Pump Maintenance Questions.docx

· Is it required that we be a DAV registered business to submit a bid?

· This Solicitation is being competed as Set Aside for SDVOSB

· If so, and if you do not receive bid submissions from a DAV registered business, will you open this up to non-DAV businesses?

· Solicitation procedures will be evaluated at that time.

· Section 2.1 states, “Any new applicable equipment installed during the life of this contract shall be incorporated into the new schedule of equipment and will be subject to service under the conditions of this contract.”

· If equipment is added that increases the contractors cost to execute this contract, will an amendment be issued to allow for the reimbursement of those expenses?

· If conditions change that will increase costs, we will create a modification to the contract.

· Section 2.2 states, “The contractor shall keep an adequate inventory of replacement parts so repairs can be made the same day when the issue is identified.”

· This is a very subjective request. Who determines what “spare parts” are required for purchase?

· The VA will defer to the contractor to keep the spare parts they feel necessary to complete repairs in a timely manner.

· With all the different types/sizes of pumps, is the intent for the contractor to purchase all the spare parts for every pump model and size that exist?

· The VA will defer to the contractor to keep the spare parts they feel necessary to complete repairs in a timely manner. The intent of this section is for the contractor to be proactive in managing inventory levels for commonly used spare parts. Expensive and uncommon spare parts are not required to be pre-purchased.

· Is the contractor responsible to purchase these spare parts up front, included in the total bid, or reimbursed later?

· The VA will defer to the contractor to keep the spare parts they feel necessary to complete repairs in a timely manner. The intent of this section is for the contractor to be proactive in managing inventory levels for commonly used spare parts. Expensive and uncommon spare parts are not required to be pre-purchased. The contractor will not be required to purchase spare parts they feel will negatively affect their business.

· What happens if a contractor purchases all of the spare parts, but loses the contract before they are used? Is the contractor now stuck with shelves of inventory that they may never use? How would they recoup the cost of those unused parts?

· The VA will defer to the contractor to keep the spare parts they feel necessary to complete repairs in a timely manner. The intent of this section is for the contractor to be proactive in managing inventory levels for commonly used spare parts. Expensive and uncommon spare parts are not required to be pre-purchased. The contractor will not be required to purchase spare parts they feel will negatively affect their business. The VA will not pay for spare parts that were purchased by the contractor and not used in repairs.

· Section 2.3 states, “Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES shall a pump be non-operational for a period of more than 7 days from initial time of contact with the Contractor.”

· What happens if lead times or circumstances out of our control dictate otherwise?

· Every repair will be handled on a case-by-case basis. The VA understands that some circumstances may take longer than seven days to repair. The intent of this section is to convey the criticality of some of these pump systems for veteran healthcare. If the repairs cannot be completed in seven days, the contractor must demonstrate a schedule and plan for returning the pump system to service.

· What if a motor fails and the lead time for a new motor is 5 weeks? Would motors be considered spare parts? If so, are we required to purchase spare motors for every size and HP?

· The lead time is what it is. Some motors may be considered spare parts. The VA will defer to contractor to manage spare part inventories. The contractor is not responsible for purchasing spare part motors of every size and HP.

· Again, who is responsible for that initial purchase? Would we get reimbursed for this?

· The contractor will initially purchase all parts and will be paid after invoicing for the labor, materials, etc. used in the repair.

· Section 4.5 states, “Contractor response time to service request call that occur while the contractor is on the job site shall not exceed one (1) hour.”

· What does “response time” mean?

· Response time means from the time the VA contacts the contractor to the time the contractor shows up at the repair site.

· Is this a physical presence at the equipment or acknowledgement of the request?

· Physical presence.

· What if a technician is working on a pump and cannot leave the current job unattended for a period longer than an hour, or must stay for safety reasons?

· The VA understands that certain circumstances will increase the response times. The intent of this section is to convey the importance of a timely response to critical issues.

· Spare Parts

· All contractors would likely purchase parts through local reps or 3rd party vendors.

· How would we handle delayed lead times or uncooperative/unresponsive vendors?

· The contractor is responsible for handling uncooperative/unresponsive 3rd party vendors that contractor chooses to do business with. The VA will not manage the contractor’s sub-contractors or vendors.