Health-14-Pre-Proposal_Con.docx

(ATTACHMENT 1)

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

May 16, 2014

This is the solicitation to procure Health Benefits Insurance Services to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, the Consulate General in Chiang Mai and U.S. Missions in Thailand. The Contractor shall provide the Health Insurance services to employees of the Government of the United States of America in Thailand.

The contract is for one base year period with four option years upon the availability of funds.

This is the fixed price with economic price adjustment requirements type contract (See B.4. Economic Price Adjustment-Health Insurance Premiums, Page 8).

Questions relevant to the Health Insurance Service solicitation CO accepts only written questions and if you have any questions concerning the solicitation, please submit them to us via email address: Ying@state.gov or HoganJD@state.gov within May 23rd or you can write them down and give to us after the conference. All questions and answers will be released to all prospective offerors , whether or not they attend, by posting on the FedBizOpps website under the “Other “Category. It is the same website: http//www.fbo.gov where the solicitation is now being posted.

Section B B.2.1. Value Added Tax (VAT) (page 4) Valued Added Tax is not applicable to this contract. The tax exemption certificate is to be issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

B.2.3. The quantities shown in Section B are estimates only and the Government is not obligated to order the estimated quantities shown in this section.

-2- B.3 ADMINISTRATIVE RETENTION AMOUNTS (page 8) This retention amount is a fixed amount that is a part of the premium amounts in B.2. This retention amount will not be adjusted for any reason.

NOTE TO OFFEROR - Fill in the fixed bi-weekly retention amounts for each period of performance and for each category of premium. This fixed amount must be expressed in the currency in which the premium amount is proposed. The fixed retention amount shall NOT be expressed in terms of a percentage of the premium.

Section C Proposals that contain more benefits (even if there is no increase in cost) or fewer benefits than stated in the solicitation may be deemed technically unacceptable.

The insurance company will reimburse covered medical expenses incurred, subject to the stated limits.

Reimbursements or payments shall be made for the following covered benefits:

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C.1.1.10. Psychiatric Treatment -3-

C.1.5.2( Page 16) Health Insurance Coverage for Employee’s dependents after death At the time of a covered employee’s death, his/her eligible dependents covered under post’s medical plan and as designated in the official personnel life, are eligible to temporarily continue receiving the same level of medical coverage for up to 180 days.

Valued Added Tax is not applicable to this contract. The tax exemption certificate is to be issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

C.3.0 Definitions (Page 19-20) Dependent the employee’s legal spouse (limit one) and unmarried, economically dependent children who primarily reside with the employee unless away at school. Child is defined as the employee’s natural child, adopted child, stepchild, or foster child. An eligible child will be covered until the end of the contract year in which he/she reaches age 21.

Employee An individual employed by the U.S. Government, under a direct-hire appointment, personal services contract, or personal services agreement, as further defined in Section C.1.3 for health insurance. This may also include ORE Staff, EAE and Peace Corp PSCs, if this category of individual is listed as participating under a rider in C.1.3.3 for health insurance.

Employer The United States Government or in the case of ORE and a Foreign Service National Community and American Community Support Association as EAE employees, the Chief of Mission/Deputy Chief of Mission and Employee Association, respectively.

Maximum Benefit The total amount that will be paid to any one covered individual for covered medical expenses or life insurance/disability benefit.

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Section H (Page 27) SECURITY. On occasion, a Contractor employee may require entry into U.S. Government-owned or -operated facilities. If so, the Contractor should be prepared to provide the necessary identification to permit escorted access within that facility.

Section I (Page 31) The full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at:

http://acquisition.gov/far/index.html Firms must prevent such activities from occurring.

FAR 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (Feb 2009)

As prescribed in 22.1705(a), insert the following clause:

(a) Definitions. As used in this clause— “Coercion” means—

(1) Threats of serious harm to or physical restraint against any person;

(2) Any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that failure to perform an act would result in serious harm to or physical restraint against any person; or

(3) The abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process.

“Commercial sex act” means any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person.

“Debt bondage” means the status or condition of a debtor arising from a pledge by the debtor of his or her personal services or of those of a person under his or her control as a security for debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively limited and defined.

“Employee” means an employee of the Contractor directly engaged in the performance of work under the contract who has other than a minimal impact or involvement in contract performance.

“Forced Labor” means knowingly providing or obtaining the labor or services of a person—

(1) By threats of serious harm to, or physical restraint against, that person or another person;

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(2) By means of any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause the person to believe that, if the person did not perform such labor or services, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint; or

(3) By means of the abuse or threatened abuse of law or the legal process.

“Involuntary servitude” includes a condition of servitude induced by means of—

(1) Any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that, if the person did not enter into or continue in such conditions, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint; or

(2) The abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process.

“Severe forms of trafficking in persons” means—

(1) Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or

(2) The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

“Sex trafficking” means the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.

(b) Policy. The United States Government has adopted a zero tolerance policy regarding trafficking in persons. Contractors and contractor employees shall not—

(1) Engage in severe forms of trafficking in persons during the period of performance of the contract;

(2) Procure commercial sex acts during the period of performance of the contract; or

(3) Use forced labor in the performance of the contract.

