36C24120Q0304_1.docx

PAGE 1 OF

1. REQUISITION NO.

2. CONTRACT NO.

3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE

4. ORDER NO.

5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

6. SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE

a. NAME

b. TELEPHONE NO. (No Collect Calls)

8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL

TIME

9. ISSUED BY

CODE

10. THIS ACQUISITION IS

UNRESTRICTED OR

SET ASIDE:

% FOR:

VOSB

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

8(A)

NAICS:

SIZE STANDARD:

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

RFQ

IFB

RFP

15. DELIVER TO

CODE

16. ADMINISTERED BY

CODE

17a. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

CODE

FACILITY CODE

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

CODE

TELEPHONE NO.

DUNS:

DUNS+4:

PHONE:

FAX:

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER 18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW IS CHECKED

SEE ADDENDUM

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

ITEM NO.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

QUANTITY

UNIT

UNIT PRICE

AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only) 27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA

ARE

ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN _______________

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF. ___________________________________ OFFER

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND

DATED ________________________________. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY

(BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE

ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED

SET FORTH HEREIN IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER) 30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (TYPE OR PRINT) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

(REV. 2/2012)

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

STANDARD FORM 1449

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

36C24120Q0304 07-02-2020 Kevin LaBrie 207-623-5706 07-22-2020

12:00 PM

Department of Veterans Affairs VAMC Togus (90C) ATTN: Kevin LaBrie 1 VA Center Augusta ME 04330 X X 541611

16.5 Million

N/A X Department of Veterans Affairs Potentially all VISN 1 locations.

Department of Veterans Affairs VAMC Togus 1 VA Center Augusta ME 04330

Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center http://www.fsc.va.gov-einvoice.asp

See CONTINUATION Page The is a request for quotes for a potential Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for the VA New England dining facility program.

A multiple award BPA is being considered. All interested contractors are required to answer the attached questions to be considered. The government retains the right to ask for proof of the answers given.

This is a 100% Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) set-aside.

This is a FAR 13 open market action for commercial services and supplies and is solicited, evaluated and awarded under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures of FAR part 13.

*Attention Offerors: See Checklist on last page.

See CONTINUATION Page See individual task/delivery order X X X Michael Corriveault Table of Contents

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

The Veteran’s Integrated Service Network (VISN) 1 is looking for any contractor that can perform the actions in the attached performance work statement (PWS) and to enter into a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with them. The Government reserves the right to enter into a single or multiple award BPA.

Interested contractors are required to contact the Contract Specialist via the above listed email address by the date shown.

Any interested contractor is required to:

(1) Submit answers to the below as proof that the services can be accomplished.

Questions a – d require your narrative, written response.

Number your answers (1) (a) through (d).

Use additional space as needed; and separate sheets as necessary.

Trade literature and pre-printed marketing materials are not a substitute for your narrative response.

(a) List Federal medical center facilities that you have converted from a cook/chill meal service methodology to a room service methodology to include multi-tier dining enhancement, expertise and menu creation, proprietary and/or commercial-off-the-shelf diet software build-out and support, customer service training, policy/Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) /Standard Operating Guidelines (SOG) creation, and administrative and technical support during conversion go-live events within the past three years. Cook/chill methodology to room service is paramount.

(b) Has your organization been directly involved with the evaluation of Federal medical center food service delivery methodologies that resulted in the recommendation and implementation of alternate food service delivery methodologies? Did the Federal medical center implement the recommendations in the evaluation and what were the results?

(c) Has your organization been directly involved with performance improvement activities in Federal medical center food service departments that resulted in direct improvements to patient satisfaction? What metrics did you use both pre-improvement and post improvement to measure patient satisfaction?

(d) Does your organization have direct experience with concurrently working performance improvement and/or dining enhancement projects in multiple Federal medical centers simultaneously while active food service operations are taking place?

(2) Submit an answer in a narrative, written response.

Describe in a narrative your proficiency and knowledge of the food preparation industry and hospital best practices. Include in your narrative risks you have effectively addressed including, for example, Infection Control (ICRA), SERV SAFE, OSHA, USDA Green initiatives. Describe any credentials, professional affiliations, of your firm or other features that are of value.

Use additional space as needed; and separate sheets as necessary.

Trade literature and pre-printed marketing materials are not a substitute for your narrative response.

(3) You may provide trade literature and pre-printed materials that describe your firm and that describe the partners or suppliers that you have sourced from in the past.

(4) Provide the information requested in paragraph 6 of the below Performance Work Statement (PWS) (CONSTRACTOR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS) A list of at least three (3) references consisting of current and prior clients on projects that you have performed of similar capacity and scope. You may list more than three. Use additional space as needed.

