QnA_202502060418.pdf

6 February 2025

[This document seeks to provide a daily Q&A update at the close of business (COB) until the Q&A closes on 7 February 2025. If questions asked are not answered, the answers are not available at the time of SAM posting.] Questions 1 to 6 were posted on 5 Feb 2025; questions 7 to 19 were posted today, 6 Feb.

Questions and Answers

Q1. Will you consider an extension to the request for proposal?

A1. If no technically acceptable offers are received by Monday, an extension will be considered.

Q2. Are all meals, including breaks, on their own?

A2. Attendees will pay for their own lodging and meals. No group catering or group meals are being requested. Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to pay for their meals with their Government Travel Card (GTC). Lodging facilities should accept the GTC as payment.

Q3. Is it okay to provide coffee and water if they are normally included and part of the conference room pricing.

A4. Yes.

Q5. Will people be bringing their own laptops?

A5. Yes, attendees are bringing their own laptops. They are not bringing laptops in support of the audio-visual portion of the requirement.

Q4. Can you confirm check in and check out for the lodging rooms?

A4. Lodging reservations for the attendees are made through the Defense Travel System (DTS) and are a separate, related requirement. Lodging facilities must be available for booking through DTS.

Q5. Will the Defense Health Agency (DHA) cover the meeting space and audio-visual equipment cost for the three-day event?

A5. Yes, the resulting contract resulting from this solicitation will cover the rental of the conference room(s) and the audio-visual support service costs for the three days of the dental symposium.

Note: government service contracts are paid in arrears. Payment will be made by the Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) after services have been invoiced and accepted.

Q6. It is our understanding that this has already been awarded to the Doubletree although on sam.gov states quotes are due 2/10/25. Please advise.

A6. No award has been made by the contracting officer for the 2025 Dental Symposium to be held, 18 to 20 March, for conference room(s) rentals and audio-visual support. Proposals are due on Monday morning, 10 Feb 2025. Only after proposals are received and the solicitation has closed will an award be released.

Q7. What dates do you expect attendees to leave after the conference?

A7. The attendees will depart on 21 March.

Q8. How many hours are the conference rooms needed, per day?

A8. The conference rooms will be utilized from 0730-1700. When general assembly ends, there will be classes and business meetings held in the conference rooms.

Q9. Can you please advise if DHA has a finalized schedule for the upcoming conference, specifically, will the conference continue past noon on 20 March?

A9. The scheduled is still being put together, but the conference generally ends between 1530- 1630.

Q10. Are the attendees coming on the 17th of march? Is the lodging request for 17,18,19 March 2025?

A10. Yes

Q11. Are the sleeping rooms contracted or attendees are paying on their own?

A11. The attendees will be paying for the lodging using TDY per diem.

Q12. Could you please clarify the seating arrangement for main ballroom, breakouts and executive meeting rooms?

A12. The seating for the ballroom will be set up for a general assembly to fit all attendees. There will only be assigned seating for the distinguished guest. The breakout rooms should be set up classroom style to fit 20-30 attendees. And for the executive meeting room there should be a conference table to seat 15-20 attendees.

Q13. How large the meeting space for social events should be? What seating style?

A13. The seating in the ballroom should remain in a general assembly set up for the duration of the symposium. For the social event, the ballroom and any hallway area outside the ballroom will be utilized.

Q14. Lecture hall might be an issue with hotel conference space, is classroom or U-Shape seating sufficient?

A14. Yes, a classroom seating arrangement is sufficient.

Q15. Requirement for electrical power 50+ dental laboratory equipment space will be in the main room or in a separate hall or room?

A15. The dental lab equipment will be utilized in several of the breakout rooms.

Q16. Vendor booths of 10-15 are actual booths like 3X3 or 5X5 or just a rectangular table with 2 chairs.

A16. The vendor booths are rectangular tables with 2 chairs.

Q17. How large is this space required for vendors?

A17. The vendors booths will take up about half a ballroom if tables are lining the wall.

Q18. Question, the Statement of Work states on contract line item 0001 Conference Room meeting space for social events and I show three receptions requested, is this correct

A18. Yes.

Q19. Is this a brand-new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services?

A19. There was a smaller, similar symposium in 2024, a year ago paid for with a Government Purchase Card (GPC). The dental symposium has expanded to include attendees from the Army and the Navy, and the Government estimate of the 2025 cost is over and above the GPC threshold for services, $2,500. There was no symposium contract in 2024, but there was a smaller, similar GPC award.