(c) Contractor requirements. The Contractor shall—

(1) Notify its employees of—

(i) The United States Government’s zero tolerance policy described in paragraph (b) of this clause; and

(ii) The actions that will be taken against employees for violations of this policy. Such actions may include, but are not limited to, removal from the contract, reduction in benefits, or termination of employment; and

(2) Take appropriate action, up to and including termination, against employees or subcontractors that violate the policy in paragraph (b) of this clause.

(d) Notification. The Contractor shall inform the Contracting Officer immediately of—

(1) Any information it receives from any source (including host country law enforcement) that alleges a Contractor employee, subcontractor, or subcontractor employee has engaged in conduct that violates this policy; and

(2) Any actions taken against Contractor employees, subcontractors, or subcontractor employees pursuant to this clause.

(e) Remedies. In addition to other remedies available to the Government, the Contractor’s failure to comply with the requirements of paragraphs (c), (d), or (f) of this clause may result in—

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(1) Requiring the Contractor to remove a Contractor employee or employees from the performance of the contract;

(2) Requiring the Contractor to terminate a subcontract;

(3) Suspension of contract payments;

(4) Loss of award fee, consistent with the award fee plan, for the performance period in which the Government determined Contractor non-compliance;

(5) Termination of the contract for default or cause, in accordance with the termination clause of this contract; or

(6) Suspension or debarment.

(f) Subcontracts. The Contractor shall include the substance of this clause, including this paragraph (f), in all subcontracts.

(g) Mitigating Factor. The Contracting Officer may consider whether the Contractor had a Trafficking in Persons awareness program at the time of the violation as a mitigating factor when determining remedies. Additional information about Trafficking in Persons and examples of awareness programs can be found at the website for the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at http://www.state.gov/g/tip.

(End of clause) The System for Award Management (SAM) registration requirement There will be a requirement for SAM registration before award can be made so the prospective offerors should study guidance on this requirement. You may have problems registering into SAM and this applies to all acquisitions over $25K.

-Go to the link https://www.sam.gov

-7- Section L (Page 58) Closely review the Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors

L.1. SUBMISSION OF OFFERS

This solicitation is for the provision of insurance and services described in Sections C and J, under the terms and conditions set forth herein.

L.2. SUMMARY OF INSTRUCTIONS. Each proposal must consist of the following separate volumes:

Volume Title No. of Copies

L.3. DELIVERY OF PROPOSALS AND EXCEPTIONS TO SOLICITATION.

The offeror shall submit the complete offer to the address indicated at Block 7, if mailed, or Block 9, if hand delivered, of Standard Form 33, Solicitation, Offer and Award.

L.4. CONTENTS OF PROPOSALS. The proposals shall contain documents filled out in strict conformance with the detailed instructions set forth as follows:

L.4.1. Volume 1 -- Standard Form 33: Complete Blocks 12 through 18, as appropriate and fill in all the blanks in Section K of this solicitation.

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L.4.2. Volume 2 -- Price Proposal and fill in Section B.

(a) Price proposal for the base year of health insurance program;

(b) Price proposal for the option years of health insurance program; however, a price proposal for an option year with no proposal for the base year will not be considered, nor will a proposal for a base period which does not include a proposal for all option periods for health insurance program.

L.4.3. Volume 3 -- Technical Proposal

L.4.3.1 Management Approach

(a) Understanding of the Requirement.

(b) Plan Administration.

The offeror must demonstrate how it plans to perform the contract.

L.4.3.2.1. Experience and Past Performance.

List all contracts and subcontracts your company has held over the past three years for the same or similar work.

L.4.3.2.2 Licensing Information

L.4.3.3. Profit Sharing Credit

L.4.3.4. Employee Pool

L.4.3.5. FINANCIAL STATEMENT

The offeror shall provide a current statement of its financial condition, certified by a third party. This current statement shall include:

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Income (profit-loss) Statement that shows profitability for the past three (3) years;

Section M (Page 66) M.3. M.3.1. The award selection will go to the lowest priced, technically acceptable, responsible offeror. As described in FAR 52.215-1, "Instructions to Offerors - Competitive Acquisition,” which is incorporated by reference in Section L, award may be made based upon initial offers, without discussions. The offeror must also be licensed/certified/accredited.

The Proposal Due Date is on June 23rd at 15:00 hrs.

Submission via Hardcopy:

Submissions via hardcopy (original and three copies, including three copies of supporting documents) shall be sent to the U.S. Embassy address indicated at Block 7.

Submission via E-Commerce (Email) :

Submissions transmitted through electronic commerce (original, including all supporting documents) shall be sent to the following email address:

(BKKGSOProcBid@state.gov)

For electronic submissions for TMC, the offerors have to submit one day prior to the submission date required for hard copy submissions.

Ref FAR clause 52.212-1 (b)(11)(2)(i)(A)

PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT ANY STATEMENTS AT THIS PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED TO BE A CHANGE TO THE SOLICITAITON UNLESS A WRITTEN AMEDMENT IS ISSUED.