Executive Order

What they want

• Offers from staffing firms to join VA FSS Schedule 621 I (Professional and Allied Healthcare Staffing Services) as a multiple-award schedule contractor
• Temporary healthcare personnel placed at government sites, such as physicians, nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses, respiratory, physical and occupational therapists, pharmacy technicians, radiologic technologists and other listed clinical roles
• Not-to-exceed hourly rates for each labor category and geographic area offered (fully loaded, with the 1% Industrial Funding Fee built in)
• Commercial sales practices and pricing disclosures, past performance references, and the required vendor response forms
• Quarterly sales reporting and payment of the 1% Industrial Funding Fee after award
• Amendment 0006: acceptance of a class deviation that removes the Equal Opportunity clause (FAR 52.222-26) and Prohibition of Segregated Facilities clause (FAR 52.222-21) and updates the representations and contract-terms clauses

What they'll judge offers on

• Scope: offered labor categories must fit the solicitation's listed categories
• Past performance: does the firm meet its commitments
• Financial capability: is the firm financially sound
• Pricing: competitive, fair and reasonable hourly ceiling rates compared with commercial pricing
• Subcontracting plan, if the firm is not a small business and the value exceeds $750,000 including options
• Regulatory compliance: not debarred and all registrations complete

What to include when you submit

• Submit electronically only; no CDs, thumb drives, hard copies or zip files, and split the package across several emails if it exceeds 10MB
• Word or PDF for fill-in forms; Excel files in original Excel format; documents needing a signature go in PDF if the rest is Word
• SF1449 signature date must be no earlier than 10 calendar days before submission, or the proposal is returned
• Only digital signatures or a scan of a wet signature are accepted; typed names and image signatures are not
• Submit pricing and commercial sales practices in the Excel Document 03 (Proposed Pricing and CSP) and responses in Vendor Response Document 02
• Include the certificate for GSA's Pathway to Success training for new offerors
• Include proof of insurance and all documents in the solicitation checklist
• All submitted documents must be Section 508 accessible
• Acknowledge receipt of amendments

You must have

• At least two years of corporate experience providing the services offered, performed as a prime contractor (home health, teaching and similar placements do not count) Have a minimum of two (2) years of corporate experience in providing services relative to this solicitation.
• Qualifying experience must be as a prime contractor, not a subcontractor Qualifying experience must have been performed as a prime contractor, not as a subcontractor.
• New offerors without an existing GSA or VA schedule must complete GSA's Pathway to Success seminar within one year before submitting and include the certificate; the person named on it must be an officer and authorized negotiator listed in the proposal New offerors without an existing GSA FSS or VA FSS contract must successfully complete GSA’s Pathway to Success at GSA’s Vendor Education Center
• Registered in SAM before award of the schedule contract Vendors must be registered in SAM prior to the award of the Schedule contract
• Staff providing services must hold a full, unrestricted professional license or certification, and the firm must handle all permits and licenses Any person providing services pursuant to a task order issued against this contract shall possess a full and unrestricted professional license or certification.
• Must be able to serve at least one labor category in at least one entire state Offerors who cannot provide services for at least one labor category and in at least one entire state will not be considered for award.
• Small business subcontracting plan if the firm is not a small business and the contract value is over $750,000 if the estimated value of the contract exceeds $750,000 (including all option periods)
• Not a set-aside per SAM.gov (set-aside: none). The offer form lists NAICS 561320 with a $30 million size standard. NAICS: 561320 Size Standard: $30 Million
• Trade Agreements Act applies: services are tied to the country where the providing firm is established origin is determined by the country in which the firm providing the service is established

Current contractor

Not a single-incumbent buy. The solicitation says it replaces the previous standing solicitation RFP-797-FSS-00-0115-R3, and existing schedule contractors may already hold 621 I contracts.

Not in the notice text

• Estimated value or total ceiling for the schedule (the estimated value field is blank)
• Full evaluation section and any scoring details (left out of the text provided)
• Contents of Vendor Response Document 02 and the Excel pricing form, Document 03
• Terms of the option to extend beyond the five-year base period
• Wage determinations for covered labor categories and the specific labor category rates
• Contents of Amendment 0002 (clauses 52.222-55 and 52.222-62)
• How the real closing date works, given the 2030 date in SAM.gov versus open and continuous