RFIs.docx

1. Please clarify what specialty mix and size is being requested.

1. Size: 255 CUFT Carbon Monoxide 0.299 Methane 0.295 Acetylene N/A Neon N/A Helium USP N/A Oxygen USP 20.9 Nitrogen NF BAL

1. Please confirm the types and quantity of contractor-owned bulk tanks or cylinders under this requirement and confirm whether CLINs for rentals and fills will be provided to offerors to price the required bulk line items.

1. We will not be renting any cylinders. We buy and own all cylinders on this contract.

1. Please also confirm how many of each GFE cylinder type the GOV has on its property books by Line Item as well as the estimate/average on hand balances at any given time.

1. We have counts if the command or contracting office needs them. I will not be providing this information to any potential vendor. Especially if we are only in the solicitation phase.

1. Please confirm that the GOV is stating Contractors are only responsible for GFE maintenance items that have CLINs associated with them (e.g., testing, valve replacement, painting/stenciling, etc.). Without the provision of specific service CLINs, Contractors are not responsible for the general maintenance of GFE cylinders, so any additional maintenance that is required outside the provided CLINs will not be conducted/provided by the Contractor.

1. With previous contracts, CLINs 0015 (Testing), 0016 (Small valve replacement), 0017 (Large valve replacement), and 0018 (Painting, stripping, and stenciling) was used to address any damages / maintenance required of all government owned cylinders while in the care of the awarded vendor.

1. Please provide the estimated monthly or annual cylinder fill requirements for each Clinic by CLIN as well as the estimated on-hand balances for all cylinder types and quantities at each location by CLIN. These items are critical in allowing offerors to provide their most competitive pricing quote.

1. Annual usage for this year’s contract only, per CLIN (These numbers are subject to change):

0002 51 0003 62 0004 120 0005 23 0006 40 0007 16 0008 86 0009 201 0010 0 0011 11 0012 47 0013 0 0014 3 0019 44

1. If orders are placed via phone call, how is an audit trail captured for the transaction? Would the GOV be amenable to the facility placing orders via an established Order Form (with formal ordering processes) that includes the signature of the authorized POC placing that order – which would ensure an accountability audit trail is recorded for both parties?

1. No orders will be submitted via phone. All orders will be submitted via email. We currently utilize a template to standardize all requests.

1. Are emergency deliveries currently being delivered within (1) hour, or is this a new requirement? Will the GOV please amend this language to deliver emergency orders “within (24) hours”? Please also confirm if the GOV will add an Emergency Delivery CLIN so that offerors can appropriately price the requirement?

1. Emergency deliveries will not be necessary for this contract.

1. How is the GOV going to validate that offerors are properly insured for NAICS 325120 – the actual requirement for this work to comply with the RFQ? How do offerors confirm to the GOV that they have the correct type of Liability Insurance, and does this need to be affirmed at the time of bid submission (if not, an awarded firm could be turned down or not be able to afford this coverage in the amounts the GOV requires, respective to NAICS 325120)?

1. The offeror should provide this information at the time of bidding for the contract. The COR would review the offer/s to ensure all requirements are met on both sides.

1. With the inclusion of FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Items, please confirm that the offeror must comply with all State of California licensing regulations required of the SDVOSB offeror that pertain to the wholesale/distribution of medical-grade oxygen (classified by the FDA as a prescription drug) in accordance with the Statement of Work solicited. Is any applicable proof of licensing required at the time of bid submission?

1. Yes, the offeror must comply with all state licensing regulations to distribute medical-grade oxygen.

1. Please confirm that the GOV is requiring the SDVOSB offerors to be licensed to distribute/wholesale medical-grade oxygen (classified by the FDA as a prescription drug) within the State of California. Simply stated: Is it the GOV’s position that the SDVOSB offeror must follow California’s Board of Pharmacy Regulations at the time of bid submission based on the language provided in FAR 52.212-4?

1. This is correct. All offerors must be licensed to distribute medical-grade oxygen.

1. Please also confirm which GOV entity enforces and ensures compliance with FAR 52.212-4.

1. Yes.

1. Please consider an extension on the due date to allow for time to ask questions and the Q&A Amendment to be posted.

11. Proposal deadline was extended to 12/5; unfortunately, we are not able to extend further in order to avoid a gap in service.

