R699--COVID-19 Temporary Receptionist Scrreners support services in some capacity for the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center

The following information and changes are hereby incorporated into the solicitation:

The Response Date for the RFQ has been extended to 07/20/2020 at 10:00am EST.

Vendors submitted the following questions. The government has provided a response to each question.

Is there a page limit for the capability statement that must be submitted with the offer?

No

Please confirm the type of uniform that is required for personnel to provide services or will that be left to the discretion of the contractor?

Business casual dress no specific uniform is required

How much lead time will the government provide the contractor to provide staffing needs once determined by the facilities?

One-week notice will be provided; however, this is an ongoing set schedule and no changes to staffing levels are expected.

Page 6 of the solicitation under item number is requesting 18 quantity at the main facility and 2 each CBOC is this referring to people (temporary staff)?

Line Item 0001:

6 individuals will be required Monday Friday 6am 6pm

Bld. 1/ED Entrance/Valet Ent. /Main Ent

3 individuals will be required Saturday Sunday 6am 6pm

Bldg. 1/ ED Entrance/Valet Ent/Main Ent

3 individuals will be required Sunday Saturday 6am 6pm

Bldg.1/ CLC Ent., 4E/W Ent., ICU Ent

6 individuals will be required Sunday Saturday 6pm 6am

Bldg. 1/ ED Entrance/Valet Ent. /Main Ent

Line Item 0002:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 8am 4:30pm

Main Entrance

Line Item 0003:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 8am 4:30pm

Main Entrance

Line Item 0004:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 7:30am 4pm

Main Entrance

Line Item 0005:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 8am 4:30pm

Main Entrance

Line Item 0006:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 8am 4:30pm

Main Entrance

Line Item 1001:

6 individuals will be required Monday Friday 6am 6pm

Bld. 1/ED Entrance/Valet Ent. /Main Ent

3 individuals will be required Saturday Sunday 6am 6pm

Bldg. 1/ ED Entrance/Valet Ent/Main Ent

3 individuals will be required Sunday Saturday 6am 6pm

Bldg.1/ CLC Ent., 4E/W Ent., ICU Ent

6 individuals will be required Sunday Saturday 6pm 6am

Bldg. 1/ ED Entrance/Valet Ent. /Main Ent

Line Item 1002:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 8am 4:30pm

Main Entrance

Line Item 1003:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 8am 4:30pm

Main Entrance

Line Item 1004:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 7:30am 4pm

Main Entrance

Line Item 1005:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 8am 4:30pm

Main Entrance

Line Item 1006:

2 individuals will be required Monday Friday 8am 4:30pm

Main Entrance

Page 2 states "This task will require up to 24-hour coverage, 7 days per week", I came up with 9 people for the main hospital but noticed 18 was under each quantity, is this correct and can you explain the 18 people needed?

Please see response to Question 4.

On page 4 The Contractor must be available to provide services on all Federal Government Holidays, is this correct, the staff will be required on ALL Federal Holidays?

In accordance with Section H. POST, STAFFING, MAN HOUR REQUIREMENTS sub-section 2(a) of the Statement of Work:

The Contractor must be available to provide services on all Federal Government Holidays.

Page 3 E. The solicitation is requiring a company uniform to be worn by the contractor's employee, can this be a mandatory white shirt and long khaki pants?

Please see response to Question 2.

Please advise as to the number of screening areas at each location.

Please see response to Question 4.

Contractor Personnel Requirements wear a pristine and professional company uniform Does professional company uniform extend past a company identification badge and attire appropriate for an office environment including blouse/shirt; skirt/pants; dresses, etc.?

Would the government please describe what you have in mind?

Please see response to Question 2.

Are the entrance gates outside entrances and if so, is there shelter provided for the Screeners?

Yes, there is shelter provided at the screening gate.

The original posting indicated this solicitation would be open to SCVOSB, VOSB, Woman Owned, Other , etc. Is that correct?

Posting 36C24420Q0752 was a Request for Information (Sources Sought).

In accordance with the Sources Sought Note:

This is not a solicitation but rather a Request for Information (RFI/Sources Sought) for market research purposes only. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Network Contracting Office 4, is issuing this Sources Sought in order to identify capable firms and obtain information for planning purposes only.

The results of this market research will assist in the development of (1) the requirement, and (2) the acquisition strategy (e.g., socioeconomic set-aside, full and open competition, etc.). VA assumes no responsibility for any costs incurred associated with the preparation of responses

It now says that this solicitation is only 100% SDVOSB is that correct?

