Medical_Staffing_QandA-_Amendment_1.pdf

HSCEDM‐16‐R‐00002

RFP QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

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B B‐3 and J‐13 CLIN Pricing Schedule B and Attachment J‐13. The Total hours shown on Schedule B – CLIN pricing by site does not match with the pricing document J‐13 Medical Pricing Staffing Total hours per site. Please advise on which is the correct number of hours?

Attachment J‐13 has been revised and is incorporated with this amendment.

B B‐3 B‐3, Estimated Level of Effort, Page 1 of 132:

a. What is the current average vacancy rate for each of the facilities outlined in this section?

b. Will the government please provide a list of current health care vacancies—by site and by position—so that vendors can estimate the time required to recruit and mobilize staff for the contract performance period?

c. What is the historic average vacancy rate for each of the facilities outlined in this section?

The current average vacancy rates are not available. The Government has provided a list of the current vacancies on the contracts (by position and location) as Attachment J‐17. Please note, as discussed at the pre‐proposal conference and in the SOW, the staffing matrix changes frequently based on a shift in a number of factors such as detainee populations, priorities, etc. The Contractor will be required to be flexible in fulfilling the needs of IHSC.

Attachment J‐17 is a snapshot of the current vacancies as of 3/23 which has been provided to assist in preparing recruiting strategies in preparation for proposal submittal.

B B‐3 "B‐3, Estimated Level of Effort, Page 1 of 132:

a. There is no estimate provided under CLIN 0024 for "Transition In." Please clarify (a) what activities the government envisions being billed under CLIN 0024 "Transition In;" and (b) why no estimated labor or level of effort was provided.

See RFP C‐32, Transition Plan. Offerors are required to develop and propose their own strategy to ensure an effective transition in. Offerors must therefore provide its own estimate for CLIN 0024.

B B‐3 B‐3, Estimated Level of Effort, Page 1 of 132: Regarding the transition period at the beginning of the Base Period:

a. Will the government accept a “phased” implementation approach of more than 60 days, with mutually agreed‐upon “go

Offerors are required to develop and propose their own strategy to ensure an effective transition in, which must be completed within 60 days of contract

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live” dates for various subsets of the facilities?

b. If the answer to (a) is “yes,” will the government agree to continue paying prorated “transition” dollars under CLIN 024 for those facility subsets that are scheduled for transition outside the first 60 days of the contract?

c. If the answer to (a) is “yes,” will the government agree to begin paying actual “labor hour” dollars (rather than CLIN 024 transition dollars) for those facility subsets whose transition is completed well within the first 60 days of the contract?

award.

B B‐3 B‐3 (Solicitation, Page 1). Section B‐3 states “The Government reserves the right to make modifications to the Site Staffing Matrix as required to support the needs of the Government.”

Are these modifications unilateral, or must they be with the agreement of the Contractor?

The government reserves the right to add or delete positions unilaterally to meet agency requirements. Mission changes may be frequent at times during the contract period but will be communicated to the vendor at a minimum on a weekly basis. The adding and deleting of positions should be expected and anticipated.

B B‐3 B‐3. Estimated Level of Effort (a) Base Period. The RFP states that “The Government understands that with the transition period during the Base Period, the actual level of effort will most likely not reach the estimates noted below”; however, on Attachment J‐13 Medical Staffing Pricing, the Government provides 2080 hours for every full‐time equivalent in the Base Period. Since the Government has accounted for 100% of the base period hours in Attachment J‐13’s base period column, please confirm the Contractor should propose additional hours for the transition period even though it would exceed the maximum hours for one full‐time equivalent

No, the transition period is 60 days and the performance period is 305 days. The Government anticipates less than 2080 hours for the first contract year, however it is up to the Offeror to develop the best strategy for transitioning the services.

B B‐3 B‐3 (Solicitation, Page 1‐5). Regarding the table in Section B‐3 listing Labor Hours/Level of Effort:

1. If the Contractor can accomplish the tasks and results set forth

1. The resulting contract will be a Labor Hour contract. The Contractor will be paid for hours worked.

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in Section C with less hours that stated in Section B Table, will the Government require a reduction in price?

2. If the Contractor requires additional hours to accomplish the tasks and results set forth in Section C than the hours stated in Section B Table, will the Government permit a higher price?

3. Do the Labor Hours/Level of Effort in the Section B Table include overtime?

4. Do the Labor Hours/Level of Effort in the Section B Table include training time?

5. Do the Labor Hours/Level of Effort in the Section B Table include key personnel time?

6. Do the Labor Hours/Level of Effort in the Section B Table include travel time?

7. Can the Contractor propose more or less Labor Hours than those in Section B Table?

2. See response above.

3. The estimated LOE does not include overtime.

4. The estimated LOE does include Government required training hours.

5. The LOE does not include off‐site key personnel, but does include on‐site key personnel. The offeror must propose how many Contract Coordinators will be required to oversee the health care personnel as part of their proposal. A separate CLIN addressing the Contract Coordinators has been added.

6. Travel time is not considered in the estimated LOE hours. The Government will not pay for “commuting” time.

However, costs for authorized travel, including actual time in travel, will be reimbursable under the Travel CLIN.

