Inactive Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside (FAR 19.14)

This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capabil... This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. Background: The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, NCO 9 Network Contracting Office, on behalf of the Nashville and York VA Medical Center is conducting market research through this sources sought notice to seek sources to identify potential experienced businesses that are capable of meeting the requirements per the Statement of Work (SOW) below. Purpose and Objectives: Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method. NAICS code: 562112 and sized standard is $47 million. NOTE: Respondent claiming SDVOSB and VOSB status must be registered and CVE verified in VetCert, Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov) GENERAL: Scope: VA Tennessee Valley Health Care System, hereafter referred to as TVHS , is seeking a full-service contract for the purpose of this solicitation is for the Contractor to provide Regulated Medical waste removal and a reusable Sharps program. All services shall be performed by qualified Contractors who are licensed and authorized to perform the work defined herein. All services shall be completed in a timely manner and in accordance with the state, local, federal, and VA standards as listed in the Statement of Work. It shall be the Contractor s responsibility to ensure that all equipment/supplies and/or materials required during the performance of the work will comply with all Conformance Standards in the industry. The contractor also has the responsibility for maintaining/repairing the equipment/materials, or supplies required at no cost to the VA. TVHS top priorities is the minimization of waste to include significant efforts in recycling and waste diversion. The requested services will render all RMW, chemotherapeutic and pathological waste non-recognizable and non-infectious. It is preferable that resulting waste be sent in whole or in part for disposal as fuel in electrical co-generation, incinerated, and/or as much of the waste be recycled as possible (e.g. plastic, metal, etc.). Background: Waste specifications for removal of Regulated Medical Waste (RMW) to include Pathological and Chemotherapeutic. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines RMW 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. "Trace" chemotherapeutic waste shall be included in the scope of this contract. "Bulk" chemotherapeutic waste shall be managed as hazardous waste within the generating facility and disposed of through a separate contract. Performance Period: The Period of Performance for this contract tentatively could be five one year ordering periods. Type of Contract: The Government contemplates award of an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract resulting from this solicitation. SPECIFICATIONS: Regulated Medical Waste (RMW) includes but is not limited to items contaminated with blood and body fluids/waste, trace chemotherapy wastes, sharps, pathological and microbiological waste, or other potentially infectious materials. Trace chemotherapy is separated from other wastes and labeled for incineration. Trace chemotherapy is defined as vials or other containers that have less than 3% of the original contents by weight, after removing as much of the chemotherapy feasible. It also includes the chemotherapy remaining in all needles, bags, tubing, containers, gloves, and gowns used during chemotherapy infusions. Reusable Sharps Program shall include the removal and disposal of existing sharps containers system (including disposable containers, wall brackets, carts, and cabinets); installation of reusable sharps containers (including lockable mounting brackets, stationary stands, mobile carts, and bulk storage/transport carts); in-service training to staff on use and handling of containers and proper segregation of medical sharps waste from other medical waste; monitoring reusable sharps containers at each point of use to provide timely collection of full containers and replacement with clean/sanitized containers; transportation and disposal of medical sharps waste in accordance with Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations. The contractor shall furnish appropriate containers for pick-up, and disposal of all specified waste. Based on the estimated monthly weight of regulated medical waste 349,464 lbs. a year 29,122 lbs. a month; chemotherapy waste 6000 lbs. a year and 500 lbs. a month), pick-ups will be scheduled at a minimum of three times per week. Contractor provided containers shall be leak-proof, stackable, sealable, transportable, and designed so that government employees will not be required to lift more than 35 lbs. and shall display the universal biohazard symbol. All containers shall always be damage free and in good working order. The Contractor shall supply the VA with an adequate number of clean, disinfected, rigid, stackable storage containers with tight-fitting covers that can be securely sealed. The Contractor shall provide disinfected storage containers of sufficient quantity to ensure adequate capacity as needed by the VA for IV and Trace Chemo. At a minimum, a one-to-one exchange of containers for each filled container in both pickup locations will be provided by the Contractor. Currently, the estimated weight of RMW and trace chemo waste generated by the TVHS is 349,464 pounds a year. The storage containers must be lined with Contractor provided red bags or