Consolidated Questions and Answers_30 Oct 2026.pdf

HT940827RE003: Questions and Answers

We anticipate answering a few questions still pending answers in the following week. (Q13,Q22,Q113,Q124,Q137,,Q194,Q211)

• Q1: Where a PPQ is required because a completed official CPAR is unavailable, the Instructions require the customer to send the completed, signed PPQ directly to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist, and identify Volume III as Past Performance. Attachment 4 instead directs the customer to return the PPQ to the offeror for inclusion in Volume IV. Please identify the controlling submission route and volume, clarify what PPQ-related material the offeror must include in its own reference package, and issue consistent PPQ instructions.

• A1: The signed Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) should be directly sent to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist from the entity that is completing the PPQ. Instructions 3 and 4 on the PPQ have been updated to reflect this change. NOTE: If an Offeror has already sent the original PPQ to a reference for completion, that version is acceptable, but Offeror must advise reference of updated submission instructions.

• Q2: Instructions §3.4.4 prohibits changing formulas, locked cells or prepopulated numbers. Attachment 7 Table B cells C17:M21 on all four worksheets contain zero placeholders for the proposed monthly price per FTE.

Please confirm that these zeros may be replaced with proposed prices and identify the authorized input ranges. Please also state how offerors should complete the blank Total FTEs per MTF cells N7:N11, and provide a corrected template if changes are needed.

• A2: Table A should be completed by the Offeror with their number of proposed

FTEs per Labor Category, per MTF. A formula has been added to cells N7 – N11 to calculate the Offeror’s proposed total number of proposed FTEs per MTF.

Table B should be completed by the Offeror with their proposed price for one

(1) FTE, per month, per MTF. The zeros may be replaced by whatever price an Offeror elects to propose. If/where an Offeror is proposing more than one (1) FTE in a Labor Category in Table A, the price in Table B is still for one (1) FTE.

Table C is a result of multiplying Table A by Table B, and should not be altered by an Offeror.

• Q3: Please provide a corrected Attachment 2 or identify the corrections offerors may make. Instructions cells A7/A10 calculate 10.5 labor hours for three employees working 0530–0830 by using seven half-hour cells, although the elapsed shift is three hours. In Staffing Schedule cell AK198, the Fort Stewart weekday TOTAL STAFF formula sums only supervisory rows AK187:AK197 and excludes direct-labor rows AK176:AK185; equivalent formulas occur in the other site/day blocks. Please confirm the intended start/end-time convention and that total daily hours must include both direct and supervisory labor.

• A3: Attachment 2 has been completely updated (see V3 uploaded with this amendment) with revised instructions. There are no formulas in this version.

Offerors shall identify the labor mix, by position and shift (of the Offeror’s choosing), that is required to successfully operate the MTF’s dining operations and Patient Tray Service. The Government will compare Attachment 2 with Attachment 7 to ensure they are consistent with each other.

• Q4: The SF 1449 identifies CLIN 0006 as Contractor Manpower Reporting and CLIN 0007 as Transition. Instructions §3.4.6 instead identifies 0006 as Transition and 0007/1007/2007 as Government-predetermined smallwares amounts. Please issue a coordinated CLIN-to-worksheet crosswalk and identify where transition, manpower reporting and smallwares must be priced. Please provide any Government-established smallwares amounts and explain their treatment in relation to the contractor-funded replacement obligation in the

PWS.

• A4: The SF1449 is updated to remove CLIN 0006, Contractor Manpower

Reporting, as this is no longer a requirement. The SF1449 CLIN 0007, Transition, is renumbered to CLIN 0006. Smallwares are added as CLINs 0007, 1007, and 2007. The Smallwares CLINs are to be used by the contractor to invoice for reimbursement of items purchased on the Government’s behalf; the amount of the CLIN will vary based on anticipated needs. Offerors shall not price the Smallwares CLINs as part of their offer. Contractors are not expected to exceed the amount of the Smallwares CLIN; if additional funding is needed, it will be added by modification.

• Q5: The SF 1449 incorporates FAR 52.217-3, Evaluation Exclusive of Options.

Evaluation §5.5 instead includes the base period, all option periods, separately priced transition and six months at the final option-period price. Please confirm the controlling evaluation method and revise the conflicting provision so all offerors calculate their evaluated prices on the same basis.

• A5: Provision 52.217-3 is removed. The methodology described in FAR 52.212-

2, Evaluation of Offers, Section 5, will be utilized to evaluate options periods.

• Q6: Please identify and provide the complete controlling wage determination and collective bargaining documents for each MTF, including the underlying agreements, applicable side letters and all executed amendments. The supplied J-series documents are economic addenda; J1 and J4 expressly reference a separate National Agreement effective October 1, 2022. Please include any already-negotiated wage or benefit schedules extending beyond September 30, 2027, and correct the PWS exhibit index so each site is matched to the proper wage and CBA attachments.

• A6: REQUESTING ORIGINAL CBA. There are no “already-negotiated wage or benefit schedules” beyond 30 September 2027 at this time. The PWS list of Attachments and Exhibits is updated to reflect the recent change at Fort Irwin from Wage Determination-basis to a CBA.

• Q7: Instructions §3.2.2 requires the transition curriculum to prepare 100% of the workforce to meet PWS §5.7.7 on the first day of full performance, while Evaluation §3.2.2 specifies a minimum of 90%. Please identify the standard governing proposal compliance and technical evaluation and reconcile these provisions. This question concerns training readiness, separately from the stated 100% staffing fill-rate requirement.

