Description This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products and commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Products and Commercial Services, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested, and a written solicitation document will not be issued. This solicitation is issued as an RFQ. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through the most current Federal Acquisition Circular. The most current Federal Acquisition Circular can be found at Acquisition.gov. This solicitation is set-aside for Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB). The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 811210, Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance, with a small business size standard of $34.0 million. The FSC/PSC is J066 Maint/repair/rebuild Of Equipment- Instruments and Laboratory Equipment. The VA Connecticut Healthcare System (CACHS) is seeking to a contractor to perform Autoclave Preventative Maintenance. All interested companies shall provide quotations for the following: Supplies/Services Line Item Description Quantity Unit of Measure Unit Price Total Price 0001 Base Year: Preventative Maintenance 12 MO 1001 Option Year 1: Preventative Maintenance 12 MO 2001 Option Year 2: Preventative Maintenance 12 MO 3001 Option Year 3: Preventative Maintenance 12 MO 4001 Option Year 4: Preventative Maintenance 12 MO Statement of Work Laboratory Autoclave and Medical Sterilizer Preventative Maintenance BACKGROUND VA Connecticut Healthcare Systems (VACHS) requires the periodic evaluation and preventative maintenance for medical and laboratory autoclaves and sterilizers. VACHS, requires the contractor to provide specialized services for all labor, transportation, and the expertise necessary for periodic evaluation of and preventative maintenance required to maintain effective sanitizing processes. JUSTIFICATION VACHS necessitates a PM program that considers both medical and laboratory grade requirements for maintenance of sanitizing equipment. LOCATIONS OF SERVICES VA Medical Center West Haven 950 Campbell Ave West Haven, CT 06516 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The anticipated period of performance will be a one base year with four (one) year options. QUALIFICATIONS Vendor shall have no less than 5 years experience maintaining and repairing medical and laboratory grade autoclaves and sanitizers. To be eligible for consideration, the vendor shall have a field service representative located within 200 miles of the West Haven campus of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. Vendor shall possess OEM specific training or certifications associated with the maintenance and repair of any medical grade equipment. SCOPE OF WORK The vendor shall provide all labor, specialized services, and travel necessary for periodic evaluations, and preventative maintenance as outlined by the equipment specific OEM. Upon discovery of a need for repairs that fall outside of the scope of typical maintenance, the vendor shall submit an invoice for the cost of labor, and materials to be considered for a modification to the current period of performance. Work shall occur during regular business hours between 7:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. or as coordinated with the COR and/or appropriate FMS POC. The vendor shall provide full report detailing the results of evaluations and preventative maintenance performed no more than 10 working days after the completion of the work. The report should provide at a minimum the details of the maintenance performed, a listing of issues identified, and the follow-on corrective actions performed and or recommended. OBJECTIVES The periodic maintenance shall be in conformance with the following standards/codes/specifications to include but not limited to: OEM specifications and maintenance manuals on recommended services and maintenance. Dept. of Veterans Affairs Master Construction Specification Division 11 Sections 11 71 01 & 11 71 02. American National Standards Institute/Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (ANSI/AAMI): ST8, ST79, and ST55. The contractor will be responsible for coordinating, scheduling, and reporting all work-related activities. The responsibilities shall include but are not limited to the following: Periodic visual inspections of the equipment listed in Table 1. Maintenance actions IAW OEM recommended services. This shall include, but is not limited to: Checking the system for steam and water leaks and replacement of any defective seals, O-rings and gaskets. Verification of Chamber Pressure/Vacuum and gauge indication. Maintenance of steam coils and Chamber Cleaning. Inspection of and/or replacement of water and air filters, and inspection of the drains. Maintenance of the heater. Lubricating and maintenance of mechanical components (i.e. door hinges, door latch, etc.) Maintenance of valves, automatic valves, and safety valves and drain valves. Maintenance of electrical components and wiring. Maintenance of controls and control systems (PLC, Touchscreen, Probes, Relays & Transducers, Alarms, etc.). Site: Bldg.: Room: Manufacturer: M/N: S/N: West Haven 2 2218 Consolidated SR-24D 20205 West Haven 2 2220 Consolidated SSR-3A-PB 120701 West Haven 3 E106 Market Forge STM-EL 188794 West Haven 4 217 Market Forge STM-F 208230 West Haven 34 117 Market Forge STM-EL 071042 Table 1: Listing of Autoclaves Requiring Preventative Maintenance at VHACT Additional items in need of rework/repair that are identified during the scope of the work outlined above shall be reported via email and by phone or in person NLT EOD on the day of discovery. Repairs shall not be made without the consent of the CO/COR. Coordinate all placement and removal of Lockout Tagout devices for any energy sources with FMS VA COR/Maintenance & Operations. Coordinate all confined space entry with VA Safety Department and FMS VA COR/Maintenance & Operations. Protect all equipment in place during work activities. Contractor shall provide a full report detailing all maintenance activities