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Page 2 of 4 This is a Request for Information Only; it is not a request for quotations or offers. Network-9 Contracting Office on the behalf of the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, at the Nashville... Page 2 of 4 This is a Request for Information Only; it is not a request for quotations or offers. Network-9 Contracting Office on the behalf of the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, at the Nashville, 1310 24th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212 and Murfreesboro, 3400 Lebanon Pike, Murfreesboro, TN. 37129 location has developed this Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought Notice to solicit market research information from industry to assist the Government with analysis of a Government requirement and provide commercial insight on performance-based solutions, best practices, possible contractual arrangements, and potential issues. This RFI is to determine the availability of Small Business (preferably Service-Disabled and/or Veteran-Owned Owned) entities within the Nashville and Murfreesboro area. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. It is not a Request for Proposal, a Request for Quotation, an Invitation for Bids, a Solicitation, or an indication that Network-9 Contracting Office (NCO-9) will contract for the items contained in the RFI / Sources Sought Notice. This RFI/Sources Sought Notice is part of a Government market research effort to determine the scope of industry capabilities and interest, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15.201(e), response to this RFI / Sources Sought Notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responses to this RFI / Sources Sought Notice are strictly voluntary and are consider as information only. The Government will not pay respondents for information provided in response to this RFI / Sources Sought Notice. Responses to this RFI / Sources Sought Notice will not be returned and respondents will not be notified of the result of the review. If a solicitation is issued, it will be announced a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from any response to this announcement. This RFI / Sources Sought Notice do not restrict the Government s acquisition on a future solicitation. Network-9 Contracting Office (NCO-9) Nashville and Murfreesboro Home VA Medical Center are conducting market research for Sharps Removal Services .The contractor shall provide complete removal, disposal and transportation of all Sharps Waste of Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS). The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, materials, tools and equipment necessary to perform the task in accordance with the schedule and to comply with all guidelines established by Federal, State, County and local laws and ordinances. Full servicing of sharps containers is required within every TVHS location listed in SERVICE LOCATIONS to include main campuses and CBOCs. Please review the draft Statement of Work (SOW) provided below before responding to the market research questions as the Government desires that respondents offer their experience and recommendations on the following questions and issues related to this requirement. When addressing these items, respondents should consider the size and scope of the requirement described herein. STATEMENT OF WORK: This is a summary of the Statement of Work. Sharps Waste falls within the waste category of Regulated Medical Waste (RMW). The EPA defines medical waste as "any solid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biologicals." This may include any waste material or article which harbors, or may reasonably be considered to harbor, pathogens which might be expected to produce disease in healthy individuals. Medical waste subject to these requirements includes waste that generally has been considered infectious or potentially infectious by the health care community, as well as waste originating from health care or research facilities that are aesthetically objectionable and thus, problematic when disposed of improperly. Sharps Waste may include but is not limited to syringes, needles, scalpels, lancets, pipettes, razors, glass, etc. The term does not include any hazardous waste, radioactive waste, cytotoxic drugs, antineoplastic agents, or bulk blood including blood vials. TVHS will be responsible for segregating of all waste in accordance with Federal, State, County and Local requirements. SERVICE LOCATIONS 1 Alvin C. York VA Medical Center 3400 Lebanon Pike Murfreesboro, TN 37129 2 Nashville Campus 1310 24th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37212 3 Chattanooga VA Outpatient Clinic 6401 Shallowford Rd Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 4 Albion St Clinic 1818 Albion St, Suite 114 Nashville TN 37208 5 Athens Clinic 1320 Decatur Pike Athens TN 37303 6 Charlotte Avenue Clinic 1919 Charlotte Avenue, Suite 100 Nashville, TN 37203 7 Clarksville Clinic 782 Weatherly Drive Clarksville, TN 37043 8 Clarksville Dental Clinic (Dalton Drive) 2292 Dalton Dr, Suite F Clarksville TN 37043 9 Dover Clinic 1406 Donelson Parkway Dover TN 37058 10 Gallatin Clinic 419 Steam Plant Rd Gallatin TN 37066 11 Glennis Drive 250-260 Glennis Dr Murfreesboro TN 12 International Plaza VA Clinic 2 International Plaza Suite 300 Nashville, TN 37217 13 Tullahoma Outpatient Clinic 225 Von Karmen Road Arnold AFB, TN 37389 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE Period of Performance: One Base Period with the possibility of four one-year option periods. Base Period: 1 October 2022 30 September 2023 1st Option Year 1 October 2023 30 September 2024 2nd Option Year 1 October 2024 30 September 2025 3rd Option Year 1 October 2025 30 September 2026 4th Option Year 1 October 2026 30 September 2027 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS One of TVHS s top priorities is the minimization of waste to include significant efforts in recycling and waste diversion. It is highly encouraged that