Travel time is not a billable expense under this contract unless government directed and pre‐approved in accordance with contract C‐28. TRAVEL

7. No.

8 Duplicate Question Duplicate removed

B B‐3 B‐3: Level of Effort (Solicitation, Page 1). Do the LOEs represent the minimum numbers of hours of service at each site?

2. Do the LOEs represent the maximum number of hours of service at each site?

3. If personnel from one site travel/TDY to another site to cover vacancies or provide surge staffing assistance, where would those additional hours be allocated in terms of meeting site‐

1. and 2. The LOE varies over time as mission needs change. The staffing matrix provided in the RFP represents the Government’s best estimate of anticipated requirements.

3. The Contractor is required to fill all contract positions at all sites. The

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specific LOE?

4. How are OT hours accounted for in meeting LOE performance?

5. Please provide the LOE hours for each labor category and/or each projected FTE at each facility.

Government is therefore measuring the number of positions not filled at each site. Should the Government require support at one site which results in moving staff on a temporary basis from one facility to another, the Contractor will not be penalized for the vacancy at the original duty station due to the TDY status of the Contractor’s staff.

4. The Contractor is required to fill all contract positions at all sites. Therefore, OT is not calculated in the LOE estimated as it is not anticipated, nor will it be authorized except under the specific conditions identified in the contract, C‐25 OVERTIME.

5. See Attachment J‐13, Medical Staffing Pricing.

B B‐3 The base year is a shorter period than the option periods because of the transition, but there is no reduction in the base period hours, should the hours in the base period be reduced?

These numbers are provided as estimates. Please see the discussion on page 1 (a) Base Period.

C C.21(C) US Citizenship is a requirement for all employees working on this Contract except when special flights prohibit use of US Citizens.

Please explain the circumstances relevant to this contract where contractor personnel would participate in special flight prohibiting the use of US Citizens. Several areas in the solicitation indicate that the employment of non‐US citizens is prohibited on this contract.

Contractor staff will not participate in these actions.

C C‐12 C‐12 (Solicitation, Page 13). “IHSC Policy Procedure and Process

Guides and Operational Memorandum” Please provide a copy of this document

These will be provided upon contract award.

13 C C‐15 Section C‐15 e on p. 15 says that “Site visits by candidates are a No. The services provided by the

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prerequisite to onboarding.” May we assume that these site visits are billable under the travel CLIN?

Contractor shall include its own internal evaluations and screening of prospective candidates. Contractors are required to ensure that candidates are knowledgeable and willing to work at, and in the conditions existing at, each location prior to submitting the candidates to ICE. Site visits must be performed by candidates, and must be included as part of the Contractor’s screening process. This time is not billable to the government.

C C‐15 C‐15. Staffing Requirements. (g) States “Staff must successfully complete requisite training and competency assessment (initial and annual) without interrupting daily operations.” Will the Government provide the Competency Assessment Measuring Tool? Also, Who will perform and record the assessment results.

As specified in Section C‐5 (i)(2), Offerors are required to propose and describe “in detail a plan to ensure completion of all training, licensure, certification and competency assessment …..”

C C‐15 (b) C‐15 (b), Staffing Requirements, Page 15 of 132: The RFP requires the Contractor to have capacity to conduct 100% pre‐ clearance on all candidates prior to e‐QIP initiation, on topics including but not limited to credit worthiness, criminal background, foreign school education, family living outside of USA, tax issues, legal issues, licensing irregularities, and sanctions list review.

a. Will the government please provide guidance/policy on “credit worthiness,” as it pertains to the exclusion of a potential employee's candidacy to work on this contract?

b. What does the government consider to be a "red flag" that would preclude a given candidate’s eligibility for employment?

a. That information is not currently available. However, the Contractor will be required to use all reasonable means to screen its potential candidates and to recommend candidates with suitable credit histories.

b. That information is not currently available. See Section C‐18 (b) (10) for reference.

16 C C‐15(e) C‐15(e) (Solicitation, Page 15). Site visits are required as part of the recruitment process.

1. No. The Contractor will not be penalized for Government delays.

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1. Will the contractor be subject to payment withholding if position vacancies are due to the government’s delay in scheduling site visits?

2. What is the government’s procedure for scheduling site visits?

3. What is the government’s timeline for scheduling site visits?

4. Is the contractor held responsible for vacancies caused by the delays in the government scheduling site visits?

2,3,4. See RFP Section C‐5 (i) (4).

C C‐15(e) A site visit is required for all candidates as a prerequisite to on‐ boarding.

When in the staffing process can/does that occur, i.e. within the 30 days after initial favorable fitness determination from e‐QIP before the candidate starts or some other timeframe?

Site visits are required after the candidate’s successful completion of the Contractor’s pre‐screening and qualifications checks but prior to submission of the e‐QIP package.

C C‐16 C.16. QUARTERLY REVIEW MEETINGS. “The meeting attendance requirement will include all contract Key Personnel (PM, Assistant PM).” Will the Government please clarify whether ALL key personnel must attend Quarterly review meetings, to include Contract Coordinators, or if Quarterly Review Meetings are for off‐site Key Personnel only, the Program Manager and Assistant Program Manager?

