***NOTE TO VENDORS: All responses to vendor questions are noted in RED.*** Is this a brand-new contract or is there an incumbent performing these services? The Minneapolis VA Medical Center has had previous Out-of-Town/State Courier Services contracts. If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number? Previous contracts can be found through searching the Federal Procurement Data System at https://www.fpds.gov/fpdsng_cms/index.php/en/. What was the of the final full option year of the previous contract? The period of performance of the final option year of the current contract is 08/01/2024 07/31/2025. Is there a preferred or recommended delivery sequence between the CBOC locations and the Minneapolis VA facility, or are vendors expected to design their own efficient routes based on the pickup windows and delivery deadlines outlined in the solicitation? The delivery sequence is entirely up to the vendor. The SOW does indicate Earliest Pick-up Time (from Sites) and Latest Delivery Time (to Lab) that the vendor should use when developing their plan. How many drivers/vehicles are currently used to service the current contract? The current vendor uses four drivers and vehicles. What is the vehicle size currently servicing this location? A small SUV should suffice for labs and mail. A climate-controlled truck with a lift gate is needed for the Sterile Instrument Cart. How many cubic feet of storage are required for transportation, and what is the maximum size and quantity of items to be transported daily? This depends on how the vendor develops their routes. Less stops, small vehicle. More stops, bigger vehicles. Please clarify if the government will require the vendor to provide equipment (coolers, totes, locks, and temperature logs). The Government will provide coolers, mail bags, and cart for sterile instruments. The solicitation reads: Included in the requirement is the delivery of sterile instruments inside a rolling cart to one CBOC (Northwest Metro-Ramsey) . What is the size of the rolling cart that is utilized for the sterile/dirty instruments? What are the dimensions of this cart? Sterile Instrument Cart is roughly 2 (depth) x 3 (wide) x 5 (tall) Will it require a specialized vehicle with a liftgate, or dock height to roll carts in and out of? Yes, a climate-controlled truck/van with a lift gate is required for the Sterile Instrument Cart. The cart cannot be tilted on its side, and the compartment holding the cart must be climate controlled. Can bins be removed from the cart and transported separately? No. Sterile instrument cart will be closed by VA personnel to ensure sterility and proper handling. What size vehicle is currently used for this route? Delivery Van with lift gate and compartment is open to drivers area to maintain climate control. The solicitation reads: Pick up clean instruments by 3:00pm and deliver to Northwest Metro/Ramsey CBOC no later than 4:30pm. Retrieve dirty instrument cart from Northwest Metro/Ramsey and return to MVAMC for cleaning no later than 7:00pm. Are the dirty instruments at Remsey CBOC ready at 1630 or does the courier need to wait until 1900 to pick up the dirty instruments? Can be picked up earlier. Usually, the clinic has the dirty cart before close of business that same day. The solicitation states on page 11: Packages (usually 1-2 coolers) are approximately 2 x2 x2 square and would easily fit in a courier car/vehicle. On the very next page is written : small cars are not appropriate. The appropriately sized vehicle has the capacity of a min-van or SUV . Is the second statement in reference only to the Northwest Metro-Ramsey CBOC with the rolling cart needed to transport reusable medical equipment? No. If a route is established that hits multiple CBOC locations a small vehicle will not hold all the coolers and mail bags. All CBOC (except Ramsey RME) are listed with earliest pickup time of 1630. How late can we pick up from each location? This is listed in the SOW. Much of the time determination is based on when lab samples must reach the Minneapolis Medical Center. Is there a process in place to pick up specimens after hours? (For example: lockbox or access to a vestibule) Yes, each CBOC has a vestibule allowing for specimens to be picked up after hours.