• A7: Evaluation §3.2.2 is updated to reflect a standard of 100%. All staff that are onboarded during the transition period (or that may be retained from the current contract) should be 100% trained by day one of full performance (i.e., 1 February 2027).

• Q8: Exhibit D §1.1 states that a full-time Project Manager may not be required when fewer than five MTFs are awarded. Please clarify whether offerors proposing one to four MTFs may propose the Project Manager level of effort, including a combined Project Manager/Site Supervisor role, provided all stated qualifications, alternate coverage, availability, supervision and rapid-support requirements are met.

• A8: Offerors that are proposing fewer than five (5) MTFs may propose their own level of effort for the Project Manager, commensurate with the number of MTFs being proposed.

• Q9: Exhibit H provides FY25 annual totals and leaves occupied-bed-day data blank. Please provide available FY26 monthly patient-meal and dining-room transaction data by MTF, with weekday/weekend/holiday and meal-period breakdowns, available peak-demand data and occupied bed days. Please define the APV/other-outpatient category and whether it overlaps other reported meal counts. Please also identify known changes in wards, service outlets or workload expected for performance, including changes after the Leonard Wood hospital move.

• A9: FY26 data is provided. The Government is unable to provide any further breakdown of this data. It does include changes to Leonard Wood after the move to the new facility in April 2026.

• Q10: For transition and labor pricing, please provide available anonymized incumbent staffing data by MTF and job classification, including full-time/part-time counts, scheduled weekday/weekend hours, vacancies and any subcontracted functions. Please also provide aggregate recognized service or vacation-entitlement tiers needed to apply the CBA predecessor-service provisions. No employee names, personal identifiers or individual medical information are requested.

• A10: This information will be provided upon award. Offerors may include a list of written assumptions in their pricing proposal (see Addendum to FAR 52.212- 1, Instructions to Offerors, section 3.4.4). Should seniority or accrued-benefits of actual recruited/retained employees impact pricing, the Contractor may request a pricing adjustment in the same manner as they would for any other CBA change (eg, increase in wages). NOTE: Offerors shall provide one price per MTF per performance period.

• Q11: Please reconcile PWS §§3.8, 5.7.5.1 and 5.7.5.8 by identifying the Government and contractor cleaning responsibilities at each MTF. Section 5.7.5.1 assigns cleaning of serving/self-service equipment and surfaces but also excludes customer-accessible areas, including a serving line; §5.7.5.8 assigns serving-line and customer food-service-area sanitation to the contractor. Please specify the boundary for serving lines, condiment/beverage stations, cashier areas, refrigerated displays and associated floors, including the terrazzo exception.

• A11: PWS Sections 3.1, 3.4.3, 3.8.1, and 3.9 place full maintenance responsibility for the physical plant, exhaust hoods, fire suppression, plumbing, and major equipment on the Government. The contractor is responsible for sanitary cleaning and reporting malfunctions within one hour (PWS 3.4.7).

• Q12: Please reconcile the tray-removal deadlines in PWS §5.3.2.3 with the published patient-order cutoff times, the 40-minute delivery requirement, and §5.3.3’s requirement to allow the patient time to eat. In particular, does the 1800 tray-removal deadline apply to orders accepted through 1730? If not, please identify the controlling retrieval deadline and any currently established MTF-specific collection times under Exhibit A’s locally agreed timing provision.

• A12: See updated PWS paragraph 5.3.2.3; changes are in red font. While the times listed are generally applicable to all MTFs, there may be the need to adjust based on late admits, etc. Individual changes may be made in coordination between the MTF and Contractor.

• Q14: Please correct the conflicting SF 1449 date fields and identify the governing performance periods. For West Point CLIN 0005, the delivery period is February 1–September 30, 2027, but the separate period-of-performance fields show February 1–September 30, 2026. For Fort Stewart CLIN 1004, the delivery period is October 1, 2027–September 30, 2028, but the separate period of performance begins September 1, 2027. Please confirm the periods and quantities to be priced.

• A14: Please see the updated SF 1449.

• Q15: Exhibit J4 page 7 lists a $0.50 pension contribution for October 1, 2026– September 30, 2026, although the section heading extends through September 30, 2027. Please confirm the intended effective period for the $0.50 contribution and provide a corrected date range.

• A15: This is a typographical error; the intended effective period is October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027, for the $0.50 contribution.

• Q16: For West Point weekend and federal-holiday dining-room service, should offerors staff breakfast 0800–0930 and lunch 1100–1400 as shown in Exhibit B, or follow the No Service entries in the corresponding service-station rows? If dining-room service is required, please specify the required manned and self-service station counts. This question concerns dining-room service, separately from the stated inpatient-feeding requirements.

• A16: Technical Exhibit B Hours of Operation has been updated to show that there is no dining room meal service on weekends/Federal Holidays.

• Q17: I was wondering if there is a current incumbent contract associated with the Nutrition Care Services; Forts Irwin, Leonard Wood, Riley, Stewart, and West Point HT940827RE003 requirement?

• A17: The current contract is HT940826CE010 with Sodexo Management, Inc.

For the period of performance 1 April 2026 – 30 November 2026, for all five (5) military treatment facilities (MTFs), the total price is $6,979,266.12.