Correct, Request for Quote 36C24420Q0806 is a 100% SDVOSB set-aside.

Why are you now excluding Woman Owned Small Businesses?

In accordance with VAAR 819.70 - Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned and Veteran-Owned Small Business Acquisition Program

VAAR 819.7004:

In determining the acquisition strategy applicable to a procurement requirement, the contracting officer shall consider, in the following order of priority, contracting preferences prescribed in this part for awarding VA contracts to:

(a) Eligible small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled Veterans;

(b) Eligible small business concerns owned and controlled by Veterans that are not covered by paragraph (a);

(c) Small business concerns using priorities and preferences in 819.203-70 and this subpart.

VAAR 819.7005:

(a) The contracting officer shall consider SDVOSB set-asides, before considering VOSB set-asides. Except as authorized by 813.106, 819.7007 and 819.7008, the contracting officer shall set-aside an acquisition for competition restricted to verified SDVOSB concerns upon a reasonable expectation based on market research that:

(1) Offers/quotes will be received from two or more eligible SDVOSB; and

(2) Award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers the best value to the government.

(b) When conducting SDVOSB set-asides, the contracting officer shall ensure that:

(1) Businesses are registered and verified as eligible in the VIP database at the time of submission of offers/quotes, and prior to making an award; and

(2) Offerors affirmatively represent their small business status based on the size standard corresponding to the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to the solicitation/contract, as set forth in 819.7003(b) and/or (c).

(c) If the contracting officer receives only one acceptable offer at a fair and reasonable price from a verified SDVOSB in response to a SDVOSB set-aside, the contracting officer should make an award to that SDVOSB. If the contracting officer receives no acceptable offers/quotes from verified SDVOSBs, the set-aside shall be withdrawn and the requirement, if still valid, set aside for VOSB competition, or otherwise procured using the most appropriate strategy based on the results of market research.

Why are you now excluding others?

Please see response to Question 13.

Who made the decision to exclude all other socioeconomic status firms?

Please see response to Question 13.

Will you reclassify the opportunity to include these types of socio-economic Disadvantaged firms?

Please see response to Question 13.

Do any of the locations require the contractor to provide a supervisor?

No. The contracted screeners will fall under supervision of medical center management

Will a collared shirt with the company logo be enough for the uniform?

Please see response to Question 2.

Will the government provide badges for the screeners?

Yes, PIV badges will be provided to screeners. Contracted screeners will be required to successfully pass background investigation (provided by the medical center)

With the NAICS code 561320, is DOL wage code 01460 applicable to this solicitation? If not, what is the correct code?

As per Attachment A: SF 1449 Block 20-

The Contractor shall be responsible for the correct title classification of workers and compliance with all applicable wage and hour laws per location of service. See Section D for applicable Wage and Determinations.

I am hoping to find out if there is an incumbent contractor currently performing these services, if similar services have been performed in the past, or if this is a new requirement.

This is a new requirement

If this is a follow-on requirement, could you please provide the previous contract or task order number?

Please see response to Question 21.

Is this a new requirement? If so, what is the current contract number?

Please see response to Question 21.

Do you have an accurate FTE count?

Please see response to Question 4.

If this is not a new requirement is there a phase in period?

Please see response to Question 21.

For Item quantities reflected within Section B, do the quantities equal the number of 8-hour shifts required? For example, within Item # 0001, does the quantity and unit of "18.00 EA" represent that 6 receptionist / screeners are required for each of the three shifts (18 employees x 24 hrs x 7 days a week)?

Please see response to Question 4.

C.7 (c) Supplemental Insurance. Does Automobile Liability Insurance apply to this contract since personnel will not be operating a Gov vehicle?

SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS Clause is not tailorable as this is a Firm Fixed Priced Contract that will be performed on a Government Installation.

Please advise as to the Equivalent Rates per the statement: The Contractor shall be responsible for the correct title classification of workers and compliance with all applicable wage and hour laws per location of service.

Please see response to Question 20.

Please advise as to the Equivalent Rates per the statement: C.14 52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires.

In compliance with the Service Contract Labor Standards statute and the regulations of the Secretary of Labor ( 29 CFR Part 4), this clause identifies the classes of service employees expected to be employed under the contract and states the wages and fringe benefits payable to each if they were employed by the contracting agency subject to the provisions of 5 U.S.C.5341 or 5 332.

Please see response to Question 20.