Only Off‐Site Key personnel are required to attend the quarterly meetings.

C C‐19 C‐19 (Solicitation, Page 19). “All staff working under this contract shall identify themselves as employees of the Prime Contractor.”

Subcontractor employees are not employees of the Prime Contractor. Please explain how these employees should represent themselves as Prime Contractor employees.

All of the Contractor’s employees, team members and subcontractors will identify themselves as Contractor staff.

The RFP Section C‐19 has been revised.

C C‐2 The IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground, and at sea.

Can you please confirm whether contractor medical staff will participate in these types of enforcement operations?

The Contractor will not be required to participate in ICE enforcement operations.

C C‐2 This is a diverse, multi‐cultural and multi‐national population where greater than 20 different cultures and languages may be encountered at any given site.

Besides the English language, are there any additional desired

Spanish is the most valuable.

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language abilities for contract healthcare workers? If so, which additional languages are considered most valuable in this environment?

C C‐20

C‐20, Security Requirements, Page 19 of 132: Assuming there is a new awardee, will the incumbent employees on this contract be required to re‐complete all pre‐clearance activities described in the RFP?

No. After initial screening, incumbent Contractor staff selected for and choosing to transition to the new Contractor will only need to complete a transfer request form.

C C‐20.2 All contractor personnel…shall undergo a position sensitivity analysis based on the duties each individual will perform on the contract.

Which contractor personnel/positions would require access to sensitive information on this contract?

All Contractor staff working at the medical facilities may require access to sensitive information under the contract.

C C‐20.7 C‐20.7. Security Management. The RFP states “The Contractor shall appoint a senior official to act as the Corporate Security Officer. The individual will interface with the OPR‐PSU through the COR for all security matters, to include physical, personnel, and protection of all Government information and data accessed by the Contractor.” We understand that this position will not be billable to the Government; however, can the Government please provide an estimated number of labor hours/level of effort this individual will need to devote to the contract annually? For example, does the Government anticipate a full‐ time resource to be utilized to satisfy this requirement?

The Contractor shall develop and propose its solution that ensures adequate Corporate Security Officer responsibilities are performed in a satisfactory manner while considering the number of positions that must be staffed, the anticipated contract’s period of performance, the number of facilities to be staffed and the Contractor’s pre‐screening processes.

C C‐25 Reference Section:

1. Is the contractor required to absorb OT if the vacancy is due to a delay in the federal security process or other actions of the government?

2. Does the government’s overtime policy depend on state regulations and account for variances in state OT policy?

1. The Government will not pay for overtime as the result of a Contractor’s inability to staff vacancies. If a complete and accurate PSU package has been submitted, the contractor will not be held responsible for the days the applicant is active and responsive to the PSU process. The Contractor must pre‐

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screen all candidates in order to minimize delays in the security process.

The contractor is responsible for any delays found on the applicant or contractors part of the PSU process.

2. No. See C‐25 OVERTIME.

C C‐25 C‐25 (Solicitation, Page 26). “If the overtime is due to the absence or vacancy of a federal employee, and the Contractor’s employee utilized to fill the position has worked or will work over forty (40) hours that week” Is the Contractor required to cover for all absent federal employees? If so, please provide a staffing matrix describing the federal employees for which the Contractor is expected to cover.

If the Contractor does not have personnel available who agree to work overtime to cover for a federal employee, will the Contractor be considered non‐compliant for any purpose, including for purpose of application of the withholding requirements of the QASP?

1. If a Contractor is requested to cover for federal vacancies or absences, they will be entitled to overtime if the Contractor staff works over 40 hours that week. Prior to accepting any Government requests for coverage of a federal vacancy, the Contractor must first ensure that it has filled vacant positions under its contract.

2. The Contractor will not be considered non‐compliant for the purposes of deducting or withholding under the staffing portion of the QASP.

C C‐25 C‐25. Overtime (d). The RFP states “In computing overtime rates payable under the terms of this contract, the Contractor shall use the employee’s hourly basic rate of pay multiplied by 1.5.

The basic rate of pay includes employee contributions to fringe benefits, but excludes the Contractor’s contributions, costs, or payment of cash equivalents for fringe benefits.” If the Government is only requesting fully‐burdened unit prices to be submitted as part of each Contractor’s price proposal, how does the Government intend to compute the costs associated with direct labor and allowable fringe benefits for authorized overtime reimbursement to the Contractor?

The Government will rely on the Contractor to compute the overtime rate payable by the government, based on the stated requirement. This rate shall be provided by the Contractor to the Government upon request for overtime.

28 C C‐25 Where local laws dictate daily thresholds for the payment of overtime pay differential, will the Government pay the

No. The Government will pay a single rate for each position, regardless of the

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contractor accordingly under the circumstances set out in paragraph (a)?

shift. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure compliance with all labor laws.

The Government will pay overtime as specified in C‐25 OVERTIME.

C C‐26 "C‐26, Time Clock (Solicitation, Page 27). The government uses an electronic timekeeping system.

