Questions_ _Answers.pdf

Questions Series 1:

Comment: Page 14, Para A.1. states: “Proposals and questions must be emailed to the

773ess.pk.proposal@us.af.mil.The e-mail Subject line shall state the following: Questions/Proposals for the AFCCVO, ATTN: Mark Ingle and Trichelle Mayfield-Flagg, AFICA 773rd ESS/PKB”.

However, Page 16, Para L-II, C.3.(c)g. states: “The spine of each volume should include the following information from the list above: i., ii, iii. (only the Offeror’s name), and v.”

Question: Please explain whether this is an email submission only or whether hard copies of proposals are also required.

Answer: This will be an email submission only.

Question: If hard copies are required, please identify how many of each volume are required and whether redacted copies are also required (see Page 17, Para C.3(e)f.).

Answer: Para L-II C.3. (c) on page 16 is be changed in the revised RFP to reflect email submittals only.

Comment: Page 14, Para B.5. States: “Offeror’s proposal shall consist of a cover letter within each of the three (3) volumes: Cover Letter shall include the following:

Basic IDIQ/GSA contract number (if applicable)

Small Business Status/Categories as appropriate

Company point of contact with email, phone and facsimile number

CAGE Code, DUNS number, and Tax ID Number

A statement that your company understands the requirements specified in the Performance Work Statement (PWS) and will meet the performance standards and requirements therein”

Question: Please explain what Basic IDIQ/GSA contract number is needed as this does not appear to be a GSA contract.

Answer: Requesting an IDIQ/GSA reference number will be removed in the revised RFP.

Comment: Page 17, Para C.3(e), Table 1 Note states: “** Does not include the proposed QCP. Cover page and Table of Contents is inclusive of page limit, Offeror’s shall submit one original and one redacted copy of Volume I.”

Question: Should the QCP be included as an appendix/attachment to the technical proposal?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Is a redacted copy required for just Volume I or all volumes? If a QCP is required with the proposal does it also need to be redacted?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: Page 17, Para C.3.(e)a. This paragraph contradicts part of the Note under Table 1 concerning cover sheets and table of contents.

Question: Are the Cover Page and Table of Contents included in the page count or not? Please clarify.

Answer: The RFP will be revised to state the cover page and table of contents is not inclusive of page limit.

Comment: Page 17, Para C.3(e)b. states: “The minimum font size for the proposal pages is 12, utilizing Times New Roman themed font. Tables may use font size 10, utilizing Times New Roman. Required documents should be submitted via email with a read receipt, and should be clearly marked as the requirement title and your contract number. All text shall be single spaced with black text on white paper;

graphics, photos, etc. may be in color.”

Question: Please identify what contract number is to be included?

Answer: The RFP will be revised to state proposal number instead of contract number.

Comment: Page 17, Para C. 3(e) d. states: “Do not send as an executable or .exe file. Email size shall not exceed five megabytes. Documents may be compressed (zipped) using WinZip 8.1 or later version. Any corrupted file or media containing a virus could result in the offer not being considered for award.”

Question: Please confirm that a zip file is acceptable to the Government. On previous proposals, the Government has identified that zip files are unacceptable.

Answer: The RFP will be revised to delete the use of zipped files.

Comment: Page 17, Para C. 3(e) f. states: “Redacted copy should not include any reference to the company name and/or any identifying logos. Resumes are excluded from the 20 page limit for the Technical Volume.”

Question: Are resumes required? This requirement appears nowhere in the solicitation or PWS except in this paragraph. If so, are they to be representative or actual resumes? What resumes are needed, one for each functional position, one for each position or what? If these are needed, where should they be located, as an appendix? Do the resumes need to be redacted for personal identity and/or company where they worked?

Answer: The RFP will be revised to delete the resumes.

Question: If resumes are required, how will resumes be evaluated since they are not included in the evaluation criteria?

Answer: Please see answer to question 9.

Comment: Page 18, 4. (a).c Volume I – Technical Volume Para c, Sub-Factor 1 bullet states, “The submitted proposal shall establish how the tasks identified in the PWS, paragraph 2.1 thru 2.1.1.3.6 will be accomplish.”

Question: The ending PWS paragraph number does not exist. Should it be 2.1.1.23?

Answer: Revised RFP will reflect 2.1.1.23 instead of 2.1.1.3.6 on page 18.

Comment: Page 22, 4.(c) Volume III – Price, Para b. states, “Insert the proposed prices for base (12 months) and all four (4) option years in the Schedule B Proposal Pricing.”

Question: What values should contractors insert for the COST items - CLINs X002 (Credential Verification Fees) and X003 (Travel)? Will the government provide plug numbers?

Answer: The RFP will be revised to indicate plug-in values for Credential Verification Fees and Travel CLINS at $100,000 and $5,000 respectability over the life of the contract.

