County of Alameda, General Services Agency – Purchasing
RFP No. 900977, Addendum No. 2
COUNTY OF ALAMEDA
ADDENDUM No. 1
to
RFQ No. 901295
for
Locum Tenens
Specification Clarification/Modification and Recap of the Networking/Bidders Conferences
Held on January 29, 2015 and January 30, 2015
This County of Alameda, General Services Agency (GSA), RFQ Addendum has been electronically issued to potential bidders via e-mail. E-mail addresses used are those in the County’s Small Local Emerging Business (SLEB) Vendor Database or from other sources. If you have registered or are certified as a SLEB, please ensure that the complete and accurate e-mail address is noted and kept updated in the SLEB Vendor Database. This RFQ Addendum will also be posted on the GSA Contracting Opportunities website located at http://www.acgov.org/gsa/purchasing/bid_content/ContractOpportunities.jsp.Alameda County is committed to reducing environmental impacts across our entire supply chain.
If printing this document, please print only what you need, print double-sided, and use recycled-content paper.
RFP No. 900977, Addendum No. 2
Page 2
County of Alameda, General Services Agency – Procurement & Support Services
RFQ No. 901295, Addendum No. 1
The following Sections have been modified to read as shown below. Changes made to the original RFQ document are in bold print and highlighted, and deletions made have a strike through.
Exhibit A, Page 7, Letter of Transmittal, Paragraphs 2 and 5:
2. Letter of Transmittal: Bid responses shall include a description of Bidder’s capabilities and approach in providing its services to the County, and provide a brief synopsis of the highlights of the Proposal and overall benefits of the Proposal to the County. This synopsis should not exceed three (3) pages in length and should be easily understood. A SLEB waiver for your bid will be requested if you claim that your sole business is in providing licensed psychiatrists, a specialized professional service with no subcontracting opportunities available.
6. 5. Credentials: Copies of any licenses, certifications, or other third party verification of credentials stated as BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS in the RFQ must be submitted with the bid response; Documents must be clearly identified as to which requirement they are responsive.
Page 13, II. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
EVENT / DATE/LOCATIONRequest Issued / January 16, 2015
Written Questions Due / by 5:00 p.m. on January 30, 2015
Networking/Bidders Conference #1
(Online conference option enabled for remote participation) / Thursday, January 29, 2015 @ 10:00 a.m. / at: General Services Agency
Room 1105
1401 Lakeside Drive
Oakland, CA 94612
OR remotely @ http://gsaalamedacounty.adobeconnect.com/admin/show-event-catalog
Networking/Bidders Conference #2 / Friday, January 30, 2015@ 2:00 p.m. / at: Public Works Agency
Room 405
4825 Gleason Drive
Dublin, CA 94568
Addendum Issued / Thursday, February 5, 2015 Thursday, February 19, 2015
Response Due / Tuesday, February 24, Friday, March 6, 2015 by 2:00 p.m.
Evaluation Period / February 25 – March 4, March 7 – March 11, 2015
Board Letter Recommending Award Issued / Friday, March 6 13, 2015
Board Consideration Award Date / Tuesday, March 17 31, 2015
Contract Start Date / Wednesday, April 1 Friday, May 1, 2015
Note: Award and start dates are approximate.
______
Responses to Questions
Q1) How can a bidder get the SLEB requirement waived?
A1) SLEB requirements may be waived when federal funds are involved, but there are no federal funds for this contract. If your sole business is in providing licensed psychiatrists, a specialized professional service with no subcontracting opportunities available, state so in your letter of transmittal as instructed above. The County cannot guarantee that a SLEB waiver will be granted.
Q2) What options are in place for bidders that are unable to partner with a SLEB subcontractor for this bid?
A2) SLEB waivers will be requested for bidders that claim in their letter of transmittal that their sole business is in providing licensed psychiatrists, a specialized professional service with no subcontracting opportunities available. The County cannot guarantee that a SLEB waiver will be granted.
Q3) What should a bidder do to fulfill the SLEB requirement if they are not able to partner with a SLEB subcontractor?
A3) First, a vendor may choose to become SLEB certified rather than to partner with a SLEB subcontractor. Second, a vendor may also choose to seek a SLEB waiver as described in questions 1 and 2. Third, a vendor may write “To be determined” in the field supplied for naming a SLEB subcontractor on the SLEB Partnering Information Sheet in Exhibit A. Finally, vendors that are unable to partner with a SLEB subcontractor should describe any attempts to partner, or reasons why they cannot partner, on the Exceptions, Clarifications, and Amendments page in Exhibit A. The County cannot guarantee that a SLEB waiver will be granted.
