R604--Mail Tracking Service

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMENDMENT 0001 TO RFQ 36C25927Q0017 IS TO ANSWER VENDOR QUESTIONS AND UPDATE THE RESPONSE DUE TIME FOR QUOTES.

Quotes are to be provided to eric.adusei@va.gov no later than 14:00pm MT, October 30th, 2026.

VENDOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS PROVIDED BELOW:

The following questions are respectfully submitted in response to the subject solicitation.

Question 1. Scope and pricing structure for additional facilities (PWS 1.0 and 9.0; Price Schedule CLIN 0001). PWS 9.0 identifies Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center as the primary site and states that additional VISN 19 locations may be added by order, while PWS 1.0 requires a solution supporting "all current and future VA facilities within VISN 19."

(a) Please confirm whether the monthly price under CLIN 0001 is intended to cover a single facility, with additional VISN 19 facilities added during performance at that same monthly rate.

Answer:

Single Facility

(b) Equipment requirements will vary by facility, as mail rooms differ in size, staffing and package volume. Would the Government consider adding equipment line items so that facilities requiring more or less equipment can be priced accordingly? Alternatively, should offerors price to a fixed equipment configuration per facility and assume that every additional facility receives that same configuration? Please confirm which approach the Government prefers so that quotes are prepared on a common basis.

Answer:

The Government will consider a reduced quantity of equipment only for hand scanners, based on the operational needs of each facility. At this time, the Government does not anticipate requiring additional equipment or additional facility-specific equipment beyond that configuration. No separate equipment line items are requested for additional facilities.

Question 2. Treatment of non-recurring costs and price balance (Price Schedule; FAR 52.212-2(d)). The price schedule contains five identical monthly service line items with no separate line for implementation, hardware, training or travel. Those costs are incurred almost entirely in the base period, which necessarily produces a base-year monthly rate higher than the option-year rates. FAR 52.212-2(d) provides that the Government may determine an offer unacceptable if option prices are significantly unbalanced. Please confirm that a base-year price higher than the option years solely because it carries non-recurring implementation, hardware, training and travel costs will not be treated as unbalanced for purposes of that provision. If the Government would consider such pricing unbalanced, please advise how offerors are expected to recover non-recurring costs within the current line item structure.

Answer:

Yes a Base year Price that is higher than the options years is acceptable and understandable as that is the initial installation phase. Your quote can state the total on the price schedule and then breakdown the different costs on a different document if you like.

Question 3. Existing equipment and government-furnished property (PWS 6.1, 6.5, 10.0). Please confirm whether Rocky Mountain Regional currently owns barcode printers, scanners or mobile devices that will remain in service under this contract, and if so, whether the contractor assumes responsibility for their maintenance and technology refresh under PWS 5.7 and 6.5.

Answer:

Currently contractor is not responsible for refresh. Under the current contract barcode printers and scanners are being leased.

Question 4. Existing contract for this service is a contract for package or mail tracking software currently in place at Rocky Mountain Regional, or is this a new requirement? If a contract is in place, please provide the contract or award number.

Answer: 36C25920A0065

Deployment Scope and System Usage

Question 5. Initial Deployment: How many VA facilities, buildings, mailrooms, and receiving stations are included in the initial deployment? If available, please provide the anticipated locations and number of receiving stations at each.

Answer:

Deployment will be for 1 VA facility, Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC. All equipment will be located in KS-100 SCMS Warehouse.

Question 6. System Users: How many VA personnel are expected to use the system initially, and what is the anticipated maximum number of users?

Answer:

The system is expected to have 9 VA personnel users initially, with a maximum anticipated user base of 12 personnel.

Question 7. Transaction Volume: What is the estimated monthly or annual volume of packages, accountable mail, and internal deliveries that the system must process?

Answer:

Approximately 250,0000 parcels

Hardware and Equipment

Question 8. Hardware Quantities: What quantities and minimum specifications of barcode printers, barcode scanners, and electronic signature capture devices must the contractor furnish?

Answer:

One barcode printer 12 scanners and 2 electronic signature capture devices

Question 9. Government-Furnished Equipment: Will the VA provide existing computers, tablets, mobile devices, and compatible peripherals, or must these items be furnished by the contractor?

Answer:

We are requesting the contractor to provide all necessary computers, mobile devices, and compatible peripherals. There are no plans for WTS to be on VA network.

Question 10. Consumables: Is the contractor responsible for providing barcode labels, printer ribbons, batteries, replacement parts, and other consumables? If so, what estimated quantities should be included in the quotation?

