as referenced in the provisions list on the solicitation=FAR 52.222-41

23. What is the expectation of the government for the level of expertise/licensure?

See paragraph 3.1 of the Statement of work.

24. Will the government supply the record-keeping forms to be used or is this something that will have to be developed by the contractor?

See section 4 of the Statement of work.

25. Is there a list of the additional days indicated such as the training days, down days and average number of annual snow days?

No, these will be provided to the awardee of this contract. Snow days are rare but unpredictable. Down days may come short notice also.

26. Will the Contractor be required to access DEERS information to determine eligibility for health care by any callers?

No