Questions_and_Answers_21_Sep_17.pdf

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OFFEROR’S QUESTIONS GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE

1. Is this a new procurement?

No

2. If not, can you provide me with the prior contract number, W81K04-16-P-0013, HUMANA Government Business, Inc, $1,012,010.00

3. What are the WDOL classifications for all the positions?

We do not provide the positions, the contractor must determine what positions they want to use.

4. Any changes from the current scope of work?

SF 1449 Page 2 & 3 of 109

5. The CLIN 1002 and 1003 are not matching with the CLINs provided in SF 1449 Page 2 & 3 of

109. Can you please provide correct CLINs to be included in pricing?

See Amendment. However, there is not a CLIN 1003 and the CLIN structure as modified matches the government’s requirement.

6. Can you please provide attachments 6, 7 & 8 in word format?

Attachments can be found on pages 90 & 91 for printing page 86 of 109 7. In page 86 of 109, Table shows Sample Sub- Contractor/Teaming Partner Consent Letter as Attachment 3. But the page 88 of 109 shows Sample Sub-Contractor/Teaming Partner Consent Letter as Attachment 4. Also the Attachment numbers for 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 are not matching.

Please provide correct attachment numbers.

See amendment.

8. Performance Assessment Information Excel Spreadsheet is not provided with the solicitation.

Can you please provide?

See Amendment.

9. In ATTACHMENT 2 PROPOSAL FILE NAMING CONVENTION, the Volume II Technical Quality Proposal includes 4 separate documents. But, in page 82 of 109, VOLUME II – TECHNICAL QUALITY PROPOSAL (Factor 1) states that the Technical Quality Proposal shall be submitted as one complete document. Please clarify.

See Amendment

General 10.

1. Will the Government provide a breakdown of the number of FTEs currently performing at each respective service location?

2. Where is the appointing call center physically located?

1. No

2. See PWS para 1.1 The physical location of the call center is located on Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads (NSA HR), Portsmouth, VA.”

11. If this is a recompete, is the current Incumbent leaving in good standing?

The government will not provide the incumbents “standing”.

12. There is no Interested Vendors Tab, how will we know who else is interested so that we may contact them for networking/teaming opportunities?

The is a FBO feature that we do not manage.

Page 78-79 13. What is the full address, including attention line, proposals are to be submitted to? The two references are slightly different. Page 78-79 Installation Access/Page 1 Section 9

The full address is on the first page in block 9.

age 42, Paragraph 4.4

14. How does the Government define the “base period?” Page 42, Paragraph 4.4

The base period is the first period of work performed before an option is exercised.

Page 79, Paragraph 1.a

15. Page 79, Paragraph 1.a “A standard, 12-point font size applies” means the offeror is permitted to select the type face, correct?

Yes.

Page 85-86 16. Page 85-86, Volume IV Price Proposal Paragraph 1. Will the Government accept the Excel spreadsheet in MS Excel 2010?

Electronic files shall be submitted in a format that is compatible with Microsoft Office 2007 applications.

17. Is there a time limit for the KO to make a final decision on removal of a CSP?

No.

18. Can the Government further clarify whether they will provide the decentralized location to the CSP?

No.

19. Can the Government provide the total duration of this contract including the exercise of any options under this clause?

See Amendment. FAR 52.217-9

p. 82, Para. 6 20. p. 82, Para. 6 – Responsibility Determination. What dollar value does the government wish to see demonstrated as financial capability?

There is not a specific number, offeror should make that determination based on their understanding of the requirement.

p. 82, Vol II, Para 1 21. RFP p. 82, Vol II, Para 1 – Submission of Technical Quality Proposals/ RFP p. 87, Attachment 2 – proposal file naming convention Paragraph 1 states: “do not submit five separate documents for the Table of Contents, Subfactors and the Glossary.”

Attachment 2 provides required file naming conventions to include 4 separate file names and documents required.

See Amendment. Attacment #’s have changed

p. 87, Volume IV, Para. 1-2 and Attachment 2

22. RFP p. 87, Volume IV, Para. 1-2 and Attachment 2 – Proposal File Naming/RFP paragraph 1 states that an offeror must provide the CLIN pricing, an excel spreadsheet and a summary table in excel spreadsheet.

Additionally, paragraph 2 requires a price narrative.

Attachment 2 proposal file naming conventions, only allow for one file.

Please clarify if the following 3 files are acceptable for this submission requirement:

- CLIN pricing in a MS Word file

- Excel spreadsheet for pricing breakdown and summary

- Word document for price narrative

See Amendment.

Page 78 OF 109 23. Page 78 OF 109/ The H&W for SCA has recently been updated, but the WD referenced in the RFP is from 2015. Will the government issue a more recent SCA WD?

