Inactive

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. This is a Sources Sought Notice only and is issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 10 Market Research, to conduct market research. Responses to this... THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. This is a Sources Sought Notice only and is issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 10 Market Research, to conduct market research. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This Sources Sought Notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation or guarantee to issue a solicitation in the future. This Sources Sought Notice does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary; the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. Not responding to this Sources Sought Notice does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if issued. This announcement is based on the best information available at this time and is subject to future modification. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 611430 Professional & Management Development Training, Small Business Size Standard is $12.0 Million. Product Service Code is U009 Education/Training-General. Purpose and Objectives This Sources Sought Notice is issued by VISN 02, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 02 located in Cheektowaga, NY for the purpose of collecting information about Confined Space Entry Training at the Northport VA Medical Center located in Northport, NY. The VA is seeking a contractor to provide for this requirement as soon as practical upon award. A draft copy of the SOW is attached. Place of Performance: Department of Veterans Affairs Northport VA Medical Center 79 Middleville Road North Park, NY 11768 Responses: Please submit your response in accordance with the following instructions: Responses are due by 02/08/2021 at 1:00 PM EDT. Responses shall be submitted via email to megan.ross3@va.gov. Subject line of the Email shall include this Source Sought Notice Number Your Firm Name Confined Space Training. If your response contains proprietary information you will place Proprietary Information in front of the Sources Sought Notice Number. Contractors Federal Supply Schedule Contract that carries the desired services If you do not have a Federal Supply Schedule contract, you shall state open Market. Contractor Point of Contact to include: Name Title: Phone Email Company Information to include: Name Address DUNs Number Tax ID Number Business Size Business Size/Type: Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), 8(a), Hub Zone Small Business, Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Small Business, or Large Business. If the entity performing the work is located at a different address then the parent office list their address below: Name Address DUNs Number Business Size (as described above) All prospective Contractors are reminded that in accordance with FAR 4.11 they shall be registered in the BETA System for Award Management (BETA SAM) database and shall complete annual Representations and Certifications in SAM prior to any offer. SAM is located at http://www.beta.sam.gov and consolidated the capabilities of CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS. There is no cost to use beta.SAM. FOR SDVOSB/VOSB ONLY: Please note that if responding as an SDVOSB or VOSB, your company must be registered and verified in the VA s Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database, which is available at: https://eauth.va.gov/accessva/?cspSelectFor=vems . Contractor shall include 3 past contracts for the same or similar services. Contractor shall include at minimum: Name of Company Company POC Company POC phone Company POC email Dollar amount of contract Contract number Period of Performance Contractor shall include any relevant comments about the attachments, if applicable. Contractor shall provide a public price list for the services described herein. Contractor shall provide a detailed response to include your firm s ability, capability, and responsibility to deliver the services presented in this Sources Sought Notice. Contractor shall provide if they plan to sub-contract all or part of the work, and to what firm. Determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Statement of Work Confined Space Entry Training Veterans Affairs Medical Center 79 Middleville Road, Northport, NY 11768 BACKGROUND The underlying Statement of Work (SOW) relates to Confined Space Entry (CSE) Training which is necessary for operation and maintenance (O&M) of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Northport, NY, Station 632 (Northport VA). The definition of a "confined space" (CS) is as follows: Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry); and Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. Further, "Permit-required confined space (P-RCS)" means a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics: Contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant; Has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section; or Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard. Engineering facilities associated with O&M at the Northport VA include both confined space and permit-required confined spaces (P-RCS). As such, Northport VA has a written Confined Space Program and Center Memorandum which outline requirements. It should be noted that, for the protection of employees, VHA policy requires that before an employee enters a confined space, the internal atmosphere shall be tested, with a calibrated direct-reading instrument, for oxygen content, for flammable gases and vapors, and for potential toxic air contaminants, in that order. Any employee who enters the space, or that employee's authorized representative, shall be provided an opportunity to observe the pre-entry testing required. Historically, construction, installation, O&M, demolition, and decommissioning work at Northport VA for CS and P-RCS locations have been contracted to trained, qualified, and equipped vendors holding valid certifications for the required initial and follow-up training. For construction, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Construction Industry requirements are detailed by 29 CFR 1926.1203, 1204, and Subpart AA are applicable. For O&M tasks, OSHA General Industry, 29 1910.146 details requirements for CS entry apply. TRAINING Provide training so that all employees whose work is regulated by this Confined Space Program acquire the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of their duties in confined spaces. The training shall establish employee proficiency in the duties required in Northport VA s Confined Space program, and shall introduce new or revised procedures, as necessary, for compliance with this program. The training shall establish employee proficiency to ensure that trainees who will enter confined spaces are trained in entry procedures. Personnel responsible for supervising, planning, entering, or participating in confined space entry and rescue shall be adequately trained in their functional duties prior to any confined space entry. Training shall include: Explanation of the general hazards associated with confined spaces. Discussion of specific confined space hazards associated with the facility, location, or operation. Reason for, proper use, and limitations of personal protective equipment and other safety equipment required for entry into confined spaces. Explanation of permits and other procedural requirements for conducting a confined space entry. A clear understanding of what conditions would prohibit entry. Procedures for responding to emergencies. Duties and responsibilities of the confined space entry team. Description of how to recognize symptoms of overexposure to probable air contaminants in themselves and co-workers, and method(s) for alerting the Attendant(s). Based on the above, Northport VA is soliciting Confined Space and Permit-Required Confined Space Entry training (CSE Training) of VA Engineering and other in-house staff. This solicitation imposes the following conditions, expectations, and requirements for implementation of the CSE Training: Training location will be located at Northport VA, 79 Middleville Road, Northport, NY 11768. Northport VA will provide lecture room for classwork portion of training having sufficient space to facilitate CDC recommended COVID-19 related physical distancing. Audio visual aids will be available. Respondents must provide a list of technical equipment and software programs needs as part of this solicitation which are to be tested for compatibility with VA equipment and systems prior to the initial training date. On-site confined spaces to be used for dress-out, practical training entries. COVID-19 safety protocols will be maintained to the extent possible for the duration of training. CSE training course is to be instructor-led and on-site at the Northport VA facility (not virtual). Provide full Confined Space Entry Training Certification Course pursuant to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 and 29 CFR 1926.1207. Two (2) groups of eight (8) trainees will be trained. Each group will be trained on a different day within a two (2) week period. Provide training materials and manuals for each individual trainee to keep upon completion of coursework for subsequent reference. Provide proper usage of Direct-Reading Air Monitoring Multi-Gas Meters and supporting calibration equipment for training purposes, and shall include: Sampling strategies and techniques, Exposure limits (PELs, TLVs, LELs, UELs, etc.), Training shall include explanation of use of CSE related equipment including ventilating, lighting, barriers and shields, and ladders needed for safe ingress and egress. Proper utilization of equipment used for communicating with entrants. Procedures for summoning rescue or other emergency services. Certification and Certification card issuance to each trainee for successful training completion. The certification shall contain each employee's name, the signatures of the trainer(s), and the dates of training.