Questions and Answers_W81K00-22-R_0026_PAs_21 July 2022.pdf

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

W81K00-22-R-0026

Physician Assistant (PA) Services Department of Emergency Medicine; Brooke Army Medical Center 21 July 2022

# Question Government Reply

1. It has become customary in competitions for MTF healthcare staffing services to allow CPARs to be submitted (in lieu of a Past Performance Questionnaire). Will the Government permit offers to submit CPARs in this way, subject to the same recency/relevancy requirements?

No, the Government will not accept CPARS in lieu of Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ). Moreover, the Government already has an access to CPARS database.

2. Are all five PA positions currently filled?

This requirement is based on the consolidation of two (2) contracts. Currently, W81K00-17-P-0675 has one (1) FTE and W81K00-18-P-0625 has four (4) FTEs.

3. Will the government accept CPARs in leu of PPQs given the short turn around?

No, the Government will not accept CPARS in lieu of Past Performance Questionnaire. PPQs are due on 8 August 2022 at 08:00 AM CT. The date on PPQ form has been corrected.

4. Can you please confirm the incumbent and the contract number?

contracts: W81K00-18-P-0625 (Reef Systems Corporation, CAGE 53QF5) and W81K00-17-P-0675 (Reef Systems Corporation, CAGE 53QF5).

5. Can you please confirm the submission date for the Past Performance Questionnaire? The document states it was due on July 18, 2022, 2:PM CT.

Submission date for PPQ is 8 August 2022 at 08:00 AM CT. The date on PPQ form has been corrected.

6. The Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ), Attachment #3 states the due date to the government is 18 July 2022, 2:00 PM CT. Can that date be extended as the solicitation itself was not published until 18 July 2022?

7. Is this a new requirement, or is there an incumbent?

The incumbent is Reef Systems Corporation, CAGE

53QF5.

Physician Assistant (PA) Services

8. If there is an incumbent, what is the contract number, name and value?

contracts:

1) W81K00-18-P-0625 (Reef Systems Corporation, CAGE 53QF5), total value is $2,432,592.31;

2) W81K00-17-P-0675 (Reef Systems Corporation, CAGE 53QF5), total value is $912,769.84.

9. Per PWS 1.1.1.3. Constraints: This contract is subject to the availability of funds. When will the government know when funds will become available?

This is FY23 contract, therefore the funding will be available in October 2022.

10. Attach 1 – Instructions to Offerors:

o Regarding the requirement for the offeror to submit at least 1 recent and relevant past performance as a prime if they are using teaming partner’s past performance: will the Gov’t allow a past performance reference for work done by the offeror as a subcontract that is recent and relevant if the offeror can demonstrate other significant work as a prime?

Yes, i.e. if the Offeror performed as a subcontractor on the reference project, the PPI shall explain what percentage and type of work that was performed by the Offeror as subcontractor.

11. Ref. Attachment1 Instructions to Offerors Evaluation Criteria: Will the Government please define “Teaming Partner” and “Offeror?” Do these definitions change with regards to Joint Ventures?

An offeror is the party who responds to the solicitation.

A teaming partner is a subcontractor/ joint venture partner who has a teaming agreement with the offeror.

In the case of joint venture, the joint venture represents the past performance collectively (see https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/joint-ventures)

12. Ref. Attachment1 Instructions to Offerors Evaluation Criteria, Volume II – Past Performance: Will the Government confirm that there is not a requirement for the Protégé in a MPJV to provide past performance as that is the guidance provided in 13 CFR 125.8(e)?

Regional Health Contracting Office- Central does not require the protégé firm to individually meet the same evaluation or responsibility criteria as that required of other offerors generally. The partners to the joint venture in the aggregate must demonstrate the past performance, experience, business systems and certifications necessary

Physician Assistant (PA) Services to perform the contract. This language has been added to Addendum 52.212-1 Instructions.

13. Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment 3) – The PPQ document states that the questionnaire is due 18 July 2022. Can you please revise the PPQ to reflect the correct due date?

14. Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment 3) – The PPQ document states that the completed PPQ should be submitted tosalameya.paulouskaya2.civ@mail.mil < Caution-mailto:salameya.paulouskaya2.civ@mail.mil > and yakita.s.mcclurkin.civ@ mail.mil < Caution-mailto:yakita.s.mcclurkin.civ@mail.mil > . However, the Attachment 1 Instructions states submissions should be sent tosalameya.paulouskaya2.civ@mail.mil < Caution-mailto:salameya.paulouskaya2.civ@mail.mil > andcicely.d.simmons-carroll.civ@mail.mil < Caution-mailto:cicely.d.simmons-carroll.civ@mail.mil > . Can you please confirm if the PPQs are to be sent to Yakita or Cicely?

