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Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation
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Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation
Page 1 of 9
DESCRIPTION
Amendment 001 to Solicitation #36C25926Q0542
VA Community Living Center Specialty Beds
This amendment s purpose is to list and answer the questions submitted by the questions deadline as specified in the solicitation. Also,
Questions and Answers:
The RFQ states that the requirement is Brand Name or Equal to Umano OOK SNOW Models. Will the Government accept a quote that includes equivalent products from more than one manufacturer, provided the quoted package meets or exceeds all listed salient characteristics, includes all required accessories/services, and is quoted on an all-or-nothing basis?
Yes, multiple brands can be accepted as long as the full requirement is provided for and all aspects meet or exceed salient characteristics.
If an offeror proposes a mixed-manufacturer solution, such as one manufacturer for the standard low-height beds and another manufacturer for the bariatric low-height beds, will the Government evaluate the package as acceptable so long as each quoted item meets or exceeds the applicable salient characteristics and all required documentation is provided?
Yes. Unless a solicitation specifies otherwise, there are no limitations on using only one brand to meet the solicitation requirements. The vendor is responsible for providing the authorized distributor direct from each manufacturer.
For equal products, should the offeror submit a line-by-line compliance matrix mapping each salient characteristic to the corresponding page/section of the manufacturer s cut sheet or specification sheet?
Although it is not mandatory, it is recommended that vendors provide some form of documentation that directly addresses each salient characteristic and how their proposed brand meets or exceeds the salient characteristics and SOW. Regardless of the format, vendors must ensure documentation of some kind is provided that will allow the Government to verify all salient characteristics are met for the requirement.
For CLINs involving accessories, patient controls, bed-control units, trapeze systems, mattresses, nurse-call connectivity cables, and support-surface components, may functionally equivalent accessories from the offered bed manufacturer be quoted, provided they meet the intended clinical, functional, compatibility, and safety requirements?
Vendors must provide each line item with products that meet or exceed salient characteristics.
The RFQ requires the bed design to not include side rails or for side rails to be removable upon delivery and installation. Please confirm whether an equal product is acceptable if the manufacturer ships the bed with side-rails but the contractor removes/configures the bed without side-rails during installation prior to Government acceptance.
The final, installed beds must not have siderails. Vendors may either propose a product that is designed without siderails OR the vendor may remove them once delivered during the installation process. Siderails must be completed removed prior to acceptance for the item. The entire siderail must be removed, not just a part of the side rails.
The RFQ requires bed-to-nurse-call connectivity cables and functional testing of bed-exit outputs. Please identify any known nurse-call system, connection standard, facility interface, or existing system requirement at the Miles City CLC that offerors should account for in pricing and technical documentation.
The current nurse call system is West-Com Novus Connect platform. Per the specs from this system, the beds should be able to connect to the system with a 37-pin bed connector with standard mounting nuts.
**Updated SOW attached which specifies 37-pin nurse call connector
The RFQ requires onsite, face-to-face training for Nursing and Biomedical Engineering. May the prime contractor satisfy this requirement through OEM-certified manufacturer personnel or OEM-authorized service/training personnel, with the prime contractor coordinating scheduling, documentation, and acceptance?
The vendor may determine which entity provides the training as long as the training results in VA staff being able to operate and manage the equipment in accordance with the OEM guidance.
Please confirm whether training must be completed before final acceptance and invoicing, or whether the Government will allow milestone/partial invoicing for equipment delivery before final installation, functional testing, training, and acceptance.
Since training is a separate line item, it may be invoiced at a later date. However, final acceptance is contingent upon ensuring the product is fully functional with no defects or missing components. The Government cannot accept equipment until they are able to confirm the equipment is installed since installation is necessary to test the equipment. Delivery alone is not sufficient for the Government to take possession of and accept items for payment. Although vendors are able to submit invoices, invoices will not be processed for payment until the equipment is considered fully functional and acceptable.
Please confirm whether the Government will allow partial or milestone invoicing for this requirement, including separate invoicing after delivery, installation/configuration, functional testing, onsite training, and final acceptance. If not, should offerors assume payment will occur only after full delivery, installation, training, documentation, and Government acceptance?
Vendors may submit invoices when they deem appropriate. However, those invoices shall not be processed nor paid until the Government has determined the action/item has been completed. Payment for the items occur after the items have been delivered, installed, and tested to verify no defects. Invoices for training shall be processed upon completion of the training - all relevant VA staff have been trained fully.
The RFQ states that delivery and installation are contingent upon the lease/start of the facility, approximately December 2026, to be discussed post-award. Should offerors base delivery lead time on the number of calendar days after written notice to proceed or after the facility is made available for delivery and installation?
