HAMS QAs_8 Mar 2012_responses.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR RFP

HOSPITAL ASEPTIC MANAGEMENT SERVICES

(HAMS)

9 MARCH 2012

QUEST

ION #

RFP QUESTIONS GOV'T RESPONSE

1 The above reference Solicitation does not appear to have wage determinations or CBA’s for 49 of the sites. Are those to be released at a later date?

The Collective Bargaining Agreement and Wage Determination will be provided via an amendment. Please see the FedBizOps for amendment.

2 I am questioning the submission of offers. I would like to know.

Should offerors submit on intended offers only, or should offerors submit also non intended offers with the words "NO BID"?

Offerors are to submit task proposals only on sites they desire to perform.

These will be evaluated for task order award. Offerors must submit at least five task order proposals per Section L and M requirements to be considered for award.

3 Part III Past Performance

b. Teaming Arrangement - If this is a first time joint effort, each party to the arrangement must provide a list of past relevant contracts limited to three (3) each which are considered recent

(within the last three years).

My question is does each party in the joint venture have to have relevant contract experience to meet the minimum requirements? Or can one party have the relevant contract experience and the other not have relevant contract experience and still meet the minimum requirements?

Each party is to submit relevant and recent past performance. Relevant contracts include recent and relevant corporate experience where the effort involved similar scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this solicitation requires. In accordance with the evaluation criteria if a teaming arrangement is contemplated, the offeror must provide complete information as to the arrangement, including any relevant and recent past performance information on previous teaming arrangements with same partner. If this is a first time joint effort, each party to the arrangement must provide a list of past relevant contracts limited to three (3) each which are considered recent (within the last three years). So if this is a new teaming arrangement, each party to the arrangement must provide a list of past relevant contracts limited to three (3) each which are considered recent

(within the last three years).

4 Just completed review of Keesler IMFE Technical Exhibit, a number of formula mistakes exists. Do you want Offeror to make formula corrections or will the Government provide corrected IMFE's.

Revised staffing/pricing packages will be distributed through an amendment. Please see FedBizOps for revised/corrected IMFEs.

5 Please provide a hard copy of the Area Wage Determination for

Keesler AFB.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement and Wage Determination will be provided via an amendment. Please see the FedBizOps for amendment.

6 What is the current price and name of incumbent contractor for each of the MTF’s identified in the IMFE’s? (Reportedly this information is supposed to be available under the Freedom of

Information Act, but it is not possible to apply and obtain this information before the bid closing date so assistance is needed.)

Please see attached file to FedBizOps entitled Response to Question #6

HAMS RFP

(HAMS)

9 MARCH 2012

7 Part 1 – Administrative 1.b. States a matrix shall be included cross referencing each paragraph of the PWS… There are many paragraphs in the PWS (45 pages) that wouldn’t be addressed in the proposal because they don’t really necessitate being addressed.

Examples (but not limited too):

1.1 Background

1.3 Definitions

2.1.1.2 Voluntary Consensus Standards

2.3 Government/Contractor Furnished Services/Information

Property/Materials

Q: Since there is a 60 page limit to the proposal content is it necessary to address each and every paragraph and sub-paragraph of the PWS, or are we able to omit addressing some?

Offerors do not have to address every paragraph in the PWS. The offerors must provide sufficient information for the government to evaluate proposals on an acceptable/unacceptable basis. In order to be considered awardable for the Basic IDIQ Contracts, there must be an acceptable rating in every non-price factor/sub-factor.

8 4) Staffing Plan – States the plan shall include resumes for proposed key personnel. At a minimum it is to include the Certified

Executive Housekeeper (EH) and Associate Executive Housekeeper

(AEH).

Q: Since at least 5 locations (or more) are to be proposed upon and all at one time it is not practical to assume any company has a sufficient number of qualified key personnel waiting on-hand to relocate somewhere in the country once awarded, or even tentatively hired. The offeror’s good faith intention must be to retain the current EH and AEH at a minimum, but have no way of knowing who hopes to stay with their contract. It is a very common practice for key personnel to remain with the contract due to their families being settled and/or kids in school and hope to be considered for hire. Request those key individuals that are hoping to be hired for the next contract be identified so they can be contacted to make their resume available to be included in applicable proposals for their location?