• Q18: The Instructions to Offerors mandate the use of 8.5 x 11-inch paper and a minimum 12-point font for all text and graphics. Given the complexity of the required organizational structure—which spans five distinct MTF locations, corporate reach-back, and unionized execution staff—it is extremely difficult to present a comprehensive, readable Organizational Chart within these constraints. Will the Government please allow offerors to utilize 11 x 17-inch pages for the Organizational Chart and/or permit a smaller font size (e.g., 9-point or 10-point font) strictly for text contained within graphics and charts?

• A18: 8.5 X 11-inch paper is mandatory, however 10-point font may be used.

• Q19: The Instructions establish a 70-page total limit for Volume II and separately require offerors to submit the Staffing Plan & Schedule using Attachment 2. Attachment 2 is provided as an Excel workbook with multiple site-specific schedule tabs and a PMO Staff tab. Please confirm that Attachment 2 may be submitted as a separate Excel workbook and is excluded from the 70-page Volume II Technical Capability page limitation.

• A19: Yes, Attachment 2 may be submitted separately, not counting towards the 70-page limit.

• Q20: Technical Exhibit D, Section 1.3, requires the contractor to assign a Registered Dietitian (RD) to develop therapeutic-nutrition training materials and competency assessments for all contract employees, but does not require an RD at each MTF. Attachment 7 includes a Dietitian labor-category column for each MTF. Please confirm whether one enterprise or regional RD may support all awarded MTFs, with allocated FTEs and associated pricing entered across the applicable site(s), rather than requiring a dedicated on-site RD at every MTF.

• A20: One Registered Dietitian may be used to support multiple MTFs.

• Q21: PWS Sections 3.4.6 and 4.1.2 require the contractor to maintain and replace the initial stock level of smallwares, including the cost of materials purchased, while the Instructions identify CLINs 0007, 1007, and 2007 as Government-predetermined smallwares amounts. Please clarify the ordering, payment, and invoicing process for replacement smallwares. Specifically, do the Government-predetermined smallwares CLINs serve as the funding mechanism through which the contractor may invoice for NCOIC-directed replacement purchases supported by receipts, or are replacement purchases to be handled through another Government-directed method?

• A21: Please see answer to question 4.

• Q23: Section 1.6 states that files shall be saved in default format (e.g., Word .docx and Excel .xlsx) and that PDF files must be submitted using Adobe Acrobat.

Volume I requires the submission of proposal narrative along with signed SF 1449/SF 30 forms and multiple administrative documents, while Section 3.3.2 expressly requires each Volume III reference package to be compiled into a single PDF. Please confirm whether offerors may submit Volumes I, II, and III as searchable, text-enabled, unlocked Adobe Acrobat PDF files, while submitting Government-required Excel workbooks—such as Attachment 2 and Attachment 7—in their native .xlsx format.

• A23: The Offeror may submit Volumes I, II, and III as searchable, text-enabled, unlocked Adobe Acrobat PDF files, while submitting Government-required Excel workbooks—such as Attachment 2 and Attachment 7—in their native .xlsx format.

• Q24: Section 1.6 states that emails, including attachments, shall not contain personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health information (PHI).

However, Volume I requires offerors to provide the name, title, telephone number, and email address of authorized personnel, and requires signed SF 1449/SF 30 documents. Please confirm that required business contact information, authorized signatures, and professional key-personnel/resume information may be included in proposal submissions, and that the restriction is intended to prohibit sensitive personal information (e.g., Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home contact information, financial-account information) and PHI not required by the solicitation.

• A24: Confirmed that Volume I is only asking for required business contact information and no PII or PHI shall be submitted.

• Q25: The Instructions state that offerors may propose on any individual MTF, any combination of MTFs, or all five MTFs, and that the Government will make best-value award determinations for each MTF. Please confirm that an offeror proposing on all five MTFs remains eligible for award of one or more individual MTFs, or any subset of the five proposed MTFs, even if the Government does not select the offeror for all proposed locations.

• A25: Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Section 1 (General Instructions), expressly provides: "Offerors may submit their proposal for any individual MTF, any combination of MTFs, or all five (5) MTFs... The Government will award contract(s) to the Offeror that presents the best value for each MTF. This means that a single Offeror may receive a contract award for all MTFs, one contract may be awarded for each MTF, or some combination thereof."

• Q26: Section 1.5 requires sequential page numbering within each volume.

Section 3.1.4 requires file names to include the company name, specific volume/subpart, and solicitation number, while the Master Table of Contents must identify all electronic files provided. Please confirm that, except for Volume III—where Section 3.3.2 expressly requires one PDF file for each reference/subpart—offerors may submit one consolidated electronic file for Volume I and one consolidated electronic file for Volume II, each containing all applicable subparts and sequential page numbering within that volume. Please further confirm that required standalone Excel workbooks should be separately named to identify the applicable volume/subpart in accordance with Section 3.1.4.

• A26: Section 3.1.4 and Section 1.5 allow consolidated electronic files per volume, with standalone workbooks identified with standard naming conventions.

• Q27: Section 3.3.2 of the Instructions states that, when an official completed CPAR is unavailable, reference POCs must complete, sign, and email Attachment 4 (Past Performance Questionnaire) directly to the CO and CS, and that questionnaires submitted directly by the offeror may not be considered. In contrast, Attachment 4 (PPQ) instructs the customer to return the signed PPQ to the offeror for inclusion in Volume IV. Please clarify the controlling PPQ submission process and proposal placement. Specifically, should the customer

POC email each completed PPQ directly to the CO and CS, with no PPQ copy included in the proposal; or should the customer return the completed PPQ to the offeror for inclusion in the applicable Volume III reference package? Please also confirm that the Attachment 4 reference to “Volume IV” should be read as “Volume III,” if offeror inclusion is required.