The PPQ should be emailed to salameya.paulouskaya2.civ@mail.mil and yakita.s.mcclurkin.civ@mail.mil.

The offers should be emailed to salameya.paulouskaya2.civ@mail.mil and andcicely.d.simmons-carroll.civ@mail.mil

15. Can you please provide the name of the incumbent contractor and the incumbent contract number?

16. Is this a new requirement or an existing requirement?

17. How many incumbents are there performing this work?

Currently, W81K00-17-P-0675 has one (1) FTE and W81K00-18-P-0625 has four (4) FTEs.

18. What are the incumbent names, contract #s, and revenues received under the incumbent contract?

Physician Assistant (PA) Services

19. How many FTEs were on the previous contract? Has the PWS Changed?

20. What did you like about the previous contract? Dislikes?

The Government will answer the question about “likes/dislikes”. It was the Government decision to consolidate the requirement and re-compete, since both W81K00-18-P-0625 and W81K00-17-P-0675 end on 30 September 2022.

21. What are your KPIs (key performance factors)?

See PWS Para 7. Performance Requirement Summary (pages 91-92 of 108 of the solicitation) for Performance Objectives an Acceptable quality Levels.

22. If we have a teaming agreement with a subcontractor, does the subcontractor's experience count as experience for the prime?

No, it does not count for the prime. If the Offeror is a subcontractor, then only Offeror’s experience as a subcontractor counts. As per Addendum 52.212-1 Instructions, page 3 of 9, “If the Offeror performed as a subcontractor on the reference project, the PPI shall explain what percentage and type of work that was performed by the Offeror as subcontractor”.

23. Evaluation Criteria. Section M of the RFP lists the three “best value” proposal evaluation factors, i.e., 1) Past Performance, 2) Compensation Plan and 3) Price. What is the relative weight of the evaluation factors? Are the three evaluation factors equal? (Ref: RFP Page 24, FAR 52.212-2.)

As per Attachment 1 – Instructions to Offers and Evaluation Criteria (Attach 1_Instructions to Offeros_ Evaluation Criteria_22-R-0026_18 July 2022), ADDENDUM TO 52.212-2, Para (a): ) Award will be made using the Best-Value Tradeoff source selection process. Past Performance is significantly more important than Compensation Plan, and both are more important than price when combined. However, price could become

Physician Assistant (PA) Services the determining factor, if the proposals are determined to be essentially equal.

24. Proposal Response Time. FAR 5.203 Publicizing and Response Time, requires offerors get a 30-calendar day response time. For this RFP, the response time is only 14 calendar days, i.e., proposals due 1 Aug 2022. Given COVID-19 related delays associated with recruiting, can the Government allow for a 30-day response period to prepare proposals, i.e., 18 Aug 2022?

The new due date of the solicitation is 8 August 2022 at 08:00 AM CT. It will not be posted for thirty (30) days due to the exception (IAW DFARS 215.371-4(a)(3) while competitive procedure is used.

25. Incumbent Contractor. Is there an incumbent contractor? If so, what is the company name, unique entity identifier number?

26. Incumbent Contract. Is there a current contract for this requirement? If so, can you provide the contract number and total awarded amount?

contracts:

1) W81K00-18-P-0625 (Reef Systems Corporation, CAGE 53QF5), total value is $2,432,592.31;

2) W81K00-17-P-0675 (Reef Systems Corporation, CAGE 53QF5), total value is $912,769.84.

27. Economic Price Adjustment. Given the current 9.1 percent inflation rate, will the Government allow the contractor to make adjustments to account for rapidly increasing labor prices needed to help provide a financial incentive to retain employees as required under the “Compensation Plan”? (Ref: FAR 52.243-1 and DFARS 252.424-7002)

FAR 52.243-1 refers to the supply contract (as prescribed by FAR 43.205(a)(1) “ The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.243-1, Changes-Fixed-Price, in solicitations and contracts when a fixed-price contract for supplies is contemplated”). This is a personal services contract, therefore FAR 52.243-1 is not applicable.

It is an Offeror’s business decision to incorporate escalation rate into the pricing for the option year.

However, as per PWS 1.8 HEALTHCARE PROVIDER COMPENSATION: In no case shall the total amount of compensation paid to an individual in any

Physician Assistant (PA) Services year under a Personal Services Contract exceed the limit established under 10 USC § 1091(b) and/or the full time equivalent rate established under DoDI PI 6025.5.

