SOLICITATION NOTICE
65 -- San Juan Home Oxygen Delivery
- Notice Date
- 5/4/2022 3:36:08 AM
- Notice Type
- Solicitation
- NAICS
- 532283
— Home Health Equipment Rental
- Contracting Office
- 248-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 8 (36C248) TAMPA FL 33637 USA
- ZIP Code
- 33637
- Solicitation Number
- 36C24822R0087
- Response Due
- 5/22/2022 11:00:00 AM
- Archive Date
- 06/21/2022
- Point of Contact
- Norbert J Reed, Contracting Officer
- E-Mail Address
-
Norbert.Reed@va.gov
(Norbert.Reed@va.gov)
- Awardee
- null
- Description
- Question 1: On page 5 section B.2 first paragraph it states that the proposed contractor shall have a service office and warehouse within two (2) hours of the Orlando VA Healthcare System (Lake Nona). Is this correct? Should it be within two (2) hours of VACHS S.J. Puerto Rico? Answer: Should be VA Caribbean Medical Center, 10 Casia St, San Juan, PR See B.2 Price/Cost Schedule Question 2: On the Price/Cost Schedule the services for Respiratory Therapist Visit Ventilator Patients (Items 0038,1038,2038,3038,4038); Respiratory Therapist Visit Oxygen Concentrator Patients (Items 0039,1039,2039,3039,4039); Respiratory Therapist Visit Non-Invasive Ventilation (Items 0040,1040,2040,3040,4040) and Respiratory Therapist Visit Oxygen during night (Items 0041,1041,2041,3041,4041) all have only one place of service instead of having three separate ones (with different item numbers) for Puerto Rico, the Municipal Islands of Vieques/Culebra and the Virgin Islands. The transportation cost for each location varies greatly since in Puerto Rico is all land transportation (roads), to the Municipal Islands you must take a Ferry with limited daily trips, and to the Virgin Islands you must fly via commercial air transportation and rent a local vehicle, mostly staying overnight due to flight limitations. Please clarify. Answer: See B.2 Price/Cost Schedule for updated Line Items Question 3: For the Thermal Fuses there is only one line Item (0037,1037,2037,3037,4037) when there are three separate components: The fuse itself to be replaced every 4 years or when the patient damages it or accidentally throws them away (Most are all due for change in 2022-2023 period), the short cannulas (Two per month per system, stationary and portable), two-inch tubing (one per month per system). Answer: See B.2 Price/Cost Schedule for updated Line Items Question 4: Please clarify what is encompassed as far as services, merchandise and time frame (duration) for both Phase-In (Item 0042) and Phase-Out (Item 0043). On page 76 14.0 Phase-In and Phase-Out Requirements provides little guidance on services and merchandise billing for those items rendered. There is no guidelines as to the duration of the Phase-In / Phase-Out, and what happens if for any reason or complication this time frame is not fulfilled. Two Contractors are mentioned but it is not clear as to which Contractor has what responsibilities. Please clarify point e. The Contractor shall provide all necessary supplies at the time of exchange at no additional cost to the VA. Answer: Point E. In the case that a new Contractor start, the new Contractor provide all necessary supplies or equipment and charge as stay in the IGCE. Point 14.0 Proposed Plan not to exceed 90 Days after award Question 5: On page 58 section f. it states (Required visitation schedule for home visitation after initial ventilator set-up is daily visits for a week then weekly visits X three then monthly visits), should each of these visits be billed under Respiratory Therapist Visit Ventilator Patients (Items 0038,1038,2038,3038,4038) and then go into the Bi-monthly visits as per page 59 section m.a). Answer: Correct Question 6: On page 62 section 3.11 it states that (The contractor shall provide stock delivery to VAHCS and other CBOC sites such as Viera and Daytona Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Services per request). What is meant by Viera and Daytona? Answer: Was a mistake should be: PONCE MOPC, St Thomas, St Croix. See Section 3.11 Pg 83 Question 7: On page 62 section 5.0 it states (he Contractor shall provide services in performance of this contract between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M., Monday Friday, to include weekends and Federal holidays) Is this the same as working or open business hours? Answer: Correct Question 8: On different places references are made to liquid oxygen which is not of part of this or previous Home Oxygen contacts. Answer: For the moment the liquid oxygen will not be consider for our patients after discussion with Pulmonary. Question 9: On page 71 section 13.0 it mentions E, D, C or B (M6) cylinders when the only items itemized and currently in use are cylinders E and B (M6) for portable oxygen systems. Answer: See B.2 Price/Cost Schedule for updated Line Items Question 10: On page 75 section h) second bullet it discusses repairs. There are no items for equipment repairs only preventive maintenance services. It is VACHS current policy to discard equipment s once their manufacturers warranties are expired. Please clarify. Answer: The term repair will be removed from the page 75 in the solicitation bullet 2 Question 11: There are several supply items not itemized for billing in the contract. Since all equipment is GFE all related supplies are provided by VACHS prosthetics department. Sometimes they request us to supply certain items and they are billed outside of the contract. For example external batteries for ventilators, large volume nebulizers, distilled water, corrugated tubing, suction catheters. Items mentioned on page 59 section n. (Provide equipment, accessories and supplies as requested and supplies as needed to maintain sufficient monthly inventory to include but not limited to: Filter (disposable), Hose, Exhalation valve, Trach adapter, Trach tie , Trachs per prescription to ensure one patient has emergency replacement at all times and trach cleaning supplies as requested., Artificial noses (HME) for change out daily with ample supply in stock at all times , Suction unit and supplies (yank Auer, appropriate suction catheters, suction tubing, suction kits) if one has not been provided by the VA or if the current machine malfunction),Humidification Systems (as specified on-equipment order), Ambu-bag, Distilled or Sterile water (if applicable). Please identify these items and anything else requested, and not itemized on the schedule, as billable and not to be supplied as part of the SOW. Answer: The contractor needs to have all items available in stock and should bill in addition to the Respiratory Therapist visit (ventilator patients) Question 12: On page 81 section 23 (Payments and Invoicing) specifications varies from what has been the established protocol with VACHS. Several invoices are submitted, one for RT services and three to four (depending on services rendered during the month this may be itemized equipment and supplies, PM for concentrators in patient homes, PM for concentrators in house, out of contract items). These invoices are to be submitted monthly no later than the 20th day of the following month (10 days is not enough as to reconcile the documentation with VACHS). Payment is made thru direct deposit not credit card. Please clarify. Answer: 20 days is acceptable and the invoices will continue thru direct deposit not credit card. Question 13: During the tenure of the current contract, we had to overcome two Cat. 5 Hurricanes (that cut electric services and roads for months), earthquakes, Covid19 pandemic (and the resulting supply chain disruptions) and the current effects on inflation as the result of the Ukrainian war. Is there any FAR or could there be any clause as to make way for unexpected cost changes as the result of unforeseen circumstances as those mentioned. Answer: This proposed requirement will result in a fixed- price contract. A fixed-price contract provides for a price that is not subject to any adjustment on the basis of the contractor's cost experience in performing the contract. In a commercial items contract, 52.212-4(c) provides the CO the contractual authority to make bilateral changes to the contract. However, a fundamental consideration is whether or not the proposed change is within the scope of the contract. If within scope, a CO can process a bilateral modification using 52.212-4(c) as contractual authority for the change. If not within scope, the change would be considered a new requirement. As such, the modification would need to comply with the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA), which requires a new competition for new requirements unless exceptions apply.
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- SN06317487-F 20220506/220504230113 (samdaily.us)
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