Organization: ______________________________________ Fax: ___________________________________________

Organization: ______________________________________ Fax: ___________________________________________

Organization: ______________________________________ Fax: ___________________________________________

(5) Completely fill out section B.2 (Administrative Data) on the RFQ. Directions: complete with following POC fields with the name, email, phone (office and mobile), fax and address of the Primary and Alternate POC.

(6) Assure that your DUNS number (page 1, block 17a) matches your Beta.SAM registration.

Acceptable responses shall be accepted via email to Kevin.Labrie@va.gov. Postal mail or fax responses shall not be accepted.

VISN 1 Nutrition and Food Services Dining System and Equipment Upgrade Proposal

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

1. SCOPE:

Veteran’s Integrated Service Network (VISN) 1 encompasses 8 medical centers in New England. There is a possibility of this service being performed at the following Medical centers, White River Junction, VT; Bedford, MA; VA Boston with three campuses – Brockton, Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury, MA; Leeds, MA; Manchester, NH; Providence, RI; and VA Connecticut with campuses in West Haven, and Newington CT. A single or multiple award blanket purchase agreement (BPA) is under consideration to be awarded to a Contractor(s) who shall provide all office equipment, labor, supervision, management, transportation, supplies, and materials to provide design, planning, implementation and training services for implementing a dining system and equipment upgrade tailored to each participating VISN Medical Center. The Contractor shall be responsible for all costs related to performing this contract and its successful completion. Contractor guarantees a minimum of 52 days onsite at each site from signature of order to ‘go live’ date, ensuring all elements for successful dining system and equipment upgrade implementation are achieved. Contractor guarantees enhanced dining system implementation between 12 months and 15 months from date of issued BPA order signed. Deviations from this schedule require documented cause and are subject to the Contracting Officer (CO) approval. Contractor shall not have access to VA computer systems or patient identifiable health information.

2. OBJECTIVE:

To implement a quality enhanced dining system, to include equipment upgrades, at all participating medical centers in VISN 1. The system selected for implementation at each site shall be tailored to the specific populations, needs, and facilities of each Medical Center. The primary purpose of this contract is to provide enhanced dining consultation and recommendations in accordance with industry best practices applicable to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The contractor(s) shall be responsible for the following as outlined:

Program Development:

· Contractor(s) shall be available throughout the entire project. If the contractor is not on site, the contractors shall be available to provide any necessary information via email and telephone interactions within 24 business hours.

· Contractor shall provide all office equipment, labor, supervision, management, transportation, supplies, and materials to provide design, planning, implementation, and training services for implementing the Dining System and Equipment Upgrade at each participating site in VISN 1. No equipment shall be connected to the VISN networks. No equipment shall be used or provided that will store or transmit sensitive data.

· Provide at minimum 52 days of on-site support from signature of order to ‘go live’ date as scheduled by the Chief/Assistant Chief, Nutrition & Food Services (NFS) or designee. Monthly schedules shall be provided on the first Tuesday of the month of service to the local Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

· Shall have initial site visit of each medical center and provide a very specific and detailed timeline of project implementation within one month of signed contract.

· Provide unlimited telephone, email, and mail support for up to 3 months post go-live to the Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) designee(s) as needed for the implementation of enhanced style dining.

· Contractor shall execute an initial site visit at each VA Medical Center location and provide a very specific and detailed planning for renovation of the kitchen, to incorporate dining system and equipment upgrade. The contractor shall provide detailed design drawings. The detailed plan shall include demolition and renovation of existing space, relocation of utilities and layout/design to implement enhanced dining operations. This process will occur at each site over the entire course of the project depending on local campus requirements.

· Contractor shall provide within one month of signed contract detailed specifications for all equipment to be purchased by facility for implementation of dining system and equipment upgrade. Equipment requirements shall consider facility specific and patient population needs. Equipment requirements shall be the first focus of the contractor.

· Assist and work with Facilities & Engineering Services/Facilities Management Service (FMS) to implement the enhanced dining plans. Specifically, this includes any electrical or plumbing rework required based on layout of new equipment. This may require a licensed electrical engineer or other appropriate licensed Professional Engineer (PE) to provide and “stamp and sign” the drawings to be determined by the COR and CO at each medical center based on the facility needs and layout.

· Contractor shall have an initial site visit at each campus and shall provide to the CO a very specific and detailed master timeline of project implementation within one month of signed contact. This will include timelines for menu development, staffing plans, training, software needs and development, etc.

· Contractor shall form a Dining System and Equipment Upgrade committee consisting of contracting staff, FMS and select Nutrition (NFS) staff as designated by the Chief, Nutrition & Food Services or designee to discuss and resolve all concerns for implementing the Dining System & Equipment Upgrade project at each facility. Concerns may include, but are not limited to:

· Development of all necessary standard operating procedures for the enhanced style dining system to comply with all VISN, medical center, and applicable regulatory agency policies and guidelines. Enhanced style dining will be room service throughout VISN 1 facilities unless sites are unable to sustain room service as a modality. In those areas clinically unsuited, the SOPs shall support modified use of the system to provide enhanced dining options.

