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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF DECEMBER 24, 2015 FBO #5144
DOCUMENT

R -- Paments and Payment Resolution Services Responses to Industry Questions Regarding Draft Solicitation - Attachment

Notice Date

12/22/2015
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541219 — Other Accounting Services
 

Contracting Office

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs;Strategic Acquisition Center;10300 Spotsylvania Ave;Fredericksburg VA 22408
 

ZIP Code

22408
 

Solicitation Number

VA11916Q0084
 

Response Due

12/28/2015
 

Archive Date

2/26/2016
 

Point of Contact

charisse.james2@va.gov
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
 

Description

The following are the Government's responses to industry questions submitted in response to Draft Solicitation VA119-16-Q-0084 - Payments and Payment Resolution Services: Question 1:Is there an incumbent? Response 1:Yes. Question 2:If the answer is yes in 1 above, what is the contract number? Response 2:D13PD00450 and D13PD00442 Question 3: If the answer is yes to number 1 above, what is the dollar value and period of performance of the contract? Response 3:$1,868,668.56 and $2,693,171.20. Question 4:Please explain the difference CLIN 0001AB and CLIN 1001. In other words, do you submit a bid on one and not the other? Response 4:Unit prices are required for all CLINs (i.e., 0001AB) except informational only CLINs (i.e., CLIN 1001). Please refer to the CLIN description as each has a different description. Question 5:How are these services currently being performed? Under contract? In-house? Response 5:Under contract at Government facilities. Question 6:If these requirements are currently being performed under a contract, a.Who is the Contractor? b.What is the contract number? c.When does the contract expire? d.What is the current contract value? Response 6:a.ATP2LLC and Pro-Sphere Tek, Inc. b.See Responses 1 - 3. c.March 31, 2016. d.See Response 3. Question 7:What is the anticipated RFP release date? Response 7:It is anticipated the RFP will be released within 30 days. Question 8:Is this a follow-on requirement? If so, could you please provide the incumbent contract number for this opportunity? If not, is this a new requirement? Response 8:See Responses 1 - 3. Question 9:I am hoping to find out if the subject effort is a new requirement or a follow-on to an existing contract? If the latter, can I please find out the incumbent contractor's name and contract number? I appreciate your time and help. Response 9:See Responses 1 - 3. Question 10:Pursuant to FAR 52.222-43, please confirm that VA will make an equitable adjustment to the contract price and contract unit price for labor rates that will be adjusted to reflect the contractor's actual increase or decrease in applicable wages and fringe benefits as a result of the Department of Labor wage determination applicable. This would happen on the anniversary date of the multiple year contract, or at the beginning of the renewal option period. Response 10:Yes FAR 52.222-43 is included in this contract and will be followed to include an equitable adjustment regarding wage increases per the Department of Labor wage determination. This will happen at option renewal. Question 11:Additionally, as this adjustment would be triggered only by incorporation of a new wage determination IAW FAR22.1007(c), please confirm Offerors are to NOT provide for increases to DOL Wage Determination labor categories in their pricing submissions. Increases, as a result of a DOL increase will be adjusted when the contractor makes a claim for the increased cost. Response 11:This is an independent business decision. Question 12:May Offerors submit Past Performance from subcontractors if a "formal signed agreement" is provided? If so, please confirm in which volume this agreement is to be provided and confirm that it will be excluded from the page limitations. Response 12:Yes. The signed agreement should be included with the 1449 and will not count against the page limitation. Question 13:Page 54 does not mention a cover letter, however page 63 does. Can VA confirm that the inclusion of a cover letter will be excluded from the page limitations? Response 13: The cover letter will not be included in the page limitations. Question 14:Paragraph 15.3.7 states: "The Contractor personnel shall certify and release the e-QIP document, print and sign the signature pages, and send them encrypted to the COR for electronic submission to the SIC." What encryption type/level does VA require? Response 14: Documents shall be submitted via FAX to: (512) 460-5556. Question 15:The pre-solicitation notice references an Accounting Clerk III as a Team Lead member of the Key personnel. The PWS (Paragraph 19) lists this position as Payments Resolution Lead. Please confirm if the Team Lead will solely support Payments Resolution, whether the Lead will also support Payments; or, if Payments will also require a Lead. Response 15: Team Lead will support both functions. Question 16: Section 23.8 states that the contractor will bear the expense of obtaining background investigations. Section 23.8.1 illustrates the current cost as $1,632. Will this requirement be for any background investigation; or, does