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This is a request for information/sources sought notice to identify sources that have the resources and capabilities to provide Comprehensive Water Testing and Monitoring Program services for the Vete... This is a request for information/sources sought notice to identify sources that have the resources and capabilities to provide Comprehensive Water Testing and Monitoring Program services for the Veterans Health Administration Beckley VA Medical Center. Interested & Capable Responses NCO 5 is seeking responses from businesses that are interested in this procurement and consider themselves to have the resources and capabilities necessary to provide the services described in SOW. Please respond with your: 1. Business name, business type, socio-economic status (e.g., Veteran-Owned, Woman- Owned, Disadvantaged Small Business, 8(a), etc.), D&B number, and person of contact (including telephone number & email address). 2. GSA contract number, if your company has one, that includes the labor CLINs necessary for the performance of the work specified above. 3. Capability statement and summary of relevant experience performing these types of services for VHA and other healthcare entities. 4. Ballpark cost estimate what VHA could expect to pay your company to perform the work described above. Responses must be submitted by 4:00 PM (EST) May 14, 2021. Responses to the information requested above may be submitted via email to timothy.russell@va.gov. This request for information/sources sought notice is for planning purposes ONLY. The results of this market research will assist in the development of (1) the requirement, and (2) the acquisition strategy (e.g., small business set-aside, full and open competition, etc.). VA assumes no responsibility for any costs incurred associated with the preparation of responses submitted because of this notice. Statement of Work This Statement of Work includes a comprehensive Health Care-Associated (HCA) Legionella Disease (LD) Prevention Plan, Validation Testing, and a Web-based Data Management System to record, store, and report all data in accordance with the requirements of VHA Directive 1061. All equipment and services must be compatible with the Beckley VAMC s existing equipment and software. All work to be completed at the Beckley VAMC, 200 Veterans Ave, Beckley WV 25801. Scope of Services: Ø Health Care-Associated (HCA) Legionella Disease (LD) Prevention Plan Development: The contractor shall develop a health care-associated (HCA) Legionella disease (LD) prevention plan for the utility (cooling tower) water system and the potable water system in accordance with VHA Directive 1061, related industry standards, and the specifications. Ø Operation: The contractor shall assist the Water Management Team in the operation of the HCA LD program for potable and utility water systems to include monitoring, updating, verification, and validation of the HCA LD. The contractor shall develop HCA LD prevention plans for the utility (cooling tower) and potable water systems in accordance with VA and industry standards and guidance, including the following: VHA Directive 1061 Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Legionella Disease and Scald Injury from Water Systems February 16, 2021 Engineering Standard ES-2019-001 Cooling Tower Water Systems, February 2021 ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188 Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems. CDC Toolkit: Developing a Water Management Program to Reduce Legionella Growth & Spread in Buildings CMS Requirement to Reduce Legionella Risk in Healthcare Facility Water Systems to Prevent Cases and Outbreaks of Legionnaires Disease (LD) OSHA Technical Manual Section III: Chapter 7 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) ASHRAE Guideline 12-2000. ASHRAE Standard Minimizing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems. Joint Commission Environment of Care Standards EC 02.05.001 CTI Guidelines WTB-148. Legionellosis Guideline: Best practices for Control of Legionella The HCA LD program shall contain the following elements for water safety: Program Team (Water Management Team) Identify persons responsible for Program development, implementation, and operation. Schematic (single line) diagrams of the potable water systems for the medical campus and each building (hot and cold water) under the purview of this directive. Each diagram must be kept current and include equipment, instrumentation, monitoring equipment and depiction of how water is distributed, circulated, stored, heated, and cooled, treated and monitored. The diagrams must be accurate representations of existing conditions and identify any areas in which water is processed differently (e.g., hemodialysis). All equipment must be uniquely identified with an equipment number and cross-referenced with an equipment list in the plan that defines the salient characteristics of the equipment. A risk assessment of each building and non-potable water system subject to the directive for HCA LD. At least annually, assess the building for factors that may indicate increased risk for HCA LD. Factors include, but are not limited to: patient population risk factors; presence of building functions associated with increased risk (e.g., transplant units); presence of devices