yellow Trace Chemo bags as applicable to the waste to be stored in the container. Contractor supplied bags shall be constructed of a material of sufficient single thickness and strength to pass the 165-gram dropped dart impact resistance test as prescribed by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard d 1709-75, which is incorporated herein by reference. Containers must be conspicuously labeled in accordance with guidelines and regulations prescribed by regulatory authorities including DOT and OSHA Standards. All containers must be labeled with the Contractor s and the VA s names, addresses, and phone numbers. All labels containing VA identifiers must be removed from containers at the time of waste treatment and/or disposal. Containers must be identifiable as to the type of hazardous waste contained within, (i.e. yellow for chemo, red for medical waste) all containers shall be approved by the COR. Contractor will remove full containers and replace them with an equal number of empty sanitized containers. Sanitizing shall be completed at an offsite location. Prior to departing the VAMC-TVHS contractor shall obtain the COR or designee s signature for confirmation of manifest including but not limited to: Pickup/Delivery Location Pickup/Delivery Date Amount of waste (number of containers picked up and/or pounds) Destruction Certification Document/Manifest Number. Any other information as required by the COR. Contractor shall ensure that the handling, licensing, and final disposal of Regulated Medical Waste, is in compliance with the Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Health and Environmental Control, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), DEA and applicable Federal, State and Municipal governmental regulations and codes. This shall include: Transport Vehicles: Vehicles shall be equipped with fully enclosed leak-resistant cargo body, maintained in a sanitary condition, and secured when left unattended. Vehicles shall bear the required transporter s name, State permit and the words as it applies to the type of waste that it will be carrying on the sides of the body. Waste shall not be subject to mechanical stress. Regulated medical waste shall not be combined with other waste. Marking requirements: Transporter shall provide waste-resistant labeling on all containers of regulated waste with the following information: Name of Transporter or immediate handler. State permit or identification number of the transporter Intermediate Handlers: No intermediate handlers or subcontracting or transportation shall be allowed. SCHEDULE FOR DELIVERABLES: All RMW waste will be loaded into 96 gallon reusable mobile bins on wheels at TVHS and corrugated cardboard boxes (various sizes available) to accommodate the disposable of RMW at CBOCs, which will then be stored in the soiled utility room to be picked up once a month by fully trained, licensed and insured transportation personnel. Waste pick-up will be from the hospital designated waste holding area. The day of pick-up will be based on the following schedule of pick-ups for the following locations: Normal Work Hours: Waste shall be picked up Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays, at building #36 (incinerator building), between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Contractor is to provide a documented back up plan in the event circumstances disrupt s his ability to provide pick up services. Services will be provided within 24 hours of a failure to meet scheduled pick-up times. National Holidays: The ten holidays observed by the Federal Government are: New Year s Day, Martin Luther King s Birthday, President s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day and any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday Documentation from The Contractor: Contractor shall be responsible for providing a detailed manifest of all medical waste, pharmaceutical, and control substances transported from the VA Medical Center to include the date, location and proof of destruction. All medical waste collected from the VA will be weighed on site and a copy of the manifest stating the date collected, pounds of medical waste per cart and the number of carts must be left with the Contracting Officer Representative or the CEP Bldg. on the day of collection. The contractor is required to provide a signed and legible manifest attesting to the destruction of the medical waste and will be provided to the COR within 30 days of the destruction of the medical waste. The Certificate of Destruction shall at a minimum contain the following: Pickup/Delivery Location Pickup/Delivery Date Amount of waste (number of containers picked up and/or pounds) Destruction Certification Document/Manifest Number Destruction Certification Date Any other information as required by the COR. Training Plan: Contractor shall provide annual training to government staff as required by the COR and will be required to provide a training plan that identifies what training will be provided to VA staff and what training will be provided to the contractor s staff. Training shall include proper handling of medical/special waste; interim storage requirements, proper identification and labeling of wastes, etc. Training shall be documented and shall be provided 24 7 during initial installation to ensure that training is available to all employees that will be required to handle waste. Contractor shall provide in service training for staff not available at the time of training at no additional cost to the