Comment: PWS Para 2.2.2.2 and 2.2.2.3 state “Ensure continuation of services during personnel absences due to sickness, leave, or termination from employment such that impact to the Government is minimal and position vacancies do not exceed 10 calendar days. The substitute/replacement personnel shall begin work no later than 10 calendar days after notification or immediately after departure of the incumbent personnel, whichever is earlier.”

Question: Can a temporary hire be used as the substitute/replacement personnel until a permanent replacement is available? Would the Government consider changing the vacancy and replacement requirements throughout the contract to reflect the same requirements as stated in Para 2.2.2.1 for the start of the contract given the timeframe for the Government to validate the candidate qualifications and the customary employees’ 2-week notification to their current employer.

Answer: No temporary hires cannot be used. And vacancy and replacement should be 20 calendar days, and will be reflected in the revised PWS in 2.2.2.3.

Comment: PWS Para 2.2.2.2 states, “The contractor shall maintain an overall filled rate of 95%.” How is this metric measured/calculated and over what timeframe (e.g., the contract life, each contract year, quarterly, monthly)? The metric appears to be impractical since there are only 10 FTEs and one unfilled position would equate to a 90% fill rate thus failing the metric.

Question: How is this metric measured/calculated and over what timeframe (e.g., the contract life, each contract year, quarterly, monthly)? The metric appears to be impractical since there are only 10 FTEs and one unfilled position would equate to a 90% fill rate thus failing the metric.

Answer: Monthly, 90% fill rate, and will be changed in the revised PWS.

Comment: PWS Para 2.2.2.2 and 2.2.2.4 tend to contradict each other concerning the vacancy timeframe.

Question: What is the allowable vacancy timeframe? Please clarify.

Answer: 20 calendar days, and will be reflected in the revised PWS in 2.2.2.2.

Comment: PWS Para 2.2.2.5 states, “Provide a stable workforce with less than 30% turnover across all contracted positions.” How is this metric measured/calculated and over what timeframe (e.g., over the contract life, each contract year)?

Question: How is this metric measured/calculated and over what timeframe (e.g., over the contract life, each contract year)?

Answer: Each Contract Year

Question: Please clarify conflict with the overall fill rate specified in Para 2.2.2.2. Since 2.2.2.1 has 100% personal are required, while 2.2.2.2 has 95%.

Answer: Monthly, 90%, and will revised in the PWS.

Comment: PWS Para 2.4. states “Government will provide the appropriate authorization to use the government-provided DoD CCQAS and DMHRSi for entry and storage of credentials data for the performance of this work.”

Question: Will the Government transfer any equipment and/or property between contractors upon contract award? If so, please specify.

Answer: Yes. The AFCCVO currently has approximately 48 cubic feet of provider credentials files and other credentialing documents and correspondence. In addition, the AFCCVO has electronic working files to support contract performance stored on a partitioned area of a server. All credentials documentation received is to be scanned and uploaded to CCQAS as the electronic credentials file.

Question: What mechanisms are required and/or provided to connect the AFCCVO to the AF MTFs and other customers? (phone, internet, fax capability, scanning capability) Will the AFCCVO personnel have

.mil email accounts?

Answer: The AFCCVO staff will be required to have phone, internet, fax, mail service, and scanning capabilities to connect to their customers. This is a turnkey operation. The AFCCVO personnel, once the appropriate paperwork and training has been completed will be provided a .mil email account to enable the staff to receive and send encrypted email. The staff will receive and may send information and documents containing PII and PHI via email.

Question: Does the Government have an existing system that is used for handling credentialing information prior to storage in CCQAS? . If so, will it be provided as GFE?

Answer: No the Government does not have an existing system that is used to handle credentialing information prior to entry of the data in CCQAS. Records are maintained in CCQAS and hard copy transitory records are maintained in file cabinets. No GFE is provided.

Question: Are there any facility requirements for the storage of historical credentialing files (paper records)? If so, please specify the amount of space that will be needed. If paper records are retained, what approximate quantity of paper records are produced annually and will the facility space need to increase over time?

Answer: Yes, there is a requirement to store the historical credentialing files and paper records. The

AFCVCVO currently maintains approximately 38 cubic feet of records/documentation. t It is not anticipated the facility space need to increase over time the space. The records are transitory.

Questions Series 2:

Comment: Currently a vendor conducts medical record reviews for some VA hospitals which requires access to medical records behind the Hospital security wall. The process to obtain this permission is quite arduous and can take months. It is probable the security risk associated with access to CCQAS from an outside vendor is of equal magnitude.

Reply from Customer: CCQAS is a web based system that requires a CAC to access. Security requirements: All contractor employees shall have/obtain an active favorable NACI or meet the requirements of DoDM 1000.13-M-VI, January 23, 2014.