Q: Without the above information are we required to identify a different EH and AEH for each location proposal? An offeror has no idea if they will be awarded even one contract or more so the name of one available company EH should be allowed on multiple

Q1: The government is not responsible for identifying "key" individuals for the next contract. The offeror is responsible for identifying staffing plan and resumes for performance. Q2: For task order proposals, an offeror can submit the same CEH or AEH on more than one task order. If the offeror is awarded the task order, any change in person submitted as the CEH/AEH must meet required qualification.

(HAMS)

9 MARCH 2012

9 2.1.4.1 – States that if not CIMS-GB certified the contractor shall be

ISO 9001:2008 certified. The contractor shall maintain ISSA CIMS-

GB or ISO 9001:2008 certification throughout the contract period.

Also there is nothing in the instructions to offeror requiring anything other then CIMS-GB certification with proposal, or submitted within 180 days.

Q: If the contractor intends on acquiring ISSA CIMS-GB certification within 180 days of contract start, does this standard mean if the contractor is not ISSA CIMS-GB at the time of proposal submittal they must be ISO 9001:2008 certified in the meantime?

Q: This standard states that the contractor shall maintain ISSA or

ISO certification throughout the contract period. Is ISO certification acceptable as ISSA equivalent?

Q1: If a contractor will acquire ISSA CIMS-GB certification within 180 days of contract start, they do not need to be ISO 9001:2008 in the interim.

Q2: If a contractor proposes an equivalent certification, the Contractor shall provide a certified copy of the equivalent certification and provide supporting documentation that the equivalent certification, at a minimum, meets the voluntary consensus standards (VCS) of the ISSA CIMS-GB certification. The supporting documentation shall be substantive, objective evidence (e.g., letter from ISSA) demonstrating equivalency to the ISSA

CIMS-GB certification. Please see PWS for all information regarding this requirement.

10 As part of the Sample MTF approach we are to provide work schedules for the key areas (listed on page 238 of 246) to include date, time, and phasing of each task to include completion time by room…

If you were to take the number of SF per room and divide by the applicable determined RS productivity rate you have a calculated time allotment that is not real. Housekeepers can not be expected to start and finish a series of rooms in such a raw amount of time per room. There is a daily give and take room to room that causes fluctuation in start or completion time, not to mention all the while responding to the misc. needs of the given area. Productivity rates can be applied to any given area for determining an estimated budget of time, but seems excessive to be determined from room to room throughout the day.

Q: Does phasing of each task mean to list the cleaning tasks (i.e.

dust mopping, damp mopping, dusting, trash removal, etc.) to be performed in a given room with start and completion time to perform the listed tasks, and then indicate the same or similar list of tasks to be performed in the next room with start and completion times, and so on for every room in the areas listed on page 238 of

246 because this includes hundreds of rooms?

Example – If an area (inclusive of about 40 rooms of varied sizes and uses) is 9,600 SF and the offeror indicates a productivity rate for that category of 1,200 SF per hour the area would be budgeted for 8

Phasing does not mean to list the actual cleaning tasks accomplished in a room. Phasing is the sequencing of rooms/areas to include start/stop times on a given day, which day(s) of a week, etc. Work schedules submitted in the sample task should demonstrate that the offeror is capable of developing time management schedules on when rooms are to be inspected, cleaned, etc., throughout the day in accordance with the IMFE and is capable of communicating that schedule to the government.

(HAMS)

9 MARCH 2012

11 The offeror must propose on at least five MTF’s with no advance site visits scheduled making best attempt to determine labor hours necessary, consumable usage, necessary and best suited equipment, and frequency of project work (floor/carpet maintenance) reaching a proposal price. Then if found technically acceptable with lowest price the offeror will receive the contract award for price submitted regardless of what may be discovered later once on-site.

Q: Is the understanding description above correct?

Q: If the offeror’s estimated bid on a facility (sight unseen) is found to be low after award, is the offeror locked in to their firm fixed proposed price with no negotiation for adjustment?

A site visit is scheduled for 21 Mar 2012 to provide the potential offeror's with a representative MTF. The government believes it has provided sufficient information in the PWS and the IMFE for the offerors to propose a fair and reasonable price.

12 Part II – Technical, Factor 1, Subfactors 1.1 and 1.2 are part of the

60 page limit, because addressing the requirements are in the form of descriptions, outlines, and/or methodology of policies and/or practices.