See Amendment.

24. Will EO 13706 be incorporated into the new RFP? This will determine which rate to use for H&W for the SCA positions.

25. Is there a minimum line of credit or other financial resources required by the prime offeror?

The offeror shall make that determination based on their understanding of the requirement.

26. ATTACHMENT 6 is referenced as an Excel Spreadsheet. Is the Excel file something the Government will provide?

See Amendment.

27. Is it acceptable for offerors to convert the required attachments into Word or other formatted documents as needed to respond to the proposal?

Yes unless the instructions specifically state a format is required for example an excel spreadsheet.

28. Can offerors use 11' x 17' in the respond and assume they count as 2 pages?

No.

p 82 & 87 29. p 82 & 87 Proposal instructions for Vol II on

p. 82 state: "Technical Quality Proposal shall be submitted as one complete document. For example do not submit five separate documents for the Table of Contents, Subfactors and the Glossary." Yet Proposal File Naming Convention table (Attachment 2) on p.87 lists separate document titles for the contents of both sanitzed and unsanitized versions of Vol II. Which instruction do we follow?

See Amendment.

Page 81 30. Page 81, Because a Joint Venture (JV) is a separate business entity made of up two or more companies, is a Subcontractor Teaming Partner Consent Letter required?

No, if they are an approved JV then they can use the past performance from either company.

Page 84, para 3 31. Page 84, para 3, Because a Joint Venture (JV) is a separate business entity made of up two or more companies, both with legal authority and representation to the Gov’t, is Attachment 5 required?

Page 90, 32. What is the difference between Attachment 6, Performance Assessment Information and Attachment 7, Reference Customer Information Sheet?

Page 92, 33. Page 92, Our current Cos and CORs have stated “we will not complete past performance questionnaires when we have spent quality time preparing annual CPARS…” Can vendors submit recent CPARs in lieu of Attachment 9, given the proposal is due during our CO/COR busiest month, September? How will past performance be scored if CO/CORs do not return Attachment 9?

You cannot submit CPARS, the government will pull finalized CPARS.

See Amendment: attachment 8

34. How will the Gov’t ensure vendors include mandatory Health & Welfare cost in their pricing? Excluding H&W benefits is a common practice for lowering proposal price.

Via the Wage Determination.

35. Will the Gov’t use a minimum FTE (manpower) estimate to determine price realism?

We are not evaluating price realism.

p. 80-81

36. PROPOSAL TABLE OF CONTENTSUnder Price Proposal, the page limit reads "Shall use Patient Appointing Services Price". What is this intended to mean for page limits?

See Amendment.

37. Would you please clarify in solicitation W81K04-17-R-0014? The historical work load per employee and how many employees are being requested under this solicitation.

Individual workload data is maintained by the current contractor and is proprietary.

38. If there is Incumbent employees are in place at this time would you please provide the hire dates.

Hire dates are proprietary to current contractor.

39. Can you please provide Labor Categories, number of FTEs, and the number of hours required for each Labor Category of the current contract?

Staffing models, FTE and labor categories are proprietary to the current contractor.

40. Does the CHCC maintain the telephonic equipment/switchboard in its facilities when the contract is taken over?

The telephone lines are manned by the government telecommunication department.

41. What is the level of effort by labor category currently being performed on the contract?

Staffing models is proprietary to the contractor.

42. How many lines are coming into NMCP to support this effort?

There are currently 68 appointment clerk telephones, one at each workstation.

43. Is training referenced funded by the government?

There is mandatory training that is provided by the government; computer based training. Under current contractor, there are customer services, telephone etiquette, and refresher booking training that is done on site, provided by the contractor. The government provides access to a CHCS training database that the contractor is responsible for updating and training staff.

44. What type of phone system is in use to support the effort? (ie. Avaya, Mitel)

Avaya

Attachment 1 to RFP - Tidewater Historical Call Volume and Transactions

45. The historical data shows calls received, calls answered and appointment transactions? To enable an offeror to determine appropriate staffing, could the government please clarify what other type of calls our staff be receiving that would not be considered an appointment transaction?

Verification of a pending appointment, calling to find the location of an MTF/clinic, calls to update demographics, calls to register newly assigned beneficiaries, who do not require an appointment.

RFP p. 29, section 1.2

46. The PWS 1.2 states that “approximately 625,000 appointing transactions per year” will be performed. However, the Attachment 1 historical data shows 483,913 appointment transactions for 2016. Can the government please confirm the appointment transactions that a contractor will be responsible for under the contract? A difference of 200+ K appointment transactions will affect proposed staffing and pricing.

We are contracting for transactions, varies from year to year; variable based on incoming and outgoing beneficiaries and is also based on the number of available appointments provided to the contractor by the MTF’s/clinics.

