Www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov
Department of Veterans Affairs
Network Contracting Office 19 (NCO19)
4100 E. Mississippi Ave., Suite 900
Glendale, Colorado 80246-3055
Date: June 9, 2017
Subj: NCO-19 Responses to RFP VA259-17-R-0100 Questions
The following responses are provided to questions for prospective offerors:
1. QUESTION: Page 19, 7. Quality Control, 90 day reassessment of patient after initial setup / equipment installation and submit reports.” Can this 90 day reassessment of patient be completed by a properly trained Medical Equipment Technician?
ANSWER: No, the 90-day reassessment of a patient must be conducted by a licensed RRT, RN, CRT.
2. QUESTION: Page 24, 20. Contractor Furnished Items and Responsibilities, a) Materials “Contractor shall provide to the Government, One (1) copy of the Operation and Service Manual for each type of equipment with any proposals regarding this contract.” Is this to be considered part of the Price / Contract documents, which have no page limitations?
ANSWER: The Operation and Service Manual is not part of the price document. The Operation and Service Manual will not count towards the page count of the Price / Contract documents.
3. QUESTION: Page 26, 20. Contractor Furnished Items and Responsibilities, c) Equipment, 1) Oxygen Concentrators, d) Oxygen Sensing Devices required. We have found oxygen sensing devices to be problematic and the cause of unnecessary service calls and stress to patients. Is there a possibility this specification can be removed from the solicitation?
ANSWER: No, concentrators should have an oxygen sensing alarm to notify the patient that oxygen is low. This will not be removed from the PWS.
4. QUESTION: Attachment 1, Cheyenne VA Medical Center, Line Item #0010 CRT/RRT/RN Visit- “No estimated quantity provided for Base Year and all Option Years? Please advise” 2 per month equals 24
ANSWER: Line item #0010 has quantiles inserted for the base and option years, see revised price schedule.
5. QUESTION: Attachment 1, Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Line Items #0010 - #0014 are listed as each. “Are these annual estimated quantities?”
ANSWER: Line Items#0010 - #0014 are listed as annual quantities.
6. QUESTION: Attachment 1, Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Line Item #0016, Portable Gaseous Contents “Listed as LBS. Never seen portable gaseous contents quantified by LBS, usually refills (each) as is done with Cheyenne VA Medical Center? Please advise.”
ANSWER: Line Item #0016 the unit of issue is cylinders, refills (each). See revised Line Items/ Price Schedule.
7. QUESTION: Attachment 1, Grand Junction VA Medical Center, Line Item #0015, Portable Gaseous Contents “Listed as LBS. Never seen portable gaseous contents quantified by LBS, usually refills (each) as is done with Cheyenne VA Medical Center? Please advise.”
ANSWER: Initial unit was lb. It should have been lbs (pounds). However after review of the CLIN, Line Item #0015 the unit has been changed to either cylinder (CY) or refills (each). See revised Line Items/ Price Schedule.
8. QUESTION: Attachment 1, Sheridan VA Medical Center, Line Item #0011, Portable Gaseous Contents
“Listed as LBS. Never seen portable gaseous contents quantified by LBS, usually refills (each) as is done with Cheyenne VA Medical Center? Please advise.”
ANSWER: Initial unit was lb. It should have been lbs (pounds). However after review of the CLIN, Line Item #0011 the unit has been changed to either cylinder (CY) or refills (each). See revised Line Items/ Price Schedule.
9. QUESTION: Attachment 1, Oklahoma City VA Health Care System, Line Item #0015, Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents. “Listed as EACH. All other VA Medical Centers and Health Care Systems quantified as LBS? Please advise.”
ANSWER: Initial unit was lb. It should have been lbs (pounds). However after review of the CLIN, Line Item #0015 the unit has been changed to either cylinder (CY) or refills (each). See revised Line Items/ Price Schedule.
10. QUESTION: Attachment 1, VA Salt Lake Health Care System, Line Item #0016, Portable Gaseous Contents “Listed as LBS. Never seen portable gaseous contents quantified by LBS, usually refills (each) as is done with Cheyenne VA Medical Center? Please advise.”
ANSWER: This Line item was removed from the Salt Lake Health Care System line items.
11. QUESTION: Attachment 1, VA Eastern Oklahoma Health Care System, Line Item #0014, Portable Gaseous Contents - “Listed as LBS. Never seen portable gaseous contents quantified by LBS, usually refills (each) as is done with Cheyenne VA Medical Center? Please advise.”
ANSWER: Initial unit was lb. It should have been lbs (pounds). However after review of the CLIN, Line Item #0014 the unit has been changed to either cylinder (CY) or refills (each). See revised Line Items/ Price Schedule.
12. QUESTION: Attachment 1, VA Montana Health Care System, Line Item #0016, Portable Gaseous Contents- “Listed as LBS. Never seen portable gaseous contents quantified by LBS, usually refills (each) as is done with Cheyenne VA Medical Center? Please advise.”
ANSWER: Initial unit was lb. It should have been lbs (pounds). However after review of the CLIN, Line Item #0016 the unit has been changed to either cylinder (CY) or refills (each). See revised Line Items/ Price Schedule.
13. QUESTION: Since prospective offerors are able to submit bids on individual locations in this solicitation Page 89, E.3 52.212-2 Evaluation – Commercial Items (Oct 2014) “One award shall be made per location listed in section 7a of the Addendum FAR 52.212-1 Instruction to offerors and the appropriate set-aside shall apply to each location.” “If an offeror chooses to bid on multiple locations, will a Technical Proposal be required to be submitted for each location or may the offeror use one (1) collectively that will apply for all locations?”
ANSWER: Yes, offerors will need to identify the station(s) they are proposing to provide services as part of their proposal.
14. QUESTION: Scope: This PWS defines the effort required for the delivery, setup, education installation, and management of home oxygen services, in accordance with applicable TJC home care standards, to Veteran beneficiaries serviced by the VISN 19. All content contained herein regarding TJC standards shall be interpreted in the following manner. In other words, the Contractor shall be TJC accredited throughout the life of this contract. All issuing and follow-up care provided under this contract shall be provided in accordance with all current TJC standards. If the Contractor is re-surveyed by The TJC during the contract term, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) of survey dates, the outcome of the survey and provides copies of new certificates. Contractor’s facility(ies) may be inspected by the VA prior to the contract award. The use of the terms “beneficiary”, “Veteran”, “Patients”, and “patient” are used interchangeably and refer to the recipient of required supplies, equipment, and incidental services required under the contract.
And
14. Special Qualifications:
a. Each branch office or distribution point shall meet or exceed all applicable TJC standards.
And
9. PROPOSAL VOLUME INSTRUCTIONS
a. Volume I , Technical Approach (Factor 1)
Submit your technical proposal addressing the following:
1. Sub-factor 1 -Joint Commission Certification: Offeror shall submit written proof of current Joint Commission accreditation in Home Oxygen Services at time of proposal submission in accordance with PWS. The Government reserves the right to verify this information through the Joint Commission.
It is our understanding that the VA cannot require Joint Commission accreditation from its Home Oxygen providers. The only requirement is that the home oxygen contractors have to be able to show they meet or exceed Joint Commission Accreditation standards. Any accreditation approved by the CMS is considered acceptable. Please clarify if contractors must be Joint Commission Accredited only.
ANSWER: No, CMS accreditation is not acceptable for this acquisition. The VA’s requirement is for an offeror’s to be Joint Commission accredited.
15. QUESTION: My company currently contracts for provision of medical oxygen and durable medical equipment for VA patients throughout VISN 15. We are interested in submitting a proposal for medical oxygen service in VISN 19. One of our initial questions regarding requirements defined in your recent solicitation (VA259-17-R-0100) is related to the role of a respiratory therapist during the potential switchover to a new contractor. Is a respiratory therapist required during the initial switchover, or can the initial visit by a new contractor be accomplished by a certified delivery technician?
ANSWER: Based on the scenario you described it will depend on the type of equipment. However, the initial switchover must accomplished by a licensed Clinician (RRT, RN, CRT)
16. QUESTION: I note on page 18 of the solicitation that the ECHCS estimates they have 7,760 Patients per month. How firm is that number? We provide home oxygen services for the VA in a larger metropolitan area (Tampa, FL) and they have around 1500 Patients. In the performance work statement on CLIN 0005, the specified quantity is five (5) per month. Given each Patient received six (6) tanks, this equates out to 30 tanks per month. If you could, please ask the end customer if this is a hard number. For a frame of reference, in the current VA Home oxygen contract we have, we are filling over 725 portable tanks (“E”, “C”, and M9 cylinders) per week for around 1500 patients.
ANSWER: This number is an estimated number of patients being served annually and can fluctuate.
17. QUESTION: Eastern CO - CLIN 0005 Portable systems – Quantity is 5. Considering that there are 7760 oxygen patients and that CLIN 0016 shows 141,000 1 month supply of gaseous contents it would follow that CLIN 0005 is extremely under estimated
ANSWER: CLIN 0005 Portable Systems has been updated. See revised Line Items Price Schedule.
18. QUESTION: Grand Junction - With the exception of CLIN 0001-0003 all quantities for base year are the same as Eastern CO. All quantities for Option years 1-4 are exactly the same as Eastern CO. Yet Eastern CO has 3 times the number of patients.
ANSWER: All line items have been updated and or verified. See revised Line Items/ Price Schedule.
