MODIFICATION
R -- Certificates of Death (CODs)
- Notice Date
- 12/8/2009
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Other Defense Agencies, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, 3990 East Broad Street, Bldg #21, Room 2B218, Columbus, Ohio, 43218
- ZIP Code
- 43218
- Solicitation Number
- KODMI0RV105
- Archive Date
- 12/25/2009
- Point of Contact
- Teresa Knotts, Phone: 614-693-1974
- E-Mail Address
-
teresa.knotts@dfas.mil
(teresa.knotts@dfas.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This amendment is issued to publish all questions/comments received and the corresponding response on solicitation number KODMI0RV105. Quotes are due December 10, 2009 at 4:00 P.M. EST. Point of Contact (POC): Teresa Knotts Defense Finance and Accounting Service Contract Services Directorate 3990 East Broad Street Building 21 2B218 Columbus, OH 43213-1152 Telephone: (614) 693-1974 Facsimile: (614) 693-1808 Email: teresa.knotts@dfas.mil Facsimile and e-mail quotes are acceptable and preferred. You are encouraged to ensure that quotes are received by the POC. Furnish quotes to the POC on or before the closing time listed in this RFQ. All responsible sources may submit a quote which shall be considered. Combined Synopsis/Solicitation / KODMI0RV105/ Certificates of Death (CODs) / Questions Question/Comment: Please confirm that Certificates of Death need only show “Manner” of death, i.e. “natural” or “unnatural”, as opposed to the actual “Cause of Death” is not required. Response: DFAS just needs to know manner of death – we need to be aware if the death is a homicide. Actual cause of death is NOT required. Question/Comment: Can you estimate the percentage of Certificates that will be requested where both the “Address of last residence” and “Date and place of death” are unknown? Response: DFAS will have the Address of last residence in the majority of the cases. However it will be less likely that we will have a valid place of death. Question/Comment: Most agencies charge fees solely for the search for a record. If the record cannot be found, the agency will issue a “No Find” letter and return it to the requestor. May the vendor invoice DFAS both for searches that resulted in receipt of a COD and those that resulted in receipt of a “No Find” letter? Response: DFAS SOW stated that the vendor shall invoice DFAS only for the CODs actually provided to DFAS. This remains our position. Question/Comment: When your staffers in Cleveland were doing the death certificate ordering, did the state governments give your agency these certificates for free, or at a reduced rate? We contacted all the states' vital records agencies and most indicated they wanted the same amount for this as they would for a family member seeking a death certificate for a non-military deceased family member. Any such fee waiver or reduction would cut the price we would bid. Does your agency have a special format for filing with each state that is different from their vital records agencies' standard policies? If so, we would need to see that so we could tighten our quote. Response: DFAS did not previously actively go to the states for Certificates of Death. We relied on our customers to provide the COD. DFAS however wants to be more proactive in adjudicating cases for our customers and have decided to request CODs directly from states (through this contract). We have not in the past paid for obtaining Certificates of Death. Question/Comment: What is your policy for dealing with recalcitrant states (New York and California come to mind). Because of your desire to cut backlog, are you willing to authorize paying an extra $8 to $15 per death certificates to states that would otherwise sit on them for 90 days to 180 days? We of course can deal with local health departments in California and New York, but that adds to the cost of the project. Response: The vendor would need to document this concern and potential extra cost in the Technical Proposal. Question/Comment: The current backlog of accounts needing death certificates is 25,000, with a maximum request level of accounts needing death certificates being 47,200. The average filing fee with city/county/state vital records offices is around $15.00. Therefore even the 25,000 backlog @ $15.00 will equal $375,000.00 just for filing fees with no other direct labor or other expenses. The maximum return on 47,200 death certificates @ $15.00 would equal $708,000.00 just for filing fees only. Our concern is if the $600,000.00 amount is correct, then is there enough money funded for the contractor to complete this contract? If $600,000.00 is the only amount available, then would contractor need to provide the maximum work to be completed e.g. 15,000 death certificates? Response: Please note that the resulting award will provide incremental funding and currently there is $600,000.00 already funded. You will only furnish CODs upon request and the maximum number that could be requested throughout the year is the 47,200. As certificates are furnished and the funds are drawn down, additional funding will be added to the resulting award if there is still a need for the CODs. Question/Comment: One of the factors used to evaluate contractor is the technical area, stating “the initial list of states that the contractor has agreements in place with will be evaluated and those with the most states will be considered more favorable than those with less states for this factor only.” But under 5.0 Government-Furnished Property (GFP), it states the following…”DFAS shall provide a letter stating why the death certificates are required. This letter shall be used by the contractor when coordinating with state vital records offices. The letter shall provide DFAS’ justification for requiring the death certificates and that we authorize the contractor to obtain the death certificates on our behalf.” Therefore, based upon 5.0 is there really a need to have a contract with the vital records office in place, whenever the DFAS letter is required to have a business relationship with them? Response: DFAS was anticipating that vendors quoting would already be in business of requesting CODs and would have established agreements with states/territories. Our letter would then be used to notify the states that the vendor is requesting CODs for DFAS use and the reason why DFAS requires the CODs. Question/Comment: Is the maximum number of death certificates required on this contract, 47,200? Or will it be the 25,000 backlog at the beginning, plus 1,850 death certificate request on a monthly basis? Response: The initial larger list would be coordinated at the beginning of the contract. The ongoing requests would be submitted daily or weekly (depending on the details we work with the vendor on HOW DFAS would submit them). We would not want to collect up for a months worth. Question/Comment: If any, what are incumbent contract (a) contract number, (b) contractor name, (c) contract award number, and (d) Solicitation number? Response: You will have to contact the FOIA office for past performance information at: DFAS-HAC/CL 1240 E. Ninth St. Cleveland, OH 44199-2055 (216) 522-5225 FAX (216) 522-6530 Question/Comment: What is anticipated contract award date? Response: Anticipated award date is January 2010. Question/Comment: Does DFAS have specific agreements with state vital records offices to obtain CODs? Response: No - the vendor would have to have these in place as specified in the SOW. Question/Comment: What is the anticipated follow up from the vendor when CODs do not contain the required information regarding cause and “manner” of death? Response: The vendor would be required to request and obtain CODs from states that include the "manner" of death. There would be no "follow up" action - the CODs MUST have that info. This is in the SOW. Question/Comment: What is the anticipated follow up from the vendor when the DFAS request information is “Unknown” or does not contain required information for the retrieval of the COD? Response: DFAS will provide the request information as documented in the SOW.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DFAS/Columbus/KODMI0RV105/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), 1240 East 9th Street, Cleveland, Ohio, 44199, United States
- Zip Code: 44199
- Zip Code: 44199
- Record
- SN02019259-W 20091210/091208235244-2cba9b763ba64e6418dce9f26a873c2a (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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