Questions_and_Answers.pdf

Questions and Answers

20 February 2018

Medical Transcription Service

Question 1: Will the Government accept past performance of both Prime and Subcontractor for this requirement?

Answer: Only the prime past performance will be accepted.

Question 2: Will the Government accept corporate sector as well as government sector past performance?

Answer: Yes.

Question 3: Can the Past Performance (and questionnaire) for subcontractor can be included for this effort?

Answer: See question #1

Question 4: In regards to past performance, will PPQs from subcontractors be accepted?

Answer: See question #1

Question 5: When are the Certificate of Networthiness to be submitted? If it is post-award, how much time is allow to post the award for the submission?

Answer: The vendor may not need to submit the Certificate of Networthiness, all contracted transcriber will be utilizing VPN in order to access WBAMC network.

Question 6: Whether companies from Outside USA can apply for this? (like, from India or Canada)

Answer: See Addendum 52.212-1 in the solicitation

Question 7: Whether we need to come over there for meetings?

Answer: See Addendum 52.212-1 in the solicitation

Question 8: Can we perform the tasks (related to RFP) outside USA? (like, from India or Canada)

Answer: See Addendum 52.212-1 in the solicitation

Question 9: Can we submit the proposals via email?

Answer: See Addendum 52.212-1 in the solicitation

Question 10: Reference to “Scope of Work” #1 b in the PWS. “Contractor shall access the transcription system via high speed data link.” We are assuming that this will require a foot pedal of a particular configuration used previously by us from Dictaphone/Nuance (foot pedal Kit US, RJ11 USB-DB15). If you could confirm this information or if there is no requirement for a particular foot pedal.

Answer: Yes, a foot pedal kit will be required for the contracted transcribers.

Question 11: Is this contract intended for HUB zone small businesses.

Answer: Yes. This requirement is set-aside for HUB Zone small businesses.

Question 12: FAR 52.222-41 (Service Contract Labor Standards) was included as part of this solicitation on page 10. Any current SCA wage determination requires the incorporation of Executive Order (EO)

13706 (Paid Sick Leave) for contracts awarded after January 1, 2017. EO 13706 is incorporated via FAR

52.222-62 (Paid Sick Leave under EO 13706). This EO also dictates the applied hourly Health and

Welfare amount, $4.13 per hour under EO 13706 or $4.41 without the EO. As this is a requirement under

SCA, will the Government consider incorporating FAR 52.222-62 as a contract clause?

Answer: Yes, this requirement is under SCA and FAR 52.222-62 will be added to the contract.

Question 13: In reference to 52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires – if the

Government pays the contract by line item, do contractors need to show the Government that we are paying our medical transcriber equivalent to a GS-4 wages & benefits?

Answer: Per Clause 52.222-42, the statement is for information only: it is not a wage determination.

Question 14: In the PWS, paragraph 3-j Specific Task or Assignment of the PWS, the government states they may elect to have the contractor re-perform the service. Is the contractor paid to re-perform a service?

Answer: No, the contractor will not paid for the re-performance of services.

Question 15: In the PWS, paragraph 1-h of the PWS states the Government will furnish 6 computer systems. Will these computer systems be laptops or tower computers?

Answer: Government will "temporarily" furnish (6) computers, these are miniature tower computers.

Note: There are no monitors included with the PC towers.

Question 16: Please clarify what equipment is included with the computer system mentioned on page 36, paragraph 1-h of the PWS? Does the computer system include all necessary workstation equipment, i.e., keyboards, mouse, monitor, printers, etc.?

Answer: No, government will only furnish the PC tower, keyboard, and mouse. No monitor and no printer, etc.

Question 17: In the PWS, paragraph j Government furnished equipment does not list the six computer systems and associated workstation equipment the Government will provide for initial start-up of this transcription requirement mentioned on page 36, paragraph 1-h. Please clarify that the Contractor will receive 6 computers from the Government to use for the life of the contract?

Answer: No, government will only furnish the (6) PC towers for initial start-up of the transcription contract. Incumbent vendor will need to consult and coordinate with the contract COR for delivery and the return of the (6) PC towers once the incumbent vendor has procured their own respective IM/IT equipment. The government "will not" furnish (6) PC towers for the life of the contract.

Question 18: In reference to paragraph 2 of the PWS-- Will the Government consider email, in lieu of fax, as a vehicle to receive information needed to transcribe report, i.e., patient admission and discharge rosters, physician identification rosters and other demographic data?

Answer: The incumbent vendor will access our WBAMC IM/IT Dictaphone Nuance system to retrieve

"all" dictated workload and will then be responsible for returning all completed transcribed workload back to WBAMC Medical Transcription personnel. All of this workload will be conducted via VPN network accessibility.

