RFR HSP42 COVID-19 Pooled Testing Services QA Responses.pdf

Question: What is the current estimated volume of samples, collected/analyzed, for the six (6) week pilot program? Moreover, what is the estimated expected volume of samples, collected/analyzed, for this five (5) month bid?

The estimated volume of samples collected during the six-week pilot period and the five month bid is dependent on several factors, including but not limited to: the number of entities that participate in the program, the number individuals at each entity that consent to be tested, and the average number of samples per pool. Estimates for the six-week pilot program range from 160,000 – 230,000 pooled testing kits collected and analyzed, but this can be higher or lower based on the actual demand and program logistics and cannot be fully known until after that period has ended. The Commonwealth makes no guarantee of volume. The portion of total volume received by a specific Contractor is dependent on the number of Eligible Entities that choose to submit quotes to that Contractor. Further, some entities may have existing relationships with potential Contractors as a result of the six-week pooled testing pilot program.

Question: Attachment 1, Section 4 states "Bidder shall, if needed, provide contracted staff to implement the pooled-testing operations (e.g., specimen collection, labeling samples) at Eligible

Entities." Will this be at additional cost, and billed through the Contractor on a pass-through basis?

Yes. As stated in Section 3.1.2.iv of the RFR, "Level 2 Logistical and Support Services shall be billed through Contractor to the Eligible Entity on a pass-through basis."

Question: Attachment 1, Section 3 requests information about the Respondent’s financial condition.

Our testing services company was formed as a subsidiary within the company group in mid-2020, and the subsidiary will be the Respondent. Would the Operational Services Division prefer that we submit the 2019 audited Financial Statements for our parent company, or a letter from the Principal certifying that the Respondent is in sound financial condition?

The Operational Services Division would prefer a letter from the Principal certifying that the respondent is in sound financial condition. If this is not feasible, the 2019 audited financial statements for the parent company is an acceptable submission.

Question: Can the Operational Services Division provide additional guidance for the Supplier Diversity

Plan Form with regard to quantifying annual financial commitment? Are there any examples of the type of contracts that should be disclosed?

The Supplier Diversity Plan percentage commitment can be through subcontracting and ancillary business relationships with Supplier Diversity Office certified businesses. A Directory of Certified businesses is available on the Supplier Diversity Office website at:

https://www.sdo.osd.state.ma.us/BusinessDirectory/BusinessDirectory.aspx

Bidders are advised to contact the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) with questions regarding the SDP program. The SDO office can be reached at webmaster.sdo@masss.gov and/ or by phone at 617-502-

8843.

Question: Is Massachusetts willing to add additional labs to the Pooled Testing Program if a CLIA-certified labs respond to the RFP?

https://www.sdo.osd.state.ma.us/BusinessDirectory/BusinessDirectory.aspx mailto:webmaster.sdo@masss.gov

If the Contractor seeks to use a laboratory other than an Authorized Processing Laboratory listed Section

8.3.2, the Contractor must obtain DPH’s written approval prior to using such alternate laboratory for the processing of pooled tests through a process laid out by DESE. A response to the RFR or acceptance of a bid does not guarantee that the alternate lab will be approved by DPH.

Question: The pricing sheet suggests the vendor may only charge for those kits for which a response is reported. This means that vendors supporting individual sample collection to afford reflex tests utilize

(1) more expensive kits (each including a tube vs a common tube) and (2) exponentially more kits than a common tube approach. These vendors cannot absorb the cost of lost and unused kits requested by the entity. How should we address this in the pricing in order to bill for kits?

Vendors may build the costs for lost and/or unused kits into their start-up or monthly administrative fees. Current operating procedure in many instances is to have 30-50 unused individual tests on hand at any given testing location, with restocking occurring as necessary to backfill any individual tests used.

Question: Is it possible to provide additional detail on the number of items in scope for this engagement? We will provide pricing in unit/hourly rate terms, per instructions, but wish to know the total number of items that may be requested. A range of total number of each item would also be helpful.

The estimated volume of samples collected during this engagement is dependent on several factors, including but not limited to: the number of entities that participate in the program, the number individuals at each entity that consent to be tested, and the average number of samples per pool.

Estimates for the six-week pilot program range from 160,000 – 230,000 pooled testing kits collected and analyzed, but this can be higher or lower based on the actual demand and program logistics. The

Commonwealth makes no guarantee of volume. The portion of total volume received by a specific

Contractor is dependent on the number of Eligible Entities that choose to submit quotes to that

Contractor. Further, some entities may have existing relationships around pooled testing with potential

Contractors as a result of the six-week pilot program.

Question: Attachment 1, Section 4.B invites bidders who do not meet a component of the minimum mandatory requirements in Section 4-A to propose alternatives that provide equivalent, better or more cost-effective performance. If a Respondent meets all of the minimum mandatory requirements, can it still provide alternative solutions for the Operational Services Division's consideration?

Yes, a bidder that meets all mandatory minimum requirements can still provide alternative solutions if the Bidder believes that they result in equivalent, better, or more cost-effective performance. The SST will determine if a proposed alternative method of performance achieves substantially equivalent or better performance.

Question: In the minimum service requirements, the State refers to billing Eligible Entities for shipping/courier charges on a pass-through basis, whereas in the cost template, the State asks for a price per week. Is it possible to clarify if the State is looking for a pass through charge, fixed amount per week, or if either is acceptable?

Shipping and courier costs will be billed to the Eligible Entity as pass-through costs. The cost template asks for the cost ceiling for any shipping and courier costs that the Contractor would anticipate passing through to the Eligible Entity. Actual costs that the Contractor passes through to the Eligible Entity may be lower than this amount and may be variable based on the specific logistics associated with an Eligible

Entity, but they may not exceed this amount. The purpose of this is to provide transparency on shipping and courier costs to the Eligible Entity as they select a Contractor.

Question: Is the State open to vendors including shipping charges in the per tube pricing, as opposed to doing a pass-through charge?

Vendors may include shipping charges in the per tube pricing. If shipping charges are included within the per tube pricing, vendors should provide a breakdown the components of the per tube price in the

“Additional notes on COVID-19 Test Processing Services pricing” box in Attachment #3, Section A.

Bidders should mark the relevant shipping costs in Attachment #3, Section B as “N/A”.

Does the State have a percentage participation target for the Supplier Diversity Plan that will enable vendors to achieve full evaluation points?

The percentage commitment for the SDP plan must be greater than zero.