with increased risk of inhalation or aspiration of water (e.g., whirlpool tubs, ice machines); past cases of presumptive or possible HCA LD (or past cases of definite HCA LD, using previous epidemiologic case definitions); ability to implement engineering controls to prevent Legionella growth; past positive environmental testing results (in the specific building or elsewhere at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility); and location of the building in an area of the country with recognized higher incidence of LD. Evaluation of previous years HCA LD plans and their findings also must be included in the current risk assessment. Identification of water system management points for the building s potable water distribution system(s), as shown on the schematic diagrams, where monitoring and controls are implemented to prevent the growth of Legionella and prevent scald injury. Establishment of engineering control strategies. Specifically: Establish the engineering control limits for the system to inhibit Legionella in the environment. Identify engineering control equipment and methods used for preventing scald injury from water that is too hot. Establish a schedule to routinely monitor implementation of the engineering control strategies in the building water systems. NOTE: Since this directive focuses on the implementation of engineering controls to prevent Legionella growth, monitoring refers to assessment of the engineering control measures (e.g., water temperature, biocide level) defined in the HCA LD prevention plan, not the amount of Legionella. Rather, assessment of Legionella in the water distribution must be included as a mechanism to validate that the engineering controls are effective. Establish a dead leg control, elimination, and prevention plan. Plan components include identification of existing dead legs; dead leg risk assessment; removal prioritization; removal schedule; and process to prevent the installation or modification of systems that will result in a dead leg. Defining and documenting when each water quality and control measure is monitored for condition compliance and corrective action taken (what and when). Validation that the control measures are effectively inhibiting Legionella growth. HCA LD Program Operation The contractor shall provide HCA LD operation services in support of the HCA LD for the facility s potable and utility water systems: The HCA LD operation services shall contain the following elements for water safety: Facilitate quarterly on-site meetings for the Water Management Team. Maintain, assist, and advise in the operation of the HCA LD program and generate required documentation. Recommend and implement changes to the HCA LD program as directed by the Water Management Team to achieve the desired performance in compliance with ANSI/ASHRAE 188 and VHA Directive 1061. Provide, operate, and continue to customize the HCA LD program using a centralized electronic data base. Provide remote support on water management questions as needed. Provide training to the Water Management Team on the HCA LD process and best practices for building water systems. Provide remediation program development and corrective action plans for out of range temps, biocides and/or positive samples. Provide quarterly data analysis of testing per department and continues monitoring trends and outliers per VHA Directive 1061. Provide inventory and testing of antiscald devices to include fixtures not in compliance. Verify that the HCA LD prevention plan is being implemented as designed on a quarterly basis through monitoring and documentation of system performance and HCA LD records and record in electronic data base. Validate that the HCA LD prevention plan adequately controls the hazardous conditions in the building water system through the review of on-site water testing. Policy and Plan for Management of Cooling Tower Systems The Cooling Tower Policy must be reviewed and updated whenever there are additions, significant changes or, at least every 5 years. The Cooling Tower Management Plan must be reviewed, certified and updated annually at a minimum. The Cooling Tower Management Plan must include the following: a. Cooling Tower Inventory. Document the location of every cooling tower system at the VA medical facility. Identify the technical details of the cooling tower(s), including the manufacturer and model, size and date of manufacture. b. Systems Risk Analysis. At a minimum, for each cooling tower on the campus, the Cooling Tower Management Plan must address the following critical risks that can directly or indirectly impact Legionella growth or transmission. System Design and Operation. The design of the system must undergo a documented risk analysis to ensure that the performance criteria are met and that the design addresses the risks discussed below. Siting and access of a cooling tower/cooling tower system must be reviewed for impact of drift and water vapor discharge relative to Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) air intakes, door and window openings, as well as the common path of travel and congregation of patients, staff and visitors. Additionally, the impacts of structures and other equipment on the operation of the equipment and systems must be reviewed. The sequence of operation must be reviewed to verify that the equipment