Solicitation VA-241-09-RP-0121 is hereby modified to answer additional questions and to set up a pre-bid conference for April 2, 2009. Q: You wanted rental costs on 2 LED Signs, but you currently have 3 located in Bldgs. 200, 209 and 248 per Chief of Police at Togus. We filled it in for 2 as was requested. A: Paragraph on page 1 and in section II should indicate 3. Should be allowance to increase if medical center has additional needs. Q. Regarding the pricing for the pages. Is the Est. Max Total, supposed to be the "Plan Cost/Unit" multiplied by the highest number in the tier and then multiplied by 12 to calculate the full year? If so, what number would we use in the tier for 301+? A: I would read it as the monthly cost per device for each quantity: 1st 150 are price A per month, 2nd 150 are price B per month, 3rd 150 are price C per month. Q: Can you please explain how the alphanumeric pager controllers are being used, and if they are related to any in-house system that you might operate. A: Alphanumeric paging controllers are to be used solely to communicate to the contractor paging system. There is no connection to any VA device. Connections would be made to the VA network port and a VA telephone port. Q: Can you please elaborate on the VA Internet Gateway mentioned in Section B. Do you have a direct telephone line or circuit to your present provider? How are you alphanumeric pages sent presently? A: The VA Internet Gateway is accessible via the medical center Local Area Network CAT 5 cable connection. The VA Internet Gateway is managed external to the medical center and can be disabled without warning, this requires an automatic transfer to a telephone line if the VA Internet Gateway is unavailable. The current configuration with the present provider is via a non direct dial up telephone line and contractor provided paging controller. Alphanumeric pages are entered into the contractor provided paging controller manually by VA staff and then sent over the telephone line to the contractor paging system. Q: Page 5, second paragraph explain the controllers using the VA internet with an automatic dial back up. There is a cost due to the special equipment needed to the automatic dial back up feature and there is no place to put the cost into the RFP. There is also some extensive wiring that would need to take place between he various Togus buildings - is Togus employees going to do that work or contractor? Where would you like to me to put that cost for the equipment? Do I need to address the wiring issue? A: In section II, lines 8, 16, 24, 32 and 39 are the sections to enter monthly costs associated with the paging controller. VA will provide a network connection to the VA internet gateway and a telephone at each location. Equipment at each location should be stand alone with no other interconnection provided or required by VA. Q: There is also a lot less expensive and easier way to send alphanumeric messages if we are allowed to use the internet thru the VA Gateway. Should we discuss that in the RFP? A: Provisions must be made for an automatic transfer to a standard telephone line for the contractor paging terminal to the contractor paging system. The VA Internet Gateway can be inoperable without warning, the transfer must be automatic. All VA Security issues concerning the use of the VA Internet Gateway must also be addressed. Q: Page 5, Paragraph 3, Maine toll free pager numbers are allowed 250 calls per month with .10/overcall, OR we can offer you Augusta local pager number with unlimited paging per month - how do you recommend I put this in the RFP? Currently you have Maine toll free pager numbers. You get overcalls on 6 pagers each month - we can change these specific pagers to local Augusta numbers so they have unlimited paging and save Togus money. Again how do I put that in the RFP? A: We are looking for an all inclusive rate for paging services. You can provide a pricing plan for 1-800 numbers or local numbers, but the pricing will be all inclusive for unlimited pages. There should not be any charges for overcalls. Q: Safety chains for pagers. We can give you about 200 of these but then we are out of them. There is no paging manufacturer that is supplying them currently. A: If there are no companies that can offer safety chains or a limited quantity then that will be addressed during negotiations prior to award. Q: Page 8, Cost/Price Schedule - (1 thru 6) You are asking for 1 price for a pager that includes unlimited paging with toll free Maine number, maint, repair and replacement coverage. Usually replacement coverage is an additional $1.00 per month per pager and in the past it has always been a separate line item on your RFP so Togus can decide whether to take that option or not. Do you want to add a line for the Replacement Coverage to separate it out? Also Maine toll free numbers can not be unlimited so how should I address that in my pricing? A: The solicitation is what it is, the bidders need to price accordingly. Q: (7) LED Signs - says 2 for quantity but then 12 for Unit - so are you asking for the price for the whole year for 2 signs? Not a price for each sign per month? A: LED signs are currently at 3. Bidder should provide a monthly cost for each device, will additional units if VA decides to expand the use. Q: (8) Controller - says 12 for quantity but you really are asking for 3 and 1 spare for a total of 4? and I assume you are asking for a per month cost? A: 3 alphanumeric pager controllers for Bldgs 200, 209 & 248 are to be provided. Controller costs are to be noted as cost per month per controller. Q: Does the Government require pagers to be able to interface with Blackberries? A: No, Blackberries are not available for use throughout the hospital. A site visit and pre-bid conference is scheduled for April 2, 2009 at 1:00 PM at Building 206, Room 216. Any bidders interested in attending please register by calling Keith Waye at (207) 626-4746 or via e-mail at
[email protected]. This will be only pre-bid conference and walk through scheduled.