1. Airgas would like a site visit the week of 12/2 to review site safety and the locations - it is critical for a non-incumbent vendor to have an opportunity to review the locations.

12. We are not able to accommodate a site walk at this time.

1. Will the government consider allowing the supplier to set one or two set delivery days for all locations? Also, what is the current delivery frequency per each site.

13. We currently a single delivery date and we are flexible with scheduling the new one whichever is beneficial for all parties.

1. Is the Liquid Nitrogen customer owned and what is the PSI.

14. It is owned and the PSI is 22.

1. Clarify the mix percentage and size for the Lung Diffusion (ie: photo/label of current cylinder).

A. Size: 255 CUFT Carbon Monoxide 0.299 Methane 0.295 Acetylene N/A Neon N/A Helium USP N/A Oxygen USP 20.9 Nitrogen NF BAL 15.

1. Driver Badges/Gate Pass: What is the cost per badge, process/frequency - is the badge per supplier or per driver.

16. Per driver and the supplier will be required to go through DBIDS and we will be the sponsor. No cost.

1. Please add a delivery charge line item to be charged per delivery point, per delivery.

17. The delivery line that is currently in the pricing matrix encompasses ALL delivery fees. There will not be additional lines per location.

1. Please add an emergency delivery charge line item for requested deliveries on a non-scheduled day, after business hours, weekends, and holidays.

18. We have never needed emergency delivery.

1. Is there a set inventory level of assets per each ship to address and please confirm all assets are government owned (no contractor owned assets required)

19. We own all of our cylinders. Quantities listed in the pricing matrix are what we will potentially request throughout the term of the contract.

1. Please provide the set par level of assets by each of the ship to addresses

20. Please revert to the forecasted amount.

1. As the NAICS for this RFQ is 325210 Industrial Gas Manufacturing, please confirm whether this is a Service Contract or a Supply Contract.

21. This is a supply

1. CLIN 0014: The Lung Diffusion gas requirement under CLIN 0014 does not include the required mix of gases or size. Please clarify what specialty mix and size is being requested.

A. Size: 255 CUFT Carbon Monoxide 0.299 Methane 0.295 Acetylene N/A Neon N/A Helium USP N/A Oxygen USP 20.9 Nitrogen NF BAL

1. BULK REQUIREMENTS / RENTAL CLINs: PG 1 of 9 in the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation states that the NHCP “requires the contractor to fill Government owned cylinders and contractor owned bulk Medical Gas tanks filled with medical-grade cylinder gases…” However, there are no rental CLINs provided for contractor-owned bulk tanks. Please confirm the types and quantity of contractor-owned bulk tanks or cylinders under this requirement and confirm whether CLINs for rentals and fills will be provided to offerors to price the required bulk line items.

23. All cylinders are owned by the Government. There will be no rented equipment. We will only request to fill government owned and no rentals.

1. GFE/CONTRACTOR OWNED REQUIREMENTS: Please confirm which of the (19) CLINs provided are GFE cylinders and which are Contractor Owned (Rented). Please also confirm how many of each GFE cylinder type the GOV has on its property books by Line Item as well as the estimate/average on hand balances at any given time.

24. All cylinders are owned by the Government. Vendor would need to be able to supply the forecasted amounts as requested.

1. GFE MAINTENANCE: PG 4 of 7 in the SOW states that “The contractor shall be responsible for the maintenance of all the Government owned cylinders and accomplished within local, state, OSHA, and federal industry regulations.” Please confirm that the GOV is stating Contractors are only responsible for GFE maintenance items that have CLINs associated with them (e.g., testing, valve replacement, painting/stenciling, etc.). Without the provision of specific service CLINs, Contractors are not responsible for the general maintenance of GFE cylinders, so any additional maintenance that is required outside the provided CLINs will not be conducted/provided by the Contractor.

25. We don’t require maintenance outside of standard care unless damaged by vendor.

1. CLINICS: The list of facilities that require direct delivery is included on PGs 3-4 of 7 in the SOW, but there is no identified list or provided CLINs for what gases each Clinic requires. As a result, and for Contractor’s to prepare to meet each CBOC’s needs, please provide the estimated monthly or annual cylinder fill requirements for each Clinic by CLIN as well as the estimated on-hand balances for all cylinder types and quantities at each location by CLIN. These items are critical in allowing offerors to provide their most competitive pricing quote.