performed for each visit, the names of individuals performing the maintenance, and a summary of any notable concerns that can otherwise impair the functionality of the equipment. Work hours for service and corrective maintenance shall be as follows, unless otherwise requested/approved by the COR or appropriate VA representative: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. SUBMITTALS/DELIVERABLES Prior to the start of work, the specifications shall require the contractor to develop and submit such plans as required by the VA relating to Safety and Environmental Issues. These may include but are not limited to: Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) / Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) Acknowledgement of VA LOTO requirements (Attachment C) and contractor LOTO policy. The contractor shall submit any waste manifest documents as applicable with final reports. Subcontracting of any ensuing award of this solicitation shall not be allowed without written permission of the Contracting Officer. Service response on calls from unauthorized personnel could result in non-payment. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS Subcontracting of any ensuing award of this solicitation shall not be allowed without written permission of the Contracting Officer. Service response on calls from unauthorized personnel could result in non-payment. Federal Holidays observed by the department of Veterans Affairs are as follows: New Years Labor Day MLK Day Columbus Day Presidents Day Veterans Day Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Juneteenth Christmas Day Independence Day Contractor Check-in: All employees of the service provider shall comply with VA Security Management Program and obtain permission of the VA Police and restricted from unauthorized access. Upon arrival, the contractor shall sign-in at Building 15, FMS office in West Haven, or Building 3, 3rd Floor, FMS office in Newington, and/or receive a temporary identification badge prior to performing services at VA Connecticut Healthcare System. The contractor shall wear visible identification always displaying the name and company ID while on site. All site visits shall be coordinated with the VA COR. The Contracting Officer (CO), Contracting Officer s Representative (COR), and/or Project Manager (PM) specifically reserve the right to reject any of the Contractor s personnel and refuse them permission to work on the equipment outlined herein, based upon credentials provided. Per VA Directive 1805, smoking vaping, and smokeless tobacco are prohibited on the grounds of VA facilities, including in vehicles. This Directive applies to all Service providers and their employees. No photography of VA premises is allowed without written permission of the contracting officer. Patients and staff are not to be photographed at any time. VA reserves the right to close down or shut down the facilities and order Service provider employees off the premises in the event of a national emergency. The Service provider may return to the site only with the written approval of the VA Contracting Officer. Prior to commencing work onsite, all Service providers and provider personnel shall furnish proof of receipt of required COVID vaccinations and boosters in compliance with current VHA Directives. Prior to commencing work onsite, all Service providers and provider personnel shall furnish proof of receipt of required Tuberculosis testing in compliance with VHA Directive 1131(5), dated June 04, 2021. Parking for Service provider and its employees shall be in designated areas only. Service provider to coordinate with COR. The Service provider shall confine all operations (including storage of materials) on government premises to areas authorized or approved by the VA Contracting Officer. The Service provider shall hold and save the government, its officers, and agents, free and harmless from liability of any nature occasioned by the Service provider s performance. Working space and space available for storing materials shall be as determined by the COR. Workers are subject to the rules of the Medical Center applicable to their conduct. Execute work in such a manner as to reduce impacts with work being done by others. Billing: Provide COR and/or PM with a report or statement of work completed and include statements with request for payment. Statement should include service completed and the date each service item was completed. Labor charges shall be billed hourly, and any unused labor totals will be credited back to the VA Medical Center on the next billing cycle, upon receipt of the service report. RECORDS MANAGEMENT STATEMENT Contractor shall comply with all applicable records management laws and regulations, as well as National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records policies, including but not limited to the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. chs. 21, 29, 31, 33), NARA regulations at 36 CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B, and those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). These policies include the preservation of all records, regardless of form or characteristics, mode of transmission, or state of completion. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, all data created for Government use and delivered to, or falling under the legal control of, the Government are Federal records subject to the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended and must be managed and scheduled for disposition only as permitted by statute or regulation. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, Contractor shall maintain all records created for Government use or created in the course of performing the contract and/or delivered to, or under the legal control of the Government and must be managed in accordance with Federal law. Electronic records and associated metadata must be accompanied by sufficient technical documentation to permit understanding and use of the records and data. VA Medical Center West Haven and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of the VA Medical Center West Haven or destroyed except for in accordance with the provisions of the agency records schedules and with the written concurrence of the Head of the Contracting Activity. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. In the event of any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records, Contractor must report to VA Medical Center West Haven. The agency must report promptly to NARA in accordance with 36 CFR 1230. The Contractor shall immediately notify the appropriate Contracting Officer upon discovery of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of information, data, documentary materials, records or equipment. Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know as described in the [contract vehicle]. The Contractor shall ensure that the appropriate personnel, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is properly protected. The Contractor shall not remove material from Government facilities or systems, or facilities or systems operated or maintained on the Government s behalf, without the express written permission of the Head of the Contracting Activity. When information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is no longer required, it shall be returned to VA Medical Center West Haven control, or the Contractor must hold it until otherwise directed. Items returned to the Government shall be hand carried, mailed, emailed, or securely electronically transmitted to the Contracting Officer or address prescribed in the [contract vehicle]. Destruction of records is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED unless in accordance with Paragraph (4). The Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, contracts. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and VA Medical Center West Haven guidance for protecting sensitive, proprietary information, classified, and controlled unclassified information. The Contractor shall only use Government IT equipment for purposes specifically tied to or authorized by the contract and in accordance with VA Medical Center West Haven policy. The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public VA Medical Center West Haven information that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract. The Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected from public disclosure by an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act. The VA Medical Center West Haven owns the rights to all data and records produced as part of this contract. All deliverables under the contract are the property of the U.S. Government for which VA Medical Center West Haven shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest. Any Contractor rights in the data or deliverables must be identified as required by FAR 52.227-11 through FAR 52.22720. Training. All Contractor employees assigned to this contract who create, work with, or otherwise handle records are required to take VHA-provided records management training, Talent Management System (TMS) Item #3873736, Records Management for Records Officers and Liaisons. The Contractor is responsible for confirming training has been completed according to agency policies, including initial training and any annual or refresher training. SAFETY CODES / CERTIFICATION / LICENSING The Contractor shall comply with all codes as described above, as well as codes customarily applied in VA repair such as NFPA fire code, OSHA, VA Design Guides, etc. Labs used by the contractor shall be licensed as required by any applicable governing agencies, and their certifications and licenses shall be included in the reports. TRAVEL Vendor will travel from their place of business to the Newington and West Haven VAMC of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. TERMS AND CONDITIONS User Responsibility: The contractor shall not be held responsible under the terms of this contract for repairs to equipment necessitated by user abuse and/or misuse of equipment. All work is subject to inspection, review and approval by the Plumbing Shop Supervisor, Utility System Supervisor, Chief M&O, Chief Engineer, and/or their designees. All quoters shall submit the following: 1. Questions: Any questions must be submitted in writing no later than Friday, May 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM EST. Answers to the questions will be posted the following week. 2. Quote: Offeror shall provide a quote using the table above. Offerors must also provide all applicable labor rates for the solicited services so they can be compared to the applicable wage determination for compliance with the Service Contract Labor Standards. All quotes shall be sent to the Contract Specialist, Rosangela Pereira at Rosangela.Pereira@va.gov. Award will be based upon a comparative evaluation of quotes in accordance with the Simplified Acquisition Procedures of FAR 13. Comparative evaluation is the side by side pairwise comparison of quotes based on factors resulting in a Contracting Officer decision for the quote most favorable to the Government. The following are the decision factors: Price: Quotes will be compared by price. Technical: The offeror s quote shall be evaluated to determine if the organization has the experience and capabilities to provide the requested services IAW the Statement of Work in a timely efficient manner. Contractor shall provide specification sheets for proposed equipment and include within the solicitation response. The award will be made to the response most advantageous to the Government. Responses should contain your best terms, conditions. Submission of your response shall be received not later than Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 5:00 PM EST. All quotes shall be emailed to Rosangela Pereira at Rosangela.Pereira@va.gov. Late submissions shall be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1. Any questions or concerns regarding this solicitation should be forwarded in writing via e-mail to the Point of Contact listed below. Point of Contact: Rosangela Pereira, Rosangela.Pereira@va.gov