Q: Is the actual material described or outlined in Subfactors 1.1 and

1.2 to be included as part of the MFAM?

Q: Please confirm that the following requirements are all to be part of the MFAM submittal:

Subfactor 1.3 – Sample MTF Approach: Includes the offeror’s

Quality Program, Training Program, Health/Safety.

1) Transition Plan

2) MFAM

3) Work Schedules

4) Staffing Plan

5) Contractor-Furnished Equipment

6) Contractor-Furnished Supplies

Offerors responses to Subfactors 1.1 and 1.2 are NOT to be included in the

MFAM. The MFAM is only for the sample task. The Transition Plan, Work Schedules, Staffing Plan, Contractor-Furnished Equipment, and

Contractor-Furnished Supplies are to be part of the offerors proposals in addition to the MFAM.

13 There are no CBA Addendums or applicable wage determination included in the solicitation to indicate current wage and benefit rates to be paid for each MTF location listed. These rates are necessary in order to complete the Excel pricing worksheets required to be submitted.

Q: How do the offeror’s obtain the applicable wage and benefit information necessary for the pricing pages?

Q: In order to calculate the cost of applicable vacations due each employee how does an offeror obtain a current seniority list for each location, especially for those with a large number of employees?

The Collective Bargaining Agreement and Wage Determination will be provided via an amendment. Please see the FedBizOps for amendment.

(HAMS)

9 MARCH 2012

14 The instruction on Schedule B worksheets states to add decimal for percentage of increase for price escalation in option periods.

Q: Is the price escalation mentioned suppose to include reasons for forecasted price escalation (i.e. anticipation of increases in the cost of supplies, potential future negotiated labor wage and benefit increases, and/or scheduled salary increases for key personnel)?

Offerors are not required to submit certified cost and pricing data as this is a firm fixed price effort. Prices will be evaluated on price fairness and reasonableness. Offerors may choose to provide additional supporting pricing information.

15 The Schedule B option year calculation equations seem flawed.

For the base year the calculation transfers the determined price per

SF from the Price worksheet and then multiplies it by the IMFE total number of SF to determine the monthly cost. For the first option year Excel then automatically transfers the determined cost per month for the base year into the price per SF box, and then multiplies it by the number of SF again exploding the option price per month. The schedule continues to carry this equation flaw through each of the option years.

It is the price per SF for the base year plus any percentage of escalation that should be placed in the price per SF box for option one year. Then the option one year price per SF plus any percentage of escalation should be placed in the price per SF box of option two year, and so on. In other words, box B14 on schedule B equation should be B6*1 rather then D6*1. It is then up to the offeror to manually add any percentage of escalation to the prior year price per

SF and place in the next option year price per SF box.

Q: Is the auto calculation formula for the Schedule B option years flawed as described above, and corrected as described above?

Revised staffing/pricing packages will be distributed through an amendment. Please see FedBizOps for revised/corrected IMFEs.

16 Wage Worksheet

Q: Where are we to include other costs (i.e. travel, communications, postage, regulation fees, uniforms, phase-in costs, etc.)?

The requirement is a firm fixed price requirement. Price should be inclusive of total requirement to complete HAMS performance successfully.

(HAMS)

9 MARCH 2012

17 Price Worksheet

Q: Is the supervisory wage to be loaded to include (but not limited

to) payroll costs, vacation, holidays, sick, and health benefit?

Q: Where on the pricing worksheet are we to include estimated hours associated with project work (i.e. floor and carpet maintenance)?

Q1. Supervisory wages are fully burdened rates. Q2: Floor/carpet maintenance and similar type work are inclusive of total clean. These requirements should be included within the projected staffing/productivity rates.

18 Upon further review of MTF installation's IMFE, it provides a website to download applicable Area Wage Determination; however, the IMFE does not state if applicable Installation has a Collective

Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in place.

Question: Does an active CBA have precedence over an

Installation's AWD? And if it does, will you be providing those current CBA's per MTF to satisfy the pricing requirements?

The Collective Bargaining Agreement and Wage Determination will be provided via an amendment. Please see the FedBizOps for amendment.