Government. Additional specific training will be required as follows: Certificates of training and experience of staff and/or personnel who will perform site work under this contract (all technicians that will work on VA premises will be expected to have received at least the minimum training required by law as specified in 29CFR 1910-120, 40 CFR Parts 260-265 and 49 CFR Parts 171-178. Contingency Plan: The Contractor shall have in place and maintain a valid contingency plan to meet the requirements of the contract to avoid an interruption of service due to failure of equipment or personnel issues. The Contractor shall provide the VA COR a contingency plan addressing back-up plans for collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of the VA s waste in the event of any condition which impedes the ability to perform the services specified in this SOW. The Contractor shall incur all cost associated with fulfilling this contingency plan at no additional cost to the Government. Provide the following information on the contractor's emergency response (ER) capabilities (or any changes to original submission): Contractor's ER policies. ER capabilities and experience and limitations. Type of ER equipment maintained (specify if owned or subcontracted and from whom). Personnel availability, training and experience. Contractor's emergency response procedure shall describe: How to request an emergency response. How the contractor notifies personnel and initiates response action. Incident command procedures followed by the contractor. ER work practices. ER protection of health and safety practices. ER invoicing policy. Management Plan the contractor needs to provide details on how they will be managing the day-to-day operation, a list of key personnel, implementation plan, transition plan and any other information that may be vital to the management of this contract. This shall include information on the appointed project manager who will have responsibility for the performance of the waste removal services. The project manager or designee shall be competent to supervise all aspects of medical waste removal services and shall be available on-site within 4 hours after notification when problems arise with contractor s work or if emergencies arise at this facility, which pertains to the contractor s responsibilities or duties. The project manager shall, in the absence of the contractor, act for the contractor as contractor s representative. During the first ninety (90) days of performance, the Contractor shall make NO substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by the individual s illness, death, or termination of employment. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer, in writing, within 5 calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required by paragraph (2) below. After the initial 90-day period of the contract, the Contractor shall submit the information required by paragraph (b) to the Contracting Officer at least 5 days prior to making any permanent substitutions. The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer. Proposed substitutes shall have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor after receipt of all required information of the decision on the proposed substitutes. The contract will be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel. Contractor Furnished Equipment, Materials, and Information: Contractor shall, at no additional cost to the Government, provide and maintain licenses, permits, vehicles, operators, equipment, and materials to properly handle, package, label, transport, and dispose of medical sharps waste generated at TVHS. Contractor is responsible for maintaining liability insurance for the duration of the contract. Safety Plan Requirements: Contractor personnel and equipment shall comply with all applicable state, federal and local regulations. The Contractor agrees that his personnel and equipment are subject to safety inspections by Government personnel while on Federal property. The Contractor shall ensure that all personnel involved in the handling, repackaging, and transportation of the items listed herein shall be trained in the areas of spills, and general first aid procedures. The Contractor will, without additional cost to the VA provide and maintain all licenses and permits for operational personnel, trailers, containers, vehicles and other resources required for proper removal of pharmaceutical wastes in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, Municipal, and local regulations [e.g. OSHA, EPA, CFR (DOT) including, but not limited to HM-18]. If appropriate licenses are not maintained in accordance with Federal, State, and local requirements, the VA may terminate the contract effective upon discovery. The VA reserves the right to halt work if the COR determines work is being done in an unsafe/unhealthy manner or that could harm the environment. VA will not incur additional costs if work is halted for good cause. Required Submittals - The following shall be provided to the COR with bid proposal submission for evaluation purposes and annually within thirty (30) days of the renewal date of this contract with any changes to original submission clearly identified and highlighted: Current waste transporter permit(s) List of all transfer stations, treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDFs) including incineration, wastewater and sludge treatment facilities that shall be utilized during this contract to include the capacity of these facilities and the waste