• A27: Please see the answer to question 1.

• Q28: Section 3.4 of the Instructions identifies CLIN 0006 (first tab of Attachment

7) as the Transition Period CLIN and instructs offerors to enter “NSP” if no separate transition-period charge is proposed. However, the SF 1449 identifies CLIN 0006 as Contractor Manpower Reporting, rather than transition. In addition, the Instructions identify CLINs 0007, 1007, and 2007 as Government-predetermined smallwares CLINs, but these CLINs do not appear on the current SF 1449. Please clarify the correct CLIN number and proposal-entry location for transition-period pricing/“NSP,” and confirm the intended CLIN numbers, values, and offeror entry instructions for the Government-predetermined smallwares CLINs. If applicable, please revise the SF 1449 and/or Attachment 7 to align the CLIN schedule with the Instructions.

• A28: Please see the answer to question 4.

• Q29: SF 1449 Completion Clarification: The Instructions at Section 3.1.1 require offerors to complete Blocks 12, 17A, 23, 24, 30A, 30B, and 30C of the SF 1449.

When completing the fillable SF 1449, the telephone-number field associated with Block 17A automatically populates in Block 17B, which is designated for a remittance-address indication. Please confirm whether offerors should leave Block 17B as automatically populated or whether DHA will provide a corrected form or alternate instruction for completing Blocks 17A and 17B.

• A29: Leave block 17B automatically populated.

• Q30: SF 1449 Completion Clarification: Block 20 of the SF 1449 states “See Schedule,” and Block 24 is not editable in the fillable PDF. Since pricing information is not allowed in Volume I, please confirm that offerors should leave these blocks empty and only enter unit prices and extended amounts in the CLIN schedule pages associated with the SF 1449 in Volume IV.

• A30: Correct, leave block 20 unfilled.

• Q31: Can the Government please permit tables, graphs, and illustrations to have a font size of Times New Roman or Arial 9 point instead of 12 point? RFP instruction/par. 1.5. currently requires a minimum font size of TNR or Arial 12 point for all content elements, including tables/illustrations, which makes it difficult for graphics elements like organization chart to fit in 8.5x11" sheets with 1"margins.

• A31: Please see question 18.

• Q32: Please confirm that Adobe Acrobat PDF is also an acceptable format for proposal submission, provided the documents allow textual search and copy functions and are not locked, encrypted, password-protected, etc.

• A32: This is acceptable. Please see the answer to question 23.

• Q33: The instructions in section 3.3.2 direct that the client reference submit PPQs directly to the government, however the PPQ form itself has instructions that direct the form to be returned to offeror and submitted with proposal, please clarify which direction to follow. If the government prefers commercial customers submit directly to the government, please identify the POC name, title, and email.

• A33: Please see answer to question 1.

• Q34: Clinical responsibilities. Does the Government retain clinical nutrition assessments, prescribed diet orders, and registered dietitian oversight? If any clinical function sits with the contractor, which credentials are required?

• A34: Government Responsibility. The Government (Chief, Nutritional Medicine and Government Clinical Dietitians) is responsible for menu development, nutrient analysis, therapeutic extensions, and recipe specifications. The contractor’s Registered Dietitian is responsible for training contract staff on executing these therapeutic diets and assessing staff competencies (PWS 5.1.1).

• Q35: Teaming arrangements. May the prime contractor subcontract specialized therapeutic nutrition functions to a qualified clinical nutrition partner? If so, how will the subcontractor’s experience be weighed during evaluation?

• A35: Yes. Each entity contributing each effort described in PWS, will have their past performance weighed commensurate with their proposed level of effort.

• Q36: Staffing requirements. Does Attachment 2 set mandatory minimum staffing levels for Fort Irwin, or may offerors propose a different configuration that satisfies the Performance Work Statement and the Fort Irwin Collective Bargaining Agreement?

• A36: No staffing minimum.

• Q37: Historical workload. Does Technical Exhibit H reflect current Fort Irwin patient meal volumes, dining transactions, and Grab and Go demand? If volumes have changed materially, will the Government provide updated figures?

• A37: Please see the answer to question 9.

• Q38: Government-furnished supplies. Which food products, packaging materials, consumables, and operational supplies does the Government furnish at Fort Irwin, and which are included in the contractor’s firm-fixed-price responsibilities?

• A38: Please see PWS section 3 Government Furnished Items and Services.

• Q39: Facility access. Will a site visit or virtual facility walkthrough be available to prospective Fort Irwin offerors before the proposal deadline?

• A39: No, a facility walkthrough will not be made available. Please use the MTF power point slides attached to the solicitation posting on SAM.gov.

• Q40: What is the current staffing level by labor category, including Cooks, Food

Service Workers, Site Supervisors, Cashiers, administrative staff, and other positions? Please distinguish employee headcount from full-time equivalents (FTEs).

• A40: Please see Addendum to FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation of Offers, paragraph

3.2.4 (Factor 1, Subpart 4 – Staffing and Recruiting Plan). The Government intends to evaluate each Offeror’s staffing proposal as part of its overall evaluation to determine if the Offeror is technically capable of performing the tasks required by the PWS/exhibits.

• Q41: How many shifts operate daily at each site, and what are the start/end times and staffing levels for each shift? Please distinguish weekdays, weekends, and federal holidays.

