Inactive

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY.. The intent of this Sources Sought Announcement is to assist in the market research process for document destruction services for 7 VA Sites. This is NOT a ... This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY.. The intent of this Sources Sought Announcement is to assist in the market research process for document destruction services for 7 VA Sites. This is NOT a solicitation nor a request for bids, quotes or proposals. Through the receipt of responses, this will enable a more precise type of procurement. The Government is not obligated to pay for information, nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this sources sought request. This notice shall not be interpreted as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award of a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. Any inquiries are to be made in writing by email to the point of contact, Katina Dickerson-Hale, Contracting Specialist. Responses to this notice shall be sent by email to katina.dickerson-hale@va.gov by the due date and time of 05/29/2020 by 2:00 p.m. (Central Time). A Base Year plus Four Option Years may be considered. Montgomery Campus (CAVHCS) 215 Perry Hill road, Montgomery, AL 36109 MONTGOMERY CAMPUS (CAVHCS), 215 PERRY HILL ROAD, MONTGOMERY, AL 36109 TUSKEGEE CAMPUS: 2400 HOSPITAL ROAD, TUSKEGEE, AL 36083 VA CAVHCS CBOC: 159 WHESTONE STREET, MONROEVILLE, AL 36461 DOTHAN MENTAL HEALTH CBOC: 2020 ALEXANDER DR AND 3753 ROSS CLARK CIRCLE SUITE 4, DOTHAN, AL 36303 COLUMBUS, GA CBOC: 1310 13TH COLUMBUS, GA 31906 FORT BENNING, GA: 6635 BASS ROAD FORT BENNING, GA 31905 CONFIDENTIALITY OF MATERIAL DESTRUCTION: CONFIDENTIALITY OF ALL INFORMATION IS REQUIRED. THEREFORE, THE CONTRACTOR AND ALL PERSONNEL SHALL NOT INSPECT, VIEW, PERUSE, COPY, OR EXAMINE, ANY CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL OR DOCUMENTS DESIGNATED FOR DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTRACTOR WILL NOT OTHERWISE DISCLOSE, RELEASE OR COMMUNICATE ANY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION TO ANY THIRD PERSON, INDIVIDUAL, ORGANIZATION OR ENTITY NOT EMPLOYED BY CAVHCS. SHOULD ANY VIOLATION OR BREACH OF THIS PROVISON OCCUR, SUCH WILL CONSTITUTE CAUSE FOR IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF THE TASK ORDER UPON RECEIPT OF WRITTEN NOTICE OF SUCH TERMINATION. CONTRACTOR SHALL MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY IN ACCORDANCE TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND IN COMPLIANCE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNT ABILITY ACT (HIPPA) OF 1996. CONTRACTOR IS EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS THE STATE AGENCY AS TO PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI) AND THE FINANCIAL MODERNIZATION ACT OF 1999. THE CONTRACTOR’S PERSONNEL DESIGNATED TO WORK WITH CONFIDENTIAL RECORDS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO SIGN A STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY GUARANTEEING NON-DISCLOSURE OF INFORMAITON PRIOR TO PERFORMING ANY WORK DESCRIBED IN THIS TASK ORDER. THE CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT SHALL BE DESIGNED, IMPLEMENTED AND MAINTAINED BY THE CONTRACTOR. IF NECESSARY, THE STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING BY ANY REQUESTING AGENCY, THE CONTRACTOR SHALL NOT USE ANY EMPLOYEE WITH WHOM THE AGENCY IS NOT SATISFIED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES SPECIFIED. IF THE RECORDS REQUIRE SPECIAL PROTECTION BECAUSE THEY ARE NATIONAL SECURITY CLASSIFIED OR DEEMED CONFIDENTIAL BY STATUTE SUCH AS THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 AND THE HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996 (HIPAA), REGULATION, OR VA POLICY, THE WASTEPAPER CONTRACTOR MUST BE REQUIRED TO WET PULP, MACERATE, CHOP, DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION, OR OTHERWISE DEFINITIVELY DESTROY THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE RECORDS SO THAT IT IS NOT READABLE OR RECONSTRUCT ABLE. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE INFORMATION MUST BE WITNESSED EITHER BY A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE OR, IF AUTHORIZED BY THE ORGANIZATION THAT CREATED THE RECORDS, BY A CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE. THIS WITNESSING MAY BE COMPLETED BY THE WASTEPAPER CONTRACTOR AS LONG AS A DOCUMENTED CERTIFICATION OF DESTRUCTION IS PROVIDED TO VA THAT CERTIFIES COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE RECORDS. CONTAINERS: CONTRACTOR WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUPPLY CONTAINERS, LOCKING EXECUTIVE CONTAINERS, 32-AND 64-GALLON SIZES, TO ACCOMMODATE PAPER/RECORDS COLLECITON AT EACH CAMPUSES LOCATION AT NO CHARGE TO CAVHCS. CONTRACTROR SHALL NOT LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CONTIANERS AT ANY PARTICULAR SITE. QUANTITY, SIZE AND TYPE OF CONTAINERS AT EACH LOCATION SHALL BE AT INDIVIDUAL CAMPUS REQUEST. CONTRACTOR SHALL PLACE CONTAINERS IN THE LOCATIONS REQUESTED BY CAVHCS, PROVDIDED THE PLACEMENT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE FIRE CODES. CONTRACTOR MUST BE AWARE OF THESE REGULATIONS AND SUPPLY CAVHCS WITH THE APPRORPIRATE CONTAINERS. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL RETAIN OWNERSHIP OF THE CONTAINERS. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL AGREE THAT CAVHCS SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LIABILITY INCURRED BY THE CONTRACTOR OR THE CONTRACTOR’S PERSONNEL ARISING OUT OF THE POSSESSION, USE, MAINTENANCE, DELIVERY, RETURN, AND/OR COLLECTION FROM THE CONTAINERS PROVIDED BY THE CONTRACTOR. CONTAINERS MUST HAVE EITHER A TOP SLOT OR SIDE SLOT NEAR THE TOP DESIGNED TO PREVENT THEFT OF MATERIALS BY REACHING IN. CONTAINERS MUST HAVE A TAMPER EVIDENT LOCKING SYSTEM AND BE MADE OF A FIRE RESISTANT MATERIAL. THE CONTRACTOR WILL SUPPLY A CAVHCS REPRESENTATIVE WITH A KEY FOR ALL LOCKING CONTAINERS PROVIDED. IF A KEY IS LOST, THE CONTRACTOR WILL SUPPLY A NEW KEY AT NO ADDITONAL CHARGE TO THE AGENCY. ANY KEYS REPLACED AFTER THE FIRST INITIAL LOSS WILL BE SUBJECT TO A CHARGE BY THE CONTRACTOR. ALL CONTAINERS PROVIDED BY THE CONTRACTOR MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED FOR THEIR INTENDED USE. DESTRUCTION EQUIPMENT: CONTRACTOR SHALL ONLY USE PREMIUM, INDUSTRIAL-GRADE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTIONDERS THAT USE PIERCE AND TEAR, OR AN EQUIVALAENT PROCESS THAT MEETS OR EXCEEDS THE DESTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION ALL RECORDS, CONFIDENTIAL OR OTHERWISE. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION OR DISINTEGRATE ANY TYPE OF PAPER ITEMS, REGARDLESS OF COLOR, FINISH (E.G., COLOR PHOTCOPIES, MAGAZINE-WEIGHT PAPERS), OR SIZE OF PAGE. CAVHCS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REMOVE ITEMS SUCH AS STAPLES, TAPE, “POST-IT NOTES”, LABEL TAPE, RUBBER BANDS, MOST TYPES OF PAPER CLIPS, ETC. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL: THE CONTRACTOR’S PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO PERFORM DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES UNDER THIS TERM TASK ORDER MUST, AT ALL TIMES, HAVE A PHOTO IDENTIFICATION BADGE (CONTRACTOR’S PHOTO IDENTIFICATION) PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED. THE CONTRACTOR’S PERSONNEL MUST PROVIDE CAVHCS PROTECTION SERVICES WITH TWO FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION TO RECEIVE A CAVHCS PHOTO IDENTIFICATION BADGE THEY MUST BE VISIBLE AT ALL TIMES, WORN ABOVE THE WAIST WHILE ON CAVHCS PROPERTIES. CAVHCS DUTIES: EACH CAMPUS WILL DESIGNATE A REPRESENTATIVE. THIS REPRESENTATIVE WILL ASSIST THE CONTRACTOR IN DETERMINING THE NUMBER AND LOCATION OF CONTAINERS IN ADDITION TO SERVING AS THE CONTACT PERSON. THE REPRESENTATIVE WILL ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL KEYS ISSUED FOR LOCKING CONTAINERS. THE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES EITHER ON A REGULARLY SCHEDULED OR “AS NEEDED” BASIS. DATES AND TIME FOR ON-SITE SERVICES WILL BE ARRANGED BETWEEN CAVHCS AND THE CONTRACTOR. CAVHCS’S DEPARTMENTS MUST ASCERTAIN THAT ALL DOCUMENTS/RECORDS DESIGNEATED FOR DESTRUCTION, BEFORE BEING DESTROYED, HAVE BEEN COMPLIED WITH ALL APPROPRIATE RETENTION SCHEDULES. DESTRUCTION SERVICES: THE CONTRACT MUST PROVIDE SERVICES WEEKLY AT THE MONTGOMERY AND TUSKEGEE CAMPUSES. THE CBOC IN COLUMBUS, GA AND DOTHAN, AL SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED ONCE A MONTH. THE CONTRACTOR MUST PROVIDE ON-SITE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES ON A REGULAR SCHEDULED OR “AS NEEDED BASIS”. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PERFORM ALL SERVICES DURING THE HOURS OF 8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EXCLUDING OFFICIAL FEDERAL HOLIDAYS. DATES AND TIMES FOR ON-SITE SERVICES WILL BE ARRANGED BETWEEN CAVHCS AND THE CONTRACTOR. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT CAVHCS REQUIRES FLEXIBILITY IN THE ARRANGEMENTS AND METHODS FOR THE COLLECTION OF RECORDS ON AGENCY-BY-AGENCY BASIS. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL COORDINATE AND WORK IN GOOD FAITH WITH EACH AGENCY IN SEEKING AND OBTAINING THE MOST APPROPRIATE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES ARRANGEMENTS AND METHODS OF COLLECTION. ON-SITE DESTRUCTION: THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE MOBILE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES TO AGENCIES REQUIRING ON-SITE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION. THE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION IS TO BE COMPLETED IN A TOTALLY SELF-CONTAINED VEHICLE TO HANDLE THE AGENCY’S MOST SECURE MATERIAL. CONTACTOR WILL CHARGE BY THE PICK-UP AT EACH LOCATION. DOCUMENTS/RECORDS FOR DESTRUCTION SHALL BE COLLECTED AND STORED BY CAVHCS IN THE CONTAINERS PROVIDED BY THE CONTRACTOR. IF REQUESTED, ANY CAVHCS-PROVIDED CONTAINERS SHALL BE RETURNED TO THE AGENCY AFTER DESTRUCTION OF THE CONTENTS. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PERFORM ALL ON-SITE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES AS CLOSE TO EACH BUILDING CAVHCS AS POSSIBLE. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL TRANSPORT THE DOCUMENTS/RECORDS ON CARTS OR OTHER METHOD FROM EACH CONTAINER AREA TO THE CONTRACTOR’S TRUCK ON-SITE WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE FROM ANY CAVHCS PERSONNEL. ALL DOCUMENTS/RECORDS DESIGNATED FOR DESTRUCTION SHALL BE SECURELY CONTAINED DURING TRANSFER FROM THE LOCATION TO THE CONTRACTOR’S VEHICLE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO INSURE NO RECORDS ARE LOST OR MISLAID. MATERIALS SHALL REMAIN SECURED WHILE IN THE IMMEDIATE CUSTODY OF THE CONTRACTOR’S PERSONNEL UNTIL THE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION PROCESS HAS DESTROYED THEM. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL ALLOW A CAVHCS REPRESENTATIVE TO WITNESS THE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION PROCESS. CONTRACTOR SHALL ALSO ALLOW THE AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER COMPLETION OF DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE ON-SITE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION PROCESS, THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PRESENT A “CERTIFICATE OF DESTRUCTION” TO THE CAVHCS REPRESENTATIVE FOR SIGNATURE. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING INVOICING INFORMATION, THE CERTIFICATE WILL GUARANTEE CONFIDENTIALITY OF ALL RECORDS WAS MAINTAINED FROM THE TIME OF COLLECTION UNTIL THE RECORDS WERE DESTROYED AND THAT NONE OF THE RECORDS WERE READ OR COPIED BY THE CONTRACTOR OR CONTRACTOR’S PERSONNEL PRIOR TO DESTRUCTION. A COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE WILL BE RETAINED BY CAVHCS. THE CONTRACTOR WILL ALSO SUBMIT COPIES OF THE CERTIFICATES WITH INVOICES FOR DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES PROVIDED. THE CERTIFICATE WILL CONTAIN, AT A MINIMUM, LOCATION AND NAME OF THE AGENCY FOR WHOM THE ON-SITE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES WERE PROVIDED: DATE OF DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION, POUNDAGE SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF CONTRACTOR’S EMPLOYEE PROVIDING SERVICES; SIGNATURE OF CAVHCS REPRESENTATIVE. CLEANUP THE CONTRACTOR SHALL CLEAN UP THE IMMEDIATE DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION AREA AND ENSURE THAT ALL LOOSE PARTICLES ARE COLLECTED AND REMOVED EACH TIME DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION SERVICES ARE PERFORMED.