1. Is the agency open to utilizing a digital timekeeping system?

2. If the government is responsible for time cards, what is the government’s records retention policy and when is the last time it was updated?

3. Will the government maintain the contingent labor’s time cards?

4. How long are records retained?

1. The Contractor may use the timekeeping system of its choice.

2. The Government must maintain its own independent system of verification of hours worked to validate against the invoice.

3 & 4. The Government will maintain its records for the allotted number of years required following the end of the contract.

30 C C‐26 Will the Contractor be permitted access to reports of its employees punches or its employees' timecards?

Yes. The Contractor will have access to the governments timekeeping records.

C C‐26( C ) and (D)

"Reference Section C‐26( C ) and (D):

1. Will the government provide a secure area for timecards?

2. Will the government inform contractor employees of this secure area during orientation?

3. If the contractor is not responsible for the lost timecard, is the contractor required to submit a justification to the technical monitor?"

The Contractor’s staff are each responsible for the security of their timecard (if a timecard is used). Any missing data on the contractors hours worked must be validated by on site government technical monitor.

C C‐3 C‐3 (Solicitation, Page 7). The government states that “mission changes may be frequent and require substantial flexibility and adaptability on the part of the contractor.” Aside from changes in the level of staffing, can you provide other examples of the types of changes that might be required of the Contractor?

Surges in migration patterns necessitating the need for permanent or temporary facilities in areas currently without the capacity is one (and most common) example of such a change.

C C‐32 Transition Period ‐ Please clarify how the transition period will work. Will the incumbent Health Care Professional (HCP) continue to work for the incumbent contractor during the full 60 day transition period? Or will the new contractor be able to

Offerors are required to develop and propose its own strategy to ensure an effective transition in.

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transition the HCPs upon becoming fully compliant with all aspects of this contract prior to the completion of the 60 days?

C C‐32 Will the new contractor be required to re‐credential all incumbent staff?

After initial screening, incumbent Contractor staff selected for and choosing to transition to the new Contractor will only need to complete a transfer request form.

C C‐32 Will incumbents staff be made available to the Awardee Yes. FAR clause 52.237‐3 Continuity of

Services was included in the incumbent contracts.

C C‐32 Please elaborate on the types of licenses and permits that may be required as mentioned in the Transition plan on page 120 (2), letter c

This references all applicable licenses and permits needed to transact business in the states where employees will be working.

C C‐34 and J‐

Reference J‐13: C‐34 defines a Casual Staff as “an employee who has successfully completed the Orientation Period and who normally works less than 32 hours is considered part‐time and does not have a regular schedule. This is also considered on‐call or pro re nata (prn).” Due to this definition, will the Government revise attachment J‐13 “Medical Staffing Pricing” to more accurately reflect the Casual workers part‐time or unscheduled hours?

Attachment J‐13 has been revised however the vendor is expected to provide a plan in their proposal including the use of additional staff, of how they intend to meet the 2080 requirement as part of the QCP.

C C‐5 "C‐5(i)(2) (Solicitation, Page 9) The government states in subsection (2) that “the Contractor will conduct on‐site, discipline specific training and competency assessment” and “Contractor may propose to use a web based solution as part of this plan.”

1. Can the government clarify the scope of the on‐site training requested?

2. Does this training requirement apply to all job positions at all sites?

3. Is the government requesting a specific number of hours and

1. Each site conducts a standard set of training as part of its training and orientation period (generally 40 hours).

2. Training and competencies are specific to labor category however a subset is required by all staff.

3. The government has a set of required training in addition to any training required on the part of the contractor.

4. Yes. Government required training

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subject matter, or does the contractor have discretion to determine the appropriate scope of training?

4. Would hours spent training count toward the LOE described in B‐2?

5. What logistical requirements must be met to coordinate training sessions? For example, would the government provide computer equipment, training facilities, or limit the hours and availability of training?

hours are inclusive of the LOE hours listed.

5. See Section C‐5 (i) (2) for this requirement.

C C‐5(i)(3) C‐5(i)(3) (Solicitation, Page 9). The government states in subsection (3) that “Contractor shall propose and describe in detail a plan for coverage” for absences.

1. Does the coverage requirement apply to all personnel, including IHSC employees or only contractor personnel?

2. Do the coverage requirements apply to all positions at all facilities or only a subset of the staff?

3. Are training sessions considered absences from work that require coverage?

4. Will the government allow the contractor to build a pool of pre‐approved coverage personnel (i.e., HCWs not included in the staffing matrix who apply for and receive security clearance but are not working regularly scheduled shifts), to remain available for covering unfilled shifts?

5. Will the government limit the size and number of personnel engaged in a coverage pool?

6. Will the government provide security waivers for coverage personnel who are pending security clearance but are otherwise qualified to provide coverage?

7. How many weeks of onboarding or training will the government require of coverage personnel before they can cover shifts?

1. If contractor is requested to cover for federal vacancies or absences, they will be entitled to overtime if the Contractor staff works over 40 hours that week.

Prior to accepting any Government requests for coverage of a federal vacancy, the Contractor must first ensure that it has filled vacant positions under its contract.