19. QUESTION: Salt Lake - CLIN 0016, gaseous contents shows a quantity of 100 (1 month supply) yet CLIN 0005 shows 4000 monthly units of portable oxygen systems – may be too low.
ANSWER: The following CLIN 0016 has been removed from the Salt Lake line items.
20. QUESTION: Eastern Oklahoma - CLIN 0001 and 0002 show a total of 2370 concentrator patients – twice the number stated in RFP, B5 section 5.
ANSWER: Some patients have two stationary concentrators for various reasons – for example; one at their job and one at home. The estimate is provided to account for these situations.
21. QUESTION: Oklahoma City - CLIN 0001 & CLIN0002 total 1705 Concentrator patients double what is stated in RFP, B5 section 5. CLIN 0005 shows quantity of 2500 Portable Oxygen Systems – average more than 1 per patient.
ANSWER: Estimated quantities have been updated to reflect annual quantities. Please review the line items/ Price Schedule.
22. QUESTION: All Centers, Regarding CLIN 0015- Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents (1 month supply) – unit is LB but description is “1 month supply” is this intended to be LB annually or number of monthly supply? Note for Eastern Colorado the quantity is 865,000 yet for Salt Lake it is 200.
ANSWER: The unit for Stationary Liquid Oxygen unit is per month, See revised Line Items/ Price Schedule.
23. QUESTION: Similar issue with CLIN 0016 does the quantity represent cylinders refilled or is it the number of monthly refill patients? Unit is LB and while Eastern Colorado shows 141,000 Salt Lake shows 100.
ANSWER: Initial unit was lb. It should have been lbs (pounds). However after review of the CLIN, Line Item #0016 the unit has been changed to either cylinder (CY) or refills (each). See revised Line Items/ Price Schedule.
24. QUESTION: Note Eastern Colorado shows 7760 oxygen patens with 5 having portable systems and those 5 using 141,000 lb contents while Salt Lake shows 4500 oxygen patients with 4000 portable systems and using 100 lb of contents. Do we complete both the line item pricing pages, Attachment1, and the pricing pages in the body of the RFP or just the line item pricing pages for those centers we wish to submit?
ANSWER: Yes, both the item pricing pages and the pricing pages in section b.4 of the RFP should be complete. However, only complete the schedule(s) for the locations you are submitting a proposal for. For example, if you are not offering on Denver, leave it blank.
25. QUESTION: How will refill of backup cylinder be paid? This is included in the price of the rental of the concentrator. Is Volume I Past Performance or Technical?
ANSWER: The cost of refills is a separate CLIN, please review each station Line Items/ Price Schedule. Past Performance is Volume I and Technical is Volume II.
26. QUESTION:SF 1449 Offer Due Date/Local Time: 03-10-2017 at 4:00 PM MST
Will the response Due Date/Time be extended, due to questions being brought forth by the offeror(s)?
ANSWER: Yes, this amendment extends the proposal due date.
27. QUESTION: The solicitation was released as a 100% small business set-aside; however, the presolicitation notices previously released were announcing a potential 50% small business and 50% Service Disable Veteran Owned Small Business set-aside. What caused the change from the set-aside requirements from the presolicitation to the solicitation?
ANSWER: Based on the market research, it was determined that this acquisition would be a 100% small business set-aside.
28. QUESTION: Government Owned Equipment: Section 3 Objectives: “The Contractor shall provide home oxygen services for VA outpatients. These services include delivery, set-up, education, pick-up, cleaning, preventative maintenance, after-hours support, and storage of equipment. Services apply to vendor provided and Government supplied equipment. Section 6 Ordering Process: “Per Facility’s discretion the COR or designee shall also provide (via encrypted email and/or fax) notification if VA owned equipment is to be provided.” As per the CLIN structure, the only Government owned equipment anticipated to be utilized for the term of the contract include: Percussive Vest, Suction Pump, Nebulizer, and Cough Assist. Section 19: Government Furnished Property states “Nebulizers, Coughs Assist Devices, Percussive Vests, and Airvo”. Section 20c: Stationary Oxygen Cylinders states “Stationary gas oxygen systems used as backup may only be charged for when backing up VA owned equipment”. Is it the Government’s intent to also include additional Government Owned equipment (i.e. concentrator, home-fill (self-fill) concentrator units, etc.)?
ANSWER: Yes, there are some items that will be provided by the Government. See Section 19 of the Performance Work Statement.
29. QUESTION: Will the Government add a CLIN for the delivery and setup of the Airvo?
ANSWER: Yes, a CLIN has been added to the stations that will require the setup and delivery of Airvo, please review each stations line items to verify.
30. QUESTION: Patient Education Requirements “The Contractor shall provide education or re-education to each Veteran and/or caregiver on all equipment which they are being used to include travel literature.” Is it the Government’s intent for the contractor to provide travel literature at the initial setup or at the occurrence of the travel?
ANSWER: The Contactor shall provide travel literature up initial setup. Section 8 of the PWS has been revised, please review.
31. QUESTION: Reports“ a. Incident: Reporting special incidents found or occurring during a home visit, to include finding patients in need of emergency medical assistance, safety hazards that do not fall into the category of presenting immediate life-threatening danger to the patient or Contractors staff, inability to contact a patient within a reasonable period of time, and any other incident meeting the Contractors written policy for incident reporting according to accreditation standards.” What is the Government’s expectation of a “reasonable period of time”?
ANSWER: If the patient is in need of emergency medical assistance they should call 911 first. The Contractor should notify the VA of conditions in the home or other incident within 24 hours – that is the standard policy for the VA.
32. QUESTION: Places of Performance “The area of service shall be all patients serviced by VISN 19, regardless of where patient resides.”…” Contractors shall have a facility or resources physically located in the geographic area in which they shall provide service.” Is it the Government’s intent for the contractor to have facilities available throughout the United States?
ANSWER: No, the contractor shall have locations and resources to be able to service the location within VISN 19 described in the solicitation and meet the timelines for service.
33. QUESTION: Contractor Furnished Items and Responsibilities “If the Contractor has not documented valid attempts to contact the patient for set ups and or deliveries, the Government reserves the right to call in a third party and bill the Contractor.” What is the Government’s expectation of documented valid attempts?
ANSWER: This section of the PWS has been revised, please review. A valid attempt is calling the veteran or representative for setup/delivery and leaving a message if they do not answer. After three attempts, the Contractor is to notify/alert the COR via, phone, fax, or encrypted email. If the above attempts are not accomplished, the government can opt to utilize a third party and bill the Contractor.
34. QUESTION: Supplies: “Trachea collar or t-piece adapter and accessories (i.e. tubing, large volume nebulizer, drainage bag, oxygen bleed-in adapter when needed and any other supplies/equipment that is needed to carry out physician orders) allowing for change every three (3) days with a supply in reserve at all times until the Contractors next scheduled visit.” “The VA reserves the right to replace disposable supplies issued from Contractor-owned inventory (including but not limited to masks, cannulas, tubing, filters, and nebulizer kits) for, Nebulizers, Suction Machines, Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) devices. These items shall be replaced on a one-for-one basis and shipped directly to the Contractor’s local facility. These supplies are separate and should not be confused with the disposable supplies which are included in the Contract Line Item Numbers (CLIN) and are inherent to the rental of the home oxygen systems.”For Trach patients on home O2, is it correct for the contractor to bill the Government for both the stationary equipment (i.e. concentrator) and the air compressor to be utilized with the large volume nebulizer?
ANSWER: Yes, the contractor should bill for the following, the stationary equipment (i.e. concentrator) and the air compressor.
35. QUESTION: Is it the Government’s intent for the replacement of disposable supplies issued by the Government to be provided to the patient(s) at a routine delivery, or will a CLIN be added for a delivery to be completed for the sole purpose of the Government issued supplies?
ANSWER: No separate CLIN will be added, yes this will be provided to the patient at a routine delivery. VA will request RT Visit if necessary, depending on the situation.
36. QUESTION: Equipment: Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC): “Minimum of 12 hours battery life or sufficient batteries for 12 hours of use based on prescription.” Will the Government add a CLIN for the delivery and setup of a Government owned POC?
ANSWER: No, there will not be a separate CLIN for delivery. The Government will ship government owned equipment directly to the patient. VA will request RT Visit for setup, if necessary. This will be done a case by case basis.
37. QUESTION: Will the Government add a CLIN for POC batteries provided by the contractor over/above the 12 hour requirement, when prescribed by the VA clinician?
ANSWER: Any veteran requiring POC batteries for an extended period of time will be provided additional batteries. A CLIN has been added.
38. QUESTION: Portable Oxygen Systems: “Patient shall be provided unlimited cylinders per month.” CLIN 0016 Portable Gaseous Contents “Portable Gaseous Oxygen Contents (Refills) (1 month supply)” Is it the Government’s intent for the contractor to provide a one (1) time delivery per month, of the requested cylinders by the patient? Or is it the Government’s intent for unlimited deliveries to be completed within a month?
ANSWER: The language for Portable Oxygen Systems has been revised. Each patient will be different depending on their prescription, no patient shall go without oxygen. Their delivery schedule shall be set accordingly in order to accommodate this.
39. QUESTION : Ventilator: Contractor shall provide a stand, carry case, and IV Pole for water bag.” Is it the Government’s intent for the IV Pole to be used to hang sterile water bags that fill the humidifier chambers used with the ventilator?
ANSWER: Yes, the intent is for the IV pole to be used to hang sterile water bags that fill the humidifier chambers used with the ventilator.