can be operated as designed and that the operation addresses the risks discussed below. The review must be documented. There must be a current system schematic with detail on the system interconnection, equipment and instruments complete with a written sequence of operation for the system and the chemical treatment systems. Flow Analysis. The system must be reviewed for proper circulation in all branches of the non-potable system and in the presence of dead-end piping and stagnant areas. This review must include an understanding of operation, and address stagnation and low flow because of operation of system valves and controls. The review must be documented. Biological/organic Material. The presence of biofilm, algae and protozoa in a non-potable water system will be accelerated by the presence of required nutrients, such as organic material, and optimal growth conditions, such as warm water. The VA medical facility must establish a plan to minimize these conditions, or the effect of the conditions, and ensure optimal system control. The exposure of the water in a cooling tower system to direct sunlight also may accelerate biological growth and fouling. Poor Water Quality. Since the cooling tower inherently removes contaminants from the air that passes through it, organic and inorganic material near the tower must be controlled to mitigate contamination of the tower should these substances become airborne. An evaluation of these issues must be conducted to develop a plan to minimize their impact. The Municipal water supply quality must be verified in order to ensure the chemical treatment regime provides the desired cooling tower water quality, and optimize blowdown, makeup and treatment options. Cooling Tower Equipment. Refer to VHA Engineering Standard ES-2019-001 for information and requirements related to the equipment and its maintenance and operations. System Operational Requirements and Procedures. There must be a current written operating plan for each system. The plan must include: (1) System schematic with all equipment and instrumentation uniquely labeled (tag number) including chemical treatment. All equipment, valves and instruments must be physically labeled to match the schematic. (2) Detailed sequence of operation for all modes of operation to include chemical treatment system. Sequence of operation must reference and be correlated with the schematic. Requirements for the sequence of operation, monitoring, operation and maintenance of the cooling tower and systems is defined in VHA Engineering Standard ES-2019-001. (3) Process to address any deficiencies or concerns raised in a report from any person related to the control measures being inadequate or requiring improvement. System Maintenance Requirements, Frequencies and Procedures. There must be a current written maintenance plan for each piece of equipment and system that complies with the requirements of this directive, VHA engineering standards and the manufacturer s recommendations and industry standards. The details of the requirements for the plan, inspections and reporting intervals are defined in VHA Engineering Standard ES-2019-001. Procedures/Plans for Emergency Action Related to Biological Exceedances. There must be a current written Emergency Action Plan for each system that complies with the requirements of this directive, VHA engineering standards, the manufacturer s recommendations and industry standards. The plan must include: (1) Procedures to address positive biological findings during testing. (2) Standard operating procedures for remediation of equipment in addition to procedure for operating the system equipment during remediation process. (3) Process to confirm if remediation was successful and if not, what further action is to be taken. (4) Required personal protective equipment (PPE) during remediation. (5) Required material, equipment and supplies to properly remediate. (6) Details on what the intended outcome is, as well as a method of documentation and evaluation. (7) Process to address any deficiencies or concerns raised in a report from any person related to the remediation process. Water Chemistry and Biological Testing Requirements, Frequencies and Procedures There must be a current written Testing Plan for each system. The plan must include the following at a minimum: (1) A list of all systems with testing frequency, thresholds, and requirements. All systems must be tested as defined in this directive or per the manufacturer s requirement, whichever is more stringent, including frequency. (2) Written standard testing procedures for each system, including specific procedures for: (a) Process to obtain sample, standard sample size and chain of custody process. (b) Required PPE. (c) Required material, tools, and supplies to complete the work properly. Water Chemistry Testing Requirements. (1) Water chemistry must be continuously monitored for biocide, corrosion control, pH, conductivity and turbidity. Water temperature also must be continuously monitored. Data on the water quality must be collected on the water chemistry hourly and upon alarms. Biocide and corrosion control additions must be automated and based on monitoring input. Water chemistry must be manually tested each month to confirm and recalibrate the accuracy of the continuous monitoring systems. (2) Written biological testing