• A41: The Offeror will determine the shifts (number, start/stop times) necessary to successfully perform the tasks required by the PWS/exhibits. The operating hours of the specific military treatment facilities are listed on Technical Exhibit B. Please note these operating hours are when the dining facility(ies) are open to serve patrons; Offerors will need to determine when their staff should start (and at what positions) in order to provide dining facility and Patient Tray Service during the listed times.

• Q42: What are the current scheduled labor hours by labor category and shift, including preparation, meal service, patient tray delivery, sanitation, and closing activities?

• A42: Specific staffing numbers and schedules are proposed by the Offeror, while ensuring the requirements listed in the PWS/exhibits are successfully met.

• Q43: Does the Government prescribe minimum staffing levels or mandatory positions at each site, or must offerors independently determine staffing sufficient to meet the PWS?

• A43: The Government does not prescribe minimum staffing levels. The only mandatory positions are the PM, Assistant PM (if applicable), and Dietitian. All other positions are at the discretion of the Offeror.

• Q44: What positions are currently vacant, and what overtime or temporary staffing is being used to maintain coverage?

• A44: The Government does not prescribe minimum staffing levels; therefore, any vacancies are not tracked by the Government.

• Q45: Are any food service functions performed by Government personnel or other contractors? If so, please identify those functions and the staffing responsibilities that remain with the successful offeror.

• A45: There are no Government personnel performing any services that are listed as to be performed by the Contractor in the PWS.

• Q46: May personnel be cross-utilized among cooking, patient tray service, dining room service, cashiering, and sanitation duties, provided they meet applicable qualifications and CBA requirements?

• A46: Yes.

• Q47: Please provide the latest historical workload by site, including average and peak daily inpatient meals, dining room transactions, grab-and-go sales, bulk nourishments, and weekend/holiday volumes. Exhibit H also leaves occupied bed days blank; please provide these figures.

• A47: Please see answer to question 9.

• Q48: Please identify anticipated changes in patient census, facilities, meal service hours, service stations, or workload during the base and option periods.

• A48: The Government does not anticipate any changes.

• Q49: Please confirm whether Exhibit B governs operating hours where the sample menu (Exhibit C) shows different meal service times. What preparation and closeout coverage is expected outside the published hours?

• A49: Exhibit C is only to be used as an example of what a menu may look like, the hours listed on Exhibit C are not relevant to actual hours of operations at the specific MTFs.

• Q50: For an offer covering fewer than all five MTFs, Exhibit D states a full-time Project Manager may not be required. Please clarify the minimum PM coverage expected, whether a corporate manager with an on-site supervisor is acceptable, and the alternate coverage requirement.

• A50: Provided that the requirements of the PWS/exhibits are successfully met, there is no minimum coverage expectation, nor permanent on-site presence, for the PM position.

• Q51: May one Registered Dietitian support multiple awarded MTFs remotely, supplemented by site visits? Are minimum RD hours or on-site attendance requirements prescribed?

• A51: Please see the answer to question 20.

• Q52: Please reconcile the workforce training and readiness requirements:

Instructions 3.2.2 reference 100% readiness, Evaluation 3.2.2 references a minimum of 90%, and Exhibit A includes a 95% training and competency documentation threshold.

• A52: Please see answer to question 7.

• Q53: Will the Government facilitate incumbent employee recruitment and provide available position, qualification, seniority, accrued-benefit, and staffing information needed for transition and CBA pricing?

• A53: Please see the answer to question 10.

• Q54: When proposing more than one MTF, should offerors submit one consolidated proposal covering all proposed sites, separate proposals for each site, or common corporate volumes with separate site-specific technical and pricing sections?

• A54: A consolidated proposal covering all proposed sites.

• Q55: If a consolidated proposal is required, do the 70-page Technical Capability and 35-page Past Performance limits apply to the entire submission, regardless of the number of MTFs proposed?

• A55: Yes.

• Q56: Must staffing plans, transition plans, QCPs, contingency plans, and therapeutic diet training plans be submitted separately for each MTF, or may a common plan address site-specific differences?

• A56: A common plan to be submitted addressing site-specific differences.

• Q57: Should each proposed MTF be priced independently for a possible individual award? May offerors also provide clearly identified pricing discounts contingent on receiving multiple sites?

• A57: Each MTF should be priced independently. Conditional multi-site discounts are evaluated in accordance with standard price evaluation terms.

• Q58: Does the restriction against participating in more than one offer apply across the entire acquisition, including offers for different MTFs?

• A58: This restriction does apply across the entire acquisition. For example, if

Acme Enterprises teams with Offeror A for MTFs 1 and 2, they may not also team with Offeror B for MTFs 3, 4, and 5.

• Q59: Instructions 3.3.1 require that at least three of up to five references be for the prime offeror when teaming partners are proposed. Please confirm how the Government will evaluate a prime offeror reference that is not found to be relevant, and whether separate task orders under one contract may count as individual references.

• A59: Please reference Addendum to 52.212-2, Evaluation of Offerors, section 4

Past Performance Evaluation.

• Q60: Instructions 3.3.2 state the customer must email the PPQ directly to the CO and CS, while Attachment 4 states the customer returns the PPQ to the offeror for inclusion in Volume IV. Which process applies, and which volume should contain PPQs?

• A60: Please see answer to question 1.

• Q61: Attachment 3 (White Paper Performance Summary) is not listed among the required reference package components in Instructions 3.3.2 and cites "sec.