26. The vendor needs to be able to fill the forecasted requirement. We will request and provide ample time for the vendor to fill two weeks out typically. We will provide POCs at warehouse as well as at requesting clinic to ensure someone is available during delivery.

1. METHOD OF PLACING ORDERS: PG 2 of 9 in the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation states that “Orders for medical gases will be placed weekly via phone call to the contractor.” If orders are placed via phone call, how is an audit trail captured for the transaction? Would the GOV be amenable to the facility placing orders via an established Order Form (with formal ordering processes) that includes the signature of the authorized POC placing that order – which would ensure an accountability audit trail is recorded for both parties?

27. No phone call request. All requests will be emailed. We have a template to standardize all requests from hospital and clinics.

1. EMERGENCY DELIVERIES: PG 2 of 9 in the Combined Synopsis Solicitation states that “Contractor must provide 24/7 Emergency response, with an onsite response within 1 hour of contact.” Are emergency deliveries currently being delivered within (1) hour, or is this a new requirement? A delivery turnaround of (1) hour is nonstandard as suppliers cannot make an emergency delivery (1) hour after notification due to various factors, including the fact that drivers are on pre-established routes for healthcare customers each day and may have to return to the fill plant to fulfill an emergency order before delivering to the facility. Additionally, drivers must have the hours available to make the additional delivery. If an Emergency Order is placed towards the end of the day (e.g., 3-4PM), then there’s no guarantee that there will be a driver available to deliver that same day, even less likely within (1) hour. The is especially relevant if a Clinic requires an emergency delivery and it is placed towards the end of the workday. Standard language for Emergency Deliveries is to deliver within (24) hours and “respond” within (1) hour, which often includes after-hours deliveries where the GOV will have to provide a representative to receive the delivery. Will the GOV please amend this language to deliver emergency orders “within (24) hours”? Please also confirm if the GOV will add an Emergency Delivery CLIN so that offerors can appropriately price the requirement?

0. NOTE: Additional clarification is needed on whether the GOV is stating that the emergency delivery of GFE cylinders is required within (1) hour as there is a turnaround time required on filling GFE products.

28. There is no need for emergency deliveries. Mention of Emergency requirements have been removed from the solicitation.

1. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS: There is no mention of required liability insurance in the Solicitation. How is the GOV going to validate that offerors are properly insured for NAICS 325120 – the actual requirement for this work to comply with the RFQ? How do offerors confirm to the GOV that they have the correct type of Liability Insurance, and does this need to be affirmed at the time of bid submission (if not, an awarded firm could be turned down or not be able to afford this coverage in the amounts the GOV requires, respective to NAICS 325120)? This is important because there are very few underwriters that will insure small businesses for the distribution of compressed gases and why confirmation of the applicable NAICS is being requested, in accordance with paragraph (a) of FAR 52.228-5 – Insurance Work on a Government Installation.

Licensing for Wholesale/Distribution of Medical-Grade Oxygen in California:

0. PG 7 of 9 in the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation incorporates FAR 52.212-4 by reference, which states: “(q) Other compliances. The Contractor shall comply with all applicable Federal, State and local laws, executive orders, rules and regulations applicable to its performance under this contract.”

0. Please confirm that the GOV is requiring the SDVOSB offerors to be licensed to distribute/wholesale medical-grade oxygen (classified by the FDA as a prescription drug) within the State of California. NOTE: The State of California’s Board of Pharmacy categorizes SDVOSB Prime Contractors as “Wholesalers,” which requires licensure of that SDVOSB in order to legally/compliantly wholesale medical-grade oxygen within their state (and cannot be delegated to a subcontractor).

0. At time of award, the vendor should be licensed to distribute medical grade oxygen.

0. Simply stated: Is it the GOV’s position that the SDVOSB offeror must be in compliance with California’s Board of Pharmacy Regulations at the time of bid submission based on the language provided in FAR 52.212-4?

1. Yes.

0. Please also confirm which GOV entity enforces and ensures compliance with FAR 52.212-4.

2. Yes