2. See the QASP for the coverage requirements.

3. Although training is not considered an absence from work, the contractor must ensure appropriate clinic coverage to meet the mission needs.

4. See Section C‐5 (i) (3).

5. See Section C‐5 (i) (3).

6. No. Only cleared staff may work on site.

7. The training requirements for permanent full time staff are the same as for casual or prn staff. The prospective Contractor staff must successfully complete all training

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requirements which could last up to six weeks.

C C‐5(i)(4) C‐5(i)(4) (Solicitation, Page 9). The government states in subsection (4) that “contractor shall propose and describe in detail a supervision plan with the goal of providing, to the greatest extent possible, direct on‐site supervision and direction to the employees.”

1. Will the government allow the contractor to provide a dedicated supervisor at each facility to provide full time supervision?

2. If supervision requires contracted HCWs to participate in supervisory assessments, consultations, or reviews – would these hours be included and applied to the LOE?

3. Will the government make on‐site offices, furniture, or other equipment available to supervisors?

4. Will the government provide quarterly or annual feedback regarding the performance of contracted HCWs to be included in contractor’s periodic employee reviews?

1. Propose and describe in detail a supervision plan with the goal of providing, to the greatest extent possible, direct on‐site supervision and direction to the employees.

2. Hours dedicated to the Contractor’s supervisor requirements are not billable to the Government.

3. Yes. The Government will furnish equipment as appropriate.

4. The Government shall not provide input toward Contractor staff employee reviews or evaluations. However should the Government identify any issues related to Contractor staff performance, the Contract will be notified.

C C‐5(i)(6) C‐5(i)(6) (Solicitation, Page 9). Regarding subsection 6, Staff Scheduling Plan:

1. Can the government confirm that the contractor will have exclusive discretion to schedule its employees for weekly shifts?

2. What information will the government provide to enable the contractor to effectively schedule personnel; for example, would the government provide weekly reports of total shift requirements and the availability of IHSC personnel for particular shifts?

1. No. The Contractor will fill the shifts as identified by and in conjunction with the local Government Technical Monitor.

2. See above. ICE has provided attachment J‐16 which outlines a sample schedule for each of the sites.

C C‐6 C‐6. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

Can Key Personnel that is in addition to Government‐identified Key Personnel be proposed by the Offeror?

Yes. See Section C‐5 (i) (4).

43 C C‐6 C‐6. (a) Key Personnel. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL: ROLES AND The Government does not have position

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RESPONSIBILITIES. C‐6. (a). states “The Government shall have the right to reject Key Personnel used by Contractor if they fail to meet the position description requirements.”

To enable Offerors to meet these requirements, will the Government please provide Position Descriptions for Government‐identified Key Personnel, Program Manager and Assistant Program Manager, that include specific educational requirements, expected years of experience in detention healthcare, etc.?

descriptions for PM and APM. The Offeror must propose personnel best suited for the responsibilities outlined in Section C‐6 (1), and this should be demonstrated in the respective resumes.

C C‐6 The Contract Coordinators are listed as on‐site personnel.

How many Contract Coordinators are employed on the incumbent contract? At which locations are the Contract Coordinators positioned? Is this staffing level for the Contract Coordinators considered satisfactory?

There are no Contract Coordinators on the incumbent contract. This is a new requirement. All on‐site positions identified in the RFP were established to meet the current needs of the agency.

These positions should not be changed in the proposal submission. The only on‐ site position the offer may propose is the Contract coordinator. The proposal should address the number required and how the Offeror intends to utilize the Contract Coordinators to effectively manage their employees.

C C‐6 / C‐13 C‐6 / C‐13, Key Personnel. There are two separate sections Identifying Key Personnel required for the program. Can the Government confirm what Key Personnel require Resume inclusion with the proposal submission?

All identified Key Personnel off‐site (PM and APM)_and on‐site (Contract Coodinators) must have an accompanied resume.

C C‐6(a)1 "Reference C‐6(a)1. Off‐Site Key Personnel.

We cannot locate the position descriptions for off‐site Key Personnel in the solicitation. Should offerors’ develop and submit position descriptions for off‐site key personnel or will the Government provide position descriptions for off‐site key personnel? "

The Government does not have position descriptions for PM and APM. The Offeror must propose personnel best suited for the responsibilities outlined in Section C‐6 (1), and this should be demonstrated in the respective

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resumes.

C C‐6/C‐13 C‐6/C‐13/Table‐subsection title / (2) Key Personnel/Capability and experience of Key Personnel/Capability and Experience of Key Personnel. On page 119 of Section L the table clearly states that the Offeror only need resumes for 2 people, giving us 4 pages total of resumes. While on page 122 of Section L, in section 2 it states that Resumes are required for each Key Personnel proposed. (Resumes are limited to two (2) single‐ sided pages each, but are excluded from the overall page limitation). In Section C of the solicitation, the government references on pages 10 and 13 additional Key Personnel that exceeds 2 people, which contradicts what is referenced in the table on page 119. Will the government please clarify the number of resumes required for Offeror's submission?