28. PWS Task 1.3.6 – Monthly Report. Can the government provide an example of a required monthly report?

As per PWS Para 1.3.6.2, This monthly report shall detail status of licensure, certifications, and health and immunization status and shall include expiration dates and projected renewal of mandatory requirements such as licensure, certifications, life support courses, annual training requirements, and health requirements (e.g., TB, influenza).

29. Phase-In Period. How many calendar days does the contractor have to start work after contract award? Can offerors assume a 30-day phase-in period to start work?

The contract does not have a phase-in period. The full performance will start on 1 October 2022. The contract will be awarded before the end of FY 22.

30. Place of Performance. Do all five Health Care Providers work in the same physical location / building? The RFP states there are three (3) CMEs Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants for the Rapid Treatment Area (PA-RTA) and two (2) CMEs Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants in support of the Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant Graduate Medical Education (PA-GME) for duty at the Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, TX. Not sure if these are in the same location.

The place of performance is the Brooke Army Medical Center, located at 3551 Roger Brook Dr, Ft. Sam Houston, TX, 78234.

31. Instructions; Volume II – Past Performance (page 4 of 9):

Reference: RFP states, “Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) in accordance with the PPQ Form (Attachment 3). The Offeror will send blank PPQs to Government agencies and/or private sector companies requesting past performance information on applicable projects. Narratives are required on questionnaires (PPQs) for ratings other than satisfactory. If the narratives do not support the rating or if there is no narrative for a rating higher than satisfactory, the questionnaire rating will be evaluated as satisfactory. It is the

No, the Government will not accept CPARS in lieu of Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ). Moreover, the Government already has an access to CPARS database.

Physician Assistant (PA) Services responsibility of the Offeror to track and ensure the completion/submission of the PPQs by the proposal due date.”

Question: Will CPARs be accepted in lieu of PPQs?

32. Instructions; Volume II – Past Performance (page 3 of 9):

Reference: RFP states, “The Offeror shall submit with its proposal evidence of recent and relevant past performance under which YOUR company (the Offeror) provided the same or similar services with similar magnitude and scope in the public and/or private sector.,” and, “NOTE: Past performance reference projects performed by a proposed teaming partner or a proposed subcontractor will only be considered if: (1) the Offeror submits at least one recent and relevant past performance project that the Offeror has performed, as a prime; (2) the teaming partner or subcontractor is identified as a teaming partner or subcontractor in the administrative volume of the proposal, and (3) the role and percentage of work proposed to be performed by the teaming partner or subcontractor on the proposed requirement is detailed in the proposal. Items (2) and (3) shall be identified in the administrative volume.”

Question: Will the experience and past performance of the parent or subsidiary companies (i.e., offeror) be evaluated if the proposal shows that a sister company lending its experience and past performance has made a firm commitment to have a meaningful involvement in contract performance?

No, the Government will not accept the past performance from the parent or subsidiary companies.

33. Instructions; Volume II – Past Performance (page 3 of 9):

Question: Are there any additional requirements that an offeror must address in its proposal in order to utilize parent or subsidiary company experience and past performance if the proposal shows that a sister company lending its experience and past performance has made a firm commitment to have a meaningful involvement in contract performance

The Government will not accept the past performance from the parent or subsidiary companies, therefore, no additional information is needed.

34. Instructions; Volume II – Past Performance (page 3 of 9):

The Government will not accept the past performance from the parent or subsidiary companies, therefore, no additional information is needed.

Physician Assistant (PA) Services

Question: Are there specific or special evaluation criteria for rating the experience and past performance of an offeror who utilizes parent or subsidiary company experience and past performance if the proposal shows that a sister company lending its experience and past performance has made a firm commitment to have a meaningful involvement in contract performance?

35. The due date on the Past Performance Questionnaire is July 18. We request that the PPQ submission deadline be the same as the proposal submission deadline.

PPQs are due on 8 August 2022 at 08:00 AM CT. The date on PPQ form has been corrected.

36. Please confirm that offeror should include in Volume I their UEI number, not DUNS number, as UEI has replaced DUNS.

The Offeror should include their UEI number. The Addendum to 52.212-1 Instruction has been edited.

37. In Paragraphs 5.1.7 – 5.1.10 of the solicitation, the term “PA/NP” is used when describing the specific tasks of the PA. Please confirm that this position must be filled by a PA and not an NP.

This requirement is for Physician Assistant (PA) services. PWS has been corrected.