procedures and frequencies using the requirements listed in paragraph 4 of this appendix. (3) Process to address any deficiencies or concerns raised in a report from any person related to the testing process. Data Evaluation and Record Keeping Requirements and Procedures. There must be current written records and an Evaluation Plan for each system. The plan must include: (1) A process that defines the data to be collected and the form it must be in. At a minimum, the following must be addressed for each cooling tower/system: (a) Maintenance and inspection data on the cooling tower and systems. (b) Water chemistry testing and monitoring data and deviations. (c) Chemical treatment data, changes to rates of injection and data on why rates were modified. (d) Environmental testing data and water chemistry and temperature of tests; and (e) Remediation and supplemental action data. (2) The method used to evaluate the data and any actions that need to be taken relative to any deviation or trends associated with the data. (3) Identifying responsible persons for each process; and (4) A method for filing, data retention and data retrieval. Validation Testing The contractor shall provide quarterly environmental validation testing in accordance with the Specifications to ensure that the hazards are controlled as identified in the HCA LD. The contractor shall provide Dental Waterline testing in accordance with the Specifications to ensure that hazards are controlled in accordance with Infection Control Standards for VA Dental Clinics and the Specifications. The contractor shall provide Sterile Processing required testing for in accordance with the Specifications. The contractor shall provide Clinical Laboratory required testing in accordance with the specifications to ensure that hazards are controlled in accordance with The Joint Commission and CLSI. Legionella Testing The contractor s laboratory must be certified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) program. In addition to the CDC ELITE certification, the laboratory must have environmental microbiology accreditation by a nationally recognized accrediting body, such as EMLAP, NELAP, etc. Legionella environmental testing shall occur at a minimum of once per Federal fiscal year quarter. The laboratory will provide a report indicating the analytical results for each sample submitted. Results will be calculated in terms of colony forming units (CFU/mL). All samples shall be properly preserved, and protocol records kept for final QA/QC. Results shall be provided within 10-14 days of sample receipt and shall be immediately uploaded into the web-based data management site and emailed in PDF format to the client point of contact. The contractor s laboratory must be able to determine if the Legionella detected by culture in the environmental samples is the species Legionella pneumophila and, if so, if it is L. pneumophila serogroup 1 at a minimum of 1 CFU/ml. The contractor shall collect At least 20 water samples (first draw) from water outlets from each building must be tested for Legionella for each quarterly testing cycle. After taking the Legionella water sample, take additional samples at the same outlet to test and document water temperature, pH and level of biocide. (or a total of 20 samples per quarter and 80 samples per year per building). Non-routine samples will be drawn and tested at the discretion of the facility, and to follow-up on positive Legionella results from quarterly testing. Number of additional samples and sampling locations shall be determined by the facility sample size may increase to 1 Liter for clinical positives. Estimated number per quarter: 13 samples. At the time of sampling, the contractor shall test and document the following for each sample: water temperature, level of residual biocide, and pH. At least two of the 20 samples must be from an ice machine or other pure cold-water source. At least two of the 20 samples must be from a pure hot water source (i.e., no mixing valve present), if such water outlets are not available include samples from in the distribution line such as after the hot water heater or in the return loop. For the remainder of the samples, where a mixing valve is in place at the outlet, the first draw sample is considered a mixed hot/cold ( mixed ) water sample. If no mixing valve is in place at the outlet, take the first draw sample from either the hot or cold side. The distribution of hot, cold and mixed water samples from a building for each quarterly testing cycle is dependent on the types of outlets and mixing valves present. Representation from each type of water sample available (hot, cold and mixed) must be attempted each quarter based on the building risk assessment, past testing results and deliberations of the Facility Water Safety Committee to determine where validation testing is most needed. Dental Waterline Testing The contractor shall provide all labor, travel, materials, and equipment necessary to complete Dental Unit Waterline Testing on seven dental chairs with three lines per chair in accordance with Infection Control Standards for VA Dental. Waterline testing is to be accomplished by a laboratory certified (EPA or state) to perform environmental testing. Dental Waterline testing shall occur once per Federal fiscal year quarter. The Contractor will furnish sterile bottles that are appropriate for the analysis. The Contractor shall collect water samples in accordance with approved laboratory procedures. The Contractor will furnish appropriate shipping containers and shipping labels for the transportation of samples to the laboratory. The laboratory will follow strict chain of custody procedures upon the receipt of the samples. The laboratory shall use the Heterotrophic Plate Count Standard (HPC) Spread Plate Method 9215C to test routine dental waterline samples. The contractor will provide a report indicating the analytical results for each sample submitted. Results will be calculated in terms of colony forming units (cfu); readings of less than 10 or greater than 500 may be recorded as <10 cfu or > 500 cfu. Results will be provided within 10 calendar days of sample receipt and shall be immediately uploaded into the web-based data management site and emailed in PDF format to the client point of contact. If the 10th day falls on a weekend of federally observed holiday, the reports shall be provided no later than the next normal business day. Clinical Laboratory Water Testing The contractor shall provide all labor, travel, materials, and equipment necessary to complete Clinical Laboratory Water Testing in accordance with The CLSI GP40-A4-AMD requirements for three water purification systems. Clinical Laboratory Water testing shall be accomplished by a laboratory certified (EPA or state) to perform environmental testing. Clinical water testing shall occur once per Federal fiscal year quarter. The Contractor will furnish sterile bottles that are appropriate for the analysis. The Contractor shall collect water samples in accordance with approved laboratory procedures. The Contractor will furnish appropriate shipping containers and shipping labels for the transportation of samples to the laboratory. The laboratory will follow strict chain of custody procedures upon the receipt of the samples. The laboratory shall use the Heterotrophic Plate Count Standard (HPC) Spread Plate Method 9215C to test routine dental waterline samples. The contractor will provide a report indicating the analytical results for each sample submitted. Results will be calculated in terms of colony forming units (cfu); readings of less than 10 or greater than 500 may be recorded as <10 cfu or > 500 cfu. Results will be provided within 10 calendar days of sample receipt and shall be immediately uploaded into the web-based data management site and emailed in PDF format to the client point of contact. If the 10th day falls on a weekend of federally observed holiday, the reports shall be provided no later than the next normal business day. Sterile Processing Testing The contractor shall provide testing of the following parameters at two locations for Sterile Processing water at the prescribed frequencies. Heterotrophic Plate Count Standard (HPC) Spread Plate Method 9215C monthly Endotoxins when/if increased microbial levels are detected Total Organic Carbon monthly Total Hardness annually Ionic Compound annually o Coliforms o Corrosion By Products - Copper and Lead o Nitrite /Nitrate o Disinfection Byproducts - TTHM/HAA5 The contractor shall supply, install, and maintain a monitoring equipment. The equipment shall continuously monitor conductivity, pH, temperature, and turbidity in Sterile Processing Services area. The equipment shall be inline plumbed and compatible with the existing software utilized at the Beckley VAMC. It must communicate all results with the current web-based data management system via cellular device. Cooling Towers The contractor shall supply, install and maintain the necessary equipment to continuously monitor the two cooling towers for biocide, corrosion control, pH, conductivity turbidity and temperature. The equipment shall be inline plumbed and compatible with the existing software utilized at the Beckley VAMC. It must communicate all results with the current web-based data management system via cellular device. Continuous Monitoring Equipment The contractor shall provide full Maintenance and consumables the following Potable Water Analytics (PWA) equipment and associated equipment. Ø 1 EA Panel mounted system for automatic monitoring of free or total chlorine residuals, pH, temperature, pressure, and dissolved solids (conductivity). Ø 4 EA Base Monitoring System with Water Age Control Ø 1EA Sterile Processing Services monitoring equipment conductivity, pH, temperature and turbidity. Monthly Service for PWA Systems The PWA systems must be properly calibrated and maintained to ensure accurate and reliable performance on an ongoing basis. The Flat Monthly Fee for each system must include: Monthly refreshment of test reagents for the chlorine analyzer Consumable parts for system components to include: o Chlorine Analyzer reagents, tubing/cuvette kits, replacement cuvettes, check valve sets and check valve flushing kits o Replacement pH cartridges (yearly) Cellular data connection service Training Web-based Data Management System The web-based data management system shall provide the following functions: All information stored in the system is available 24/7 via password protected access HCA LD-related reports (including validation testing results, meeting minutes, verification reports, and service provider reports) can be stored and available for immediate