As indicated on p.122 “Resumes are required for each Key personnel proposed (PM, APM, Contract Coordinators). Resumes are limited to two single‐sided pages but are excluded from the overall page limitation.”

48 C C‐7 National Commission on Correctional Health care (NCCHC) (where applicable). Which facilities are NCCHC accredited?

All facilities are NCCHC except for Dilley and Berks.

C C‐7 and C‐

C‐7 and C‐12 (Solicitation, Page 11 and 13). “The Government reserves the right to adjust this list at any time based on the mission, changing health care needs, legislation, or other circumstances that dictate changes in practice.” Are these adjustments unilateral, or must they be with the agreement of the Contractor? If the adjustment increases the cost of performance, will an equitable adjustment be considered?

As referenced in the SOW the staffing matrix will frequently change based on the mission need. The government reserves the right to add or delete positions unilaterally to meet agency requirements. Contractors are entitled to adjustments as specified in 52.243‐3 ‐ ‐ Changes ‐‐ Time‐and‐Materials or Labor‐Hours. This clause is added with this Amendment.

C C‐8 through C‐13

C‐8 through C‐13, South Texas Family Residential Center, Pages 11 through 14 of 132:

a. Is this a privately run facility?

b. Please provide a list of current vacancies at the South Texas Family Residential Center (especially provider vacancies).

c. Due to the uncertainty of ongoing services at the South Texas

(a) The medical clinic is run by IHSC and utilizes Contractor staff to augment the Government staff. (b) The list of vacancies has been provided as Attachment J‐17 (c) The RFP has been designed to allow the offerors to

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Family Residential Center, will the government accept invoices that reflect the dollar amounts necessary to secure services that the market may view as temporary?

propose solutions to ensure it is adequately staffed.

C C‐9 Section C‐9 states “All offsite and emergent care shall be in compliance with the MedPars system outlined in J‐4: Offsite and Emergent Care.” Does the government require the contractor to provide offsite and emergent care? If so, can you please elaborate additional details regarding the scope of those requirements?

The government does not require the contractor to provide off‐site care, but there are positions and responsibilities where the contractor will be required to coordinate with off‐site provider for appropriate medical care.

52 C C‐9 and J‐7 Do any of the facilities have an electronic medical record application in place?

All IHSC facilities outlined in this RFP utilize Electronic Clinical Works (eCW).

C and L C‐32 and L‐ 9.2(c)(2)

RFP states the Transition Plan shall address “Licenses and Permits obtained prior to performance?

1. What is the Government referencing, corporate licenses, state accounts and permits or is this related to employee licenses and permits? Can the Government elaborate on what specific licenses and permits it is referencing here?

Although the offeror will be required to ensure all staff are appropriately licensed, this references all applicable licenses and permits needed to transact business in the states where employees will be working.

C and L C‐32 and L‐ 9.2(c)(2)

Requirement is to cover in the Transition Plan the Training of new and incumbent employees.

If incumbent employees have already been trained on Government requirements does the offeror need to retrain them during Transition or after award?

No. The offeror will only need to ensure all training is up to date and compliant with the requirements of the government.

C and L C‐6 and L‐ 9.1(i)

RFP states that Key Personnel are the PM, APM and Contract Coordinators but there seems to be only 2 resumes required based on the proposal table top of page 119 of 132 Can the Government clarify 1) all the Key Personnel and 2) which of these key personnel requires the submission of Resumes with the proposal?

All Key Personnel require resumes. The off‐site Key Personnel referenced are the PM and APM. The Contract Coordinators are on‐site Key Personnel and will also require resumes. The total number will be based on the offerors proposed solution. The chart on page 118 paragraph 9.1 (i) have been revised.

56 C and L C‐6 and L‐ 9.2(c)(3)

The RFP requires submission of a Quality Control Plan with the proposal that must cover numerous items “in detail” per C‐5. It

The Government does not intend to increase the page count.

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would be difficult to sufficiently cover all of the requirements along with everything else within the 50 page limit.

Will the Government consider 1) eliminating the QCP from page count and placing it as an Attachment at the end of Volume I; or

2) increasing the Technical page count to 60 pages; or 3) reducing and specifying what is required for submission with the proposal and what must be added after award?

C and L C‐7, C‐12 and L‐9.2 C‐7, C‐12 and L‐9.2 (Solicitation, Page 11, 13 & 119). “ICE and IHSC Codes of Conduct” Please provide a copy of this document.

The ICE employee Code of Conduct is readily available online.

C and L C‐7, C‐34 and L‐9.2

“IHSC National Policy Directives” C‐7, C‐34 and L‐9.2 (Solicitation, Page 11, 37 and 119) Please provide a copy of this document. Please note also that the link in the Glossary to the Department of Homeland Security Lexicon and DHS Directives System – Instruction #248‐01‐001, Revision 1 – Medical Quality Management are broken.

The government is not able to provide a copy of the directives since these are proprietary documents and will be available upon award.

F F‐4 Section F – Deliverables states that the Quality Control Plan (QCP) is due upon contract award; however, the Technical Approach section states the QCP should be submitted with the proposal. Please clarify.