codes for the waste streams they are permitted to accept by treatment technology. Address, phone number and other contact information shall be provided. The VA reserves the right to inspect each of these facilities before approving its use or at any time during or after contract period while VA wastes are present. Copy of Operator permit(s) Provide a copy of US EPA identification number(s) certificate for each business entity operated by the contractor that will provide service regarding any aspect of VA waste disposal program (i.e. storage, transfer, incinerator sites). Provided a copy of certificate of registration with the State EPA as a hazardous waste transporter for each business entity operated by the contractor that will provide hazardous waste transportation services for any aspect of VA waste disposal program. Provide a detailed SITE-SPECIFIC safety plan that will be used to ensure that workers and nearby population will be adequately protected during packaging and removal operations. Provide information identifying any proposed subcontractors and identifying services to be performed by the subcontractors. Contractor must submit evidence that subcontractor is qualified and legally able to provide services. (ALL subcontractors must be approved by the COR prior to performing any duties under this contract). Quality Assurance Plan: The contractor shall have a Quality Control Program to ensure the requirements of this contract are provided as specified. The Contractor shall be liable for all expenses incurred by the Government due to the Contractor s inability to perform in accordance with these requirements. The contractor will be expected to meet all the needs of the contract and required to provide a Quality plan describing how they will meet the needs of this contract. The program shall include, but will not be limited to, the following: An inspection system covering the services listed in the Statement of Work. It must specify areas of work to be inspected on a scheduled basis. A method of identifying deficiencies in the quality of services performed before the level of performance becomes unacceptable. A record of all inspections conducted by the contractor and any corrective action taken. The documented Quality Control Program and records of inspections shall be made available to the Government upon request. All information received will be provided either verbally and/or in writing to the contractor for appropriate action. Quality Measures Performance Objectives Performance Standard Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) Method of Monitoring Disincentive 1) All scheduled pick up of Medical Waste Picked up from designated holding areas per schedule of service 100% COR will review manifest and monitor monthly using QA Performance Review checklist 5% deduction from monthly invoice for failure to meet AQL 2) Training Contractor maintains current Hepatitis shots, TB testing, Blood Bourne, Blood Pathogen, DOT and EPA training and adhere to stations Privacy Policy. 100% COR will review current records. 5% deduction from monthly invoice for failure to meet AQL 3) Weekly pick up of medical waste containers for cleaning /replace w/clean containers. All containers must be clean sterilized upon arrival to facility 100% COR will review manifest and monitor monthly using QA Performance Review checklist 5% deduction from monthly invoice for failure to meet AQL 4) Licensing of Employees and Vehicles Contractor maintains current licenses 100% COR will request copies of current licenses annually 5% deduction from monthly invoice for failure to meet AQL. 6) Customer Satisfaction By the number of positive and negative complaints provide by customer. 98% COR will make weekly inspections throughout the facility 1% reduction in monthly invoice for every documented defect over two (2) Attachment A Service Locations a. Alvin C. York VA Medical Center 3400 Lebanon Pike Murfreesboro, TN 37129 b. Nashville Campus 1310 24th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37212 c. Chattanooga VA Outpatient Clinic 6098 Debra Rd Suite 5200, Bldg. 6200 Chattanooga, Tennessee 37411 d. Charlotte Avenue Clinic 1919 Charlotte Avenue Nashville, TN 37203 e. Women Veterans Healthcare Center 1919 Charlotte Avenue Suite 300 Nashville, TN 37203 f. Albion Street Outpatient Clinic 1818 Albion Street Nashville, TN 37208 g. Tullahoma Outpatient Clinic 225 Von Karman Road Arnold Air Force Base, TN 37389 h. Clarksville Dental Clinic 2291 Dalton Drive Suite F Clarksville, TN 37043 i. International Plaza VA Clinic 2 International Plaza Suite 300 Nashville, TN 37217 j. Clarksville VA Medical Clinic 782 Weatherly Drive Clarksville, TN 37043 Anticipated period of performance: 01/15/2024 01/14/2029. Capability statement /information sought: Response to this announcement shall not to exceed 10 pages and should include the following information: (1) A tailored capability statement indicating the firm s ability to provide a product and related services; (2) The respondents DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., SDVOSB/VOSB, etc,) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code; (3) Information should be provided electronically in a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Please e-mail your response with the above information michael.mccarthy5@va.gov with the subject line "Sources Sought Notice # 36C24924Q0098 by 10:00 a.m. CST on 12/18/2023. Any question should be emailed to michael.mccarthy5@va.gov. Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).