Submitted_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

Submitted Questions and Answers

1) The Standard Form 1449 URL is not on the site provided. Is the GSA form 1449 the correct one we should be using?

The “Relevant Documents” Section of the Fed Biz Ops posting has been update to include the requested Standard Form 1449.

2) The requirement states that the contractor shall provide “guarantee of payment services, when necessary, after exhausting other possibilities including traveler's health insurance, traveler or family members' credit card, etc.”

In order to issue a guarantee of payment on behalf of an individual there must be a guarantee of payment by an ultimate payer (traveler, insurer or NASA). Who will be responsible for exhausting possibilities to determine the ultimate payer? Will NASA be the ultimate payer for guarantees of payment of medical expenses if other possibilities are exhausted?

The contractor will be responsible for exhausting possibilities to determine the ultimate payer to ensure the traveler receives timely medical care. However, the traveler will be the ultimate payer for guarantees of medical expenses.

The Section of the SOW in which this requirement is detailed has been revised to further clarify the Government’s requirement as follows:

“In limited circumstances, the contractor shall guarantee payment of hospital expenses in the event of a medical emergency in which time was critical to ensure the traveler’s health and care was not being provided due to the traveler’s inability to ensure immediate payment. However, once the immediate medical event is resolved, the traveler would ultimately be responsible for guarantee of payment of medical expenses.”

3) Please provide the following information regarding the traveling personnel:

a. How many travelers are minors? Are they always accompanied? (All minors must be accompanied.)

There are limited instances in which minors may not be accompanied by a dedicated guardian. Specifically, there may be instances where dependents of Permanent

Change of Station (PCS) employees could be traveling from their stationed point of travel to some other country and would therefore be separated from their dependent.

However, in the majority of instances, dependents will travel with a legal guardian, but NASA does not have a requirement for its employees to do so.

b. How many members are over 75 years of age?

The Government cannot provide a specific number for travelers over the age of 75 because the majority of the individuals who fall within this category are guests of either astronauts of the ISS program who are attending events such as Soyuz launch events in Kazakhstan. Therefore, since these members are guests, the Government does not have specific numbers for travelers as it does not have “a priori” knowledge of who will be traveling for a specific time frame.

The Government has accommodated approximately 350 guest travelers for the incumbent contract’s period of performance. The ages of these guest travelers ranged from minors to guests over 75+ years. Historically, approximately 3% of NASA guests are 75+ years. However, this historical data may not be indicative of the number of future travelers within this age range.

c. How many members are over 85 years of age?

Historically, 1% of NASA guests are 85+ years. However, this historical data may not be indicative of the number of future travelers within this age range.

d. What is the general health condition of travelers over 75 years of age?

NASA has no authority to perform a physical exam or establish “fitness to travel” status for travelers over 75+ years of age. Therefore, this information is not available.

e. Where do the travelers over 75 years travel to, and what is the purpose of the travel?

Travelers in the over 75 years old age range primarily travel to Russia and

Kazakhstan for Soyuz launch events. However, their travel may include other all international destinations covered by the Statement of Work.

f. How many Expatriates (including dependents) by country are to be covered vs.

Travelers?

Historically, the Government has not accommodated more than 60 expatriate employees, including dependents, in a given year. Some of the countries that these employees may travel include the Netherlands, Russia, and Kazakhstan. However, their travel may include other all international destinations covered by the Statement of Work.

g. How many Travelers are not NASA employees and their dependents, vs. NASA-sponsored guest travelers?

The Government estimates that approximately 250 travelers/year may be from the public sector outside of NASA affiliation.

h. Historical claims activity for medical evacuations in the last 3 years, with activity for travelers over 75 years of age identified separately.

The incumbent contract has not experienced a full medevac incident requiring critical care/air ambulance support in the last three years.

i. Historical claims activity for overseas inpatient medical claims in the last 3 years, with activity for travelers over 75 years of age identified separately.

The incumbent contract has dispositioned five reported medical claims since 2013.

However, none of these claims required a medical evacuation response. Further, none of these claims involved persons over 75 years of age.

4) Can NASA please provide the city of the training facility on the Black Sea?

The city with the training facility on the Black Sea is Sochi.

5) Will this be considered (for Government FAR purposes) a “Classified Contract”, and therefore subject to non-disclosure by either party to outside parties that they are working with the other as Contractor and/or Client?

This will not be considered a Classified Contract.