prospective bidders give significant consideration to recycling and diversion efforts as part of their submittal. The requested services will render all sharps waste non-recognizable and non-infectious. It is preferable that resulting waste be sent for disposal as fuel in electrical co-generation and/or as much of the waste be recycled as possible (e.g. plastic, metal, etc.). Waste may be incinerated in lieu of co-generation but resulting ash placed in a landfill should be reduced to about 7-10% of the original waste volume. The Government is required to divert at least 50% of non-hazardous waste from landfills. To encourage diversion, proposals shall be submitted with recycling, incineration, or co-generation in mind. Contractor to provide collection containers that are sturdy, rigid, leak proof, impervious, and puncture resistant with tamper-proof, secure lids that can be used at point-of-generation and collection. These containers shall meet all Federal and State regulations pertaining to design, color, transparency, functionality, and security. Wall mounted collection system must utilize hands free disposable method. Contractor to provide adequate spare containers for TVHS staff to sufficiently supply the facility between Contractor service dates. Contractor to provide one moveable device or carts ( dollies ) per container at each location throughout each facility. Contractor to provide and install wall cabinets for corresponding containers and stable bases or countertop brackets for containers prone to tipping or falling over. All cabinets and brackets that require keys shall be keyed alike. Keys shall be given to the Contracting Officers Representative (COR) when installation begins. The COR may request additional keys for the life of this contract at no additional cost to TVHS. At the Nashville Campus ONLY, Contractor shall provide an external storage unit (shed, building, etc.) to house filled containers awaiting pickup and for spare containers awaiting use. External storage unit should be secure (lockable), be of a design that prevents insects, animals, and other pests from gaining entry, and properly marked as housing Regulated Medical Waste (Sharps). External storage unit shall be of an appropriate size for the facility, meet all codes set forth by the NFPA, OSHA, and other agencies, and shall be provided at no cost to TVHS. It shall also contain proper ventilation, and waterproof lighting and power receptacles. Entrance to storage unit shall allow easy loading and unloading of wheeled carts. External storage unit shall be removed by the Contractor at completion of this contract at the Contractor s expense. The Contractor shall coordinate with TVHS and succeeding contractor to ensure no lapse in containment of containers. At contract onset, TVHS may request up to an additional fifty (50) containers during the installation and stabilization period. For each year of this contract, TVHS may request up to fifteen (15) additional containers per main campus and up to five (5) additional containers per CBOC at no additional cost to TVHS. The charge for additional containers beyond fifty/fifteen/five will be billed under a separate line item on current obligation. The Contractor shall comply with the following regulations. Regulations stated should only be used as a guide and not considered all-inclusive. The contractor shall submit all state department and public reports as required. Services shall be provided pursuant to codes of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Solid Waste Management. The contractor must comply with executive order 13101 (SEPTEMBER 14, 1998) GREENING THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH WASTE PREVENTION, RECYCLING AND FEDERAL ACQUISITION. Plant used by the contractor must comply with the Clean Air Act of 1991 and produce only safe neutral by-products and the vendor must be able to show compliance with all environmental applicable state and county regulations. The following is a listing and description of the sharps wastes that are, at a minimum, included in the scope of this contract: Cultures and stocks: Sharps used or contaminated with cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals, including: cultures from medical and pathological laboratories; cultures and stocks of infectious agents from research and industrial laboratories; wastes from the production of biologicals; discarded live and attenuated vaccines, and culture dishes and devices used to transfer inoculate and mix cultures. Human blood and blood products: Sharps used or contaminated with liquid waste human blood and products of blood or items saturated and/or dripping with human blood, including serum, plasma and other blood components, and their containers, which were used or intended to be used in (1) patient care; (2) testing and laboratory analysis; (3) development of pharmaceuticals; and other articles containing dried blood. TVHS employees shall: Identify, segregate and discard sharps waste by placing the waste in plastic waste receptacles or containers that are marked with the international biohazard symbol and wording indicating sharps waste. Containers shall not be filled to exceed the fill line indicated on the containers. In between Contractor service dates, TVHS employees shall remove filled containers and replace with spare containers as needed. Contractor shall: Provide the participating facilities with sufficient amounts of collection containers that are reusable, sturdy, rigid, leak proof, impervious, and puncture resistant with tamper-proof, secure lids that can be used at point-of-generation and collection. The collection containers shall be from 2 to 17-gallon containers with funnel or trap lids/openings. All floor model containers shall be equipped with wheels or other moveable devices or carts ( dollies ). Wall cabinets shall be securely fastened to walls, medication carts, etc. An adequate amount of caps or plugs will be provided to ensure safe handling and transportation of containers between Contractor