40. QUESTION: Nebulizers: The Contractor shall provide one (1) disposable nebulizer kit per month with one (1) in reserve at all times.” Per the CLIN structure, the Nebulizers are Government Owned. Is it the Government’s intent for the monthly nebulizer kits being provided to the patient be taken from Government stock or Contractor stock?
ANSWER: The nebulizer kits will be provided by the contactor.
41. QUESTION: If it’s the Government’s intent to utilize Government stock for the monthly nebulizer kits, may this be provided to the patient via shipping, and will a CLIN be added for the cost of shipping the item?
ANSWER: No CLIN will be added for the cost of shipping, the Government stock for the annual nebulizer kits will be mailed directly to the patient from the Government.
42. QUESTION: If the contractor is responsible for providing the monthly nebulizer kits from its inventory, will the Government add a CLIN accordingly?
ANSWER: A CLIN has been added to provide annual nebulizer kits.
43. QUESTION: Suction Machine: The Contractor shall provide the patient or caregiver with a 30 day supply and closed system suction catheter to be changed every 24 hours with one (1) in reserve at all times, 30 day supply. Suction system shall include swivel adapter with Interface port, 7mm connection tubing and suction canister. The Contractor shall provide the patient or caregiver with enough supplies to change suction set up weekly. The Contractor shall provide the patient or caregiver twelve (12) to fourteen (14) French suction catheters for daily used up to four (4) per day. The Contractor shall provide the patient or caregiver with four (4) Yankauer tips per month with one (1) in reserve at all times. As per the CLIN structure, the Suction Machine is Government Owned. Is it the Government’s intent for the monthly supplies being provided to the patient be taken from Government stock or Contractor inventory?
ANSWER: Section 20c13 Suction Machine of the PWS has been updated to include which stations will utilize contractor furnished, Government furnished as well as the stations that have both Contractor and Government furnished line items.
44. QUESTION: If it’s the Government’s intent to utilize Government inventory for the monthly supplies, may this be provided to the patient via shipping, and will a CLIN be added for the cost of shipping the items?
ANSWER: No this shall come from the Contractor’s inventory. No shipping CLIN will be added. If an item is shipped from the Government it will go straight to the veteran.
45. QUESTION: If the contractor is responsible for providing the supplies from its inventory, will the Government add a CLIN accordingly?
ANSWER: Yes, a line item has been added to account for the supplies associated with the Suction Machine.
46. QUESTION: Cough Assist: Equipment shall be provided by the Contractor.” Contractor shall supply patient interface, tubing and bacterial filter. The Contractor shall provide the patient or caregiver with enough supplies to change per manufacturer recommendations with one (1) complete set up in reserve.” As per the CLIN structure, the Cough Assist is Government Owned equipment. Is it the Government’s intent for the Contractor to provide the Cough Assist from the Government or Contractor inventory?
ANSWER: Section 20c18 Cough Assist Device of the PWS has been updated to include which stations will utilize contractor furnished, Government furnished as well as the stations that have both Contractor and Government furnished line items.
47. QUESTION: Is it the Government’s intent for the supplies provided to be used from Contractor or Government inventory?
ANSWER: The supplies for the Cough Assist Device will come from the Contractor’s inventory, a line item has been added to account for the supplies associated with the Cough Assist Device.
48. QUESTION: If the Government’s intent for supplies to be provided from the Contractor’s inventory, will a CLIN number be added for the recurring supplies, as well as, a shipping charge?
ANSWER: The supplies for the Cough Assist Device will come from the Contractor’s inventory, a line item has been added to account for the supplies associated with the Cough Assist Device.
49. QUESTION: Percussive Vest: Equipment shall be provided by the Contractor. As per the CLIN structure, the Cough Assist is Government Owned equipment.” Is it the Government’s intent for the Contractor to provide the Cough Assist from the Government or Contractor inventory?
ANSWER: Section 20c19 Percussive Vest of the PWS has been updated to include which stations will utilize contractor furnished, Government furnished as well as the stations that have both Contractor and Government furnished line items.
50. QUESTION: Specific Tasks “a. Oxygen therapy delivery system including but not limited to home oxygen and home respiratory equipment. Initial setup(s) for home oxygen at the patient’s residence shall be performed by a certified respiratory therapist (CRT), registered respiratory therapist (RRT) or a Registered Nurse (RN), which is licensed in accordance with the governing standards of the location where the services are to be provided.” Would the Government allow a qualified technician to provide the initial setup of home respiratory equipment, and a follow-up CRT/RRT/RN visit be completed within a determined amount of time, i.e. within 4 or 5 days of setup?
ANSWER: No, a technician may not provide an initial set up for oxygen.
51. QUESTION: The Contractor shall provide the initial set-up within four (4) hours of notification for continuous flow oxygen prescriptions and ventilator therapy or any other therapy as determined by the VA Clinical Staff to be urgent, to include weekends and holidays. All other requests shall be completed within 24 hours of receipt of the order to include weekends and holidays.” Section 7b. – Quality Control states “Initial Patient Set-Ups within 24 hours from notification” May the Government clarify their intent on the Home Oxygen setup timeframe, whether twenty-four (24) hours from receipt or four (4) hours from receipt?
ANSWER: The 4 hour time notification time frame is associated with the notification for continuous flow oxygen prescriptions and ventilator therapy or any other therapy as determined by the VA Clinical Staff to be urgent, to include weekends and holidays. All other initial set-up requests shall be completed within the following time lines. If a prescription has been received by 5:30PM local time then the patient shall be set up within (6) hours of receiving the prescription. If the prescription is received after 5:30PM local time then the patient shall be set up no later the 10:00AM the next day to include weekends and holidays. See PWS 7b and 21e.
52. QUESTION: Ventilator setups are completed on acute cases, and a four (4) hour or even twenty-four (24) hour setup timeframe does not provide sufficient time to ensure the patient is stable. In addition, the home environment should be accessed prior to the setup, to ensure the ventilator equipment prescribed may be used safely. In addition, supplies must be ordered for the patient in accordance to their prescription. Per section 20 “Contractor Furnished Items and Responsibilities”, subsection 10 “Ventilators”, the Government states “e. All new requests for ventilator set-ups shall be completed within 24 hours, unless otherwise indicated by the VA clinician. Would the Government consider allowing a Ventilator setup to be completed within seven (7) days, to ensure the patient is stable, the patient’s place of residence has been accessed, and all supplies have been received from the manufacturer?
ANSWER: No, the ventilator shall be setup up within (24 hours). The paragraph above has been revised, please review. Seven days is not acceptable and would violate the terms and conditions.
53. QUESTION: Preventive Maintenance: The Contractor shall provide service and preventive maintenance on all Government provided equipment, as recommended by the manufacturer” As per the CLIN structure, the contractor will be required for the “Setup” of Government Owned equipment. Will the Government add a CLIN for the preventative maintenance of the Government Owned equipment?
ANSWER: Yes, a CLIN has been added for preventative maintenance for Government owned equipment.
54. QUESTION: Delivery/Pick-up: The Contractor shall deliver, set-up, and pick-up all Government furnished equipment used in the performance of this contract.” The contractor shall provide the initial set-up the same day when the prescription is received by 5:30 PM Time to include weekends and holidays; this shall also apply to service calls and critical setups as designated by the VA. All routine setups as designated by the VA will be completed on the next day.” The contractor shall provide initial setup within 24 hours when prescription is received after 5:30 PM Mountain Standard Time to include weekends and holidays. This shall also apply to service calls and critical setups as designated by the VA. All routine setups as designated by the VA will be completed on the next day.” Per section 20 “Contractor Furnished Items and Responsibilities”, subsection 13 “Suction Machine”, the Government states “b) The Contractor shall be responsible for same day delivery and instruction. Education shall be performed by a trained CRT/RRT/RN.”As per the CLIN structure, the contractor is responsible for the “Setup” of the Government furnished equipment. May the Government clarify their expectation on the setup time-frame for the Government Owned Suction Machine?
ANSWER: The suction machine shall be delivered same day per section 20c14 of the PWS.
55. QUESTION: Will a CLIN be added for the “Pick-up” of the Government furnished equipment?
ANSWER: Yes, a CLIN has been added for the pick-up of Government furnished equipment.
56. QUESTION: How will the contractor be notified by the Government of the pick-up request?
ANSWER: The contractor shall be notified of a pickup request when a discontinue consult is processed. The Medical Center or COR will send the request to the contractor.
57. QUESTION: Demurrage Charges“ The VA shall not pay for the Contractor's lost or damaged equipment provided under this contract unless circumstances as reviewed by the Contracting Officer are concluded to be the results of willful negligence on behalf of Patients or VA employees. May the Government clarify “willful negligence”?
ANSWER: Willful negligence is the type of negligence that is deliberate with the intentional disregard for other people's welfare.
58. QUESTION: Patient Travel The VA facility(ies) will be responsible for approving the travel, notifying the contractor of the travel dates, and what equipment are approved, no later than five (5) calendar days before travel date.” Is it correct to assume the Government will provide notification to the contractor via written order, no later than five (5) calendar days before travel date?
ANSWER: No, paragraph 26 of the PWS has been revised please review as the process has been updated, “The Veteran will contact the Contractor to initiate the travel request. The Contractor shall be responsible for arranging and coordinating all home oxygen for Veterans who travel both within and outside their respective contracted jurisdiction. The Contractor shall notify the VA facility(ies) concerning the travel request no later than five (5) calendar days before travel date. The VA facility(ies) will be responsible for approving the travel and requested equipment and will respond to the Contractor’s notification within 2 (two) calendar days.” Please review the paragraph.