Due to the station only having an approximate date well in advance vendors should provide the Government with a current delivery/lead time upon receipt of award BUT should communicate with the manufacturer that any potential delivery of the item would be delayed until approx.. December 2026. This would enable the manufacturer to prioritize and plan accordingly to the tentative timeline.
For the required five-year warranty, the RFQ states that standard manufacturer warranty alone is not acceptable and that the warranty must cover parts and labor for normal wear and tear as well as damage resulting from unintentional negligence and misuse. Please confirm whether an OEM-provided extended warranty/service plan satisfies this requirement if it is included as a fixed-price line item and covers all 17 bed systems.
Since different manufacturers may include different things in their warranties (regular, extended, service plan, etc.) the offeror would need to provide detailed information on the warranty they are offering. If the proposed warranty does not provide what is requested in the SOW, the warranty component would be considered unacceptable.
For the five-year warranty/service requirement, must service personnel be local to Montana, or is manufacturer/OEM-authorized onsite service acceptable if response times and coverage terms are clearly stated in the quote?
The offeror if awarded would be responsible for all work and services performed on this contract. Therefore, representatives are not required to be local to Montana. Ultimately, as long as the services can be provided timely and completely in accordance with the contract, the awardee should be able to send the most appropriate representative if sufficient communication occurs with the station prior to the site visit.
For VAAR 852.212-71(c), if the offeror is not the OEM, please confirm that an OEM authorization letter is required from each manufacturer whose products are included in the quote.
Correct, offerors MUST provide an authorized distributor letter (ADL) directly from the OEM(s) of the products they are proposing in their quote. Lack of ADL from each manufacturer, whose products are included in the quote, may result in the offeror s quote package being considered incomplete.
If a quote includes products from more than one manufacturer, will the Government require separate OEM authorization letters from each manufacturer, or will one authorization letter from the primary bed manufacturer be sufficient?
Letters must be provided from any/all manufacturers whose products are included in the quote. If only one product/brand is in the quote, only one letter is required. If three (3) different product/brands are included in the quote, all 3 manufacturer authorized distributor letters must be provided.
The RFQ is a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS 339113. For a small business reseller/nonmanufacturer proposing brand-name or equal medical beds manufactured by an OEM, will the Government apply the non-manufacturer rule to this procurement? If applicable, has a waiver been issued or requested for this requirement?
No waiver is available for NAICS 339113. However, NMR does not typically apply to small business set-asides under SAT. Therefore, we do not anticipate any issues with resellers offering products from large business manufacturers.
The RFQ includes FAR 52.225-1 and requires FAR 52.225-2 Buy American Certificate. Please confirm that foreign end products are not automatically excluded if properly identified in the Buy American Certificate, and that such products will be evaluated in accordance with FAR Part 25.
Correct. Vendors should fill out the Country of Origin for each line item for full transparency. Quotes with foreign items will not be disqualified from this requirement but the information provided will be taken into consideration during the evaluations phase. However, vendors who knowingly or unknowingly provide incorrect COO information may be considered ineligible for further consideration for this requirement.
The RFQ states that priority may be given to products made in the United States. Please clarify how Buy American status will be considered in the comparative analysis relative to technical capability, price, delivery lead time, and other evaluation factors.
Unable to specify. All factors will be reviewed to determine the best course of action. The Buy American Act urges the Government to purchase domestic products whenever possible. However, different factors may be impact the final decision and providing domestic items may have impact on final selection for award.
For FOB Destination, the RFQ states freight shall be added to CLIN 0001 and not listed as its own line item. If an offeror quotes products from multiple manufacturers or multiple shipping origins, should all freight still be rolled into CLIN 0001, or should freight be allocated across applicable equipment CLINs while remaining included in line-item pricing?
Offerors may use their best judgement with how to allocate the freight fees associated. In this requirement, there is a delivery and installation line item. Some vendors have added their freight fees to this lien item as part of the delivery component. Overall, there should be no new, additional lien item for freight fees only.
Please confirm whether the Government will permit equivalent model numbers and part numbers that differ from the listed Umano MPNs, provided the quoted items meet or exceed the salient characteristics and are clearly identified by brand, make, and model number.
Offerors shall use their best judgement when determining what products to include in their quotes. As long as the items meet or exceed all salient characteristics and documentation is provided to clearly verify this, the Government shall not limit an offeror to only one specific configuration/model/brand/etc.
Please confirm whether the Government requires all quoted beds, mattresses, accessories, connectivity cables, controls, support-surface systems, and service/warranty coverage to be from one manufacturer, or whether compatible products from multiple authorized OEM sources are acceptable.
Products from more than one manufacturer is permitted as long as documentation is provided (brochures/specs/other information for salient characteristics, Authorized Distributor Letter(s), etc.)
Are refurbished beds with new mattresses acceptable? Or would all new equipment be required?
The intent is to acquire completely new equipment from this solicitation. Refurbished equipment should NOT be included in any offers.