Q4) Please explain the difference between the different services for General Services and Public Works Services in accordance to the RFQ.
A4) The General Services Agency (GSA) is administering this bid on behalf of Behavioral Health Care Services exclusively. Awarded bidders will only provide services to Behavioral Health Care Services. The Public Works location was only used as the second bidders’ conference site for convenience.
Q5) Page 4 of the RFQ, Section C (BACKGROUND), states:
BHCS provides mental health and substance abuse services to seriously mentally ill individuals residing in our communities and incarcerated in the County jail. County-operated program sites are located in Oakland, San Leandro, Alameda, Fremont and Pleasanton. Program staff is multi-disciplinary. Psychiatrists administratively report to a program supervisor and clinically to either a program’s Lead Psychiatrist or the BHCS Medical Director.
The RFQ lists facilities locations for Oakland, San Leandro, Alameda, Fremont, and Pleasanton. How many facilities will the awarded bidder be required to provide for? How many psychiatric positions are open, or will potentially have openings for bidders to provide for?
A5) It is variable. It is very hard to predict the number of positions that will be open at any given time as well as which facilities will have a need. Some sites that currently utilize locum tenens contractors are the Adult Outpatient Center at Eastmont in Oakland, jails in Oakland and Dublin, and outpatient clinics at the Eden Community Center in San Leandro, the Tri-City Center in Fremont, and the Alameda Center in the City of Alameda.
Q6) Page 8 of Exhibit A, (REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION AND SUBMITTALS), Item 6 5, states:
Credentials: Copies of any licenses, certifications, or other third party verification of credentials stated as BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS in the RFQ must be submitted with the bid response; Documents must be clearly identified as to which requirement they are responsive.
The RFQ states that the credentials are required for each Medical Provider. Should all credentials be included in the electronic file or should contractors hold off until they are asked to provide for the contract?
A6) This RFQ differentiates between Bidder/Contractor qualifications, and Medical/Health Care Provider qualifications. All bids must meet the CONTRACTOR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS and include all REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION AND SUBMITTALS. Bidders should not submit any credentials for Medical/Health Care Providers with their bid. The County will require these credentials after a contract has been issued, but before any Medical/Health Care Providers are placed with the County.
Q7) As a California medically owned locum tenens company, we would be unable to contract through this bid due to the SLEB requirements. What company is currently providing the County with locum tenens services?
A7) It is possible, but not guaranteed, that a company might be eligible for a SLEB waiver, so the contractor should submit a bid even if you cannot find a SLEB partner. Currently the contract is issued to seven contractors: FCS, Inc., Hiawatha Harris M.D Inc., Jackson & Coker Locum Tenens LLC, Locum Tenens.com LLC, Medical Doctor Associates LLC, Power Personnel Inc., and Premier Healthcare Services LLC. There were originally 12 vendors with contracts.
Q8) Can the County provide the total amount of contract usage (total invoice amounts per classification and hours) per vendor, for each year over the term of the current contracts in place for Locum services?
A8) The amounts by classification are not available but here is a break down by vendor and by fiscal year, which begins July 1st:
Fiscal Year / Bay Area Doctors / Jackson & Coker / Locum Tenens / Power Personnel / Combined Total2009 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $0.00
2010 / $169,895.00 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $169,895.00
2011 / $254,967.00 / $63,166.00 / $0.00 / $35,251.00 / $353,384.00
2012 / $172,891.00 / $175,984.00 / $0.00 / $150,308.00 / $499,183.00
2013 / $240,986.00 / $410,083.00 / $0.00 / $248,092.00 / $899,161.00
2014 / $345,589.00 / $444,940.00 / $47,779.00 / $125,250.00 / $963,558.00
2015 / $254,677.00 / $292,403.00 / $361,670.00 / $1,067.00 / $909,817.00
Total: / $1,439,005.00 / $1,386,576.00 / $409,449.00 / $559,968.00 / $3,794,998.00
Q9) Can the County provide an estimated amount of contract usage for the terms of this contract?