QCP should be submitted with the proposal. It will need to be updated as needed throughout the contract performance cycle. Section F.4 has been revised.

General My company currently contracts with the State of Washington to provide Dental Hygienists to different locations. We have staff available in the Tacoma area but we do not provide any other services besides Hygienists. Will this bid potentially be open to multiple providers or will it be for a single source?

The Government intends to award a single contract for one company to provide all required positions.

61 General Is the incumbent eligible to compete in this opportunity? Yes, this is an unrestricted procurement

62 General What is the current contract number? HSCECR‐12‐F‐00048 and HSCEDM‐15‐C‐ 00004

63 General What was the award amount for the current contract? $249,164,992.96 (over 5 years) and $28,799,940.48 (one year)

64 General Who is the incumbent and the current contract value? InGenesis Inc. ($249,164,992.96) over 5

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years and Maxim Healthcare Services, Inc. ($28,799,940.48) over one yr.

65 General Are there any vacant positions under the current contract? Yes. See Attachment J‐17

General Shall offerors submit pricing on the SF 1449 Schedule B, or only on the Excel, attachment J‐13?

Yes, identify the total for each facility on the SF 1449. The data provided in Attachment J‐13 must support the totals provided on the SF 1449.

67 General Are we able to use large business as sub‐contractors on this opportunity

Yes. This is an unrestricted procurement

General Who is the prime vendor and are they able to re‐bid the opportunity

InGenesis Inc. ($249,164,992.96) and Maxim Healthcare Services, Inc.

($28,799,940.48). Yes, they are able to rebid.

General Please explain why this requirement is being resolicited so far in advance of the completion of the incumbent contract, since there option periods remain

The Government believes that the new contract structure more accurately captures the requirement.

General Can you please provide some insight into the primary challenges/risks that the Government projects for this project based upon lessons learned from previous/incumbent contracts for the same type of requirements?

As mentioned at the pre‐proposal conference, the main challenges are staffing and retention of staff for the remote locations, and the difficulty finding staff willing to work in a correctional/detention environment.

General What is the current annualized personnel turnover rate by location? Which positions/labor categories have historically presented the highest rates of turnover?

The Government does not have this information. Attachment J‐17 has been provided to show the current vacancies.

H H‐10 Training and Education, page 82. Please confirm that the

Government will bear the costs of all training and education provided throughout sections 115.31 – 115.35 of the solicitation.

All training and education related to

115.31 – 115.35 is available on‐site and does not require additional costs.

73 H H‐14 PRIV 2.5 – Requirement for Privacy Lead Is the privacy lead a billable contractor position for the contract?

No.

74 H H‐5 H‐5, Page 69 ‐ Will the Government provide an estimated The number of patient visits will vary

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number of patient visits per day for all clinical positions at each location? Or perhaps the total number of patient encounters per year for all sites? This will facilitate appropriate estimated pricing for malpractice insurance.

o Please confirm that the coverage levels provided in Section H‐5 this coverage required only for providers (physicians) or is this be applicable to all healthcare professionals under this contract?

from site to site. Below is the number and type of health care services provided in FY 2015.

Intake Screenings – 199,107 Physical Exams – 87,078 Sick Calls – 126,486 Urgent Care Visits – 21,245 Emergency Room/ Off‐Site Referrals – 19,483 Dental Visits – 24,233 Mental Health Interventions – 90,276 Prescriptions Filled – 234,001

The offeror is required to offer the minimum coverage mentioned in the

RFP.

The coverage is applicable to all healthcare providers under this contract.

H H‐8.14 H‐8.14. PRIV 2.5: Requirement for Privacy Lead. The RFP states “The Privacy Lead shall be responsible for providing adequate support to DHS to ensure DHS can complete any required PTA, PIA, SORN, or other supporting documentation to support privacy compliance.” We understand that this position will not be billable to the Government; however, can the Government please provide an estimated number of labor hours/level of effort this individual will need to devote to the contract annually? For example, does the Government anticipate a full‐ time resource to be utilized to satisfy this requirement?

The Government does not expect this position to be a full time resource, however it is the Offerors responsibility to apply its knowledge of the RFP and requisite expertise to determine what level of effort will be required.

76 I I 52.216.24, Limitation of Government Liability, Page 99 of 132: This clause has been removed from the

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This clause indicates the Contractor will have a “not to exceed” amount on its expenditures. Having previously stated that “mission changes may be frequent and require substantive flexibility and adaptability on the part of the Contractor,” (Page 7 of 132), will the government please confirm this “not to exceed” amount will also be flexible?

RFP.

I I 52.217.9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract, Page 100 of 132: This Please confirm that if the government provides the Contractor with written 30‐day notice of its intent to extend the contract, the Contractor has the option to refuse the notice of extension

FAR 2.101‐“Option” means a unilateral right in a contract by which, for a specified time, the Government may elect to purchase additional supplies or services called for by the contract, or may elect to extend the term of the contract.

J J‐1 J‐1 Staffing Matrix

Please provide the number of hours each of the site position codes are expected each year.

See J‐13.

