Attachment 4 - Questions and Answers.pdf

FA441726Q0214 Questions and Answers

1. STAT Availability: Between scheduled runs, is the assigned courier required to remain continuously available/on-call in the local Hurlburt Field/Eglin AFB area from 8:00 a.m.

through 5:30 p.m., or is compliance satisfied as long as the contractor responds to a STAT request within the required two-hour response time? May the courier remain off-installation provided the two-hour STAT response time is met? For purposes of contract performance, does "respond within two hours" mean the courier must arrive at the STAT pickup location within two hours, or must the STAT pickup and delivery be completed within two hours?

Company must remain available for calls for pickups, M-F. They disseminate the job to their available couriers; the STAT pickup and delivery be completed within two hours.

2. STAT/Scheduled Run Overlap: If a STAT request is received near the time of a scheduled run, may the STAT and scheduled transportation requirements be coordinated or combined when operationally appropriate, or must they always be performed as separate runs?

If a STAT is able to go on the normal contracted runs, either 1200 or 1630 it will be sent with these runs without ordering a STAT run. If a STAT run is called when not able to make it on the 1200 run the normal daily items can be sent with the STAT run. This may happen with the 1630 run as well but if anything needs sent after a called afternoon STAT run then the courier would still be needed to pick-up for the 1630 run.

3. Historical STAT Volume: CLIN 0002 provides an estimated quantity of 75 STAT runs for the six-month period. Is this quantity based on historical usage? If available, please provide the approximate historical monthly frequency of STAT runs. Will CLIN 0002 be billed strictly on a unit-price per completed run basis via Wide Area WorkFlow (WAWF), and are there any guaranteed minimum run thresholds for STAT services?

This estimate is from historical usage in a 6 month period augmented to predict any possible surge in STAT runs. Due to certain peds testing needing to be sent STAT our STAT run numbers have increased. We cannot provide any guaranteed minimum at this time.

4. Government-Furnished Containers: Will the Government furnish appropriate containers/coolers and any required temperature-control materials for laboratory specimens, or should those costs be included in the contractor's quote? Will the Government furnish any resources under this contract — for example a vehicle, fuel, parking, storage, or containers — and if so, what?

The Lab provides all coolers/containers for temp controlled specimens.

5. Temperature Control & Specimen Container Requirements: PWS 1.2.2 mandates the transport of laboratory specimens with 100% chain-of-custody accountability. Do transported laboratory specimens require specific temperature-controlled containers (e.g., ambient, refrigerated, or frozen/dry ice transport boxes) or spill-proof biohazard coolers, and are these containers furnished by the Government or required to be supplied by the Contractor?

The Lab provides all coolers/containers for temp controlled specimens.

6. STAT Run Execution Window: PWS 1.2.4 states that STAT runs must be available between 8:00 AM and 5:30 PM CST with a mandatory two-hour on-site response time. If a STAT call is received late in the duty day (e.g., at 4:30 PM CST), is the Contractor required to complete the round-trip delivery past the 5:30 PM duty window on the same day, or is 5:30 PM the hard stop for all operational deliveries?

It is a hard stop. Any runs that would happen after 1630 would be specific to RAPID deployment blood banking samples. These samples are couriered by a Lab tech from Hurlburt to Eglin. These are not as common, but a procedure will be implemented after award.

7. Scheduled Run Windows and Pickup Points: PWS 1.2.2 specifies two scheduled daily round-trips between 1 SOMDG (Hurlburt Field) and 96 MDG (Eglin AFB). Could the Government provide target time windows for these two daily runs (e.g., morning and afternoon)? Additionally, are pickups and deliveries conducted at a single consolidated central mailroom/lab location at each installation, or at multiple individual department/clinic stop points across each facility? If so, can the Government provide an approximate number of routine stops per scheduled run? Does one "scheduled run" represent a complete round trip between Hurlburt Field and Eglin AFB, or does each one-way movement between the installations constitute one scheduled run?

Lab pickups are at the Lab @1200 and 1630. The Eglin courier may also pickup for other sections to be finalized after award.

8. Dental Clinic Check Protocol: PWS 1.2.3 states that checking with the Eglin AFB dental clinic no less than two times per week constitutes a check. Is this check requirement fulfilled as part of the standard daily scheduled runs under CLIN 0001, or does it require a separate, dedicated dispatch?

Part of the standard run

9. Insurance: Are there minimum commercial auto and general liability insurance limits required for this contract?

Follow state and federal law procedures to insure your vehicles.

10. PWS 3.1 requires the Contractor to "establish and maintain an office through which the Contract Manager or alternate(s) can be contacted during work hours." Does this require a physical office within the local area, or is a contact point reachable by telephone and email during work hours sufficient?

At a minimum have a point of contact reachable by telephone and email during work hours.