Question: How long do you anticipate it will take for the contractor in obtain the appropriate authorization to use the government-provided DoD CCQAS and DMHRSi for entry and storage of credentials data for the performance of this work?

Answer: CCQAS and DMHRSi are web based systems that requires a CAC to access. Once the contract employee has an active favorable NACI and obtained a CAC, the contractor employee would complete the registration screen within CCQAS and the account would be processed by the government CCQAS database administrators assigned to AFMOA/SGHQ. AFMOA/SGHQ staff would also facilitate access to DMHRSi.

Question: Do all remote contract employees on this contract have the same access to the computer programs, military personnel records and CCQAS information? If so, do all contract employees need

NACI clearance?

Answer: All contract employees on this contract will have the same access to the information that is maintained in CCQAS and submitted to the AFCCVO. All contractor employees shall have/obtain an active favorable NACI or meet the requirements of DoDM 1000.13-M-VI, January 23, 2014.

Question: Is it correct that the e-PCF is housed in CCQAS? Since the Contractor maintains the e-PCF and ensures expirable credentials are tracked and updated when appropriate, what reports can the system generate to track expiration dates? Can the system flag credentials at 30, 60 and 90 days? What course of action do we have as a contractor if the provider is not compliant with our requests?

Answer: Yes, the e-PCF is a record within CCQAS. Standard and ad-hoc reports can be created/retrieved to track all expirable data within CCQAS. The report feature within the CCQAS database is used to identify expirable data at the 30, 60, 90 day timeframe. The contractor would document and contact the

COR for any issues or concerns if the provider is not compliant with their requests.

Question: Most companies cannot access and run a NPDB Databank Query on an individual. You have to be a Government entity. Providers and practitioners need to run their own query, and it currently costs

$5.00. Since the turnaround time is out of our control and dependent upon the individual practitioner responding to our request (the actual query with results takes minutes), would you consider changing the deliverables timeline?

AFMOA/SGHQ will identify the contractor as the AFMS authorized agent to query the NPDB. The associated cost for query of the NPDB is reimbursed by the government under the ODC CLIN. Provider self-queries are not accepted as this does not meet the requirements of the DoD, AFI or civilian accrediting organization for credentialing and privileging. The deliverable timeline for the NPDB query results stands as stated in the PWS.

Question: Page 15 describes the Proposal Format as: (a) Email Copy - Email size should not exceed

5MB.Section (c) describes a three volume format with printed pages and binding. Should the proposal be submitted in email or printed form?

Answer: Proposal shall be submitted in email only. Therefore, the RFP will be revised to delete Para L-11

C.

Question: Please clarify:

Table 1. Page 16 Number & Type of Copies Required has a note at the bottom stating:

** (page count) Does not include the proposed QCP. Cover page and Table of Contents is inclusive of page limit, Offeror’s shall submit one original and one redacted copy of Volume I.

In the next paragraph, it reads: a. Page limit includes: all attachments, appendices, charts, graphs, diagrams, tables, photographs, and drawings. Page limit does not include: covers sheets for volumes, tables of contents, glossary of abbreviations and acronyms, indices, title pages, and section dividers/tables if they are inserted solely to provide ease to the reader in locating parts/sections of the proposal.

Answer: The RFP will be revised to state the cover page and table of contents is not inclusive of page limit.

Questions Series 3:

Question: REF: L-II.C.4 (a) c – Sub-Factor 1 – Technical Approach: “The submitted proposal shall establish how the tasks identified in the PWS, paragraph 2.1 thru 2.1.1.3.6 will be accomplish.”

Answer: Has been previous answered.

Question: Given the timeframe for responses to contractor questions, would the Air Force consider an extension to the current deadline of August 31?

Answer: There are no plans to extend the closing date for this RFP at this time.

Questions: Can the Air Force provide anticipated monthly volumes of potential new accessions to be verified?

Answer: Air Force Recruiting Service’s Medical Profession Recruiting Station (MPRS) recruiters submit health professionals’ applications and credentials to the CVO for verification of the credentials in order to qualify applicants for accession. Annually approximately 350 potential accession case files for individuals who will be privileged active duty healthcare providers. Monthly # are variable as paperwork is submitted when recruiters complete recruiting package and when providers are actually accessed.

Question: Can the Air Force provide anticipated monthly volumes of deferred and non-deferred providers to be verified?

Answer: Each year healthcare students are recruited and accessed into military scholarship programs (i.e., Financial Assistance Program for residency/fellowship programs, Health Professions Scholarship Program or Uniformed Services University Health Sciences for qualifying degrees) for professional training in civilian programs and are placed in deferred and non-deferred status. Approximately 2200 applicants are tracked by the CVO each year. The Air Force will provide information on the current education status, projected date of graduation, assignment location and reporting date to the CVO on each student on a continual basis. The CVO will obtain required credentials from the provider and the provider’s training program prior to and upon completion of the training program for each student in training. Monthly numbers are variable depending on when providers enter status; specific program start and end dates and when orders are generated.