59. QUESTION: Additional costs incurred as a result of home oxygen support for Veteran travel, temporary relocation or to support infrequent instances of home oxygen supply shall be individually discussed with the CO/COR to make a ‘fair and reasonable’ determination.” Is it the Government’s intent for the “fair and reasonable” determination to be made prior to the patient’s travel date?
ANSWER: The above sentence has been revised to include the verbiage prior to the veteran traveling, please review the paragraph.
60. QUESTION: May the Government clarify “support infrequent instances”? The Contractor shall arrange for home oxygen for Veterans requiring emergency travel. (Emergency travel is defined as any travel with 48 hours’ or less notice).”Leisure Travel: Leisure travel is not considered an emergency. Travel is considered a travel emergency when travel occurs less than 48 hours from Veteran notification to contractor.
ANSWER: Infrequent instances would be considered, “not occurring often, rare.” For example if a veteran has a family emergency and needs to travel short notice.
61. QUESTION: May the Government please clarify the definition of “Emergency Travel”, as sections C and D are contradictory?
ANSWER: Emergency Travel has been clarified; all information regarding emergency travel is now located in Section 26c.
62. QUESTION: As “Leisure travel is not considered an emergency”, will the Government add a CLIN for the coordination of non-emergent travel arrangements, within 48 hours of the travel date?
ANSWER: Please review Section 26d, leisure travel will have the same timeline as outlined in Section 26a. No additional CLIN will be added.
63. QUESTION: “Authorized Veteran Travel Areas: The Contractor shall be responsible for arranging and coordinating all U.S. States and U.S. territories.” For travel outside a contractor’s coverage area, arrangements may be delayed, if a sub-contractor is required to be obtained. Is it the Government’s intent for the contractor to have facilities available throughout the United States and US territories?
ANSWER: No, however the Contractor should have the capability and resources to coordinate oxygen services for the veterans who request travel services throughout the United States and US territories. No veteran shall go without oxygen due to travel.
64. QUESTION: For travel outside of the contractor’s coverage area, may the Government consider an approval of no later than fourteen (14) calendar days before the travel date?
ANSWER: Please review PWS section 26 patient travel as it has been revised. No, the Contractor shall notify the VA facility(ies) concerning the travel request no later than ten (10) calendar days before the travel date.
65. QUESTION: Contractor Visits “The Contractor shall provide services in support of this contract five days (5) per week; exceptions shall be made in the cases of emergencies. The Contractor shall be responsible for scheduling the follow-up appointments to the patient's home at least 72 hours prior to the appointment. On each scheduled setup/delivery the Contractor shall train the patient on the use and care of the equipment and supplies.” May the Government clarify the expectation on the setup timeframe, as the above states five (5) days per week?
ANSWER: This section has been revised to read, “seven (7) days per week” patients shall be set-up with oxygen seven days a week.
66. QUESTION: Emergency Services and Protocol The Contractor shall provide a backup oxygen supply that shall last a minimum of three times the organization’s maximum response time and function at the prescribed flow rate, frequency, and duration.” As a minimum, the backup system shall provide continuing equipment function for forty eight (48) hours. In addition to the ventilators, the Contractor shall provide a backup system equal to three (3) times the maximum response rate for all other Primary Oxygen Systems, including Government owned equipment.” May the Government clarify the expectation on the backup oxygen supply?
ANSWER: Backup system shall provide continuing equipment function for (48) hours (i.e. H tank). In the case of ventilators, vendor should have access to one for swap out for equipment malfunction. Each veteran’s back up supply would depend on their prescription, also depending on response time and where their residence is located.
67. QUESTION: Is it the Government’s intent to provide Government Owned Home Oxygen equipment, such as, Concentrators, Home-fills, Ventilators, etc.? If so, will CLIN(s) be added for the delivery and maintenance of the Government Owned Home Oxygen Equipment?
ANSWER: Review section 19 a. of the list PWS for the Government owned equipment that shall be provided. No CLIN will be added for the delivery of government owned equipment since the VA will ship this to the patient. A maintenance CLINS will be added for maintenance associated with Government owned equipment.
68. QUESTION: Termination of Oxygen Services Upon termination of oxygen service to the beneficiary, the Contractor shall pickup all oxygen equipment and supplies no later than forty eight (48) hours after receipt of notification from the VA.” May the Government confirm if it will provide notification to the contractor via a written order?
ANSWER: Yes, there will always be a written order to discontinue oxygen. However, there are instances when a veteran passes away and the vendor is notified through billing department rather than a discontinue order. Regardless this information will be communicated via email or fax.
69. QUESTION: Invoicing Information Invoices shall be sent to the respective VA facilities by encrypted disc, using an Excel Spreadsheet format in alphabetical order by full last name, full first name no later than the 10th of each month, as well as a paper hard copy of the invoice in the same package. All invoices shall include appropriate paperwork as specified within this contract. Any orders received 5 days prior to the end of the month may be billed in the subsequent month. For example, an order received during the last 5 days of August, may be billed in September so that the Contractor has time to gather all required documentation.” May you clarify the Government’s intent as to timely filing?
ANSWER: Timely would be defined as within the times lines identified in the invoicing Section 31 of the PWS and the Prompt Payment Act. Please review the paragraph as the number of days has been updated from 10th to 5th.
70. QUESTION: Performance Objectives
|Initial Setups and Education |Para 21 |98% of all initial home oxygen setups are completed |
| | |within 24 hours of notification. |
May the Government clarify the setup timeframe, as it has been interchangeable within the PWS?
ANSWER: The set up time frame has been updated please review the PWS as the performance objective have been updated for consistency with the rest of the document, pleaser review the PWS for updated timelines. The Contractor shall provide the initial set-up within four (4) hours of notification for continuous flow oxygen prescriptions and ventilator therapy or any other therapy as determined by the VA Clinical Staff to be urgent, to include weekends and holidays. All other initial set-up requests shall be completed within the following time lines. If a prescription has been received by 5:30 local time then the patient shall be set up within (6) hours of receiving the prescription. If the prescription is received after this time then the patient shall be set up no later the 10:00AM the next day to include weekends and holidays.
71. QUESTION: Addendum FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors
Table 1 - Proposal Organization
|VOLUME |NUMBER OF ELECTRONIC COPIES |TITLE |PAGE LIMIT |
|I |1 |Past Performance |5* |
|II |1 |Technical |15* |
|III |1 |Price/Contract Documents |Unlimited |
* Cover letters for your organization will be considered part of the page limit and are not necessary. The page limitation does not include the Relevancy Matrix, Past Performance Questionnaires, Consent Letter, Client Authorization Letters, and Past Performance Transmittal Letter.
Table of Contents, Indexing and Glossary. Each volume shall contain a table of contents. Tab indexing shall be used to identify sections. Each volume shall contain a glossary of all abbreviations and acronyms used, with a definition for each. Use of abbreviations and acronyms should be limited. Table of Contents and Glossaries do not count against the page limitations for their respective volumes.
Is it correct to assume the “Tab Indexing” will not be counted against the page limitations?
ANSWER: Yes, “Tab Indexing” will not count against page limitations.
72. QUESTION: “Sub-factor 3 -Quality Control Plan: Offerors Quality Control Plan shall develop and maintain an organization-wide planning structure and processes that focus on safety and quality that include methods for achieving continuous quality improvement throughout the life of the contract. The plan shall focus on the offerors internal processes for receiving, responding, and resolution to include corrective action regarding contractual discrepancies while also addressing patient safety, Was it the Government’s intent to end the requested information with “patient safety” as a comma was included and not a period?
ANSWER: Yes, there should be a period.
73. QUESTION: Additional Question: It was not mentioned in the solicitation if the Government would provide storage space to the contractor for cylinders to be stored at the VA hospital/facility for patient discharges. May the Government consider this practice?
ANSWER: Yes, the contractor will be provided limited storage space for each station.
74. QUESTION: Line Items: Salt Lake City: CLIN 0004 - Rental of Portable Oxygen Concentrator: The HCPCS code listed is E1390; however, the CMS HCPCS for the item is E1392.May the Government update the HCPCS to E1392?
ANSWER: The correct HCPC is E1392.
75. QUESTION: CLIN 0005 - Rental of Portable Gaseous System May the Government clarify the estimated QTY of monthly rentals, as it does not appear to correlate with the estimated QTY for the refills?
ANSWER: CLIN 0005 has been revised please review as the cylinder sizers are listed separately.
76. QUESTION: CLIN 0015 - Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents, CLIN 0016 - Portable Gaseous Contents. May the Government clarify if it only estimates a total of 100 LB. of Liquid Oxygen per month, for refills? May the Government clarify if it only estimates a total of 100 Gaseous Oxygen cylinders per month, for refills?
ANSWER: Portable Gaseous contents are each (refills) not LBS. The Line items have been updated to reflect a month estimated quantity.
77. QUESTION: All CLINs listed as “Each” May the Government clarify if “Each” is to be interpreted as per “Year”?
ANSWER: CLINS have been updated to reflect an annual amount.
78. QUESTION: Oklahoma City, CLIN 0004 - Rental of Portable Oxygen Concentrator: The HCPCS code listed is E1390; however, the CMS HCPCS for the item is E1392.May the Government update the HCPCS to E1392?
ANSWER: Yes the correct HCPC for CLIN 0004 Rental of Portable Oxygen Concentrator is E1392.