access by all users Customized charts, reports, views, and data entry screens as requested Management dashboards with industry benchmarking Send text or email alerts for data that is outside of set parameters Data collection via tablets and other hand-held devices Automated data collection via continuous monitoring equipment (equipment not included) Validation test results immediately uploaded Exportable data to excel and other formats All data and documentation collected shall be copied in digital format and provided to the Beckley VAMC annual on CD-ROM. The software platform must meet the following minimum criteria: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) enterprise-class platform specialized for building water systems. Capable of monitoring all sensor data from the potable water quality monitoring system. Tables and graphs that can be plotted based on user selected time intervals and system parameters Supports manual data entry via computer and mobile devices, automatic uploading of all water and microbiological test results, documentation of water management plans and activities, and automated sensor monitoring, as specified in VA directive 1061 Administrative functionality to control user access rights, and automated alert notifications Data storage for a minimum of five years. Exportable data to excel and other formats The software platform must meet the following Infrastructure Reliability and Information Security Management requirements: The web application host will provide a service level agreement ( SLA ) with a service commitment to a monthly uptime percentage of at least 99.95%. Provide Host Documentation. The web application will be hosted at a datacenter compliant with FedRAMP requirements at the moderate impact level and in accordance with the Federal Cloud Computing Strategy. Provide Host Documentation. The database will be securely backed up hourly for disaster recovery purposes and provide a minimum durability of 99.999999999% and uptime of 99.999%. Provide Host Documentation. The web applications will be hosted as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) data delivery model. This will enable easy access to all data in a highly secure environment via the Internet using any internet connected device including personal computers and mobile devices. The web application will employ at a minimum TLS 1.2 with 128-bit AES encryption and authentication. The web application will be delivered by way of a secure login-protected environment with registered HTTPS security provisions. The software platform must meet the following minimum Application-Level Security requirements: A user account and password of adequate complexity will be required for each individual user who accesses the system. New user accounts may only be created by administrators with the appropriate level of authorization. Administrators shall have the ability to easily remove access from users no longer authorized to use the application. All edits, deletions, or changes to existing data will be logged with the date and time, user committing the change, and all original data will be preserved. This audit trail will be available to users with the appropriate level of access. The web application shall have varying levels of access for data collectors, operators, site managers, water management team members, and administrators. Users can be restricted by region or facility. A user restricted to a specific facility shall only be able to view data and information pertaining to that facility. The software platform must meet the following minimum Data Collection requirements: Administrators will be able to add, edit, or remove sample points in the system as needed. A web page will be available in the application for data collectors to enter test results. The required testing frequency of each sample point can be configured as daily, weekly, or monthly. Alerts can be issued if required sample is missing. The system will allow data to easily be exported to a suitable format for offline use. Time-series charts will be provided in real-time for all data recorded in the system. Charts will show alert limits and can be easily customized based on predefined specifications. A daily summary report will be generated in real-time by the web application, indicating total number of samples tested by region and facility, total number of samples out of specification for chlorine and temperature, as well as chlorine range and average temperature for each facility. The web application will allow for the storage of electronic documents online. The storage capability will include automated document versioning and all versions of all documents will be retained. The web application data will be time-stamped with the time it was entered as well as the time the user records it. Edits or changes to the data are logged so the original values can always be recovered. The web application will have the ability to track customer service requests. Requests can be entered by plant personnel or by authorized contractors/vendors and tracked through the system until they are completed which makes it easy to marry equipment operations with equipment repair and maintenance. Viewer rights will be determined based on the direction set forth by the client so those who have access can only see or do what they are authorized...