D.1.2," which does not appear in the solicitation. Is Attachment 3 required, and if so, where should it be included?

• A61: 52.212-1 updated 3.3.2, Attachment 2 reference updated.

• Q62: Instructions 3.4.6 identify CLIN 0006 as the Transition Period and CLINs 0007, 1007 and 2007 as Government-predetermined small wares CLINs. The SF 1449 lists CLIN 0006 as Contractor Manpower Reporting, CLIN 0007 as the Transition Period, and no small wares CLIN. Which CLIN structure should offerors follow, and should CLINs 0006, 1006 and 2006 be priced or entered as

NSP?

• A62: Please see answer to question 4.

• Q63: PWS 4.1.2 makes the contractor responsible for small wares replacement costs. Please clarify how this obligation relates to the Government-predetermined small wares amounts referenced in the Instructions, and how costs exceeding those amounts will be handled.

• A63: Please see answer to question 4.

• Q64: CLIN 0005 (Keller ACH, West Point) shows a base period of 1 Feb 2026 to 30 Sep 2026, while CLINs 0001 to 0004 show 1 Feb 2027 to 30 Sep 2027. Please confirm the correct period for CLIN 0005.

• A64: Please see response to question 14.

• Q65: Please confirm that the applicable wage determinations, CBAs, amendments, and scheduled wage and benefit increases have been provided for every site. The PWS exhibit list (J1 Fort Stewart, J4 West Point, J5 California WD) does not match the posted Exhibits J1 to J5, and no wage determination was posted.

• A65: The Exhibit List has been updated on PWS to reflect corrections.

• Q66: Attachment 7 includes Cook III, Shift Leader, and Material Handler, which do not appear in the CBAs. The CBAs include Cook Sr, Dishwasher, Nutrition Assistant, and Stock Clerk, which do not appear in Attachment 7. Please confirm which labor classification applies to each Attachment 7 category.

• A66: Attachment 7 has been updated with applicable classification comparisons.

• Q67: The Fort Riley CBA (Exhibit J3) shows the Cook I rate decreasing from

$20.22 to $20.02 effective 1 Oct 2026. Please confirm the correct rate.

• A67: The correct rate is $20.82.

• Q68: The CBAs expire 30 Sep 2027. What wage and benefit assumptions should offerors use for Option Periods 1 and 2?

• A68: Governed by FAR 52.222-43. Solicitations subject to the Service Contract Labor Standards contain FAR 52.222-43 (Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards - Price Adjustment). Offerors do not speculate on future post-2027 wage increases in their base bid for CBA-covered positions;

price adjustments for successor CBAs are handled post-award when new wage determinations are issued.

• Q69: What mechanism, if any, applies to staffing or price adjustments when Government-directed operating hours, service stations, or workload materially change?

• A69: Any material workload changes would be negotiated between the

Government and Contractor at time of need.

• Q70: Please confirm the final proposal submission date, exact time and time zone, submission method, and the complete list of current solicitation amendments and required attachments.

• A70: This will be announced once questions have been answered.

• Q71: Please confirm the correct base and option-period dates for each MTF, including the apparent inconsistencies associated with West Point’s base period and Fort Stewart’s first option period.

• A71: Contradiction / Drafting Error Identified. In the Solicitation SF 1449

(Solicitation - HT940827RE003.pdf, Page 12), the Base Period delivery schedule for Fort Irwin (Weed ACH), Fort Leonard Wood (GLWCH), Fort Riley (Irwin ACH), and Fort Stewart (Winn ACH) is listed as 01 Feb 2027 to 30 Sep 2027 (8 months). However, for West Point (Keller ACH, CLIN 0005), the Period of Performance is erroneously typed as 01 Feb 2026 to 30 Sep 2026, which predates the solicitation issue date (October 2026) and conflicts with the 2027 delivery period. Furthermore, on Page 13 for Option Line Item 1004 (Fort Stewart Option Period 1), the Period of Performance is listed as 01 Sep 2027 to 30 Sep 2028, which creates an overlapping 13-month period with the Base Period (ending 30 Sep 2027) and conflicts with all other Option 1 line items starting on 01 Oct 2027. The correct alignment across all CLINs should be:

Transition (01 Dec 2026 – 31 Jan 2027), Base Period (01 Feb 2027 – 30 Sep 2027), Option 1 (01 Oct 2027 – 30 Sep 2028), and Option 2 (01 Oct 2028 – 30 Sep 2029).

• Q72: Please confirm that separate awards may be made by MTF and that each MTF will receive an independent best-value determination.

• A72: Confirmed. Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Section 1 (General Instructions), expressly provides: "Offerors may submit their proposal for any individual MTF, any combination of MTFs, or all five (5) MTFs... The Government will award contract(s) to the Offeror that presents the best value for each MTF. This means that a single Offeror may receive a contract award for all MTFs, one contract may be awarded for each MTF, or some combination thereof."

• Q73: When will the Government issue responses to solicitation questions, and will the proposal deadline be extended to provide adequate time to incorporate the answers?

• A73: Information Not Available in RFP. Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Section

1.3, set the question submission cut-off at COB 22 October 2026, but does not commit to a specific release date for Government responses. The proposal submission deadline remains 04 November 2026 at 12:00 PM per Block 8 of the SF 1449. Any extension is at the sole discretion of the Contracting Officer via a formal SF 30 solicitation amendment.

• Q74: Please confirm whether the six-month extension used in evaluated price will be calculated from the last option-period monthly price for each individual

MTF.

• A74: Confirmed. Addendum to FAR 52.212-2, Section 5.5 and Section 6 (Page 7) specifies that under FAR 52.217-8, "The Government will evaluate its option to extend services by adding six (6) months of the offeror's final option period price to the offeror's total price." This calculation will apply to each individual MTF or combination of MTFs being evaluated for award.

• Q75: Please clarify how the Randolph-Sheppard Act priority will be applied at the individual-MTF award level when proposals are submitted for multiple locations.

• A75: Partially Addressed in RFP. Addendum to FAR 52.212-2, Section 1.2, states that if an RSA State Licensing Agency (SLA) proposal is determined to be within the competitive range and has a reasonable chance of being selected for award, the SLA will receive priority as mandated by 20 U.S.C. 107 and 34 C.F.R. 395.33.

Because the Government evaluates and awards contracts on an individual-MTF basis, the SLA priority attaches to the specific MTF(s) located within that SLA's state jurisdiction for which they submit a qualified competitive offer.

• Q76: Please confirm that Attachment 2 may show labor hours and FTEs even though pricing and hourly labor rates are limited to Volume IV.

• A76: Attachment 2 is only for the listing of number of FTEs per labor category and their associated shift(s) as determined by the Offeror. The successful Offeror will be responsible for managing labor within the awarded monthly price while remaining in compliance with CBA, Service Contract Labor Standards, etc. Pricing information may only appear in Volume IV, as stated in Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Section 3.4.5. Disclosing cost or pricing figures anywhere else will result in the proposal being rejected as non-responsive.

• Q77: If DHA issues answers after the question deadline, will those answers be incorporated through a formal amendment?

• A77: The solicitation is being amended formally through the issuance of an

SF30 that includes updates to various parts of the SF1449, Exhibits, and Amendments, as well as Government Answers to Vendor Questions. A conformed copy of the SF1449 (incorporating CLIN updates) is also posted.

Offerors must acknowledge all SF 30 amendments in Volume I, Subpart 1 (Section 3.1.1).

• Q78: Please confirm that a corporate affiliate supporting recruiting, culinary, clinical or technology functions does not constitute a teaming partner or subcontractor unless it performs contract work directly.

• A78: Per Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Section 3.1.2, Attachment 1

(Teaming/Organizational Structure) applies to partners or subcontractors "performing under this contract... Identify tasks/functions each partner would be responsible for." Entities providing indirect overhead/corporate shared services (e.g., corporate HR, corporate legal, standard enterprise IT tools) are not subcontractors unless they directly furnish operational labor (i.e., are employing the individuals) under the contract.

• Q79: Will the Government identify strengths by individual technical subpart before assigning the composite rating?

• A79: Addendum to FAR 52.212-2, Section 3.3, explicitly dictates: "The Technical

Capability factor will receive a single, combined Technical/Risk rating in accordance with DoD Source Selection Procedures. Individual subparts (3.2.1 through 3.2.7) will not receive separate adjectival ratings; instead, they will be evaluated collectively to arrive at the single composite rating." Evaluators may note strengths, weaknesses, and deficiencies in technical areas, but no subpart ratings will be assigned.

• Q80: How will DHA distinguish between an “included enhancement,” an evaluated strength and an approach that exceeds the requirement? Example: our program will be supported by our proprietary patient services technology.

• A80: Governed by DoD Source Selection Procedures. Addendum to FAR 52.212-

2, Section 3.1 and 3.3, states that an "Outstanding" rating requires an exceptional approach with "multiple strengths" and low risk. Under DoD Source Selection guidelines, a strength is defined as an aspect of an offeror's proposal that has merit or exceeds specified performance or capability requirements in a way that will be advantageous to the Government during contract performance. For example, proprietary technology that substantiates tangible clinical safety, allergen controls, or patient room service accuracy (PWS 5.1 & 5.3) may qualify for evaluation as a strength. NOTE: This is not an endorsement of any particular software program; any software that is proposed must be approved for use by the MTF’s Information Technology section before implementation. The Government may request an internal IT review of any proposed technology as part of its evaluation of an offer.

• Q81: Will clinical technology, recipe standardization, patient-experience analytics, culinary training and enterprise quality resources receive evaluation credit when they reduce performance risk?

• A81: Yes. Addendum to FAR 52.212-2, Section 3.1 and Section 3.2.1 emphasizes that evaluators assess "the depth, feasibility, and clinical soundness... rather than simply rephrasing or restating the Government's requirements" and explicitly evaluate the "robust mitigation of performance risks."

• Q82: Will a proposal receive additional credit for exceeding an AQL, or is performance evaluated only on the ability to meet the stated threshold?

• A82: Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs) are measured on actual performance.

There is no way to evaluate how well an Offeror will meet or exceed AQLs based on a proposal.

• Q83: Will the Government evaluate PMO, recruiting, HR, clinical and quality resources as part of staffing adequacy or only site-level operational staffing?

• A83: Both levels are evaluated. Section 3.2.4 (Subpart 4) evaluates both site-level operational staffing (fulfillment of Therapeutic Diet Education, Patient Room Service, Cashier, Sanitation, etc) and organizational workforce management.

• Q84: If DHA makes award without discussions, please confirm that any discrepancies will be addressed during the transition/discovery process.

