Questions_and_Answers.docx

Questions and Answers OHI-393-2018-0017-raw Q1 The SOW refers to 35 meetings and 320 hearings days and while the pricing spread sheet just has 35 meetings indicated. Is this this procurement just for the Meetings part of the boards work or there also 320 hearing days to be covered?

This procurement is only for Board hearings and potentially a few Union hearings. We estimate 35 – 45 hearings per year. The SOW is updated to remove the 320 hearings days per year and state that “A hearing may be held on any day the federal government is open for business. There is potential for multiple hearings in one day.”

Q2. Are audio recordings to be provided for all hearings?

No, estimated to only need audio recordings once per year.

Q3. Can we leave equipment onsite?

No

Q4. Are we providing sound reinforcement for the room?

No

Q5. Is there an audience at the meetings?

Sometimes

Q6. Is there an audience for the Hearings?

Sometimes

Q8. The statement of work indicates that most hearings/meetings will be held in the Baltimore office. Are there other locations that will need coverage? If so what are the locations and how often would that happen?

The hearings happen in Baltimore, at two different buildings that are within three miles of each other. The significant majority of hearings will be at the address listed in the SOW. it is estimated that one or two hearings may be held at the CMS main building at 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244.

Reference: 3.1.1. Location of Services Provided:

The primary hearing site will be at the Provider Reimbursement Review Board, 1508 Woodlawn Drive, Suite100, Baltimore, Maryland 21207.Building and Room location will be provided to the Contractor when services are scheduled. Are there any alternative locations that may be utilized? Are MLA hearings for Regional Offices conducted in Baltimore, telephonically, or at the local duty station?

Reference: 3.a Furnish verbatim court reporting of appeals, hearings, arbitrations, and meetings on an as required basis. The estimated number of hearing days is 320 per year. Transcripts of hearings will be approximately 90-225 pages. The estimated number of meetings is 20-35 per year. The included price template estimates 40 hearings and 45 “daily” fees per year. For the workload and pricing reasons, could the government clarify the estimated number of annual requirements?

Reference: The Government will award the contract to the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) Offeror. The Factors that will determine if an offeror is technically acceptable are:

Could the government clarify whether the evaluation criteria is Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) or best value?

. Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA)

Q14. Regarding the Simplified Acquisition Procedure for this requirement, does the SAP cap of $250,000 pertain to each individual year or is the SAP cap of $250,000 inclusive of the base plus four year period (60 months)?

The SAP cap is $250,000 for the base plus all option years

Q15. Section 3.2. (c) states “the original transcript must be in the official mini-page format”, while Section 4, #3, states “furnish the original and one copy and electronic copy of the completed transcript”. Please confirm what the standard order is in terms of hard copies, electronic copies, mini-page format, full-size format, etc.

The hard copy delivered in paper should be the official mini-page format. The electronic copy delivered via email should be standard single page format.

Q16. Section 4, #4, references furnishing a “DVD copy of recordings as necessary”.

a. How often does the Agency request a copy of the audio recordings?

Estimated once per year

b. Please provide a CLIN for providing the audio recording on DVD?

CLIN will be added

Q.17. Section 3. (a) states that the “estimated number of hearing days is 320 per year”. Given that there are 260 business days per year:

a. Will it be common for there to be more than one reporter required on a given day? Potentially, but this is very rare.

b. Will a presiding official (and single court reporter) do multiple hearings on one day? Potentially, although not expected at this time.

Q.18 On the Pricing Template:

0. What is the difference between the first CLIN “Hearings/Proceedings Fee” and the second CLIN “Fee Per Day”? There will be one “Hearings/Proceedings Fee” per hearing. Most hearings only last one day, but in the occasion when a hearing does take multiple days the “Fee per day” CLIN will be used to charge for the additional days a hearing may take. It is estimated that there will be no more than 3-5 multi day hearings per year.

0. Section 3. (a) of the SOW states that the estimated number of hearing days is 320 per year, but the Quantity on the Pricing Template for CLIN “Fee Per Day” is only 45 per year. Why is there such a large discrepancy? Please adjust the quantities on the Pricing Template? It is estimated to have 35-45 hearings per year. The SOW is updated to remove the 320 hearings days per year and state that “A hearing may be held on any day the federal government is open for business. There is potential for multiple hearings in one day.”

0. If the number of hearing days is adjusted to match the SOW, then the page counts should be adjusted accordingly for both “Original Transcript 10 Day” and “Original Transcript 3 Day”? The number of hearings was not adjusted.