REQUIRING ACTIVITY: VA Boston Healthcare System (MAVERIC/Research 151) 150 South Huntington Avenue Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 PURCHASE REQUEST/TRANSACTION NUMBER: 523-23-2-7166-0003 STATEMENT OF WORK: GENERAL INFORMATION Item: Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) Deliveries-VA Central Biorepository (VACB) Scope of Work: The contractor shall provide and deliver Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) to the VA Central Biorepository (VACB) on an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) as needed basis. The contractor will provide all equipment, labor, materials, tools, parts, transportation, supervision and disposal necessary to distribute and supply LN2 to the VACB. Price should include cost of delivery and delivery charges. The contractor is responsible for dispensing LN2 into the holding tank(s). Frequency of delivery and delivery volumes will ultimately vary and depend on usage, as well as remaining tank volume at time of delivery. A delivery schedule will be agreed upon and set by the VA and the contractor. Deliveries will occur according to the schedule; however, the VA will maintain the right and/or ability to place additional requests when needed. The VA Central Biorepository has expanded by adding an automated -80°C liquid nitrogen cooled freezer system. This expansion has major impacts on LN2 supply and delivery systems, most notably the increase in demand. The system will require a significant amount of LN2. Not only will the contractor be responsible for delivering LN2 on a routine basis and as requested, but they will also be responsible for responding to fluctuating (most likely increasing) LN2 demands. The existing tank has a capacity of up to 11,000 gallons. Our current contract for LN2 delivery is with Airgas USA. Airgas USA has installed a telemetry device to monitor the LN2 level, pressure, and other parameters. We expect that the contractor who is awarded this contract will do the same. In addition to providing and delivering LN2, the contractor will provide a LN2 expert to physically perform an annual safety inspection of the entire LN2 system. The inspection includes (but is not limited to): external (aka bulk) tank, LN2 line, joints, seals, gaskets, and relief valves. At the conclusion of the inspection, the LN2 expert will provide a summary report detailing any deficiencies and needed corrective actions. The report is to be provided within 5 workdays from the initial physical inspection. Background: The VA Central Biorepository processes and stores specimens for clinical trials run by the VA Cooperative Studies Program. As a biorepository we bank or store samples in a cryogenic state. Liquid Nitrogen is the industry standard for short- or long-term cryogenic storage that will reach temperatures as low as -190 °C. The requested service is necessary to guarantee efficient and effective storage of CSP and VA research biospecimen samples at ultralow temperatures. Performance Period: Multi-Year Contract (5 Years Total). Performance Period shall be 12 months from date of contract award and include up to 4 (12 month) Option Years, subject to approval. Our current LN2 delivery contract (#36C24118D0046) with Airgas USA expires on 2/11/2023. We require that the new contract start on 2/12/2023 to ensure that there is no lapse in service. Any lapse in service will be detrimental to the millions of sample aliquots stored in these cryogenic tanks or store. Base Year: 02/12/2023 02/11/2024 Option Year 1: 02/12/2024 02/11/2025 Option Year 2: 02/12/2025 02/11/2026 Option Year 3: 02/12/2026 02/11/2027 Option Year 4: 02/12/2027 02/11/2028 Type of Contract: Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Place of Performance: Deliveries will be made to VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. SPECIFIC MANDATORY TASKS AND ASSOCIATED DELIVERABLES Description of Tasks and Associated Deliverables: The contractor shall provide the specific deliverables described below within the performance period stated in Section A.4 of this SOW. Task One: Each contractor shall provide a proposal or briefing for the VA project team before award during the solicitation period which presents the contractor's plan for completing the requirements outlined in the SOW. The contractor's plan shall be responsive with this SOW and describe, in further detail, the approach to be used for each aspect of the task order as defined in the technical proposal. The main components of the contractor s plan will include a delivery schedule to be agreed upon by the contractor and the VA, a plan to handle fluctuations and increases in demand. A plan to remove/install telemetry should be included. Additional details may include but are not limited to; preferred method of contact, preferred method of placing/fulfilling order requests, method of shipment/delivery, tracking of orders, invoicing, specified time frames for order receipt, fulfillment, shipment, and delivery. The work plan(s) and briefing(s) are to occur during the solicitation period prior to award. Deliverable One: A detailed proposal or briefing which includes a delivery schedule, plans for fluctuations