A9) According to the on-line bid form, Behavioral Health Care Services (BHSVC) projects 76,266 labor hours for seven types of Providers over the three year term of this contract:
Provider Classification Title / Hours, First Year / Hours, Second Year / Hours, Third Year / Hours, Three Year TotalPsychiatrist, Out Patient / 14,000 / 14,000 / 14,000 / 42,000
Psychiatrist, Jail Setting / 4,000 / 4,000 / 4,000 / 12,000
Psychiatrist, Young Adult / 5,000 / 5,000 / 5,000 / 15,000
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) / 2,080 / 2,080 / 2,080 / 6,240
Registered Nurse (RN) / 192 / 192 / 192 / 576
Nurse Practitioner (NP) / 75 / 75 / 75 / 225
Physician's Assistant (PA) / 75 / 75 / 75 / 225
TOTAL: / 25,422 / 25,422 / 25,422 / 76,266
Q10) Can the County explain the needs distribution process, post contract award, considering there will likely be multiple vendors with varying rates? How will needs for services be distributed to the contracted vendors?
A10) Behavioral Health Care Services (BHSVC) will let all vendors know about open positions for which BHSVC is seeking Locum Tenens Providers. BHSVC is always open to receiving Curriculum Vitae from interested/available providers. That said, doctors are not interchangeable and BHSVC will make contracting decisions based on the quality and fit of the presented applicants.
Q11) Can the County explain how a company is expected to meet the 20% small business requirement when no locum hours, permanent vacancies, or recruitment services are guaranteed through this contract?
A11) A prime contractor subcontracting with a SLEB partner may make that sub-contract contingent upon receiving business from Alameda County, since SLEB compliance is based on payments to SLEBs relative to the county’s payments to the prime contractor. Alternatively, a company may become SLEB certified, eliminating the need to sub-contract with a SLEB. Finally, a company may be granted a SLEB waiver. Contractors are only required to pay 20% to a SLEB when Alameda County issues the contractor a warrant for services provided.
Q12) Please explain the penalties for not meeting the 20% SLEB requirement?
A12) Payments to non-compliant vendors who are prime contractors with SLEB partners may be delayed. Contractual work may be diverted from a non-compliant vendor to a compliant vendor. Non-compliant vendors may have their contract revoked. Alameda County will withhold payment to the Prime vendor until all payments to the SLEB vendor have been made.
Q13) Please explain the penalties for not meeting the 20% SLEB requirement, in the event of the small business partner not fulfilling its recruitment duties?
A13) County will be under no obligation to pay contractor for the percent committed to a SLEB subcontractor if the work is not performed by the listed small and/or emerging local business. SLEB prime contractor with SLEB subcontractors must enter payments made to subcontractors in the Elation System and ensure that SLEB subcontractors confirm payments received. Contractor shall not substitute or add any small and/or emerging local business(s) listed in this agreement without prior written approval from the County. Said requests to substitute or add a small and/or emerging local business shall be submitted in writing to the County department contract representative.
Q14) How does Alameda County expect a company to meet a 20% SLEB requirement when the likelihood of an open vacancy will be for one full-time equivalent position (locum or permanent placement opportunity)?
A14) The 20% SLEB requirement is not based on the volume of business or the number of placements, but on the value of the contract - contractors are only required to pay 20% to a SLEB when Alameda County issues the contractor a warrant for services provided.
Q15) Will the County limit the number of awards given out?
A15) It will depend on the number of bids the County receives.
Q16) Should the bidder note on their bid submittal that they only provide services for physicians and not mid-level professionals?
A16) On the bid there is a series of 24 questions for seven distinct Medical Provider positions. The bidder has the option to put in a different rate for each Medical Provider position, for each year of the contract. The bidder can answer the questions for those positions which they provide, and ignore the other questions, since it is not mandatory to answer all questions on the on-line bid form. Bidders should explain why any fields are skipped or omitted on the Exceptions, Clarifications, and Amendments page in Section A so that we know information wasn’t inadvertently left out or passed over in the bid response.
Q17) What should the bidder do if they are not able to meet some of the insurance policy requirements? Should the bidder list this information on the exception section?
A17) Medical Providers referred to the County by the contractor will be required to meet all Provider insurance requirements. The County Risk Management Unit can grant insurance waivers to Contractors in some circumstances when negotiating a contract, but there is no guarantee that a waiver will be granted.
Q18) Can a bidder still bid if they are not able to meet some of the insurance requirements?
A18) Yes, you can submit a bid even if you cannot meet the insurance requirements. No insurance documents are required until a contract is negotiated, at which point insurance waivers may be requested, but are not guaranteed. There is no guarantee that any waivers of insurance requirements will be granted.