• A84: It is not clear what is meant by “discrepancies.” Offerors are advised that they can and should address any assumptions made in their proposal, so that the Government address them if/when appropriate. Offerors are reminded that Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Section 1.1, explicitly states: "Failure to provide or omission of any of the identified information and/or documents set forth in this solicitation may result in a determination that the Offeror is non-responsive.

Offerors that are non-responsive may be ineligible for award."

• Q85: Please provide the historical performance results for each AQL by MTF for the most recent 12 months available.

• A85: This information is not available for public release.

• Q86: Who performs each inspection, and what sampling frequency is used for “periodic” and “random” reviews?

• A86: Inspections are conducted by the Contracting Officer’s Representative

(COR), Quality Assurance Evaluators (QAE), Nutrition Care NCOIC, and Preventive Medicine (PWS Sections 1.12, 5.7.8.1). Preventive Medicine conducts inspections at least monthly. Internal QA inspections follow the Government Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP), which utilizes random sampling tables.

• Q87: How are disputed observations resolved before being entered into CPARS?

• A87: PWS Section 1.7.2 requires reporting all issues within 48 hours to the COR and CO. PWS Section 5.7.8.15 establishes that operational disagreements are discussed with the contractor, MTF, COR and elevated to the Contracting Officer if unable to be resolved.

• Q88: May the contractor use electronic temperature monitoring, digital sanitation inspections, online competency records and dashboard reporting to satisfy documentation requirements?

• A88: Permissible pending individual MTF agreement. PWS Sections 5.1.1, 5.7.5.11, and 5.7.8.8 require that logs, training records, and weekly self-evaluations be maintained and made immediately available to the NCOIC and COR upon request. Electronic logs, digital dashboards, and automated HACCP data are fully acceptable provided government personnel have inspection access.

• Q89: Will DHA provide historical patient-tray accuracy, food-temperature, delivery-time, sanitation and cash-discrepancy data by location?

• A89: This information is not available for public release.

• Q90: Does performance above the AQL provide positive CPARS recognition, or does the system document only failures?

• A90: Consistent performance both above and below AQLs are documented.

Technical Exhibit A (PRS) explicitly notes under Incentive/Disincentive:

"Performance above or below the standard will be documented in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS)." Exceeding standards supports "Very Good" and "Exceptional" CPARS ratings.

• Q91: Will the Government consider contractor-proposed leading indicators in addition to the stated lagging compliance measures?

• A91: Permissible in QCP. PWS Section 1.11 and Addendum 52.212-2 Section

3.2.5 require a Quality Control Plan demonstrating proactive methods and process improvement (PI) methodologies to prevent deficiencies before they affect patient care. Leading indicators are highly encouraged.

• Q92: Are the published hours minimum required coverage or historical incumbent operating hours that may be redesigned with approval?

• A92: The hours of operation listed are when the dining facility (DFAC) and

Patient Tray Service are running (i.e., customers/patients may be served) as determined by the MTF. Offerors are responsible for configuring their staff such that operational requirements are met (e.g., breakfast foods are ready to be served at 0600). PWS Section 1.6 states: "The hours of operation and level of food service for each MTF is listed in Technical Exhibit B..." Furthermore, PWS

5.3.3 requires that patient room service be available continuously across meal periods, with patient orders accepted as late as 1730. Changes require formal Contracting Officer and MTF approval.

• Q93: Who has authority to approve changes to hours, station configuration and service format?

• A93: Any changes made to existing operations require MTF and Contracting

Officer. Per PWS Section 1.13, while the Chief, Nutritional Medicine (C, NM) manages on-site clinic operations, only the Contracting Officer has legal authority to modify contract PWS or scope.

• Q94: May the contractor introduce mobile ordering, preorder, self-checkout, kiosk or enhanced Grab-and-Go solutions if security requirements are met?

• A94: Requires Advance Approval. PWS Section 3.4.1 explicitly states: "The contractor shall not modify or load software to computer equipment without prior written approval by the contract COR." Any cashless or self-checkout systems connecting to DoD networks require cybersecurity assessment and approval from the MTF commander and Information Management Division.

Only the Contracting Officer has legal authority to modify contract PWS or scope.

• Q95: Please confirm which MTFs require weekend, holiday and dinner service and whether staffing must remain constant during historically low-volume periods.

• A95: See Technical Exhibit B. Staffing must be sufficient to serve DFAC customers and patients at the standards established in the contract, PWS, and technical exhibits.

• Q96: Are opening, closing, production, receiving and sanitation hours outside the customer-facing windows included in the Government’s staffing expectations?

• A96: Yes. PWS Sections 5.5.2.1, 5.7.5, and 5.7.6 require line setup 5 to 30 minutes prior to service, receiving dock coverage, kitchen dishwashing, closing sanitation, and pre-prep, all of which fall outside customer-facing hours and must be reflected in Attachment 2.

• Q97: Is the sample menu mandatory, or may the contractor propose a nutritionally equivalent Contractor-developed menu subject to Government approval?

• A97: PWS Section 1.4 explicitly mandates: "Menus shall be provided by the

Government.” Section 5.2 confirms: "The government will provide menus, in at least a week in advance of meal service to allow for adequate time to requisition food items, prepare and serve meal." The contractor is not authorized to substitute vendor-developed menus.

• Q98: Which party owns responsibility for menu development, nutrient analysis, therapeutic extensions, recipe approval and cycle-menu updates?

• A98: Government Responsibility. The Government (Chief, Nutritional Medicine and Government Clinical Dietitians) is responsible for menu development, nutrient analysis, therapeutic extensions, and recipe…