MODIFICATION
V -- Wheelchair Van Transportation Services Altoona VA Medical Center
- Notice Date
- 4/4/2019
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 485991
— Special Needs Transportation
- Contracting Office
- Department of Veterans Affairs;Network Contracting Office 4
- ZIP Code
- 15212
- Solicitation Number
- 36C24419Q0399
- Response Due
- 4/12/2019
- Archive Date
- 5/12/2019
- Point of Contact
- cynthia.grygier@va.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- ADDITIONAL VENDOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SOLICITATION 36C24419Q0399 WHEELCHAIR VAN SERVICES ALTOONA VAMC Would the VA consider changing to a NAICS code that determines small businesses based off of employee count, not revenue? This is a large project and requiring a small business with yearly revenue under $15 million narrows the pool substantially. The NAICS code for this solicitation will not be changed. There are 6 locations does the VA require for vehicles to be stationed at each location or are these possible pickup/drop off locations? These are possible pickup/drop off locations. Vehicles do not need to be stationed at the Altoona VAMC or any of its CBOC locations. Does the VAMC Altoona expect the successful contractor to have 25-50 vans at the beginning of the contract? Or was that estimated over the 5 years of the contract ? There is not a set number of vans that the contractor is required to have. However, it is expected that the awardee will determine, and have available, the number and type of vans necessary to meet the demands of this contract at all times. It is estimated that a minimum of 25 vans will be required. Daily trip count is estimated 11-15 trips. What will be the estimated # fleet the VAMC requires to meet such demand ? Since each veteran transport is individual, there needs to be a van available for each individual trip. The service catchment area is 14 counties. It is estimated that the fleet should be at least 25 vans. However, it is the contractor s responsibility to determine, and have available, the number and type of vans necessary to meet demands of this contract. At a minimum how long in advance will a trip have to get scheduled by (RFQ mentions by noon the day before, yet there is a clause for unscheduled Add-On trips which have to be serviced within 45 min)? Also, what is the expected percentage of those add-ons? Trips are scheduled based on patient needs. Trips are typically pre-scheduled at least 24 hours or more in advance. There are very few add-on trips, but there are times that they occur when same day transportation is required. As much notice as possible is given for add-on trips. Will patients come with attendants provided by VA or does the transportation company have to have them available and how often (usually only the driver arrives in a van, and the patient comes with their own attendant or a family member)? If the VA requires the contractor to also provide attendants with drivers this changes the cost dramatically. Attendants could be requested from the contractor. Most of the time a family member does accompany when needed, although there are times when a family member isn t available, and the contractor is required to provide an attendant. Hollidaysburg Vets Home always sends an attendant. Veteran scheduled trips to VAMC Pittsburgh need to be handed off to a VA Pittsburgh employee of department/clinic and the driver will need to wait on site and be available when the veteran appointment has been completed. RFQ mentioned vehicles with lifts (older technology) and vehicles with ramps (newer), we have ramps. It s not super clear, but they also talk about patients possibly having motorized scooters which are not safe for ramps or lifts due to their weight and form factor (is there a limit of total weight (patient + chair/scooter) that we are required to be able to transport). Are scooters allowed, if so will the patient have to be transferred into a seat while the scooter gets loaded separately? Do the VA care whether the vehicles are with ramps or lifts? It is the contractor s responsibility to determine, and have available, the number and type of vans necessary to meet the demands of this contract. Per the Performance Work Statement: Section B Passenger Transportation. Contractor shall ensure proper loading/unloading techniques are followed at all times. Patients in wheelchairs shall be loaded onto ramps, ensuring all safety systems are working properly, e.g. roll back stops, and the driver must ride the lift with the patient during loading/unloading. Patients in motorized scooters MUST transport to a vehicle seat. NO patient shall be allowed to ride a motorized cart (scooter) on the vehicle lift at ANY time. The Contractor shall ensure that drivers receive appropriate safety training on loading/unloading techniques and such training shall be documented and provided to the COR and CO annually. Drivers normally are not allowed to physically lift wheelchair patients (for liability reasons and safety) in and out of the chair or up the steps...the information provided is not clear, is the VA saying it s something the driver has to be able to do? If so then this goes into medical training making the driver not just a driver. Per the Performance Work Statement: Section C. Driver and Authorized Attendant. 2. All Contractor s drivers and attendants shall have passed the American Red Cross First Aid Course and have on file a current certificate (renewable every three years) to be made available to the COR or CO upon request. 3. All Contractor s drivers and attendants shall have passed the American Red Cross Adult CPR course and have on file a current certificate (renewed annually) to be made available to the COR or CO upon request. 4. All Contractor s drivers and attendants shall have the physical capabilities to provide special assistance to the patients when transporting patients to the medical center, private residence, nursing homes, etc. NOTE: THIS NOTICE WAS NOT POSTED TO FEDBIZOPPS ON THE DATE INDICATED IN THE NOTICE ITSELF (04-APR-2019); HOWEVER, IT DID APPEAR IN THE FEDBIZOPPS FTP FEED ON THIS DATE. PLEASE CONTACT 877-472-3779 or fbo.support@gsa.gov REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
- Web Link
-
Link To Document
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/PiVAMC646/PiVAMC646/36C24419Q0399/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Altoona VA Medical Center;2907 Pleasant Valley Blvd.;Altoona, PA
- Zip Code: 16602
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 16602
- Record
- SN05272079-F 20190406/190404230115 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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