11. Please confirm whether the solicitation requires any prime-specific license, certification, permit, accreditation, bond, or other prerequisite that the contractor must hold at the time of quotation.

No.

12. May qualifications and evidence—including driver/background checks, base-access credentials, vehicle information, commercial insurance, HIPAA/privacy training, specimen-handling procedures, and similar operational requirements—be satisfied by the qualified subcontractor actually performing those functions?

Yes.

13. Holiday / Down-Day Scheduling:

When a scheduled service day falls on a federal holiday, military down day, or other closure, is that day’s service eliminated, or is the missed service added to/rescheduled on another duty day? If rescheduled, would the contractor potentially perform additional runs on the next available duty day?

No rescheduling will happen, will not be held against the contractor.

14. Please confirm that there is no requirement for a dedicated, refrigerated, commercially plated, or specially equipped vehicle beyond a safe and reliable vehicle capable of transporting the items identified in the PWS.

Confirmed.

15. May the contractor use multiple qualified and properly cleared/badged drivers to perform the scheduled and STAT services, rather than assigning one individual driver for the entire performance period?

Yes.

16. Please confirm whether laboratory specimens will be fully packaged, sealed, labeled, and ready for transportation by Government medical personnel prior to transfer to the contractor, or whether the contractor will have any responsibility for packaging or preparing specimens for transportation.

Fully packaged.

17. Are any materials anticipated under this requirement that require the contractor or driver to possess specific DOT hazardous-materials training, certification, endorsement, or specialized handling qualifications beyond those expressly identified in the solicitation/PWS?

Not anticipated.

18. Are there specific chain-of-custody forms, electronic tracking systems, signatures, scanning requirements, or delivery logs that the contractor must maintain for medical records, specimens, or other sensitive materials?

No. Records are kept by the Lab.

19. Does the Government provide any required HIPAA, Privacy Act, information-security, or installation-specific training, or must the contractor obtain and document this training independently prior to performance?

Government does not provide required training. The contractor shall obtain and document this training independently prior to performance.

20. Is the contractor required to maintain a designated backup driver and/or backup vehicle for continuity of service in the event of illness, vehicle failure, or another interruption?

Yes.

21. Base Access Security Vetting and Onboarding Timeline (PWS 4.1.1 & AFFAR 5352.242- 9000): PWS 4.1.1 notes that personnel may begin performance prior to full background check completion with CO and Hospital Commander approval. What is the standard estimated processing timeframe for Security Forces installation passes and DoD fingerprint background checks at Hurlburt Field, and will interim base access approvals be granted prior to the October 1, 2026 performance start date?

This process will be covered during a post award debrief with the CO and selected awardee.

Please note that PoP will be 6 months with the start date being decided during the debrief.

22. Should the quote be submitted by completing the CLIN table within the RFQ document itself, and is there a page limit or required format for the Technical Capabilities Statement?

Your pricing should be included in your separate quote following the CLIN structure provided within the RFQ. 10 Pages max to include all your pricing and technical data.

23. In light of FAR 52.232-18, will the resulting contract be fully funded at award for the entire period of performance, or incrementally funded? Will CLIN 0001 be invoiced in equal monthly increments, or on another schedule?

The contract will be fully funded at award, CLIN 0001 will be invoiced in equal monthly increments.

24. Does the Government anticipate option periods or a follow-on requirement after 31 March 2027, or will this requirement be re-solicited?

The government does anticipate a follow-on requirement after completion of contract.

There will be no option periods for this contract.

25. Limitations on Subcontracting: Does FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, apply to this requirement?

Please review the clauses and provisions attachment. The clauses listed apply.

26. Wage Determination: Please confirm the Wage Determination number and revision applicable to this requirement, and the employee classification the Government anticipates (e.g., Messenger Courier or Driver Courier).

Wage Determination No. 2015-4531 Revision No. 35 was posted with the solicitation. The contractor is responsible for the classification.

27. Incumbent Information: Is there a current or previous contractor performing these medical courier services? If so, please provide the incumbent contractor's name and current/previous contract number, if releasable.

FA441722P0002

28. May the prime contractor utilize a subcontractor to perform a portion of the scheduled medical courier runs and/or unscheduled STAT runs required under the PWS?

Subcontractor is allowed but the Prime has ultimate responsibility for work being completed in accordance with the PWS. The Prime is responsible for all communications with the CO and government POCs.

29. If applicable, may a similarly situated small-business subcontractor under NAICS 492110 perform courier services in support of the prime contractor?

No.

30. If subcontractors are proposed, is the offeror required to identify the subcontractor or subcontractor personnel in its quote, or is that information required only after award for installation access/background processing?

No, information will be required after award for base access.

31. Are there any additional subcontracting requirements or clauses applicable to this RFQ that are not contained in the posted solicitation documents?

Please review the clauses and provisions attachment. The clauses listed apply.