With respect to the two step process for proposal submittal and proposal evaluation can you please clarify the following: There are numerous references to the following statement, “Offerors proposals to the exhibits will be incorporated into the contract award” and/or, “Individual MTF proposals will be incorporated into the resultant

Task Order Award.” Are these statements saying that if an offeror elects to submit on the minimum of five MTF’s, for example, and those proposals are submitted with the original proposal then those five offers stand? In other words, there is not going to be an opportunity (if selected for an IDIQ contract) to submit on those same MTF’s?

Offerors must submit their proposals in accordance with the solicitation.

The Government will evaluate proposals on an acceptable/unacceptable basis. Offerors that fail to furnish required information, or reject the terms and conditions of the solicitation may be excluded from considerations. The offerors proposals shall consist of a technical, past performance, price proposal for the sample Keesler IMFE approach, AND must consist of at least five individual MTFs proposal. The Contracting Officer will evaluate each offerors proposal submission for consideration. If considered, the

Contracting Officer and the SSEB will convene the source selection beginning with the first step - evaluating the sample Keesler MTF proposal for acceptability in accordance with the evaluation criteria factors and subfactors. This first step will determine which offerors are considered acceptable to receive a Basic IDIQ Contract. Only those offerors who are found acceptable will move to the second step. The individual MTF proposals submitted will be evaluated for price, and the Contracting Officer will award a task order to that offeror whose price is lowest for a given individual MTF. Offerors should provide as part of its initial proposal submission, the technical, past performance and price volume, AND the individual MTF proposal it has selected (which shall be at least five).

(HAMS)

9 MARCH 2012

20 If an offeror submits the minimum number of MTF proposals with the initial proposal submittal and if that offeror is selected for an

IDIQ contract then are those five the only ones the offeror is in the running for? Or, Is it the Government’s intention to select a number of IDIQ awardees at the end of Step 1 and then ask for proposals among the awardees for the 52 MTF’s?

Asked another way, If an offeror wishes to compete for more than five of the MTF’s do those proposals need to be submitted as part of the original proposal submittal?

Offerors must submit their proposals in accordance with the solicitation.

The Government will evaluate proposals on an acceptable/unacceptable basis. Offerors that fail to furnish required information, or reject the terms and conditions of the solicitation may be excluded from considerations. The offerors proposals shall consist of a technical, past performance, price proposal for the sample Keesler IMFE approach, AND must consist of at least five individual MTFs proposal. The Contracting Officer will evaluate each offerors proposal submission for consideration. If considered, the

Contracting Officer and the SSEB will convene the source selection beginning with the first step - evaluating the sample Keesler MTF proposal for acceptability in accordance with the evaluation criteria factors and subfactors. This first step will determine which offerors are considered acceptable to receive a Basic IDIQ Contract. Only those offerors who are found acceptable will move to the second step. The individual MTF proposals submitted will be evaluated for price, and the Contracting Officer will award a task order to that offeror whose price is lowest for a given individual MTF. Offerors should provide as part of its initial proposal submission, the technical, past performance and price volume, AND the individual MTF proposal it has selected (which shall be at least five).

21 5. The individual IMFE’s have various pricing spreadsheets. Among these are sheets that ask the offeror to insert a wage in a certain cell, insert a health and welfare hourly cost, etc. All but a few of the

MTF’s are currently covered under a CBA. Will those CBA’s be made available prior to proposal submittal?

The Collective Bargaining Agreement and Wage Determination will be provided via an amendment. Please see the FedBizOpps for amendment.

22 Will the government provide floor types i.e. VCT, Carpet, etc for each area listed on the IMFEE's?

While the government will not provide specific flooring type for each room/area in the IMFE, resilient flooring is predominant throughout AF medical facilities. Carpeting is limited primarily to individual offices in administrative areas and in waiting areas.

23 Will the contractor have the option of utilizing jumbo toilet tissue/jumbo rolled paper towels? (with prior government approval).

Contractor is to provide paper products/dispensers sized as directed in the

IMFE.

(HAMS)

9 MARCH 2012

24 do our janitors need to be certified (general) to work in the hospital? Are there special requirements for the employees other than the training needed to clean?

Janitorial staff training requirements are described in the PWS.

Certification is not required.

25 Reviewed the Keesler Propack 3 IMFE and attached CBA, the IMFE

Wage page doces not provide for a Group Leader per the CBA.

The Keesler IMFE wage tab provides for the "housekeeper" labor rate, which is covered under the CBA WD, and may be indentified as a group leader.