Question 19: How is the current contractor receiving Government provided information needed to transcribe reports?

Answer: The current incumbent vendor currently has access to the WBAMC IM/IT network

(Dictaphone/Nuance System) via VPN network accessibility to this system. Thus, why the new incumbent vendor must has qualified contract personnel that will be able to pass a security, criminal background check, provide fingerprinting and apply for a WBAMC ISAR network agreement to gain access to the WBAMC IM/IT network.

Question 20: In reference to paragraph 3-h of the PWS the turnaround times for reports 8 and 9 state, "Consultation Reports (CON) four (12) hours" and "Progress Notes (PROG NOTES) four (12) hours."

Will the Government please clarify if the turnaround time for these reports is four or twelve hours?

Answer: This is a typo error. The turnaround time is 12 hours for these reports. There will be an updated

PWS post in FBO.

Question 21: In reference to paragraph 4-b Security of the PWS the Government states the contractor will have to demonstrate appropriate administrative, technical & physical safeguard of data within one week of contract. Should the contractor demonstrate how their plan to accomplish such task in the proposal?

Answer: Yes.

Question 22: If the Government would like Contractors to demonstrate appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguard of data within one week of contract, will the Government please extend the page count?

Answer: The page count will remain the same.

Question 23: In reference to paragraph 4-d Security of the PWS the Government states the Contractor shall provide a central server in order for contract employees to access required programs. Will the

Government please confirm that a central server is needed, since employees will access through a VPN?

Answer: The central server referenced by the government is the Dictaphone/Nuance Server that is currently being utilized to stored dictated workload. Contract personnel will access this server via VPN network accessibility.

Question 24: If a central server is needed, will the Government please provide the specifications for the server and network access? i.e., processors, ram, drive, etc.

Answer: No central server is needed by contracted vendor.

Question 25: The Government gives several standards for Quality throughout the PWS. Page 46, paragraph 10 states, “no more than two (2) errors, blanks, or omissions per single spaced page of approximately sixty-five (65) lines will be accepted.” Page 46, paragraph 11-a states, “no more than one page with errors per 100 pages of transcription.” Page 60, section 2.1 states, “The Contractor shall transcribe with an accuracy rate of no more than (2) errors per report.” Please clarify that acceptable quality standard?

Answer: Paragraph 11-a, “no more than one page with errors per 100 pages of transcription” deleted from the PWS.

Question 26: In reference to paragraph 11-a of the PWS, the standard states, "Ninety-eight (99%) percent of transcriptions shall be completed within the prescribed time-frame." Will the Government please clarify if the standard is ninety-eight or ninety-nine percent?

Answer: This is a typo error. It is Ninety-nine (99%) percent. The PWS has been corrected.

Question 27: In reference to 52.212-1 Addendum, please confirm that the cover page, table of contents, glossary, and representations and certifications will not be included in the page count?

Answer: Please see Addendum 52.212-1, submit only what is in Addendum to 52.212-1.

Question 28: In reference to 52.212-1 Addendum states the entire proposal shall not exceed 25 pages.

Please confirm this page limit only applies to Volume I – Technical Capability?

Answer: No, it applies to all three Volumes.

Question 29: If the 25 page limit includes all volumes, would the Government like Contractors to submit all volumes as a single, 25-page file?

Answer: Yes.

Question 30: In reference to Volume I – Technical Capability, a compensation plan (Appendix B) is requested to be included as part of the technical proposal. The services are being provided by non-professional employees, however, requirements for compensations plans relate to professional compensation under FAR 52.222-46. Please confirm the Compensation Plan is necessary for a submission that is a per transaction Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract with non-professional services?

Answer: Yes, the Compensation plan needs to be provided with the proposal.

Question 31: Please confirm the Clauses Incorporated by Full Text on pages 66 – 74 that require response from the Contractor are not included in page count?

Answer: These Clauses can be completed on SAM. If the offeror has completed these Clauses on SAM, the offeror shall indicate such on their proposal.

Question 32: In reference to addendum to 52.212-2 states award will be made using the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) source selection process. However, the evaluation factors describe a Best

Value source selection process. Please clarify if a Best Value source selection process will be used?

Answer: Per Addendum to 52.212-2, “Award will be made to the responsible offeror on the basis of the lowest evaluate price of proposals meeting or exceeding the acceptability standards for non-cost factors.

Therefore, each initial offer should contain the offeror’s best terms from a technical and price standpoint.”

In accordance to FAR 15.101, “An agency can obtain best value in negotiated acquisitions by using any one or a combination of source selection approaches. In different types of acquisitions, the relative importance of cost or price may vary.”