it relate to the cost for personnel that "fail" the investigation. As any offeror cannot "assume" they will transition all incumbent personnel, and to ensure price/cost is consistently evaluated, do offerors need to apply the $1,632 for each FTE? Response 16:The contractor will need to pay for all background checks. Yes is should be assumed cost for each FTE. Question 17:Part of VA's evaluation will be based on "the contractor's approach to teleworking including approach to accessing Government IT systems, approach to protecting Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and any proposed use of Government licenses or equipment". Is there currently any teleworking? Response 17:Teleworking is not currently being performed but might be available in the future. Question 18:Is it VA's intent for Offerors to incorporate associated costs to support teleworking (contractor facility) with its bid; or, will that be addressed should VA invoke its authorization to telework? Response 18:No additional cost should be incurred by the contractor. If mutually approved by the COR and the Contractor, Government furnished equipment will be provided to personnel authorized to perform the job remotely. Unless otherwise required by the contractor, teleworking is designed to allow authorized personnel to work from home. Question 19:PWS states: "When telecommuting, contractor personnel shall provide and/or furnish their own internet access and office space/furniture and any other equipment. The Contractor's internet access shall be sufficient to process medical claims without interruptions or delays. The network shall fulfill the security requirements of this PWS." Can VA provide a data point for planning considerations? What is the approximate LOE that can/will be teleworking? From a cost perspective, it is impossible to accurately capture costs to support this security-relevant element without better understanding the future requirement. The risks associated with ensuring all contractor personnel, which may be currently employed under the contract in a non-telework capacity, have adequate access and equipment will have significant cost implications. Recommend addressing this item through contract modification, when the need arises. Response 19:Reference response to 18 above. Other than a reliable internet provider, no additional equipment and/or special furniture are required. Personnel must ensure remote work location provides an overall safe work environment. Teleworking personnel must use GFE during the performance of the job in order to ensure files and e-mails are transmitted securely; adhere to VA GFE equipment safeguard guidelines; and properly execute a telework agreement. Question 20:Price/Cost Schedule - There will need to be a ratio of Leads to support potential surge in the adhoc CLINs. Is it VA's intent to include the total fully-burdened rate of all labor categories within this CLIN? How should offerors delineate the number of hours to each, to accurate reflect on VA's Price/Cost Schedule? Response 20: The CLIN will be used for all teleworking. How the contractor determines to propose the pricing is an independent business decision. Question 21:What is the length of time from when the security/access paperwork is submitted to when it is granted? If this time frame is exceeded, under this contract will the vendor be compensated for the wages during this time? Response 21: Temporary access (6-month) to VA systems is granted once finger prints are adjudicated. Finger prints adjudication takes between 24 to 48 hours of submission. Question 22:Paragraph 21 of the PWS states: "The Contractor shall obtain all necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work, with the exception of software licenses that need to be procured from a Contractor or vendor in accordance with the requirements document." Are there any specific licenses and/or permits required? Response 22:No professional licenses and/or permits are required for the performance of the task under this PWS. This statement will be removed in the solicitation. Question 23:Paragraph 21 of the PWS states: "VA does not provide parking spaces at the work site; the Contractor must obtain parking at the work site if needed. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to park in the appropriate designated parking areas." If not provided by VA, where are current employees parking? Response 23: Designated parking is not provided for contractor personnel; however, ample parking (open parking) is available at the facilities. The Government will no longer respond to questions received in response to the draft solicitation VA119-16-Q-0084 for Payment and Payment Resolution Services.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/f16ef4cf8f017e2dab94a043f3bdd49d)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA119-16-Q-0084 VA119-16-Q-0084_2.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2478742&FileName=VA119-16-Q-0084-006.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2478742&FileName=VA119-16-Q-0084-006.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Record

SN03976007-W 20151224/151222234347-f16ef4cf8f017e2dab94a043f3bdd49d (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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