J J‐1 Is the staffing level the same for week days and weekends? No. Although there are minimum staffing levels. Depending on each individual site, the Government’s needs change. It will be the responsibility of the Contractor to determine appropriate staffing levels, and must be in agreement with the GTM at each site.

The Government has included Attachment J‐16 to help assist in answering this question.

J J‐1 Please identify the hours of work for each job position code required for night shift, weekend, on‐call, OT or other shift assignment outside normal business hours.

It is the offerors responsibility to apply its knowledge of the RFP and requisite expertise to propose how this will be accomplished. The Government has

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included Attachment J‐16 to help assist in answering this question.

81 J J‐1 Does the government’s proposed staffing matrix in J‐1 meet the Level of Effort indicated in B‐3?

Yes.

J J‐1 Can the contractor propose and would the government accept a different staffing matrix to accomplish the required LOE?

No.

83 J J‐1 Are contract coordinators included in the staffing matrix LOE? No.

J J‐1 Can the contractor utilize more than 1 employee to fulfill the service requirements for each site position code?

It is the Contractor’s responsibility to fill each position, for all days and shifts required. The Contractor must therefore propose its own solution to ensure full coverage.

J J‐1 If the contractor is limited to 1 employee per site position code, can the contractor pre‐qualify and backfill the position by submitting one or more backup candidates for security clearance?

The Contractor may submit more than one candidate per position code. The Contractor should explain this process in their proposal to ensure an adequate number of candidates are submitted.

J J‐1 Please provide details regarding the composition of the IHSC staff available at each facility, i.e., the total number of personnel for each job position and their availability to work regular and irregular shifts.

The Government will not be providing this information.

J J‐1 Please identify the job position codes in the staffing matrix that are responsible for providing coverage for unexpected or planned absences.

The Government has provided the number of positions required. The Offeror is responsible for proposing an adequate number of staff to cover shifts for unexpected or planned absences.

See C‐5(i)(3)

J J‐1 Has the government determined that the coverage positions included in the site matrix include a sufficient number of service hours to provide all the coverage services required?

The Government has determined there will be sufficient coverage if all positions included on the site staffing matrix are filled with scheduled staff.

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J J‐1 Can the contractor increase the number of positions allocated for coverage if it determines that a greater number of personnel are required to provide adequate coverage for unexpected or planned absences?

The Contractor may create a pool of employees to assist with coverage. The Government requires the Offeror to submit as part of the Technical Approach. a plan outlining the number of pool staff required to provide support. The plan shall also address how the Offeror will ensure the pool staff members are working adequate hours to maintain competency.

90 J J‐1 Are any of the site position codes considered part‐time? Yes they are designated by “PT” in the position code.

J J‐1 Is there a difference between a part time position and a casual position?

A part time position is 0.5 FTE; casual staffs have been removed from the staffing matrix, and the reference has been removed from the contract.

J J‐1 Where site position codes refer to full time labor, may the contractor utilize more than 1 person to perform the work, i.e., by engaging multiple employees in part‐time work?

It is the Contractor’s responsibility to fill each position, for all days and shifts required. The Contractor must therefore propose its own solution to ensure full coverage.

J J‐11 The Site Status Report indicates it should be 24 pages. Only 18 pages are included with the provided documents. If there are 24 pages to this document, please provide the additional pages of this document

This is an error. The document is 18 pages. All 18 pages were included in the attachment.

J J‐13 For location code Berks, Position code BE‐AA‐1 , will the

Contractor be required to provide Administrative Assistant services at Berks on Federal Holidays?

This may be optional and dependent upon the needs of the facility.

J J‐13 For location code Berks, Position code BE‐AA‐1 , if the Administrative Assistant at Berks has a planned absence, will the Contractor be required to provide a second Administrative Assistant to cover the absence?

All FTE positons require 2080 productive hours per year. The Offeror shall describe how it will meet this requirement in its proposal.

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J J‐13 For location code Berks, Position code BE‐AA‐1, if the Administrative Assistant at Berks has an unplanned absence, will the Contractor be required to provide a second Administrative Assistant to cover the absence?

See response to question #95.

J J‐13 J‐13, Medical Staffing Pricing. Is the offeror permitted, as part of its technical solution, to propose additional casual staff to augment its staffing when necessary, without pricing those personnel in the Pricing Matrix given that they will only be invoiced if another staff person is unavailable?

The Contractor may create a pool of employees to assist with coverage. The Government requires the Contractor to submit as part of their Technical Approach, a plan outlining the number of pool staff required to provide support. The plan must also address how the Contractor will ensure the pool staff members are working adequate hours to maintain competency.

J J‐13 J‐13, Medical Staffing Pricing and K‐3 (Solicitation, Page 111).

“The offeror must specify whether the fixed hourly rate for each labor category applies to labor performed by – (1) The Offeror;

(2) Subcontractors; and/or (3) Divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliates of the offeror under a common control.” May we amend the Pricing Matrix spreadsheet to provide this information?

No. Identify this information within the Management Approach, Volume I(b).

J J‐13 J‐13, Medical Staffing Pricing. Are exit interviews currently conducted on the contract? If not, how should we account for this requirement in the pricing (e.g., 30 minutes per interview added to Program Management…