79. QUESTION: CLIN 0001 to CLIN 0020. May the Government clarify if the QTY listed for each CLIN, reflects a monthly or yearly estimate, as they are listed as “Each”?
ANSWER: CLINS have been updated and verified for their respective quantities. All CLINS are listed annually.
80. QUESTION: CLIN 0015 - Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents. May the Government clarify if it only estimates a total of 2 LB. of Liquid Oxygen per month, for refills?
ANSWER: The estimates for refills are now annual for CLIN 0015 Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents.
81. QUESTION: Grand Junction, CLIN 0004 - Rental of Portable Oxygen Concentrator: The HCPCS code listed is E1390; however, the CMS HCPCS for the item is E1392. CLIN 0005 - Rental of Portable Gaseous System. May the Government clarify the estimated QTY of monthly rentals, as it does not appear to correlate with the estimated QTY for the refills?
ANSWER: The HCPCS for CLIN 0004 Rental of Portable Oxygen Concentrator has been update for CLIN 0004 E1392. Estimated quantities for CLIN 0005 have been updated.
82. QUESTION: May the Government update the HCPCS to E1392?
ANSWER: Yes, the correct HCPC is E1392.
83. QUESTION: CLIN 0015 - Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents, CLIN 0016 - Portable Gaseous Contents. May the Government clarify if it estimates a total of 865,000 LB of Liquid Oxygen per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents and Portable Gaseous Contents unit are annual, see revised line items.
84. QUESTION: May the Government clarify if it estimates a total of 141,000 Gaseous Oxygen cylinders per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: Gaseous Oxygen cylinders unit is annual, the CLIN has been updated to reflect an annual basis.
85. QUESTION: CLIN 0019 – Home-fill Oxygen System, CLIN 0020 – Home-fill Tanks. May the Government clarify if the QTY listed for the CLIN, reflects a monthly or yearly estimate?
ANSWER: CLIN 0019 Home-fill Oxygen System and CLIN 0020 Home-fill Tanks unit are annual, see revised line items.
86. QUESTION: All CLINs listed as “Each” May the Government clarify if “Each” is to be interpreted as per “Year”?
ANSWER: All CLINS are listed as annual.
87. QUESTION: Montana CLIN 0004 - Rental of Portable Oxygen Concentrator: The HCPCS code listed is E1390; however, the CMS HCPCS for the item is E1392. May the Government update the HCPCS to E1392?
ANSWER: CLIN 0004 HCPC code has been revised from E1390 to E1392.
88. QUESTION: CLIN 0006 - Rental of Stationary Liquid Oxygen System. May the Government clarify if it does not intend to provide Liquid Portable System, as a CLIN has not been established for Montana?
ANSWER: Please see CLIN 0015 Stationary Liquid Oxygen and CLIN 0016 Portable Gaseous Contents.
89. QUESTION: CLIN 0015 - Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents, CLIN 0016 - Portable Gaseous Contents. May the Government clarify if it estimates a total of 1,800 LB of Liquid Oxygen per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: CLIN 0015 Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents and CLIN 0016 Portable Gaseous Contents are both estimated annually.
90. QUESTION: May the Government clarify if it estimates a total of 10,000 Gaseous Oxygen cylinders per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: CLIN 0015 Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents are estimated annually.
91. QUESTION: Eastern Oklahoma, CLIN 0004 - Rental of Portable Oxygen Concentrator: The HCPCS code listed is E1390; however, the CMS HCPCS for the item is E1392. May the Government update the HCPCS to E1392?
ANSWER: The correct HCPC is E1392.
92. QUESTION: CLIN 0009 - CRT/RRT/RN Visit. May the Government clarify if the estimated QTY of 1,200 is per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: CLIN 0009 CRT/RRT/RN Visit is listed annually.
93. QUESTION: CLIN 0013 - Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents, CLIN 0014 - Portable Gaseous Contents. May the Government clarify if it estimates a total of 10 LB. of Liquid Oxygen per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: CLIN 0013 and CLIN 0014 are listed on an annual basis.
94. QUESTION: May the Government clarify if it estimates a total of 13,000 Gaseous Oxygen cylinders per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: Gaseous oxygen Cylinders is listed on an annual basis.
95. QUESTION: Denver, CLIN 0004 - Rental of Portable Oxygen Concentrator: The HCPCS code listed is E1390; however, the CMS HCPCS for the item is E1392.May the Government update the HCPCS to E1392?
ANSWER: The correct HCPC is E1392.
96. QUESTION: CLIN 0005 - Rental of Portable Gaseous System. May the Government clarify the estimated QTY of monthly rentals, as it does not appear to correlate with the estimated QTY for the refills?
ANSWER: CLIN 0005 Rental of Portable Gaseous System estimated quantities has been revised, please review line items.
97. QUESTION: CLIN 0015 - Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents, CLIN 0016 - Portable Gaseous Contents. May the Government clarify if it estimates a total of 865,000 LB of Liquid Oxygen per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: CLIN 0015 Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents and CLIN 0016 Portable Gaseous Contents are both estimated per month.
98. QUESTION: May the Government clarify if it estimates a total of 141,000 Gaseous Oxygen cylinders per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: CLIN 0016 Portable Gaseous Contents is estimated per month.
99. QUESTION: All CLINs listed as “Each”. May the Government clarify if “Each” is to be interpreted as per “Year”?
ANSWER: CLINS have been updated to reflect annually.
100. QUESTION: Cheyenne, CLIN 0010 - CRT/RRT/RN Visit Government requested CRT/RRT/RN visit not covered by other CLINs. May the Government clarify if it does not foresee a requirement for additional CRT/RRT/RN Visits to be completed for Cheyenne?
ANSWER: Please review CLINS as CRT/RRT/RN visit is now CLIN 0007 not 0010. CLIN 0007 has been updated with an estimated annual quantity.
101. QUESTION: CLIN 0015 - Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents. May the Government clarify if it estimates a total of 12,000 LB of Liquid Oxygen per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: Please review the CINS as Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents is now CLIN 0009 not 0015. CLIN 0009 is estimated annually.
102. QUESTION: CLIN 0016 - Portable Gaseous Contents. May the Government confirm if a CLIN will be added for the Rental of Portable Gaseous System?
ANSWER: Rental of Portable Gaseous System has been added, and is CLIN 0016. Portable Gaseous Contents is now CLIN 0010.
103. QUESTION: CLIN 0017 - Travel Portable Oxygen Concentrator. May the Government clarify if it estimates 300 patients to travel per month from Cheyenne?
ANSWER: The Travel Portable Oxygen Concentrator has now changed to CLIN 0011 and the updated estimate per month is 30.
104. QUESTION: CLIN 0018 - MISCELLANEOUS TRAVEL EQUIPMENT, Dual Lumen Conserver, Travel Shipping Fee. May the Government clarify the items, as there appear to be more than one requirement?
ANSWER: Miscellaneous Travel Equipment CLIN has been revised to CLIN 0012, the CLIN has been updated to reflect the Dual Lumen Conserver to include travel shipping fee.
105. QUESTION: All CLINs listed as “Each”. May the Government clarify if “Each” is to be interpreted as per “Year”?
ANSWER: CLINS have been updated and verified with a unit of each and annually.
106. QUESTION: Sheridan CLIN 0004 - Rental of Portable Oxygen Concentrator: The HCPCS code listed is E1390; however, the CMS HCPCS for the item is E1392.May the Government update the HCPCS to E1392?
ANSWER: Correct HCPC is E1392.
107. QUESTION: All CLINs. The quantities listed do not appear to be consistent. For example, CLIN 0002 which fluctuates from QTY 25 for base year to 1,600 for Option Year 1). CLIN 0010 - Stationary Liquid Oxygen Contents. CLIN 0011 - Portable Gaseous Contents. May the Government clarify if it estimates the QTY listed of Liquid Oxygen per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: CLINS have been updated and verified for their respective estimated quantities.
108. QUESTION: May the Government clarify if it estimates the QTY listed for Gaseous Oxygen cylinders per month or on an annual basis?
ANSWER: The estimated quantity for Gaseous Oxygen Cylinders is annual.
109. QUESTION: When reviewing the line item sheets that were provided I noticed that line item 0001 (Rental of Contractor), 0002 (Rental of Low Decibel Concentrator), and 0003 (Rental of High Flow Concentrator) are very similar in their description of services. Will the contractor bill monthly for only one of the 0001(Rental of Contractor), 0002 (Rental of Low Decibel Concentrator), or 0003 (Rental of High Flow Concentrator) or will they bill for 0001 (Rental of Contractor) and either a 0002 (Rental of Low Decibel Concentrator) or 0003 (Rental of High Flow Concentrator).
ANSWER: The Contractor will bill per CLIN as indicated on the veteran’s prescription. Some veterans have more than one concentrator, in those cases they will be billed for two.
110. QUESTION: Is the price/cost schedule on page 6 through 16 required to be returned with the RFP response? There was also price/cost schedules as attachments with detailed line items.
ANSWER: Yes, the price/ cost schedule should be complete and submitted with your proposal.
111. QUESTION: Are contractors required to have facilities in place within the VISN prior to award? Page 18 Scope. “Contractor’s facility(ies) may be inspected by the VA prior to the contract award.”
ANSWER: Yes, for continuity purposes, these facilities should be in place prior to contract award.
112. QUESTION: Please provide clarification on the timelines for initial setups. (Below are various sections of the PWS that refer to these timelines.) Under what circumstances are initial setups and emergency responses required within 1 hr, 4 hrs, 6 hrs, 24 hrs, same day and next day?
