Q and A Amendment No.2.pdf

RFQ-26-IHS1526441 Amendment #2

Questions/Responses

1) What is the Period of Performance for this contract?

Response: The correct estimated period of performance is as indicated in section F.1 of the solicitation - twelve (12) months based + 1 Option Period, and 1 Option to Extend Services for Six (6) months.

2) Are travel dollars supposed to be added to the cost proposal? If so how since it is FFP and travel is cost-reimbursable basis.

Response: Travel dollars are not supposed to be added as travel is not anticipated.

3) How can we properly price this when such a large disparity exists between the cost of delivering initial certification training and recertification/continuing-education training? Initial certification requires substantially more instructional hours, skills-lab time, and clinical coordination than recertification. Additionally, initial requires in person, one on one skills validation. We recognize that the government cannot know which classes or where they will be needed; however, if the Government would give everyone a number of each to price it would level the playing field and make it fair for all bidders.

Response: The Government is not able to provide guidance on how prospective vendors are to price. Each training to be provided would be scheduled as a result of a request for said training(s), approved by the Government. The Government's point(s) of contact will review each request for training that is received by the contractor. The Government is unable to determine which trainings will be requested, as this will be dependent upon each EMS organization's specific situation.

4) Is the training required under this contract expected to satisfy the certification and licensure requirements of all 50 states, or will delivery occur primarily at IHS, Tribal, or Urban program facilities operating under federal jurisdiction (for example, in a manner analogous to military installations), where individual state-specific approval may not be required?

Response: The training is to satisfy the certification and licensure requirements required for the states where the trainees (will) work as EMS personnel.

5) How will travel be paid without a travel CLIN?

Response: Travel is not anticipated.

6) Where a training request originates from a single individual in a geographically isolated location (for example, one requestor in Oklahoma and one requestor in South Dakota), does the Government anticipate that dedicated, one-on-one, in-person skills validation will be required to fulfill that request?

Response: Each request for training will be forwarded to the Government point(s) of contact for review, evaluation, and approval before the training is scheduled to take place. Each request, review, and possible approval will be specific to the type of training requested.

7) If the answer to Question # 6 is yes, does the Government have an expectation regarding the maximum instructor travel or per-student delivery cost associated with such individual requests?

Response: Travel is not anticipated.

8) Can the Government provide the anticipated number of trainees, broken out by discipline (EMR, EMT, AEMT, Paramedic) and by training type (initial certification versus recertification/continuing education), expected to be requested annually under this contract? A maximum award threshold or representative case scenarios for each discipline and training type would allow all offerors to price this requirement on a consistent, directly comparable basis, and would help ensure a program structure that reliably serves all 250 anticipated students.

Response: Each training to be provided would be scheduled as a result of a request for said training(s), approved by the Government. The Government's point(s) of contact will review each request for training that is received by the contractor. The COR for this contract is not able to predict which trainings will be requested, as this will be dependent upon each EMS organization's specific situation.

9) Given the substantial disparity in program duration and cost between EMT-level initial certification (approximately 16 weeks) and Paramedic-level initial certification (approximately 45 weeks), can the Government identify the expected proportion or maximum number of Paramedic-level initial certifications to be requested under the Base Period and each Option Period?

Response: See response to question 8) above.