Answer:

Yes. The contractor will be responsible for providing all consumables and routine replacement items required to operate and maintain the Web Tracking System (WTS), including barcode labels, printer ribbons, batteries, and other comparable consumables. The contractor should also include routine replacement parts necessary to maintain the system in an operational condition, unless otherwise identified as Government-furnished equipment or supplies.

The Government does not have a fixed historical quantity estimate at this time. Offerors should base their quotations on the anticipated workload, number of users and devices, facility locations, package volume, and the period of performance. The quotation should clearly identify the assumptions used and include estimated annual quantities and pricing for consumables and routine replacement parts. Any costs necessary to support normal system operation should be included in the quoted price, with no additional charges unless approved by the Contracting Officer.

Pricing and Contract Scope

Question 11. Future Facility Expansion: The PWS indicates that additional VISN 19 facilities may be added during the contract period. Should offerors include anticipated expansion costs in their fixed monthly prices, or will additional facilities and associated equipment be separately ordered and funded?

Answer:

We currently anticipate implementing the Web Tracking System at more than one facility during the contract period. Offerors should base their quotations on the requirements and facility identified in the solicitation and should not include costs for future facility expansion in the fixed monthly price.

Question 12. Implementation and Equipment Pricing: The solicitation provides monthly service CLINs. Should initial hardware acquisition, installation, configuration, and implementation expenses be incorporated into the monthly service prices, or may these costs be separately identified and priced?

Answer: everything should be included in our original quote everything should be priced together

Question 13. Deployment Schedule: What is the required initial operational date following contract award? Is there an anticipated schedule for deploying the system across additional facilities?

Answer: Not at this time.

Technical Environment and Support

Question 14. Hosting and Security: Is contractor-hosted Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) permitted? If so, what specific VA security authorization, hosting, and compliance requirements must the proposed environment satisfy?

Answer:

Software/Computer system will not be on VA network therefore should need to be SaaS permitted.

Question 15. System Integrations: Does the VA require integration with existing identity management, directory services, carrier tracking systems, or other internal applications? If so, please identify the required systems and interfaces.

Ans:

Software/Computer system will not be on VA network nor will need to integration with existing identity management, directory services, carrier tracking systems, or other internal applications

Question 16. Data Migration: Is migration of historical package-tracking records required? If so, please provide the estimated record volume, available data formats, and applicable retention requirements.

Answer:

Current vendor guidance is to retain historical package-tracking records on an external hard drive because WTS is not connected to the VA network. Retention periods will be determined by the applicable VA Records Control Schedule (RCS) or, depending on the type of record, the NARA General Records Schedule.

Question 17. Technical Support: What are the required help desk operating hours, incident severity classifications, response times, and resolution service-level agreements referenced in PWS Section 5.6?

Answer:

Ideally, we would like the help desk to operate during hours that align with, or closely match, the warehouse s normal operating hours of 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Solicitation Clarifications

Question 18. Option Year Dates: There is a typing error on page 2 of 12 in the RFP. The pricing schedule identifies Option Year 2 as October 30, 2028, through October 29, 2029, while Option Year 3 begins October 30, 2030.

Ans: The estimated period of performance has ben corrects. Please see below:

Line Items

Description

Quantity

Estimated Period of Performance

Unit of Measure

Total Price

($)

0001

Mail Tracking Service

12

10/30/2026 to 10/29/2027

MO

1001

Option Year 1

Mail Tracking Service

12

10/30/2027 to 10/29/2028

2001

Option Year 2

Mail Tracking Service

12

10/30/2028 to 10/29/2029

3001

Option Year 3

Mail Tracking Service

12

10/30/2029 to 10/29/2030

4001

Option Year 4

Mail Tracking Service

12

10/30/2030 to 10/29/2031

TOTAL:

Question 19. OEM Authorization Requirements: The addendum to FAR 52.212-1 includes provisions concerning medical equipment, OEM authorization, and maintenance services. Please confirm whether these provisions apply to the proposed mail-tracking software and associated barcode equipment.

Ans: Please provide any OEM Authorized distributor letters for any of the services or equipment s that will be used and not produced by your company. Thank you.

Question 20. Could you please provide the required quantities for the following items?

Barcode scanners:12

Thermal label printers: 1

Mobile devices: 1

Question 21. Will electronic signature pads be required as part of the solution and how many are needed.

Answer:

Ideally we would like the barcode scanners to have intergraded signature pads versus being a separate device.

Question 22. Is this a new requirement or recompete and who holds it today; is a set-aside or vehicle required; is teaming permitted?

Ans: The requirement is Set-aside for Service-disabled veteran owned small businesses and the previous award number is 36C25920A0065. Can be viewed on sam.gov.