Page 19
Quality Control b. initial patient setups within 24 hours of notification
d. Emergency services with 6 hours of notification
Page 27
6 Portable Oxygen Concentrators
b. Shall be available for delivery within four hours of a request
Page 29
e) all new requests for ventilator setups shall be completed within 24 hours unless
otherwise indicated by VA clinician staff.
Page 32
21 Specific tasks e. The contractor shall provide the initial set up within four hours of
notification for continuous flow oxygen prescriptions and ventilator therapy or any
other therapy as determined by the VA clinical staff to be urgent to include weekends
and holidays.
Page 33
1 Specific tasks k. the contractor shall provide the initial setup the same day when the
prescription is received by 5:30pm MST to include weekends and holidays. This also
apply to service calls and critical setups as designated by the VA. All routine setups as designated by the VA will be completed on the next day.
l. the contractor shall provide initial setup within 24 hours when prescription is received after 5:30pm MST to include weekends and holidays. All routine setups as designated by the VA will be completed on the next day.
ANSWER: Please review the PWS as it has been revised regarding set-up timelines.
Suction machines and nebulizers shall be setup same day. The Contractor shall provide the initial set-up within four (4) hours of notification for continuous flow oxygen prescriptions and ventilator therapy or any other therapy as determined by the VA Clinical Staff to be urgent, to include weekends and holidays. All other initial set-up requests shall be completed within the following time lines. If a prescription has been received by 5:30 local time then the patient shall be set up within (6) hours of receiving the prescription. If the prescription is received after this time then the patient shall be set up no later the 10:00AM the next day to include weekends and holidays.
113. QUESTION: We are assuming that an RRT, CRT or RN will not be required to visit every patient transferred to the contractor at the time of transition – is that correct?
Page 23
17 Service Transition
ANSWER: Correct, a RRT, CRT, or RN will not be required to visit every patient transferred to the contactor at the time of transition. Only a new set ups or a change in the prescription will require a certified RRT, CRT, or RN visit, Section 21a of the PWS.
114. QUESTION: Based on historical data for this contract, what is the average number of tanks that veterans are using on a monthly basis? Will orders specify the number of tanks required for each patient based on the VA’s evaluation of the veteran? If the orders do not specify the number of tanks to be provided, is there a standard number of tanks given upon initial setup by the incumbent?
Page 27
7 Portable Oxygen Systems
g Patient shall be provided unlimited cylinders per month.
ANSWER: Depending on the veterans prescription the average is between 5-30 tanks per month. The number of tanks will depends on the veteran, and their prescription will list the specific number needed. Usage will depend on the liter flow so it has to be handled case by case, but usually veterans use anywhere from 5-30.
115. QUESTION: What types of ventilators are currently being prescribed?
Page 28
10 Ventilator The VA clinical staff shall decide which ventilator the patient shall be setup with.
ANSWER: The types of ventilator currently being prescribed are the Trilogy 200 this will handle invasive and non-invasive ventilators and MPV. It will depend on the individual patient’s prescription.
116. QUESTION: Please clarify if monthly
117. visits by a CRT/RRT/RN are required for both invasive and noninvasive ventilator patients. Page 29
j. All ventilator patients and equipment and prescription shall be assessed by
CRT/RRT/RN monthly
ANSWER: Yes, both invasive and noninvasive ventilator patients will require a certified CRT/RRT/RN.
118. QUESTION: May initial equipment setups be done by a service technician with a follow up by the RT for the education within 24 hours of setup (or within a set amount of hours agreeable with the VA and the contractor)? Page 31 21. Specific Tasks
ANSWER: Yes, a qualified technician may provide an initial set up for oxygen only set up however nothing else. A follow up will need to be completed within 72 hours by a CRT/RRT/RN.
119. QUESTION: Can E cylinders be used for backup system? Page 33 22. Backup System
ANSWER: Yes, as long as the response time is within the limits of how long the tank last per liter flow.
120. QUESTION: Based on historical data, can you give an estimate of the number of Demand Valve regulator users?
ANSWER: An approximation of veterans who use demand valve regulators is 3500 – 6000 depending on the station.
121. QUESTION: Will the VA pay for travel invoices that are paid by the contractor for travel services that are
provided to veterans while out of the VISN 19 territory? Is the contractor required to get pre approval
for travel costs before servicing veterans for their travel needs?
Page 35
26. Patient travel b. Additional costs incurred as a result of home oxygen support for
veteran travel, temporary relocation or to support infrequent instances of home oxygen supply shall be individually discussed with the CO/COR to make a fair and reasonable determination.
ANSWER: Yes, the VA will pay for travel invoices for travel services that are provided to veterans out of the VISN 19 territory. Yes the facility(ies) will be responsible for approving the travel and requested equipment and will respond to the Contractor’s notification within 2 (two) calendar days.
122. QUESTION: CLIN 0001 On
several of the Station’s price tables, 0001 has a line item called “Rental of
should this be “Rental of Concentrator”? (An example is Eastern Colorado HCS.)
ANSWER: CLIN 0001 has been revised to read “Rental of Contractor”
123. QUESTION: CLIN 0005 Eastern Colorado HCS Although
we understand that these quantities are just
estimates, with over 7,000 oxygen using patients, the estimate of only 5 patients using oxygen for portability seems extremely low. Can a more realistic estimate be provided?
ANSWER: CLIN 0005 for Eastern Colorado has been revised to annual quantities.
124. QUESTION: CLIN 0010 Eastern Colorado HCS Although
we understand that these quantities are just
estimates, 1,000 RT visits per month seems high. The PWS states that an RT visit is not required unless ordered are there that many monthly exceptions?
ANSWER: CLIN 0010 for Eastern Colorado has been revised to annual quantities.
125. QUESTION: CLIN 0016 Eastern Colorado HCS – This line item specifies 141,000 “portable gaseous
contents.” Should this estimated quantity match CLIN 0005 or does the contractor get paid for each cylinder?
ANSWER: The Contractor will be paid per cylinder refill for CLIN 0016.
126. QUESTION: As an example, page 18 states that there is estimated 7,760 oxygen using patients. When the CLINs are added together for all oxygen concentrators and liquid oxygen patients, the quantity is less
than 5,000 per month. Do these numbers need to be made more consistent with one another?
ANSWER: CLINS for all stations has been updated. For example the example above was for ECHC. The workload data now shows 7,000 per month and the estimated quantity of concentrators is also 7,000.
127. QUESTION: Can you clarify whether FAR 52.222-54,
page 57, is a requirement for this contract if the items
in this contract are available commercially off the shelf (COTS) and are also sold, rented or leased to the general public?
ANSWER: Per the clause, 52.222-54, this is not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items or certain other types of commercial items as prescribed in FAR 22.1803.
128. QUESTION: Pg 86 Table 1-proposal Organization has the order for volumes to be: Past Performance, Technical, Price/Contract Documents. The order listed on pg 86 (9. PROPOSAL VOLUME INSTRUCTIONS) has the order to be: a. Technical Approach, b. Past Performance, c. Price/Contract Documents.
Questions: Which order do you want us to present our proposals.
ANSWER: Per the solicitation, Proposal Volumes. Offers shall consist of three (3) separate proposal volumes: Past Performance, Technical, and Price/Contract Documents.
Table 1 - Proposal Organization
|VOLUME |NUMBER OF ELECTRONIC COPIES |TITLE |PAGE LIMIT |
|I |1 |Past Performance |5* |
|II |1 |Technical |15* |
|III |1 |Price/Contract Documents |Unlimited |
The order shall coincide with the order presented above per the solicitation.
129. QUESTION: Pg. 86 (8. Receipt of Proposals) The Offerors Past Performance Volume, Technical Volume, and Price/Contract Documents Volume, paper and electronic copies, must be received no later than, see Block 8 of the SF1149, and shall be emailed to the Contract Specialist.
Question: Do you want electronic and paper proposals or do we pick which option? If we are to send in both including paper copies, how many papers copies do you want?
ANSWER: Paper copies will be accepted, the language in Recipe of Proposals has been updated to include that two paper copies be submitted.
130. QUESTION: Pg 86 (1. Proposal Volumes) Offeror shall identify which location IAW the PWS Section 6 Work Load Data their proposal is for. If an offeror is interested in proving multiples proposals. The offeror will need to submit each location separately and identify the area proposed as mentioned above. Provision FAR 52.212-1(e) Multiple Offers, above references alternative terms and conditions, this action is not accepting alternative terms and conditions, they will be evaluated and will be considered non-responsive.
Question: Do we send in complete separate proposals for each location we are bidding and only the price for that center to be included with that proposal?
ANSWER: No, if you are proposing to more than one location you will only need to submit one proposal but include all the price schedules for each location you are proposing to.
131. QUESTION: On each pricing proposal there is Estimated Qty, Unit, Unit Price, amount.
Questions: Do we price this on a monthly basis? Is the Grand total at bottom of each price list for total for month? The solicitation page 6-17 has a yearly unit price and total for all periods. Do we also complete this portion to verify the total for the base and 4 option years?
ANSWER: Price on an annual basis. The line items are price listed as an annual total. Yes, complete the yearly total base and 4 option years.
132. QUESTION: Each price list has 0001 and 0002 which are for Rental of Contractor and Rental of Low Decibel Concentrator respectively.
Question: This looks like the same description. Are both of these items for the rental of 5 Liter Concentrators?