· Menu and recipe development with nutrition information

· Staffing plan and workflows for all positions in all buildings

· Staffing plan and workflows for receiving, storage, distribution of food for all buildings

· Staff training manuals

· Equipment needs

· Several possible vendors for procuring needed food items, small wares, and other items needed for implementing project.

· Contractor shall provide enhanced dining menu details to include the design, menu items, ingredients, recipe development, recipes, plating, culinary training and production team staffing plan. Contractor shall provide hot and cold production policies and procedures. Contractor shall provide detailed culinary and staffing plan based on enhanced dining menu, to include menu items, ingredients, recipe development, recipes, production team staffing plan and shipping plan. All recipes shall include detailed nutrition information.

· Development of facility specific training manual & training plan – Contractor shall provide electronic training manual and detailed training plan to include two hard copy binders per campus.

· Workflow development with facility staff – Contractor shall provide staffing plans, scheduling needs, task lists, and training manuals for each position. Contractor shall also provide internal (i.e. tray assembly, tray delivery, tray receiving, and meal ordering) and external (i.e. coordination with medication/tests, menu distribution) policies and procedures. Contractor shall assist with position descriptions as needed.

· Contractor shall provide a list of necessary software/hardware needs in conjunction with Computrition software program (i.e. tray ticket printers, touch screen monitors, computer tablets).

· Contractor shall provide list of ingredients; food items and small wares needed for purchase and assist with developing a list of possible vendors for procurement of items.

· Contractor shall provide an enhanced dining training program for meal delivery team at each medical center. Contractor shall provide detailed training plan, electronic training manual and two hard copy binders per VA Campus

· Contractor shall be on site during initial and final phase of construction and equipment installation. Contractor shall assist Facilities & Engineering Service in providing approval and sign off on construction phase to ensure proper installation prior to going LIVE with the Dining System and Equipment Upgrade project.

Implementation:

This phase shall not be initiated until all assigned tasks in the Program Development phase are complete to local food service management’s satisfaction. The Contractor shall be on-site to participate and support all the following activities:

· Detailed training for all food service, supervisory and management staff in all workflows and processes associated with enhanced style dining. Electronic training manual and two hard copy binders shall be provided at each facility for all training.

· Complete culinary training and final testing for food production staff. Electronic training manual and two hard copy binders shall be provided for all training.

· Provide software support in conjunction with Computrition for program start up.

· Provide complete dress rehearsal prior to start date.

· Provide a start-up team for program start up.

· Provide daily assessments during start up on operations with recommendations for operational improvements.

· Provide a full assessment of the program to NFS at management team at each medical center and work with the team to assure the quality of the program and that the established goals and objectives are attained.

Post-Implementation and Follow-Up Support:

Contractor to ensure GO LIVE date within 12-15 months of signed BPA with 3 additional months to monitor progress and solve problems. Contractor shall:

· Provide two weeks of observation after implementation of the Dining System for each medical center and Equipment Upgrade project followed by a report listing actions needed to be changed and actions that are being conducted successfully to the COR at each facility.

· Provide a follow-up observation report one month after completion of program start to include actions needed to be changed and actions that are being conducted successfully.

Performance Improvement Program:

The Contractor shall provide a comprehensive performance improvement program (PI) specific to NFS’s operation that is a tool for continuous monitoring and proactive improvement of the VISN 1 enhanced dining program. The program shall be provided no later than the first post implementation visits to the COR at each facility and must include:

- Productivity and performance standards for the critical areas of the enhanced dining program.

- A formal auditing schedule and training for supervisory, clinical and management staff on performing/participating in audits.

- Identification of service problems, procedural deviations, and other unauthorized program migrations that occur through normal staff actions.

Contractor shall demonstrate to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) that each requirement has been completed prior to acceptance.

3. PERFORMANCE PERIOD:

The Contractor shall complete the work required under this PWS in 455 days or less per order from the date of the award, unless otherwise directed by the CO. The work shall begin within 20 calendar days of award unless otherwise specified. Work will be done individually, per medical center dining facility. Work at the site shall not take place on Federal Holidays or weekends unless directed by the CO.

4. CONTRACT AWARD MEETING:

The Contractor shall not commence performance on the tasks in this PWS until the CO has conducted a kick-off meeting.

5. CHANGES TO PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT:

Any changes to this PWS shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the Contracting Officer or Contract Specialist. A copy of each change shall be kept in a project folder along with all other products of the project. Costs incurred by the Contractor through the actions of parties other than the Contracting Officer shall be borne by the Contractor.