Page 30 , Paragraph 1.3.1, &

1.3.1.1 Orientation

& Training

47. Will the Government make available to the awardee and the CSPs the policies and procedures of his/her specific place of duty” prior to the contract start date?

Policies and procedures are set by the contractor. The government will screen each employee and determine their ability to work on base.

Page 30, Paragraph 1.3.1.2

48. Will the Government provide to the awardee a list of incumbent employees who have completed “any required staff training as a precondition to performance”?

Current staffing is proprietary information, this need to be coordinated with the current contractor.

Page 36, Paragraph

1.2 Transition

Period

49. Will the Government provide during the 3 month transition period the full contact information (Name, address, phone number, and place of performance) for all incumbent employees?

N/A from the Gov’t, this information is maintained by the current contractor.

Page 41, Paragraph

3.4.1 USG

Furnished Property

(GFP

50. Are all 68 workstations currently staffed?

Current staffing is proprietary information

Page 43, Paragraph 5.1

51. Does the Government have any specific education requirements for the contract service personnel?

That’s on the Contractor

52. Will the Government confirm, the Government is supplying the contractor personnel with all training materials and the training will schedule by the Contracting Officer Representative? And, the contractor is not responsible for developing any training materials?

There is mandatory training that is provided by the government; computer based training. Currently there are customer services, telephone etiquette, and refresher booking training that is done on site, provided by the contractor.

53. What are the criteria for CSPs to perform services off the installation?

All work related to CSP must be performed from a USN military installation.

Page 44 5.1.10 54. Is the contractor required to provide a redundant telephony application to track call volumes?

No

55. Where is the Government call center located? Could the government provide the address?

Currently located at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Virginia.

Page 83 5(b) 56. Are there key personnel requirements for this solicitation? If so, what are the positions?

Are there any Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and years of experience required for said positions?

Manager, Supervisors, Lead Clerks, and Clerks

p. 30 PWS 1.3.1.5. 57. The solicitation reads: "If additional training is needed due to mission changes, the MTF Information Management (IM) Division will conduct required computer training. This training will be at no cost to the Contractor. The COR will schedule this training. The MTF will not reimburse the Contractor for any expenses incurred while undergoing any computer training." If training is being provided at no cost to the Contractor, to what expenses is the Government referring?

There is mandatory training that is provided by the government; computer based training. All new hires must have initial security training, which is performed by NME security.

p. 36 PWS 4.2.3. 58. The solicitation states: “for services performed off the installation, the contractor shall provide appropriate physical security to the IT systems and/or environment to be in full compliance with physical security requirements of the MHS.” The government also states it is providing a call center type work area with the 68 work stations and will provide housekeeping services and physical security that are equivalent to USG staff in similar/same building. Under what circumstances will the contractor be required to work off of the installation?

No pg 40, para 3.4.2 59. Can the Government please provide the maximum trunk size for inbound calls. (I.E. is there a limit to the number of calls in the queue before a caller receives a busy signal?)

There are no limits to the number of calls that can be in the queue.

pg 41, para 3.9 60. If there are incumbents available and the awardee retains them will they be required to complete the Train the Trainer or CSP training courses during transition?

The current incumbents training will be up to date.

pg 41, para 3.9 61. What is the maximum number of new CSPs that can be trained simultaneously during the transition period?

All new hires must be trained.

pg 41, para 3.9 62. Are incumbents required to take the Train the Trainer Course if selected as a Trainer?

No, the incumbents would have already completed this course.

pg 41, para 3.9 63. Can the Government clarify who will approve the "Train the Trainer" appointees?

On the Contractor

Pg 42 - Par 4.2.3

64. At what time would services be required to be performed off the installation?

N/A pg 44, para 5.1.14 65. Is the Contractor required to perform a separate background investigation in addition to the one performed by the Government?

Upon Contractor organization guidance

Pg 45 - Par 5.2.7.2 66. Will the Government confirm whether the CSP will be booking dental appointments and if so will they be using the DenCas for dental appointing?

No and we do not use DenCAS

Pg 52, para 5.7.3 67. Will the USG provided training course include the knowledge of CHCS systems architecture, mandatory system procedures, security requirements, and functional operating procedures and will this be readily available for training of new CSP personnel?

Yes

Pg 52, para 5.7.4 68. As this para states: "At no time will the contractor provide CHCS Appointment Clerk Training to be conducted on the “live” CHCS system." Does this preclude over the shoulder monitoring and training for newly assigned staff that has already received training?

Use of the CHCS Training Mode prior being access into the live system

Pg 53 - Par 5.9.4 69. Does the Government System have the ability to obtain Blocked Call Rates?