ANSWER: Yes, CLIN 0001 and 0002 are rental concentrators are 5 liter. The Low Decibel Concentrator is quieter.
133. QUESTION: The Item Number for Portable Gaseous Contents has some centers listed as each and some listed as pounds.
Question: This looks to be for fill of small cylinders. Is this to be each vs. pounds? Also the estimated quantity for Grand Junction looks to be excessive compared to other centers. Can this be verified?
ANSWER: The Grand Junction line items has been revised and verified for accuracy. Also the Grand Junctions quantity has been revised to 1,500 refills per month.
134. QUESTION: Page 31, Section 21 – Specific Tasks – This section requires that an RT, CRT, or RN perform all initial setups for home oxygen. This is not a requirement for Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance, or State Respiratory requirements. We can bid it this way, but the VA could save some significant dollars if they removed this requirement. Could this requirement go away? If not, could the initial set up be performed by a trained technician, and then a follow up visit (in person, by phone, or telemedicine) be performed within the first 24-48 hours after set up by the CRT/RRT/RN?
ANSWER: No, the initial set up must be conducted by a CRT/RRT/RN and the follow up will need to be completed within 72 hours by a CRT/RRT/RN in person.
135. QUESTION: Page 32, Section 21.i. – Preventive Maintenance – this section requires Contractor to perform routine maintenance/concentrator checks every 90 days. Similar to above, this adds significant cost to the bid and is an outdated requirement with today’s technology on concentrators. In fact, the PWS concentrator specifications outline that concentrators must have the proper alarming systems, etc. to alert patient to any problems so they can contact the provider. Most manufacturers now only require concentrator checks/ maintenance on their units every two years. Again, every 90 days is excessive, and expensive.
ANSWER: The requirement calls for maintenance every 90 days.
136. QUESTION: Page 27, Section 20.c.5 – This outlines the requirements for Home Fill units; however, Home Fill is nowhere to be found on the pricing sheet.
ANSWER: The pricing sheets have been updated for Cheyenne, Grand Junction, Montana, who will be using the Home Fill Units.
137. QUESTION: Page 27, Section 20.c.7.g – Unlimited cylinders per month. As a provider, this is a bit spooky….can the VA give an average, or even limit number of portable cylinders used by veterans?
ANSWER: The language for Portable Oxygen Systems has been revised. This depends on the veteran, and their prescription will list the specific number needed. Usage will depend on the liter flow so the number of tanks will be handled case by case. An average number of tanks given to a veteran usually range from 5 – 30 tanks.
138. QUESTION: Page 28, Section 20.c.10 – Can the VA give any idea of the mix of “invasive” vs “non-invasive” ventilators to be expected of the 3 per month total estimated units?
ANSWER: Invasive versus non-invasive will depend on the patients prescription. All stations currently have a mixture of both.
139. QUESTION: Pricing Sheet concerns/questions:
a. Item 0005/E0431 – Does the Tank Cylinder Stand capable of holding 12 tanks give an indication as to how many cylinders most veterans have? Again, PWS shows unlimited cylinders – can the VA help define average cylinders per veteran? Also, are there any limits on how many times/week or month a provider may be called out to the home to deliver cylinders? What if a veteran refuses to use the concentrator while in the home because of increased power bill, and chooses to use only cylinders? Is there a mechanism to deal with this type of patient?
ANSWER: The language for Portable Oxygen Systems has been revised. This depends on the veteran, and their prescription will list the specific number needed. Usage will depend on the liter flow so it has to be handled case by case, but usually veterans use anywhere from 5-30 tanks. Average initial set up is a minimum of 6 tanks and a maximum of 12 tanks depending on their prescription. The driver will need to inform the COR if the patient is refusing service, communication is key here so that all parties are aware of the situation, see PWS Section 10 e 2).
b. Item 0016/E0443 – Portable Gas Contents – the quantity estimated for this line makes no sense at 100 pounds? Typically, and on the last VISN 19 solicitation, this was defined as “1 unit = one month’s supply”, and that estimated quantity was the same as it was for item 0005/E0431. In 2014, the estimated quantity for both E0431 and E0443 was at 3,000/month. It seems like this time, the estimated quantify should be 4,000/month as listed for item 0005/E0431.
ANSWER: Please review line items as the estimated quantities have been updated and verified. Portable Gas Contents unit is in each (fill) not LBS.
c. Item 0006/E0439 – for Liquid Oxygen, the estimated quantity for the Grand Junction VA is the same as for the Denver VA…this seems odd. Please clarify.
ANSWER: Please review each stations line items as the estimated quantities have been updated and verified.
140. QUESTION: Beginning on page 6, there is B.4 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE, and all that is requested is the yearly amount per station (base year and each option year). Are you asking contractors to fill out Section B.4 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE in addition to the Pricing attachments for each station? Or do you only want contractors to provide our pricing on the pricing attachments relating to each station?
ANSWER: Yes fill out section B.4 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE in addition to the pricing attachments for all stations you wish to submit a proposal for. Both price schedules need to be completed for all stations your company wishes to propose to.
141. QUESTION: OKLAHOMA CITY VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM Pricing Attachment.
a. There appears to be a discrepancy between the Price Attachment and the RFP page 18. The price attachment shows an estimated 1,749 oxygen using patients, while the RFP page 18 says there are 980 oxygen using patients. Please clarify the estimated quantity of oxygen using patients for the OKLAHOMA CITY VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
ANSWER: Line Items number 0001, 0002, and 0003 are now shown in annual amounts.
b. 0010 VA120 CRT/RRT/RN Visit: Government requested CRT/RRT/RN visit not covered by other CLINs. Estimated Monthly Quantity 1,000. If these visits are indeed government requested visits not covered by other CLINS, the estimated quantity appears to be very high. Please clarify the estimated quantity of CLIN 0010 for the OKLAHOMA CITY VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
ANSWER: CLIN 00100 has been revised and verified to show an annual quantity.
c. 0005 E0431 Rental of Portable Gaseous System: Portable System, including All containers, Regulator, Flow meter and provide all necessary supplies and equipment as specified in the PWS (Consumable Supplies),and Oxygen Tank Cylinder Stands capable of holding 12 cylinders, sizes E, D, C and M6. The estimated quantity appears to be very high when compared to the number of oxygen using patients, especially in the option years. Please clarify the estimated quantity of CLIN 0005 for the OKLAHOMA CITY VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
ANSWER: CLIN 0005 has been revised to an annual estimate.
142. QUESTION: SHERIDAN VA MEDICAL CENTER pricing attachment.
0011 E0443 Portable Gaseous Contents: Portable Gaseous Oxygen Contents (Refills) (1 month supply). You list the unit as LB. Based on the line item, it appears the Unit should be EA. Please clarify.
ANSWER: CLIN 0011 Portable Gaseous Oxygen Contents are each (refill).
143. QUESTION: EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM pricing attachment
a. There appears to be a discrepancy between the Price Attachment and the RFP page 18. The price attachment shows an estimated 4,900 oxygen using patients, while the RFP page 18 says there are 7,760 oxygen using patients. Please clarify the estimated quantity of oxygen using patients for the EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
ANSWER: The workload data for VA eastern Colorado Health Care System has been updated to reflect 7,000, also the line items have also been updated and verified for accuracy.
b. 0016 E0443 Portable Gaseous Contents: Portable Gaseous Oxygen Contents (Refills) (1 month supply). You list the unit as LB. Based on the line item, it appears the Unit should be EA. Please clarify.
ANSWER: CLIN 0016 Portable Gaseous Contents are listed each (refill).
c. CLINs 0010 through 0020 – Are these estimated quantities monthly or yearly?
ANSWER: CLINs 10-18 are estimated annually and CLINS 19 and 20 are estimated annually.
144. QUESTION: GRAND JUNCTION VA MEDICAL CENTER pricing attachment
a. CLINs 0001, 0002 & 0003 seem to be very high in the option years. Especially when compared to the base year estimated quantities. Please clarify if indeed these are correct in the option years.
ANSWER: Grand Junction VA Medical Center pricing has been revised and verified for CLINS 0001, 0002, and 0003.
b. CLINs 0010 through 0020 – Are these estimated quantities monthly or yearly?
ANSWER: CLINs 0010 through 0020 have been updated to reflect either an annual quantity.
c. 0015 E0443 Portable Gaseous Contents: Portable Gaseous Oxygen Contents (Refills) (1 month supply). You list the unit as LB. Based on the line item, it appears the Unit should be EA. Please clarify.
ANSWER: CLIN 0015 Portable Gaseous Contents unit is each (refill).
145. QUESTION: VA EASTERN OKLAHOMA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM pricing attachment
a. There appears to be a discrepancy between the Price Attachment and the RFP page 18. The price attachment shows an estimated 3,000 oxygen using patients, while the RFP page 18 says there are 1,200 oxygen using patients. Please clarify the estimated quantity of oxygen using patients for the EASTERN OKLAHOMA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
ANSWER: The estimated quantity of oxygen patients for Eastern Oklahoma Health Care System is now shown in annual estimates.
b. CLINs 0009, 0013 & 0014 – Are these estimated quantities monthly or yearly?
ANSWER: CLINS 0009 is a yearly estimate. CLINs 0013 & 0014 are annual estimates, the CLINS have been updated to reflect this.
c. 0014 E0443 Portable Gaseous Contents: Portable Gaseous Oxygen Contents (Refills) (1 month supply). You list the unit as LB. Based on the line item, it appears the Unit should be EA. Please clarify
ANSWER: Portable Gaseous Contents unit is each.