Question: Can the Air Force provide anticipated monthly volumes of providers enrolled in AFIT training programs to be verified?

Answer: Annually approximately 145 records are maintained for AFIT providers. Monthly numbers are variable depending on length of program, graduation date, and when orders are generated.

Question: Can the Air Force provide anticipated monthly volumes of healthcare students to be verified?

Answer: Approximately 90 participants are currently active in this program with 30 graduating annually.

Monthly numbers are variable depending on length of program, graduation date, and when orders are generated.

Questions Series 4:

Question: Is there an incumbent contractor? If so, what is the contract # and value?

Answer: The incumbent is Decypher Technologies, and the contract (Task Order) is FA8053-12-D-

0001-0002. The current value is $2,086,009.92.

Question: Is there any reason/rationale why the office/work has to be in San Antonio and not anywhere

CONUS?

Answer: The customer (AFMOA) who is responsible for this requirement is in San Antonio.

Questions Series 5:

Question: Do offerors and/or their facilities need to be certified by an accredited agency to operate the

AFCCVO?

Answer: No.

Question: The PWS specifies 10 FTES. Can offerors propose a different number of FTEs?

Answer: Minimum required is 10.

Question: What are the penalties for failing to meet the Services Summary Performance Thresholds?

Answer: Contractor will be given 10 days to correct a discrepancy as a result of performance unless the Contractor has received an extension. If the discrepancy is not corrected a Corrective Action Report (CAR) will be issued. If three (3) minor discrepancies are found, a CAR will be issued.

Question: The Services Summary stipulates no more than 6 substantiated errors during a six-month period. Will the Government provide the historical compliance rates under the incumbent contract?

Answer: Current contract did not have this same requirement.

Question: How many providers are credentialed per month, on average?

Answer: 950.

Question: How often are queries required? One time or at every privilege renewal?

Answer: Every privileging action.

Question: PWS Section 2.1.1.20: Will AFMOA provide this training?

Answer: Yes.

Question: PWS Section 2.1.1.23: Will the Chief, Professional Staff Management at AFMOA/SGHQ be assigned as the COR of the resultant contract? If not, will the COR sit at AFMOA or elsewhere?

Answer: Yes, AFMOA/SGHQ will remain the COR.

Question: PWS Section 2.4: How will contractor personnel access CCQAS and DMHRSi? Will the Government provide CAC-enabled laptops and technical support via AFMOA?

Answer: CCQAS and DMHRSi is web-based. No the Government will not provide CAC-enabled laptops and the technical support is limited to using CCQAS and DMHRSi.

Question: Is a facility clearance required?

Answer: No, if the facility would be the Credentials Verification Office the Contractor is required to establish.

Question: Sol Page 14 #1: Are hard copy proposals required?

Answer: No, and the RFP will be revised to reflect this.

Question: Sol Page 17 f.: For the redacted copy, can the company name be replaced with the CAGE Code?

Answer: Neither the Contractors’ name or cage code should be in the reacted copy.

Question: Sol Page 14 #5: Is a cover letter required in every volume?

Answer: Yes

Question: Sol Page 14 #5: To what Basic IDIQ/GSA contract number is the Government referring?

Answer: This statement will be deleted in the revised RFP.

Question: Will the Government confirm that none of the contract positions are subject to the Services Contract Act?

Answer: The Administrative Assistants will be subject to the Act.

Questions Series 6:

Question: Is this a new requirement?

Answer: No

Question: Is this is not a new requirement, how many incumbents performing these services?

Answer: 10.

Question: Who is the current contractor providing services?

Answer: Decypher Technologies

Question: Paragraph 2.2.8 Place of Performance states: The place of performance for this tasking will be at the contractor’s offices in San Antonio, Texas. Work under this contract will be performed off-site, the Government shall not provide work space. Does this mean that this work can be performed at our offices and/or by telecommute?

Answer: Work will be done at your office provided it is in San Antonio. There are no other exceptions.

Questions Series 7:

Question: Can the place of performance be multiple locations, including San Antonio? The government can potentially accrue additional cost savings by locating Non customer-facing staff in existing contractor credentialing locations.

Answer: The office has to be in one centralized location in San Antonio. There are no other exceptions.

Note: 2.1.2.3.2.1 in the PWS will be changed to reflect the following: “Five (5) years of experience in medical credentialing to include knowledge of the credentialing and privileging process, the required credentials for healthcare professionals, knowledge of appropriate sources used to complete PSV and databank queries.”