Calls are maintain thru NMCP Telecommunications

Section 1.17, Page

70. Can the Government please provide any historical information regarding the frequency that contingency operations have been required in support of these requirements?

This is based on weather and other unexpected events.

71. Furthermore, can the Government detail how they would like for offerors to represent the associated costs that will be experienced by contractors for providing such decentralized office locations within the proposal pricing submission?

We do not de-centralize.

72. Can the Government please detail any incumbent(s) currently performing services for this requirement?

See Amendment all ready answered

73. In order for offerors to competitively price this requirement, can the Government please provide historical information regarding the labor categories, number of full time equivalents (FTE) with associated hours?

Proprietary information

Solicitation Document, Section 1.16, Page 36

74. Section 1.6 titled “Specific hours of operation” states that contractor shall provide services Monday-Friday from 6:00am to 8:00pm, and Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays (except Christmas Day) from 7:00am to 3:30pm. Will the government’s onsite centralized performance location be open Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays in order for contractor’s personnel to have access to perform?

Yes

75. Furthermore, per historical details, did the Government experience any days, other than Christmas Day, that the centralized location was closed?

Yes on inclement weather or unexpected events.

76. Additionally, can the Government detail any specific structured clinic closures that would alter personnel staffing levels, in order for offerors to competitively price?

Additionally, can the Government detail any specific structured clinic closures that would alter personnel staffing levels, in order for offerors to competitively price?

Solicitation Document, Section 4.2, Page 41

77. Section 4.2 states that contractor is to furnish all equipment to meet the requirements of this contract. In order for offerors to competitively price this requirement, can the Government please detail any additional equipment that may be required that is not furnished by the Government as stated in Section 3 titled “USG Furnished Information and Equipment/Services”?

Contractor uses ACD equipment supplied by the government; the only time the contractor purchases an item is to replace, headsets, ear pieces for the headsets and any other equipment that has been damaged or abused by the contractors.

Solicitation Document, Section 1.4.2.7, Page 31

78. Section 1.4.2.7 details that contractor shall submit appropriate paperwork for background investigations and such investigations and training will initiate granting access to DoD networks. Can the Government please detail the amount of time that transpires from paperwork submission to contractor’s receipt of personnel security suitability determinations, as required for personnel to have the ability to perform?

The timeline for a successfully adjudicated background investigation varies greatly among applicants. All applicants that are applying for employment all require a successfully adjudicated Tier 3 background investigations completed on an SF86 due to the IT network requirements, which are designated as Non-Critical Sensitive positions. This is a DOD and DON requirement, not a Navy Medicine requirement. The only time a CAC can be issued is if the fingerprints come back favorable; meaning no issues. If a fingerprint comes back unfavorable, a CAC CANNOT be issued until the investigation is successfully adjudicated. As stated earlier, the timeline varies due to many different factors. Right now the National Bureau for Background Investigations in currently experiencing a backlog. Cases on average have been adjudicated within 7 to 9 months. CAC’s have been issued for applicants who do not display derogatory information and receive favorable fingerprint result, thus resulting in onboarding them pending final adjudication. At which time if an unfavorable adjudication is determined, the employees CAC is revoked, network access is suspended, and management at the contractor is notified, which in turn will notify the contracting company.

Solicitation Document, Section 5.1.2, Page 43

79. Section 5.1.2 states that the COR will provide appointment errors to the contractor. What is the frequency and method of delivery that the COR will provide this information to the

Electronically once the error is reported and researched

Page 32, para 1.4.2.12

80. Each contractor IS/network shall comply with the requirements for IAWM….” Are contractors required to provide computers and an IT Network?

No

Page 36, para 1.16 81. Are all MTFs and clinics operating during the days and times listed?

Yes as listed

Page 36, para 1.10.13

82. Are backfill personnel required when CSP are on vacation as authorized under the DOL/SCA H&W entitlements?

This is on the Contractor not the government

A.01.02, Attachment 1, Tidewater Historical Call Volume and Transactions

83. The history show 3 locations, however, page 30, para 1.0 list the following locations:

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) and its nine Branch Medical Clinics (BMCs); Langley Air Force Base Hospital; McDonald Army Health Clinic, its two Troop Medical Clinics (TMCs) and Ft. Story health clinic. The U.S. (USG) shall not exercise any supervision or control over the Contract Service Providers (CSPs) performing the services herein. Question. Are CSPs required at all locations including the clinics? Is JB Eutis- Langley excluded?

No, all centralized appointing

A.01.02, Attachment 1, Tidewater Historical Call Volume and Transactions

84. Can the Gov’t provide a historical call volume / transaction breakout by location?

May 2016 thru April 2017 eMSM HRAC.pdf Attachment added