146. QUESTION: VA SALT LAKE CITY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM pricing attachment
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: BASE YEAR JANUARY 1, 2017 TO DECEMBER 31, 2017. Seeing as though we are almost in March of 2017, the dates listed as the period of performance will need to be changed (this actually pertains to all stations).
ANSWER: Period of performance has been revised to reflect the correct dates of 1 Oct 2017 – 30 September 2018 for all stations.
147. QUESTION: PWS Page 18, 4. Scope:
This PWS defines the effort required for the delivery, setup, education installation, and management of home oxygen services, in accordance with applicable TJC home care standards, to Veteran beneficiaries serviced by the VISN 19. All content contained herein regarding TJC standards shall be interpreted in the following manner. In other words, the Contractor shall be TJC accredited throughout the life of this contract. All issuing and follow-up care provided under this contract shall be provided in accordance with all current TJC standards. If the Contractor is re-surveyed by The TJC during the contract term, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) of survey dates, the outcome of the survey and provides copies of new certificates. Contractor’s facility(ies) may be inspected by the VA prior to the contract award. The use of the terms “beneficiary”, “Veteran”, “Patients”, and “patient” are used interchangeably and refer to the recipient of required supplies, equipment, and incidental services required under the contract.
Question: My question is related to the highlighted statement above. Is the point of this inspection to verify that the Joint Commission accredited facility(ies) to be used in the performance of this contract is/are already licensed and staffed before contract award can be made?
ANSWER: Yes, the inspection would be required to verify that the contractor is accredited to start providing support to the VA and its patients.
148. QUESTION: Page 87, Section 9.a. Sub-factor 1 – Joint Commission Certification states: “Offeror shall submit written proof of current Joint Commission accreditation in Home Oxygen Services at time of proposal submission in accordance with PWS. The Government reserves the right to verify this information through the Joint Commission.:
Question: Does the Joint Commission accreditation certification we provide need to list the address of the facility(ies) we are proposing to use for the operating of the contract?
ANSWER: Yes, each location should be Joint Commission certified before providing services.
149. QUESTION: Would the Government please consider providing the Pricing Attachment pages in either MS Excel or MS Word so that prices may be entered more easily?
ANSWER: The pricing sheets are now in excel format.
150. QUESTION: Would the Government please consider providing Attachment 5 Past Performance Survey in MS Word so that data may be entered more easily?
ANSWER: Attachment 5 Past Performance Survey shall be attached as an MS Word document.
151. QUESTION: Attachment 5, Past Performance Survey, first paragraph on the first page, last sentence states: “Further, Offeror must include a copy of each requested Past Performance Information page with proposal submission.” What is the Past Performance Information page that this sentence refers to? Please clarify.
ANSWER: Please include each requested survey your company sent out with the proposal, these will not count towards page count, these should be included for any reference provided.
152. QUESTION: Page 27, Section 20.c.4 – These numbers seem off. Typically, a LOX base reservoir weighs about 50 pounds empty, and holds about 110 pounds of product.
ANSWER: Requirements have been verified for accuracy.
153. QUESTION: Page 27, Section 20.c.5c – Post valve equated to “not” integrated. The cylinder cannot have a post valve AND an integrated conserver. With post valves, the conserver device in not integrated and is a separate component. Assumption is that this is the way the VA wants it bid (post valves, separate conserving device)….please confirm.
ANSWER: Section 20.c.5c – Post valve has been revised to the following to clarify:
1) Combined Stationary and Portable Units: Home Fill Stations: Concentrator base with compatibility for oxygen cylinder refill that allow a patient to fill their own high pressure cylinders from a concentrator. In addition to the requirements for a standard oxygen concentrator:
a) Oxygen Cylinder Refill Stations shall be a minimum of 5 LPM, fill capable of filling A, B, C and D size cylinders with capability for continuous or pulse dose.
b) Oxygen provided shall be United States Pharmacopoeia (U.S.P.) oxygen.
c) Have a minimum four (4) compatible Post Valve Cylinders with or without integrated conserver as required in (various sizes).
d) Gas cylinders have integral flow regulator.
e) Appropriate interlocking fill fitting for custom portable oxygen cylinders.
f) Indicator light when cylinder is full.
g) Audible alarm for compressor failure.
h) Carry bag (backpack, shoulder strap, waist pack) or wheeled cart for cylinders.
i) Oxygen provided shall be U.S.P. Oxygen.
154. QUESTION: Page 27, Section 20.c.5.a – HomeFill is only capable of filling A, B, C and D size cylinders. HomeFill is not capable of filling “any” size cylinder as stated in solicitation.
ANSWER: Section 20.c.5.a has been updated to include the size cylinders.
155. QUESTION: Page 27, Section 20.c.6.b – Is there a reason that POC is a 4 hour delivery requirement, when all other types of oxygen are 6 hour requirement?
ANSWER: Section 20.c.6.b has been revised to read 6 hour delivery.
156. QUESTION: Page 28, Section 10 – The requirement is that VA is to determine which type of ventilator the contractor is to provide. Is this referring to non-invasive or invasive ventilator, OR, is this this referring to brand/type/model of ventilator. If the latter, it will be very difficult to stock accordingly to meet the 24 hour delivery requirement as there are many different brands/models of vents.
ANSWER: Correct the VA will determine if either invasive versus non-invasive ventilator shall be used.
157. QUESTION: As a VOSB submitting a bid for VISN 19 Home Oxygen, in order to account for the first 2 years’ expenses being higher due to startup expenses and larger inventory purchases, etc., How would the VA consider the bid pricing to be scheduled as such, to whereas the 3rd, 4th and 5th years pricing would taper or be reduced from the 1st and 2nd years pricing?
ANSWER: Please review the estimates as the line items have been updated and verified for accuracy. This requirement has historically only seen increased numbers of veterans served not less, so the likelihood of prices decreases is not likely.
158. QUESTION: The contract is 100% set aside for Small Business. Is it considered a supply or service contract? Does the Non Manufacture rule apply, or has the SBA granted a waiver to supply products manufactured by a small business, for a small business submitting under its own name?
ANSWER: This is a service contract and the Non Manufacture rule does not apply.
159. QUESTION: Will VISN 19 consider awarding the contract to multiple vendors?
ANSWER: Yes, one award shall be made per location listed in section 7a of the Addendum FAR 52.212-1 Instruction to offerors.
160. QUESTION: On page 18, 5. Work Load Data, the RFP indicates 21,180 oxygen-using patients per month. This is consistent with the E1390 codes found on the Price/Contract documents. In 2013 VISN 19 issued a Sources Sought Notice (VA259-13-I-0746), which indicated 18,725 oxygen patients. Page 4 of this Sources Sought Notice indicated an estimate of 3150 rentals/month for E1390 Concentrator Rental. With that big a difference between the number of oxygen patients indicated and the number of monthly concentrator rentals, we are wondering if a similar discrepancy exists on the current RFP? Can we get a current estimate of E1390 rentals/month for VISN 19? A significant difference in these estimates would greatly impact our preparation of a response to this RFP.
ANSWER: Please review each stations line items as they have been revised and verified for accuracy including E1390.
161. QUESTION: How is it determined whether a vet receives a low decibel concentrator versus a standard concentrator?
ANSWER: The VA will prescribe a low decibel concentrator versus a standard concentrator.
162. QUESTION: Regarding Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POC’s), is the expectation that these units will only be provided for travel, or will some Medical Centers be providing these for routine use by veterans? The Cheyenne VA Medical Center indicates a Travel Portable Oxygen Concentrator as an E1392. Which is the Medicare recognized HCPC code for this device. All other Medical Center Price/Contract documents indicate the Portable Oxygen Concentrator as an E1390. Is this correct?
ANSWER: Depending on the station the veterans may have different needs. For example Salt Lake usually only utilizes POC’s for travel however Grand Junction has some patients that use them year round. This is dependent upon the individual veteran’s prescription. The correct HCPC for Cheyenne relating to the Portable Oxygen Concentrator is E1392 versus E1390.
163. QUESTION: It is clearly indicated that all new setups be performed by an RRT/CRT/RN. Is it required that the 90 day follow up visits be completed by an RRT/CRT/RN? Page 32, g. is somewhat unclear to us with the statement “…upon request by the VA”. Is an LPN an acceptable medical professional to provide setups and follow ups?
ANSWER: LPN is not acceptable follow ups shall be performed by an RRT/CRT/RN.
164. QUESTION: On the Cheyenne VA Medical Center Price/Contract documents, E0443 Portable Gas Contents is indicated as Each (1 month supply). All other location Price/Contract documents indicate E0443 Portable Gas Contents as unit = lbs. Units of lbs for Portable Gas Contents is not typical. Are those units indicated correct, or should it be Each?
ANSWER: Cheyenne VA Medical Center Price, Portable Gas Contents are listed as each (refill).
165. QUESTION: For Eastern CO Health Care System and Grand Junction VA Medical Center, line items 0010, 0015, and 0016 estimated quantities are identical, which seems unlikely, and the actual estimated numbers seem high. Can this information be verified for accuracy?
ANSWER: Please review the line items for Eastern CO and Grand Junction VA as their line items have been revised and verified for accuracy.
166. QUESTION: On the Price/Contract documents, units are indicated as either MONTH or EACH. For EACH, if the item does not indicate 1 month supply, should a 1 month supply be assumed or would the quantity indicated be for the 1 year term indicated?
ANSWER: All stations have updated their unit to annual estimates.
End of Questions/Responses
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