The purpose of this amendment is to provide responses to questions made during the question-and-answer period. As of January 07, 2025, question and answer period has ended as of 12:00 PM EST. Questions will no longer be entertained. Please submit quotes to Contract Specialist Eunice Bones at eunice.bones@va.gov and Contracting Officer Aurea Gonzalez at aurea.gonzalez@va.gov by January 14, 2025, at 13:00 PM EST. Quote/Offer due date remains unchanged. All other areas of solicitation remain unchanged. RESPONSE TO VENDORS QUESTIONS QUESTION: Refers to Performance Work Statement Q1. In section 2.1 it states: Contractor shall provide services to conduct the quantitative and qualitative fit testing of any of the following types of respirators in compliance with all applicable regulations including but not limited to 29 CFR 1910.134, OSHA Respirator Standard: disposable particulate respirators (i.e. N95 filtering face piece) and elastomeric half-face and full-face respirators. All respirators to conduct the fit testing and fit testing kits will be supplied by the VACHS. A. Since most respirators utilized in healthcare setting are N95 masks, does the VACHS desire to have quantitative fit testing completed and qualitative fit testing completed for all respirators? If so, what are the ratios between the two types of testing methods? ANSWER (Q1-A): Fit testing is to be performed IAW approved OSHA accepted protocols as detailed in 1910.134. For the most part, over 95% of the fit testing completed at the facility are qualitative. B. All fit testing kits will be supplied by the VACHS; will this include the quantitative fit testing equipment/machines (i..e., PortaCount, AccuFIT, etc.)? ANSWER (Q1-B): Qualitative fit testing kits will be supplied by VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS). Quantitative fit testing calibrated equipment will be available upon request and will be supplied by VACHS.