in demand. The work plan(s) and briefing(s) are to occur during the solicitation period prior to award. Task Two: The contractor shall provide and deliver Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) to the place of performance on per unit basis. Delivery will occur consistent to the schedule presented in Task/Deliverable 1 and/or agreed to after award, or as requested by the VA. The contractor is responsible for dispensing LN2 into the tank. The tank will be filled to capacity each delivery. Deliverable Two: Liquid nitrogen (LN2) delivered to the place of performance as dictated by the delivery schedule. Task Three: The VA will also maintain the right and/or ability to place orders against the contract in addition to those occurring within the agreed upon delivery schedule. Delivery order conditions are outlined below in section 2. Deliverable Three: The VA will maintain the right and/or ability to place orders against the contract as needed in addition to those occurring within the agreed upon delivery schedule. Task Four: The contractor will make deliveries during off hours of the main hospital; any time before 7:00AM and any time after 6:00PM, Monday Friday, unless specified or requested otherwise by the VA. Deliveries will not occur during the hours of 7:00AM -6:00PM, Monday Friday, unless specified or requested otherwise by the VA, because it will impact normal hospital traffic and functions. Deliverable Four: The contractor will make deliveries before 7:00AM and after 6:00PM, Monday Friday, unless specified or requested otherwise by the VA, so as not to impact normal hospital traffic and functions Task Five: The contractor will be responsible for responding to and accommodating fluctuating demand/need for LN2. The most likely change will be an increase in demand due to the new system and the number of samples that continue to come into the lab daily. The VA will do its best to project out and estimate need, but the contractor will ultimately be responsible for accommodating fluctuations in LN2 need. For example, if the VA needs 2 deliveries in one month and 6 deliveries the next month, and 1 delivery the third month, the contractor must meet this need. Deliverable Five: The contractor will be responsible for responding to and accommodating fluctuating demand/need for LN2. Task Six: The contractor will provide a LN2 expert to physically perform an annual safety inspection of the entire LN2 system. The inspection includes (but is not limited to): external (aka bulk) tank, LN2 line, joints, seals, gaskets, and relief valves. At the conclusion of the inspection, the LN2 expert will provide a summary report detailing any deficiencies and needed corrective actions. The report is to be provided within 5 workdays from the initial physical inspection. Deliverable Six: The contractor will provide a LN2 expert to physically perform an annual safety inspection of the entire LN2 system and provide a summary report detailing any deficiencies and needed corrective actions within 5 workdays from the initial physical inspection. Delivery Orders: Deliveries will occur as outlined in the delivery schedule as presented in Task and Deliverable 1, and/or as agreed upon after award. Deliveries will also be made at the request of the VA as outlined in Task and Deliverable 3. Requests for delivery from the VA will be made during regular business hours; Monday Friday, 8am - 4:30pm. Delivery shall be required within one (1) to two (2) calendar days from the time of formal notification by the ordering service. Delivery orders can be placed by email, telephone, and/or fax transmission. The delivery order shall specify: contract item(s), quantity, time(s) of delivery, and applicable VA order number. Deliveries MUST occur off hours of the main hospital; any time before 7:00AM and any time after 6:00PM, Monday Friday, unless specified or requested otherwise by the VA. Deliveries will not occur during the hours of 7:00AM -6:00PM, Monday Friday, unless specified or requested otherwise by the VA, because it will impact normal hospital traffic and functions. Usage: Projected LN2 use for FY23 is 230,000 gallons, which is an estimate based on how much LN2 will be required per sample in the -80°C automated freezer store. FY22 deliveries occur approximately every 2 weeks. Frequency of FY23 deliveries is subject to change due to fluctuations in usage, as indicated in the Tasks and Deliverables. Usage and frequency of delivery will change, and the contractor must respond to these changes. Facilities: There is one tank on location at the VA Boston Healthcare System. The capacity of this tank is 11,000 gallons. The tank is located along the main egress of the hospital; the tank is external to the lab and hospital and accessible from the egress. The tank is in a fixed position located on top of a concrete pad. Deliveries will be made to this tank on a continual basis. The current tank is owned by the VA. Emergency Orders: For an emergency order, delivery shall occur within 24 hours of formal notification by the service. Authorized Personnel: All VA Central Biorepository personnel are authorized to place orders under this agreement.