service dates. Exterior walls of the containers shall be identified with the international biohazard symbol and wording identifying sharps waste. Contractor shall remove sharps waste using only properly permitted and licensed trucks and drivers. Contractor shall be required to remove all sharps waste as required at each participating facility. At each of these participating facilities, the contractor shall remove sharps containers. Full servicing of sharps containers is required within every TVHS location to include main campuses and CBOCs. Contractor shall also respond to a request from the COR to pick up unusually large accumulations of sharps waste at the participating facility indicated within eight (8) hours of notification. Contractor shall transport the containers by methods and procedures that fully comply with all local, state, county and federal rules and regulations. The contractor shall utilize an on-line manifest system as a receipt for materials and certify proper disposal and that is not blocked by VA fire walls. The contractor will submit the proposed manifest system forms for VA approval. After approval of the online system and award of the contract, the Contractor will furnish login information to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to access the online manifest system. The contractor will leave one copy of the manifest with the COR at the time of the pick-up showing the quantity picked up. The completed manifests will be returned within Thirty (30) days to the COR. Manifest shall contain at minimum the signature, address and contact information of (1) generator, (2) transporter and (3) final destruction/disposal representative. The contractor is responsible for notifying the COR or designee upon arrival and departure at all pick-up locations. Designees may include Chief EMS, Asst. Chief EMS, Site Manager, or Supervisor. The manifest shall be provided to the COR each time the waste is removed from each campus or CBOC. Each manifest shall include, but not be limited to the following information. (1) GENERATOR INFORMATION Name Address Telephone Number Description of waste The quantity of sharps waste: include the number of containers, cubic feet, and identification on each container (i.e., barcode ID or ID sticker) for each facility location. (2) TRANSPORTER INFORMATION Transporter name Address Telephone Number Driver name Applicable permit numbers (3) DESTINATION INFORMATION Site name Address Telephone number There shall be certification on the manifest by signature and date that the waste was picked up at the generator site and additional certification that the waste was delivered without incident to the approved destination. The completed matching manifest shall include destination and appropriate destruction information. Document numbers and information on the two documents shall match. There shall be final certification by the destination-authorized agent by signature and date that the waste was accepted and all the information was correct. If waste is incinerated, the Contractor shall submit a separate document to the COR that includes both the weight of the original amount of waste and the weight of the resultant ash disposed of in a landfill so the COR can verify the terms of this contract. Contractor shall maintain and fully comply with licenses and/or permits required by Federal, State, City and County laws and regulations pertaining to RMW, sharps, and its destruction. The Contractor will warrant and represent that all of the personnel assigned to the premises under this contract are their employees and have been trained in the performance of the duties set forth in this contract. The Contractor agrees to comply with the policies of TVHS to include compliance with the standards of The Joint Commission. The Contractor will provide TVHS documentation that on-site representatives have agreed to abide by signed TVHS confidentiality statements. Contractor will be required to supply data to the COR on a monthly tracking report. This data will include (1) weight of waste picked up at TVHS for the prior month and should be broken down to include weights (net and gross weight), if applicable, the weight of the resulting ash disposed of in a landfill, (3) the cost that TVHS paid to the contractor for the prior month, and (4) that all sharps waste was diverted to cogeneration, recycling and/or incinerated. All data will be broken down by campus and outpatient clinic. All data shall be submitted to the COR by the 15th day of the following month. Extension of the submittal date may be granted by the COR. A transition period may be required at the end of the resulting contract to ensure no lapse in service from one contractor to another. The Government will notify the incumbent contractor as well as the new contractor if a transition period is required and modify the current contract to reflect the transition period. If a transition period is required, the VA in conjunction with the outgoing contractor and the incoming contractor shall coordinate a transition plan. The contractor shall provide an annual inventory for each dispenser serviced including size, type, and physical location for each dispenser at all locations and provide it to the COR. This is to account for the many changes that occur due to additions and subtractions based on clinic moves and needs of the many services we are responsible for at TVHS. The COR will verify that all containers are accounted for on the annual inventory and provide an updated copy to the CO. The COR or designee will verify weights/counts of materials being picked up. Disposal charges shall not include the weight of the reusable containers and/or lids. Hours of Operations (Service Window): 8:00 AM 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday except Federal Holidays. Federal Holidays New Year s Day Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. Washington s Birthday Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day Juneteenth Points of Collection: See attached survey Pick-ups at the Service Locations will be made every week at the main campuses, every other week at the Chattanooga CBOC and once per month at all other locations. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS QUALIFICATION OF OFFERORS: Quotes shall be considered only from companies who are regularly established in the business called for, and who in the judgment of the Contracting Officer are financially responsible and able to show evidence of their reliability, ability, experience, equipment, facilities and personnel directly employed or supervised by them to render prompt and satisfactory service. Contractor shall be able to handle all sharps waste removal requirements immediately upon start of the contract period. VEHICLES/TRANSPORTATION: Contractor shall ensure that all vehicles are conspicuously labeled as required by law. All vehicles used to transport sharp waste must comply with DOT regulations. Vehicles shall be properly disinfected as a result of leaks or spills, using the appropriate Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) procedures. Contractor shall immediately notify TDEC and TVHS if a vehicle is involved in a spill or accident which renders the vehicle non-compliant with applicable rules and regulations or exposes waste to the environment. RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTAINERS: The Contractor agrees that the participating Government facilities assume no liability for damage that may be done to the any containers, dollies or other equipment used in the performance of this contract, unless it is caused by an act of negligence on the part of a Government employee. CO shall determine cause of damage on a case-by-case basis. LICENSES AND PERMITS: Contractor shall provide proof of a State of Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) processing permits, Transportation Licenses, all City Permits, and proof of a permit annually thereafter shall be provided to the COR. LIABILITY AND INSURANCE COVERAGE: Offeror shall present satisfactory evidence of full compliance with Federal, state and local requirements. State approved sources of insurance coverage ordinarily shall be deemed acceptable to the Department of Veterans Affairs installation, subject to timely certifications by such sources of the types and limits of the coverage afforded by the sources. SAFETY/EMERGENCY PLANS: Contractor shall submit the following plans with their quote: A written safety plan that details actions to be taken to protect the staff of TVHS, the contactor, and surrounding communities in the event of any accidental spills or leaks that occur while the Contractor is performing work under this contract for the Government. A written emergency plan that outlines a formalized response to any accidental spills or leaks that occur while the Contractor is performing work under this contract for the Government. CONTINUATION OF SERVICES: Offeror shall submit written contingency plans outlining how they will continue to provide services in the event there is a disruption in any segment of services provided such as transportation, destruction, etc. FUEL SURCHARGE: The Government will not make additional payments for fuel surcharges under this contract. INVOICES: The Contractor is to submit monthly invoice in arrears, indicating the dates and type of service provided, along with the contract number and purchase order number for which payment is due. Contractor shall receive payment for services rendered in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act. QUALITY ASSURANCE: The Government facilities may at any time inspect and verify that the accuracy of the work compares to that indicated on the invoice. Any deviation will be deducted from the invoice price in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). CORRESPONDANCE: All correspondence relative to this contract shall bear the VA Contract number, correct Fiscal Year Purchase Order number, Title and name of facility being billed against. PAYMENTS: Will be paid monthly, in arrears, upon receipt of a proper invoice for services performed during the previous month in accordance with the terms of this contract. All invoices shall be submitted by the 15th day of the month following the month in which services were provided. Payment will be made upon receipt of a properly prepared, itemized invoice, validated by the COR and submitted to VA Electronic Payment System. (1) A properly prepared invoice will contain: Invoice Number and Date Contractor s Name and Address Accurate Purchase Order Number Total Weight Removed (net and gross) Unit Price Charged Extended Price Price Broken Down by Location Dates service performed Location of service performed (2) A single, consolidated invoice will be prepared for all facilities and submitted monthly in arrears. MARKET SURVEY: 1. Please provide a capability statement that includes, as a minimum, the following information: a. Company Name: b. Company Address: c. Point of Contract Information: i. Name: ii. Title: iii. Phone Number: iv. Facsimile Number: v. E-mail Address: d. System for Award Management (SAM) Expiration Date: e. DUNS Number: f. CAGE Number: g. Business Size(*) (Note: (*) as it relates to NAICS Code: h. socioeconomic Category: Small Business SDVOSB VOSB Small Disadvantage Business 8(a) HUB Zone Women Owned Small Business 2. The number of certified employees your firm can offer/provide: 3. The distance your firm is from the Nashville and Murfreesboro VA Medical Center Medical Center: 4. Comments on the (Draft) Statement of Work (SOW) provided below: 5. Comments on current market conditions and obstacles in providing these services to the Government: If interested, please provide a capability statement. Also, provide e-mail responses to this Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought Notice no later than Monday, May 2, 2022. The response time cannot be extended beyond the suspense date provided. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION/SOURCE SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY.