Synopsis: Please note that this is NOT a request for quotes or proposals, the Government is seeking information for market research purposes only. Network Contracting Office (NCO) 2 of the Department of Veterans Affairs is currently conducting a market survey for qualified firms capable of providing Hudson Valley HCS Water Plant & Waste Plant Operation and Maintenance Contract. The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) is 221320. Responses to this notice must be submitting in writing (email) and must be received not later than August 26, 2021 at 10:00AM. Email: Janice.Brooks@va.gov. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. Interested parties MUST provide company/individual name, a capability statement, examples of same or similar work performed at other facilities, DUNS number and address, point of contact and social-economic. The purpose of this notice is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification/socioeconomic status (service-disabled veteran owned small business, veteran owned small business, women owned small business, HUB Zone, 8(a), small business or large business), relative to NAICS 221320. Responses to this notice will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. A solicitation is not currently available. If a solicitation is issued, it will be announced on Federal Business opportunities website http://www.fbo.gov at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this announcement. Operation, Inspection, Testing & Maintenance Water Treatment Plant & Wastewater Treatment Plant at Castle Point & Wastewater Treatment Plant at Montrose 1. Background The Hudson Valley Healthcare System (HVHCS) requires an annual service contract to provide operation, maintenance, and testing of the Water Treatment Plant and the Wastewater Treatment Plant at Castle Point and the Wastewater Treatment Plant at Montrose. The water plant at Castle Point campus produces 50,000 gallons of treated water for daily consumption, the system can produce upwards of 100,000 gallons of treated water daily. The water system consists of two operational Wells producing 55 gpm and 30 gpm and one inactive well, and three raw water holding tanks. The raw water is subsequently pumped from the raw water holding tanks to the main plant. The main plant consists of an operational well water side which includes twin water softeners, activated carbon vessel, Pall filtration system, UV treatment system, and two main Cornell distribution pumps. The plant also has an inactive river water side as well. From the main plant the treated water is pumped into two 150,000-gallon clear well tanks. The treated water is subsequently pumped from the clearwell tanks into the water distribution lines which ultimately fills the campus 300,000 gallon Water Tower. The wastewater plant at Castle Point Campus is currently designed and permitted for 0.25 Million Gallons Per day (MGD). The plant is currently under loaded and only see average flows of 0.08 MGD, with maximum monthly average flow of 0.13 MGD. The plant serves a medical center of approximately 2500 patients, staff, and visitors daily. The plant process flows through and consists of a Parshall flume, comminutor, aeration tank, chlorination chamber, primary and secondary settling tanks, tricking filter, equalizing tank w/ aeration blowers, and sludge digester and heater, and laboratory. The plant is currently under construction, a project is underway to upgrade the trickling filter system at the plant. The plant is operating under bypass, directly bypassing the Wastewater flow to the equalizer tank which has two aeration blowers and biological seeding to function as an activated sludge process. The construction is expected to be complete by June 2022. The wastewater plant at Montrose Campus is currently permitted for 0.4 MGD. The plant is under loaded and only see a present flow of approximately 0.15 MGD. The plant serves a medical center of approximately 3000 patients, staff, and visitors daily. The plant process flows through bar screens, comminutors, primary and secondary settling tanks, anaerobic digester & heat exchanger, , chlorine contact chamber (inactive six months out of the year), trickling filter, chemical flocculation tank, TSS monitor, Recirculation Tank, Parshall Flume, and outflow to the UV Plant where the final disinfection is done by ultraviolet (UV) before discharging to the Hudson River. The UV plant is only operational by permit six months out of the year. The water & waste water treatment facilities are essential to the operation of the medical center providing clean, potable safe water for drinking, food production, bathing and ensuring the waste from the facility is properly treated protecting the environment before being discharged into the Hudson River. 2. Place of Performance Department of Veterans Affairs Hudson Valley Health Care System VAMC Castle Point Campus 41 Castle Point Road Wappinger Falls, New York 12590 Department of Veterans Affairs Hudson Valley Health Care System VAMC-FDR-Montrose Campus 2094 Albany Post Road Montrose, New York 10548 2a. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE Base Period: October 01, 2021 September 30, 2022 Option Period One (1): October 01, 2022 September 30, 2023 Option Period Two (2): October 01, 2023 September 30, 2024 3. Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to establish a firm fixed price contract with a qualified firm that can provide complete operation, inspection, testing and maintenance of the waste water treatment facility at Montrose and the water production & waste water treatment facilities at Castle Point. The procurement & service described herein is required to achieve these objectives. 4. DEFINITIONS/ACRONYMS: CLINS Contract Line Items CO Contracting Officer. The Federal employee who is warranted by the Government to enter into contracts on behalf of the Government and is the only person authorized to make changes to those contracts. COR Contracting Officer s Representative. DCDOH Dutchess County Department of Health FFP Firm-Fixed Price M.A.A. - Medical Administrative Assistant. It is the person in charge of the hospital during WHEN hours NFPA National Fire Protection Association NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation NYSDOH New York State Department Of Health OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration QCP Quality Control Plan SPDES State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System VA Department of Veterans WCDOH Westchester County Department of Health WHEN HOURS Weekends, Holidays, Evenings and Nights 5. Environmental Issues There are no known environmental issues at the building sites. If the contractor encounters any suspicious material, i.e., lead paint or asbestos; bring it to the attention of the COR immediately. 6. Environmental Procedures The contractor shall obtain, maintain, adhere to and pay for the NYSDEC State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Discharge Permit for both campuses (Castle Point and Montrose). The contractor shall obtain, maintain, adhere to and pay for the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health Water supply Permit. The contractor shall adhere to All federal, state, and local codes and requirements for water treatment plants and wastewater treatment plants at ALL times. The Contractor shall comply with the VA Sustainability and Green Environmental Management procedures. An inventory list as well as all SDS for the chemicals shall be properly maintained in accordance with all federal, state, and local regulatory agencies 7. Contractor's Responsibilities The contractor shall obtain all necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform this work. The contractor shall take all precautions necessary to protect persons and property from injury or damage during the performance of this contract. He/she shall be responsible for any injury to him or herself, his/her employees or others, as well as for any damage to personal or public property caused by the contractor or the contractor's employees during the performance of this contract. The contractor shall maintain personal liability and property damage insurance prescribed by the laws of the State of New York. The contractor shall prohibit his/her employees from disturbing papers on desks, opening desk drawers or cabinets, or using telephones or office equipment provided for official Medical Center use. Contractor shall require his/her employees to comply with the instructions pertaining to conduct and other regulations called to the contractor's attention by the Contracting Officer, COR, and Federal Protective Officers. The contractor shall, at all times, enforce strict discipline and good order among the workers on the project, and shall not employ on the work any unfit person or anyone not skilled in the work assigned to him/her. CONTRACTOR AND HIS/HER EMPLOYEES ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED FROM SMOKING ANYWHERE IN MEDICAL CENTER BUILDINGS. Contractor is responsible for all costs for transportation, lodging, meals and other personal necessities for its employees and subcontractors. Contractor is responsible for the shipping costs and logistics for all tools and equipment necessary for the performance of this contract. CONTRACTOR'S TITLE TO MATERIALS: No materials or supplies for the work shall be purchased by the contractor or by any subcontractor subject to any chattel mortgage or under a conditional sale or other agreement by which an interest is retained by the seller. The contractor warrants that he has clear title to all materials and supplies for which he invoices for payment. SUBCONTRACTS: The contractor shall remain fully liable and responsible for the work to be done by his subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all requirements of the contract. Contractor Use of the Premises USE OF PREMISES AND REMOVAL OF DEBRIS: The contractor expressly undertakes, either directly or through its subcontractor(s): a) To perform this contract in such a manner as not to interrupt or interfere with the operation of any existing activity on the premises or at the location of the work. b) To clean up frequently, all refuse, rubbish, scrap materials and debris caused by its operation, to the extent that at all times the site of the work shall present a neat, orderly and workmanlike appearance. 9. RECOGNIZED HOLIDAYS: The contractor is not required to perform services on the following holidays: New Year s Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Jr. s Birthday Columbus Day President s Day Veteran s Day Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Independence Day Christmas Day HOURS OF OPERATION: a) The contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of 8:00AM to 4:30 PM, Sunday thru Saturday. b) Contractor may for his/her convenience request authorization in advance from the COR to work outside of regular working hours of regular work days at no additional cost to the medical center. Authorization shall be at the discretion of the COR 9. Protection of Public/Staff The buildings will be occupied & plants will remain operational during the term of this contract. The contractor shall ensure the job site is protected from unauthorized entry. The building shall remain safe with access and egress for authorized personnel. 10. Housekeeping The project site shall be kept in a neat, orderly, and safe condition at all times. 11. Quality Control Program The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with this contract. The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor s quality control program is the means by which he assures himself that his work complies with the requirement of the contract. After acceptance of the quality control plan the contractor shall receive the contracting officer s acceptance in writing of any proposed change to his QC system. FINAL QC MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE COR WITHIN FIVE (5) BUSINESS DAYS OF RECEIPT OF AWARD. The QCP shall include: a) An inspection system covering all the services described in the contract. A checklist used in inspecting contract performance during regularly scheduled or unscheduled inspections, and the names of the individuals performing the inspection. b) The checklist shall include every area of the contractor's operation as well as every task required to be performed. c) A system for identifying and correcting deficiencies in the quality of services before the level of performance becomes unacceptable and/or the COR inspectors point out the deficiencies. d) A file of all inspections conducted by the contractor and the corrective action taken. This documentation shall be made available to the COR upon request at any time during the term of the contract. 12. Subcontracts No portion of the work shall be subcontracted without prior written consent of the Contracting Officer. In the event that the contractor desires to subcontract some part of the work specified herein, the contractor shall furnish the Contracting Officer with the names, qualifications and experience of their proposed subcontractor(s). The contractor shall, however, remain fully liable and responsible for the work to be done by his/her subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all requirements of the contract. 13. Exclusions The contractor shall not be liable for any loss, damage or delay caused by acts of fire, explosion, floods, riot, civil commotion, war, act of God, or by any cause beyond his/her reasonable control, nor shall he/she be liable for consequential damages from such causes. The following work is specifically excluded from this contract. Repair or replacement made necessary due to the negligence or misuse of the equipment by persons other than the contractor, his/her representatives or his/her employees. The Contracting Officer must approve, in advance, any extra charge work attributed to vandalism or misuse. No invoice will be paid without prior approval. Any repairs due to misuse or negligence shall be billed according to the labor rate specified in the pricing schedule. Parts will be billed at actual invoiced cost. 14. Security Requirements Contractors and his/her employees and sub-contractors are required to conform to VHA s security and privacy requirements as described below. The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring compliance by its employees with the security regulations of VA, VHA and other Government installations or Contractor facilities where work is performed under this Contract. This includes the safekeeping and display of a Government-provided photo ID badge for employees of the Contractor and any subcontractors while these employees are in federally owned or leased property. The Contractor will ensure the security of all VA and VHA property, building ID badges, key cards and standard keys issued to Contractor staff. For employees leaving the project permanently or for an extended period, the Contractor will return all badges, property, key cards, parking placards, and keys, etc. the same day the employees leave the project. Background Investigations: VHA s HCA work environment is considered sensitive but unclassified. VHA is required under the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors to perform a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) for Contractors. The NACI is a brief form of background investigation that is conducted through the Office of Personnel Management. This investigation will be conducted for Contractor staff assigned to this contract. Contractor staff will be required to provide two forms of acceptable identification, provide a current photograph, and be finger-printed. Successful clearance is required for an employee to continue working under this Contract. Per the PERSONAL IDENTITY VERIFICATION OF CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL clause of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR 52.204-9): The Contractor shall comply with agency personal identity verification procedures identified in the contract that implement Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance M-05-24, and Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) Number 201. Contractor personnel must have in their possession for inspection by VA Police Department a valid state or government issued identification such as drivers license or passport. Personnel may be required to surrender their ID to the VA Police to obtain a temporary day pass at the discretion of VA Police. ID will be returned upon leaving US Government property. Personnel designated to be on station on a regular permanent basis will be subject applying for and obtaining a US Government Department of Veterans Affairs PIV and associated background investigation. The C&A requirements do not apply and that the Security Accreditation Package is not required. The Contractor shall insert this clause in all subcontracts when the subcontractor is required to have physical access to a federally controlled facility or access to a Federal information system. The Government may, at its sole discretion, direct the contractor to remove any contractor employee from U.S. VA/VHA facilities for misconduct or security reasons. Removal does not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility to continue providing the services required under any Contract awarded. The Contracting Officer will provide the contractor with a written explanation to support any request to remove an employee. The contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the United States Government if that employment would appear to cause a conflict of interest. The contractor shall require all employees, including supervisors, to wear distinctive uniform clothing for easy identification, and assure that every employee is in uniform no later than the time specified by the COR, or otherwise no later than ten (10) working days from the date an employee first enters on duty. The uniform shall have the contractor's name, easily identifiable, affixed thereon in a permanent or semi-permanent manner, such as a badge or monogram. Disclosed Information: Though there is no anticipation of information protected by the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 to be disclosed during the performance of this task, all personnel assigned to this Contract are required to take proper precautions to protect privacy information from disclosure in the case that such disclosures are made. Commitment to Protect Sensitive Information: The Contractor shall not release, publish, or disclose sensitive information to unauthorized personnel, and shall protect such information in accordance with provisions of the following laws and any other pertinent laws and regulations governing the confidentiality of sensitive information: 18 U.S.C. 641 (Criminal Code: Public Money, Property or Records) The Contractor, his/her employees, former employees, sub-contractors and former sub-contractors shall not discuss their work performed under this contract, plant conditions or information relating to VA Hudson Valley to anyone other than the authorized US Government Employees with a specific need to know. PRIVACY ACT: a) Disclosed Information: Though there is no anticipation of information protected by the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 to be disclosed during the performance of this task, all personnel assigned to this Contract are required to take proper precautions to protect privacy information from disclosure in the case that such disclosures are made. b) Commitment to Protect Sensitive Information: The Contractor shall not release, publish, or disclose sensitive information to unauthorized personnel, and shall protect such information in accordance with provisions of the following laws and any other pertinent laws and regulations governing the confidentiality of sensitive information: 18 U.S.C. 641 (Criminal Code: Public Money, Property or Records) 15. Progress Meetings A kickoff meeting will be held within 5 business days of contract award. Thereafter progress meetings will be held between the VA-COR Engineering Leadership and the Contractors Project Manager on an as-needed basis in order to address issues that arise during the year. 16. Government Furnished Items, Services & Responsibilities Space may be assigned to the contractor for the storage of his/her supplies, material and the equipment, which he/she will use in the performance of work under this contract. This space shall be kept in a neat and orderly condition. Space assigned to the contractor may be changed by the Medical Center during the term of this contract, at no additional cost. The Medical Center will not be responsible in any way for damage to the contractor's stored supplies, materials, replacement parts or equipment Contracting Officer (CO): The Contracting Officer has the overall responsibility for the administration of this contract. He/she, alone, without delegation, is authorized to act on behalf of the Medical Center to: Amend, modify or deviate from the contract terms, conditions, requirements, specifications, details and/or delivery schedules. However, he/she may delegate certain other responsibilities to his/her authorized representatives. Contracting Officer's Representative (COR): The COR will be designated at time of award. The COR will assist the CO in the discharge of his/her responsibilities. The responsibilities of the COR include, but are not limited to: Determining the adequacy of performance by the contractor in accordance with the terms and conditions of this contract; acting as the Medical Center's representative in charge of the work at the site; ensuring the compliance with contract requirements insofar as the work is concerned; and advising the CO of any factors which may cause delay in performance of the work. 17. DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS: GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The following requirements are applicable to the Water and Wastewater Plants at both campus. Vendor shall review, sign, provide all monthly operation reports. These monthly reports must be submitted to the COR on or before the 10th calendar day of each month for the preceding month. These reports shall contain at a minimum: the daily operation, any problems, testing, and water flow for the day, etc. Where applicable vendor shall submit monthly testing reports, any required NYS and/ or any county reports to the NYS DEC, Westchester DOH, and / or Duchess County DOH in the manner required by the respective agency. Contractor shall also be responsible for providing the COR with a summary quarterly report as well as a yearly report for each plant describing the operation and performance of the plants The contractor shall furnish all material, labor, supervision, tools, and equipment necessary to provide full management and operation of the water treatment plant and the wastewater treatment plants, including all inspections, adjustments, tests, replacement parts, and repairs necessary to keep both plants in continuous use at their initial performance ability (capacity, safety, and efficiency) as originally specified by the equipment manufacturer, and as modified thereafter. Contractor shall have in his possession, throughout the term of the contract, all diagnostic equipment necessary to fully maintain, test, repair, adjust and/or re-program the systems. All adjustments, repairs and modifications must be in strict compliance with the current editions of the New York State Sanitary Code and General and Special conditions of the NYSDEC s State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Discharge Permit (see attached) for the facility. Contractor must time in and time out of each plant daily. Contractors must sign in and out with the MAA during WHEN hours and at the Engineering Main Office during normal business hours. Vendor shall conduct all annual safety test requirements in accordance with the latest codes and requirements of NFPA and OSHA, Dutchess County DOH, Westchester County DOH and NYSDEC. When applicable vendor shall consult with regulatory agencies, including the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and Dutchess County Department of Health (DCDOH), Westchester County Department of Health (WCDOH) as needed with respect to the operation of the water and wastewater treatment plants. This includes any meetings with these agencies as required as well as preparing a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) as per NYS Department of Health. Fines levied by any regulating agency due to contractor s negligence shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. All tests, inspections, or maintenance repairs that will remove equipment from service shall be scheduled in advance with the COR. OPERATION & TESTING The following requirements are applicable to the Water and Wastewater Plants at both campus. Contractor shall provide all required chemicals, glassware, laboratory instruments and testing equipment for the proper operation and analytical testing of both plants. Existing VA owned test equipment may be used, but must be calibrated, repaired, or replaced by the contractor at no cost to the VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System. Contractor is responsible for filling out all New York State reports and providing reports to the VA. Residual chlorine for potable water shall be maintained between 1 and 2 ppm, or other palatable or dietary level deemed by the VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System, at the point of use. Contractor shall provide daily NYSDEC Licensed operators (minimum one operator at the WTP & WWTP in Castle Point and minimum one operator at the WWTP in Montrose) for plant operations and maintenance for both the water treatment and wastewater treatment plants. Operators shall be licensed to operate the plants in accordance with the NYS regulations. The operators shall be available to operate the various plants Monday through Sunday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Vendor shall provide operators for a minimum of 56 man-hours per week at each campus. All safety tests and/or other tests and inspections shall be performed by the contractor at the required frequency and in strict accordance with applicable codes such as SPDES, NYSDEC, OSHA, DCDOH, and NYSDOH, WCDOH. Vendor shall submit a report with test result information Contractor shall be required to attach test tags after testing as specified by Code, such as at the pumps, valves, etc. All tests or inspections that will remove equipment from normal operation shall be scheduled a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours in advance with the COR. The contractor shall be responsible for the installation of signs and/or barricades as related to equipment and/or systems as deemed necessary by the COR. This includes the use of "out of service" signs. The contractor shall make available the uninterrupted services of at least one employee to accompany independent and or regulatory agency inspectors during the course of routine, period inspection and/or any type of inspection. The inspectors used by the Medical Center on this contract may or may not work for the Medical Center. An outside company may be used to perform inspections. Vendor shall keep plants clean and in an orderly manner, free of debris. Vendor shall clean plant on a weekly basis or as frequently required to keep the plants in an orderly manner. WATER PLANT AT CASTLE POINT CAMPUS & WATER MONITORING REQUIREMENTS The contractor shall furnish all labor, supplies, materials to collect samples and process for analysis by procurement of NYS Certified Laboratory necessary for water system monitoring for the following: Refer to Attachment D for Castle Point Campus Water Monitoring Requirements and testing requirement. The monitoring and testing requirements are not limited to the items listed in the attachment. The vendor responsibility to comply with additional testing requirements required by regional agencies (NYSDEC, Dutchess county DOH). Vendor shall be responsible for remaining current in their test methods and testing and monitoring requirements as they amended by the regional agencies. Reports shall be delivered to the COR. Refer to Attachment F for Campus Hospital Laboratory water testing requirements, testing shall include twice per month (2 / month) collection of water samples for analysis. Reports shall be delivered to the COR. This requirement is applicable for both campus (Castle Point and Montrose) Laboratory. Vendor shall comply with attachment B for Montrose Campus Water Monitoring Requirements Vendor shall comply with Attachment I for Castle Point Campus Residual Chlorine Analysis Requirements. Shall perform secondary hot water system chlorination in Bld. 15E & 15H at Castle Point to the secondary hot water system. Chlorination to include the daily testing (5 days per week). The contractor shall perform and prepare an annual Drinking Water Report on Quality. The annual water quality report shall submit to the VA for review and approval prior to submitting to the Dutchess county. Vendor shall prepare and submit subsequent certification forms to notify the applicable agency that the annual drinking report has been sent to the water customers. The Contractor will be responsible for monitoring requirements as per Part 5 of the New York State Sanitary Code and/or EPA and/or New York State Health Department. Annually the vendor shall remove five buoys marking the water intake line at the Castle Point Water Treatment plant every fall and re-install the buoys every spring. Vendor shall confirm removal and install dates with VA COR. The buoys shall be stored in the new pump house Building 114 during the winter months. Vendor shall be responsible for operating all the equipment in the water plant and adjoined buildings that supply water to the main and water tower, a limited list of the major equipment is listed in Attachment H. Within the first 6 months of contract vendor shall submit a more detailed list of the equipment in the plant. Vendor shall monitor well water level in active wells on a quarterly basis and include in the current month s monthly report. The water level reports shall include well static water level and well level while pump is in in operation for 30 minutes (readings shall be conducted at 5-minute intervals). WASTEWATER PLANT AT CASTLE POINT CAMPUS The following performance levels (which do not include all that is required) shall be maintained at all times: (1) Daily decanting and pumping to anaerobic digester seven days a week. (2) Digester to be maintained between 92-95 degrees F. (3) Influent, primary effluent, and final effluent settable solids test must be performed daily (4) Monitor and test PH levels every 3 hours during normal plant operating hours. The Wastewater plant is currently under construction, vendor shall be required to provide all required laboratory testing and be able to operate the plant with an activated sludge process while the plant is under construction. Once construction is completed the trickling filter will be online and vendor shall have the ability to operate this system as well as provide required testing. All cost for labor, equipment, and materials related to the changing nature of the plant should be accounted for in the contract. The plant will be under construction until June of 2022. In addition, the vendor shall be able to modify NYSDEC and/or DCDOH required reporting documents to support the changing needs of the ongoing WWTP construction project. The vendor shall also attend coordination meetings when requested and provide shutdowns and operate equipment to support the construction project. Vendor shall remove daily all accumulated rags from bar screen and various rag screening devices and dispose of rags in accordance with all federal and local regulations. Vendor shall be responsible for operating all the equipment in the wastewater plant and adjacent buildings and maintain plant within accepted levels as noted in the plant permit. A limited list of the major equipment is listed in Attachment G. Within the first 6 months of contract vendor shall submit a more detailed list of the equipment in the plant. Refer to Attachment C for current Wastewater plant permit, monitoring, and testing requirements. WASTEWATER PLANT AT FDR CAMPUS The following performance levels (which do not include all that is required) shall be maintained at all times: (1) Daily decanting and pumping to anaerobic digester seven days a week. (2) Digester to be maintained between 92-95 degrees F. (3) Influent, primary effluent, and final effluent settable solids test must be performed daily (4) Monitor and test PH levels every 3 hours during normal plant operating hours. Plant Components Vendor shall remove daily all accumulated rags from bar screen and various rag screening devices and dispose of rags in accordance with all federal and local regulations. Vendor shall be responsible for operating all the equipment in the wastewater plant and adjacent buildings and maintain plant within accepted levels as noted in the plant permit. A limited list of the major equipment is listed in Attachment E. Within the first 6 months of contract vendor shall submit a more detailed list of the equipment in the plant. Refer to attachment A for current Wastewater plant permit, monitoring and testing requirements. MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS The following requirements are applicable to the Water and Wastewater Plants at both campus. The contractor shall have all daily maintenance tickets signed by the COR or his/her designee. The contractor shall furnish all labor, supplies, parts and materials necessary to regularly and systematically clean, examine, adjust and lubricate as required, and if conditions warrant, repair or replace as follows: The contractor shall furnish all labor, supplies, materials and equipment necessary to regularly perform housekeeping of the facilities, neat appearance of all offices, bathrooms, and equipment rooms. Periodically, clean the water treatment and wastewater treatment plants, including all equipment located in the plants. Clean the floors in both plants as needed The contractor will be provided a monthly post preventive maintenance service guide for each plant. This service guide shall list each component, showing schedule of frequency of inspection of each component on a monthly, semi-annually, annually or other frequency. Entries shall be made to indicate the status of schedule items of maintenance work performed. The preventive maintenance service guide shall be kept updated at all times and must be initialed and dated by the contractor's employee to indicate that the work has been accomplished. The service guide shall be available anytime for review at the COR's request. Refer to Attachment B for Castle Point Water Plant equipment list, Attachment C for Castle Point Wastewater Plant equipment list, Attachment D for FDR Waste Water Plant equipment list. When directed by the government the vendor shall perform unscheduled repairs. Unscheduled repairs shall be performed at an additional cost to the government, the vendor shall prepare a repair quote and submit to COR for approval. For clarification, this contract defines preventive maintenance items as parts and components of an equipment listed in the equipment manufacturers maintenance schedule as a regular maintenance item with a designated replacement interval. Cost associated with replacement and repair of these items shall be included in the contract and shall not be reimbursable as an unscheduled repair. WATER PLANT AT CASTLE POINT CAMPUS Annually the vendor shall secure the services of a third-party vendor to conduct inspection and CIP service and preventive maintenance of the pall filtration equipment and its appurtenances, appurtenances included all equipment on the Pall skid including but not limited to media filtration membrane, compressors, pumps, motors, actuated valves, strainers etc. The third-party vendor shall be a certified representative of the manufacturer and approved by the manufacturer of the equipment to perform these services. The vendor shall also submit the information for the selected vendor to the VA for approval prior to scheduling this work item. A report of the third-party vendor s findings shall be submitted to the VA COR after each service. Repairs shall be considered additional to the contract; repairs shall be items not described as operations and maintenance in the contract and / or by the manufacturer of the equipment. Repairs shall be performed as IDIQ clin items. Vendor shall secure the services of a third-party vendor to perform semi-annual preventive maintenance and inspection, and calibration of the Aquionic UV system. Vendor shall be certified by the manufacturer to perform these services and approved by the VA COR. Vendor shall replace annually four UV bulbs in accordance with manufacturers recommendation for the UV system and based on the performance of the system. If the Existing Bulbs are in working order and do not need to be replace, the vendor shall store the excess UV bulbs onsite as spare parts. Vendor shall replace UV lamps, quartz thimble, wiper service kit, seals, tubes, and other misc. components to keep the system in working order. DVGW sensors and Lamp Ballast can be submitted as an unscheduled repair if required to be replaced. A report of the third-party vendor s findings shall be submitted to the VA COR after each service. The contractor will be provided a monthly post preventive maintenance service guide for each plant. This service guide shall list each component, showing schedule of frequency of inspection of each component on a monthly, semi-annually, annually or other frequency. Entries shall be made to indicate the status of schedule items of maintenance work performed. The preventive maintenance service guide shall be kept up to date at all times and must be initialed and dated by the contractor's employee to indicate that the work has been accomplished. The service guide shall be available anytime for review at the COR's request. Vendor shall be responsible for performing preventive maintenance all the equipment in the water plant and adjoined buildings that supply water to the main and water tower, a limited list of the major equipment is listed in Attachment H. Furnish all the required lubricants specified for the various lubrication needs. Lubricants are to be of the proper grade for the purpose used. Maintain a supply of contacts, coils, leads, brushes, lubricants, wiping cloths and other minor parts in each plant for the performance of routine preventive maintenance. During the base contract year, the vendor shall paint all plant walls and equipment pad surfaces, piping, valves, and other appurtenance typically painted to prevent corrosion and extend lifespan of equipment. Vendor shall coordinate painting type and selection with VA COR. Vendor shall have the ability to repair water & equipment oil leaks in the plant buildings, replace fittings as needed on piping to repair leaks. WASTEWATER PLANT AT CASTLE POINT CAMPUS The contractor shall furnish all labor, supplies, parts and materials necessary to regularly and systematically clean, examine, adjust and lubricate as required, and if conditions warrant, repair or replace as follows: Grease, lube, clean, and repack sludge pumps to digester. Lube all valves at the wastewater treatment plant. Replace sludge pump packing. Remove all debris from orifices of trickling filter arms. Annually calibrate and have inspected the wastewater treatment plant flow recorder. Annually draining, cleaning, inspection and adjustment of the clarifier flight and drive mechanisms and report of inspection delivered to the COR. The contractor shall furnish all labor and procurement of NYS licensed waste hauler for the proper collection and disposal of aged sludge from the digester, grit and scum from the headwork s screening and aeration and scum basin and as necessary clarifier sludge hoppers during annual inspections. Approximately 7,000 gallons per month. (4) Furnish all the required lubricants specified for the various lubrication needs. Lubricants are to be of the proper grade for the purpose used. (5) Maintain a supply of contacts, coils, leads, brushes, lubricants, wiping cloths and other minor parts in each plant for the performance of routine preventive maintenance. During the base contract year, the vendor shall paint all plant walls and equipment pad surfaces, piping, valves, and other appurtenance typically painted to prevent corrosion and extend lifespan of equipment. Vendor shall coordinate painting type and selection with VA COR. Vendor shall have the ability to repair water & wastewater, equipment oil leaks in the plant buildings, replace fittings as needed on piping to repair leaks. The contractor will be provided a monthly post preventive maintenance service guide for each plant. This service guide shall list each component, showing schedule of frequency of inspection of each component on a monthly, semi-annually, annually or other frequency. Entries shall be made to indicate the status of schedule items of maintenance work performed. The preventive maintenance service guide shall be kept up to date at all times and must be initialed and dated by the contractor's employee to indicate that the work has been accomplished. The service guide shall be available anytime for review at the COR's request. Vendor shall be responsible for performing preventive maintenance all the equipment in the water plant and adjoined buildings that supply water to the main and water tower, a limited list of the major equipment is listed in Attachment G. WASTEWATER PLANT AT FDR CAMPUS The contractor shall furnish all labor, supplies, parts and materials necessary to regularly and systematically clean, examine, adjust and lubricate as required, and if conditions warrant, repair or replace as follows: Grease, lube, clean, and repack sludge pumps to digester. Lube all valves at the wastewater treatment plant. Replace sludge pump packing. Remove all debris from orifices of trickling filter arms. Annually calibrate and have inspected the wastewater treatment plant flow recorder. Annually draining, cleaning, inspection and adjustment of the clarifier flight and drive mechanisms and report of inspection delivered to the COR. Furnish all the required lubricants specified for the various lubrication needs. Lubricants are to be of the proper grade for the purpose used. Maintain a supply of contacts, coils, leads, brushes, lubricants, wiping cloths and other minor parts in each plant for the performance of routine preventive maintenance. During the base contract year, the vendor shall paint all plant walls and equipment pad surfaces, piping, valves, and other appurtenance typically painted to prevent corrosion and extend lifespan of equipment. Vendor shall coordinate painting type and selection with VA COR. Vendor shall have the ability to repair water, wastewater, & equipment oil leaks in the plant buildings, replace fittings as needed on piping to repair leaks. The contractor shall furnish all labor and procurement of NYS licensed waste hauler for the proper collection and disposal of aged sludge from the digester, grit and scum from the headwork s screening and aeration and scum basin and as necessary clarifier sludge hoppers during annual inspections. Approximately 7,000 gallons per month. Vendor shall secure the services of a manufacturer approved third party vendor to perform semi-annual preventive maintenance and inspection, and calibration of the Trojan UV system and associated pumps. Vendor shall replace annually 8 UV bulbs in accordance with manufacturers recommendation for the UV system and based on the performance of the system. If the Existing Bulbs are in working order and do not need to be replace, the vendor shall store the excess UV bulbs onsite as spare parts. Vendor shall replace UV lamps, tubes, ballast, sensors and other misc. components to keep the system in working order. In addition, vendor shall inspect and repair components of the acticlean system such as wipes and verify oil levels are acceptable, cooling pumps and other pumps in the UV plant are in working order. A report of the third-party vendor s findings shall be submitted to the VA COR after each service. Vendor shall provide callback service to repair the system. A callback response time of two hours is required. It is also expected that a technician will be on site within 24 hours of the time the emergency is called in. The contractor will be provided a monthly post preventive maintenance service guide for each plant. This service guide shall list each component, showing schedule of frequency of inspection of each component on a monthly, semi-annually, annually or other frequency. Entries shall be made to indicate the status of schedule items of maintenance work performed. The preventive maintenance service guide shall be kept up to date at all times and must be initialed and dated by the contractor's employee to indicate that the work has been accomplished. The service guide shall be available anytime for review at the COR's request. Vendor shall be responsible for performing preventive maintenance all the equipment in the water plant and adjoined buildings that supply water to the main and water tower, a limited list of the major equipment is listed in attachment E. CALLBACK SERVICES The contractor shall provide callback services. Callback service is defined as requests for service from the COR to correct any problem or condition that needs attention before the contractor's next scheduled preventive maintenance visit. Callback service consists of responding to service call and beginning to take corrective action within one (1) hour. Equipment malfunctions shall be corrected the same day that the service call was issued. If circumstances beyond the control of the contractor preclude resolution of the problem that day the COR must be notified with an explanation of the delay. Emergency callback services shall be provided twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week. Callback service after normal working hours shall be provided within a maximum of two (2) hours from the time of request. (3) Contractor shall have service ticket on each service call signed by the COR. Service ticket shall identify the respective piece of equipment, description of the problem, description of corrective measures taken, date, and time the respective piece of equipment was returned to regular service. Service tickets for overtime or extra charge work must be signed and a copy left with the COR. Failure to do so will result in non-payment for extra charge work. (4) Emergency service or repairs authorized by the COR which occur after normal hours of operation shall be accomplished at the overtime hourly rates specified in the pricing schedule. The Government is responsible for premium portion of the overtime rate only. One mechanic shall handle all overtime service calls only, unless approved in advance by the COR. If regular time work must be carried over and contractor wishes to continue to work beyond the Medical Center normal hours of operation, authorization for overtime work must be obtained from the COR before proceeding. (5) The Medical Center shall not be responsible for incidental charges, including, but not limited to, parking, tolls, mileage, phone, etc., on straight time or for overtime work. (6) CONTRACTOR SHALL NOTIFY THE COR BY TELEPHONE OR IN PERSON AFTER COMPLETION OF EACH REGULAR TIME SERVICE CALL AND CHECK IN AND OUT WITH THE M.A.A. IN BUILDING 15, GROUND FLOOR FOR CALL-BACK SERVICE OUTSIDE OF THE REGULAR WORKING HOURS. THE STATUS OF REPAIR SHALL BE REPORTED BEFORE DEPARTURE FROM THE MEDICAL CENTER. If the contractor fails to document trouble calls and maintenance as specified, all or a portion of the monthly payment will be withheld until it is corrected. No payment will be made for any emergency callback if the contractor is called and finds the plants operating under normal conditions. Except for emergency callback service, the contractor shall perform all work during regular working hours of regular workdays unless specifically instructed otherwise by the COR. Under no circumstances will any shutdown or breakdown last longer than two (2) working days, (forty-eight (48) working hours) from initial notification to the contractor, without prior approval of the COR. The contractor shall comply with the following procedures when equipment is removed from service for any reason: Notify the COR and Engineering Office, either by phone (will be in the final award), or in person, before removing equipment from service. (If work requires more than one day, daily notification shall be made). Notify the COR when placing the equipment back in service. Contractor's employees shall turn in daily work order, repair order or a form that will furnish the following information to the COR: i) Name and address of the contractor. ii) Name of contractor's employee in charge of work. iii) Date work was performed, and hours expended. iv) Description of work performed and equipment identification. v) Signature of contractor's employee and signature block for COR. x) The contractor shall immediately notify the COR in writing of the existence or the development of any defects in, or repairs required to any piece of equipment in either of the plants which the contractor considers are not covered by the contract and shall furnish a written estimate, when requested, of the cost. Final determination of responsibility will be by mutual agreement between the Contracting Officer and the contractor. y) All reports generated by the plant operators must be reviewed and signed by the Supervisor. INSPECTIONS Routine and periodic inspections of the water treatment and wastewater treatment plants required by the Dutchess County Department of Health, Westchester County Department of Health and Department of Environmental Conservation will be performed under a separate contract in accordance with existing VA policy. Upon completion of the routine and/or periodic inspection, the contractor will be furnished with an inspection report listing the deficiencies for which he is responsible to repair within thirty (30) calendar days. Items marked "emergency" shall be corrected immediately. Under no circumstances will the contractor allow reported deficiencies to go uncorrected beyond the contract period. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS KEY PERSONNEL: The following personnel are considered Key personnel by the government. The vendor must ensure that personnel working under the capacity of this contract meet the below criteria: SUPERVISOR: THE SUPERVISOR SHALL BE A NEW YORK STATE LICENSED WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR. The supervisor responsible for the management and scheduling of work to be performed under this contract shall possess, prior to their employment as supervisor on this contract, at least four (4) years of recent (within the last six (6) years) experience in the supervision of operators involved in the operation and maintenance of water treatment plants and wastewater treatment plants. Employee must be able to read, write and speak English. Prior to commencement of work under this contract, detailed resumes and certificates containing sufficient information to demonstrate compliance with this requirement shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer or COR for approval. (1) The full name. (2) A detailed description of the previous six (6) years employment history. (3) The names and addresses of the companies employing contractor's personnel during the past six years, along with the names and telephone numbers of immediate supervisors. (4) Certificates. In the performance of this contract, all Key Personnel resumes must be submitted with the proposal for evaluation. HOWEVER, THE FINAL HIRING DECISIONS OF PERSONNEL, AFTER ENSURING THAT THE ABOVE BASIC CRITERIA IS MET, WILL BE MADE BY THE AWARDEE AND NOT THE GOVERNMENT. Contractor employees designated as Key Personnel shall not be removed or replaced without the written consent of the Government. Any replacement candidate must have the same or better qualifications as the employee being released. Resumes of proposed replacement Key Personnel must be provided for review. The Government must approve the replacement candidate in writing before he/she can start work. REMOVAL OF PLANT FROM SERVICE: If the Medical Center removes one or more of plants, named in this contract, from service because of renovations or to perform work on such plants that is outside the scope of this contract, the monthly payments due the contractor shall be reduced. The contractor shall be notified, in writing, by letter or contract modification of the plant(s) being removed from or returned to service. If the plant(s) are to be removed from service for thirty (30) consecutive calendar days or less, Contracting Officer will negotiate an equitable adjustment with the contractor and make the necessary adjustments on the monthly invoice when authorizing payment. If the plant(s) are to be removed from service for more than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days, Contracting Officer will issue a modification to the contract and negotiate an equitable adjustment in the contract price in accordance with the Change clause. The period for reducing payments will begin on the effective date specified in the notice and will continue through the day before the plant(s) are returned to service. Schedule of Services Time frames are defined as: Monthly = No less than 20 days or more than 40 days from the last performance of the required task Semi-Annual = Every 6 months, no more than 20 days before or more than 20 days after the anniversary date of the last performance of the required task Annual = One time per year, no more than 20 days before or more than 20 days after the anniversary date of the last performance of the required task The contractor shall be responsible for establishing an effective system for accomplishing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, including a backlog listing of work to be accomplished. The scheduling system and backlog listing shall be available for inspection by the COR at any time. Regular routine maintenance examination of all equipment in both plants shall be performed at a frequency of not less than weekly. The contractor shall provide a NYSDEC Licensed operator at the Medical Center from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday through Saturday. The contractor shall contact the COR or his/her designee when first arriving at the Medical Center and log in at the Engineering Office, Bldg. 9. There the contractor will be required to sign a log book. The contractor's representative shall pick up a two-way radio, furnished by the Medical Center. The contractor's representative shall accomplish first response to reports of inoperative equipment when contacted via radio. The contractor's representative shall respond to check validity of reports and make emergency repairs. The minimum man-hours per week are fifty-six (56). NOTE: IT WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTRACTOR TO ASSIGN ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL AS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE INSPECTIONS, OPERATIONS, REPAIRS AND ADJUSTMENTS ON TIME WITHIN THE SPECIFIED TIME LIMITS. General Criteria EMPLOYEES Employee Conduct. Contractor employees shall present a professional appearance at all times and their conduct shall not reflect discredit upon the United States and or the VA/VHA. Removing Employees for Misconduct or Security Reasons. The Government may, at its sole discretion, direct the contractor to remove any contractor employee from U.S. VA/VHA facilities for misconduct or security reasons. Removal does not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility to continue providing the services required under any Contract awarded. The Contracting Officer will provide the contractor with a written explanation to support any request to remove an employee. Conflict of Interest. The contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the United States Government if that employment would appear to cause a conflict of interest. Uniforms. The contractor shall require all employees, including supervisors, to wear distinctive uniform clothing for easy identification, and assure that every employee is in uniform no later than the time specified by the COR, or otherwise no later than ten (10) working days from the date an employee first enters on duty. The uniform shall have the contractor's name, easily identifiable, affixed thereon in a permanent or semi-permanent manner, such as a badge or monogram. Smoking: EMPLOYEES ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED FROM SMOKING ANYWHERE IN MEDICAL CENTER BUILDINGS. Badges: All employees of general contractor, subcontractors, and sub-subcontractors shall comply with VA security management program and obtain permission of the VA police, be identified with a VA issued photo ID, and restricted from unauthorized access. All contractor visitors and employees identified as not having proper identification will be dismissed from the Medical Center grounds until such time as proper ID has been obtained. All employees of the general contractor, subcontractors and sub-subcontractors will be required to be made available to Police Service at the FDR, Montrose Campus to apply for photo identification badge and fingerprinting following badge production the employee shall return in person to receive issue of the badge. The Contractor and subcontractors are responsible to furnish the names of all employees scheduled to work to the COR. Supervision of Employees: Contractor shall arrange for satisfactory supervision of the contract work. The contractor or his/her on-site supervisors shall be available at all times when the contract work is in progress to receive notices, reports or requests from the Contracting Officer or COR. The contractor shall be responsible for all means, methods, techniques, sequences and procedures, and for coordinating all portions of the work under the contract except where otherwise specified in the contract documents. The contractor shall, at all times, enforce strict discipline and good order among the workers on the project, and shall not employ on the work any unfit person or anyone not skilled in the work assigned to him/her. Protection of Person and Property: The contractor expressly undertakes , both directly and through its subcontractor(s), to take every precaution at all times for the protection of persons and property, including Medical Center employees and property and its own. The contractor shall be responsible for initiating, maintaining and supervising all safety precautions and programs in connection with the work. The contractor shall continuously maintain adequate protection of all work from damage and shall protect the Medical Center property from injury of loss arising in connection with this contract. The contractor shall make good any such damage, injury or loss, except as may be by agents or employees of the Medical Center. In an emergency affecting the safety or life of individuals, or of the work, or of adjoining property, the contractor, without special instruction or authorization from the Medical Center, is hereby permitted to act, at the contractor's discretion, to prevent such threatened loss or injury. Also, should the contractor, in order to prevent threatened loss or injury, be instructed or authorized to act by the Medical Center, he shall so act, without appeal. Any additional compensation or extension of time claimed by the contractor on account of any emergency work shall be determined by mutual agreement. The contractor shall not be liable for any loss, damage or delay caused by acts of fire, explosion, floods, riot, civil commotion, war, act of God, or by any cause beyond his/her reasonable control, nor shall he/she be liable for consequential damages from such causes. Other. Employees shall not disturb desks or any administrative spaces. Employee will not use VA/VHA telephones, copiers, or any other office equipment intended for official Medical Center use. Employees will not disturb drawers, cabinets, or other storage areas. INSPECTION OF SERVICE Definition: "Services" as used in this section includes services performed, workmanship and material furnished or utilized in the performance of services. The contractor shall provide and maintain an inspection system acceptable to the COR covering all services under this contract. Complete records of all inspection work performed by the contractor shall be maintained and made available to the COR during contract performance and for as long afterward as the contract requires. The COR has the right to inspect and test all services called for by the contract, to the extent practicable at all times and places during the term of the contract. The COR shall perform inspections and tests in a manner that will not unduly delay the work. If any of the services do not conform to contract requirements, the COR may require the contractor to perform the services again in conformity with contract requirements at no increase in contract amount. When defects in service cannot be corrected by re-performance, the Contracting Officer may: Require the contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements. Reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services performed. If the contractor fails to promptly perform the services again or to take the necessary action to ensure future performance in conformity with contract requirements, the Contracting Officer may: By contract, or otherwise, perform the services and charge to the contractor any cost incurred by the Medical Center that is directly related to the performance of such service; or (b) Terminate the contract for default. 22. Reference Materials: APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS, REFERENCES, LAWS, REGULATIONS AND POLICIES a) The Privacy Act of 1974, PL 93-579, as amended b) All rules, laws and regulations of the following departments: (1) SPDES (2) OSHA (3) Dutchess County Department of Health (4) New York State Department of Health (5) NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