6. CONTRACTOR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Contractor shall specialize in hospital enhanced dining systems development and implementation and have a minimum of 3 years’ experience working as consultants for healthcare facilities in a hospital setting in the area of enhanced dining systems and conversion from the cook / chill to room service methodology. A list of at least three references consisting of current and prior clients of similar capacity and complexity shall be required.

The government will determine on a site review basis what positions are considered key personnel. The Contractor shall identify, by name, the key management and technical personnel who will work under this BPA order at the time the work is being negotiated. If a key person becomes unavailable to complete the site review, the proposed substitutions of key personnel shall be made only as approved and directed by the CO. The government does not dictate specific experience and education requirements of the employees initially proposed to perform the work stated herein. The Contractor shall submit a resume of qualifications to the COR for key personnel and all other direct employees proposed for the project. All Contractor employees will be approved by the CO and COR prior to bringing on duty. If, at any time from the date of award to the end of the contract, non-key Contractor personnel are no longer available, CO/COR will review qualifications of proposed replacement personnel and may reject individuals who do not meet the qualifications set forth in the PWS. Team personnel proposed by the contractor shall possess some of the following knowledge and/or skills: quantity food management and systems management and redesign in large hospital kitchens, food production, SERV Safe, room service experience, and culinary expertise.

The contractor must notify the CO in advance to approve or reject proposed contractor key personnel for the performance of this contract. The Contractor shall remove any employee from the performance of this contract within five (5) workdays of receiving notice from the Contracting Officer that the employee's performance is unsatisfactory. All Contractor employees are subject to immediate removal from performance of this contract when they are involved in a violation of the law, VA security, confidentiality requirements and/or other disciplinary reasons.

· The contractor must inform the VHA COR, and CO when personnel are removed from the contract for any reason.

· If a key person becomes unavailable to complete the site review, proposed Substitutions of key personnel shall be made only if approved by the CO and COR at each facility.

· The contractor shall submit a resume of qualifications to the CO and COR for all direct employees proposed for the project. All Contractor employees will be approved by the CO and COR prior to bringing on duty.

The VHA VISN1 shall not be liable for further payment of any Contractor employee that VHA requires the Contractor to remove from the performance of this contract. VHA’s payment liability, for unsuitable Contractor employees, ends five (5) workdays after Contractor’s receipt of “removal request” for unsatisfactory performance and immediately for any violation of law, VA Security, confidentiality requirements, and/or other disciplinary action.

7. CONFIDENTIALITY AND NONDISCLOSURE:

It is agreed that:

1. The preliminary and final deliverables, and all associated working papers and other material deemed relevant by VA which have been generated by the Contractor in the performance of this BPA order, are exclusive property of the U.S. Government and shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer at the conclusion of the BPA order.

2. The Contracting Officer is the sole authorized official to release, verbally or in writing, any data, draft deliverables, final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this BPA order. No information shall be released by the Contractor. Any request for information relating to this BPA order, presented to the Contractor, shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer for response.

3. Press releases, marketing material, or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project, shall not be publicized without the written approval of the CO and local VA Campus Public Affairs Officer.

8. PAYMENT:

The Contractor shall be fully responsible for timely payment of all sub-contractors used in this production.

9. CONTRACTING OFFICE REPRESENTATIVE:

1. The Contracting Officer reserves the right to designate Contracting Officer Representatives (COR) to act for him/her in furnishing technical guidance, advice and to generally supervise the work to be performed under this BPA. Such designation will be in writing and will define the scope and limitations of the designee’s authority. A copy of the designation shall be furnished to the Contractor.

2. Be advised that the COR cannot change price, terms or conditions of this BPA. The Contractor is hereby notified to contact the CO regarding any issues regarding price, terms or conditions of this BPA.

3. The VA staff person who is COR for each BPA order/individual campus shall be designated in writing by the Contracting Officer duration of this BPA.

The schedule of the project at the individual VA Medical Center (VAMC) Campus is tailored for that campus on the task order issued for the VAMC.

The period of performance and the delivery of goods and services under the task orders issued against this Blanket Purchase Agreement shall be directed in accordance with the requirements of the local VA Medical Center (VAMC) campus.

The Contracting Officer shall appoint a COR for the Administration of the Blanket Purchase Agreement (VISN 1 COR).

The VISN 1 COR has cognizance over the BPA and the annual review of the BPA.

The Contracting Officer shall appoint a COR for individual, local task orders issued at each of the eight respective VAMC Campuses listed in the PERFORMACNE WORK STATEMENT, 1. SCOPE. (VAMC COR).

A VAMC COR has cognizance solely over his/her respective VAMC Campus and the task/delivery orders issued in support thereof.

B.1 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The Contractor agrees to the following terms of a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) EXCLUSIVELY WITH the Department of Veterans Affairs:

B.2 ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

A Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is hereby established between ___________________ and the Department of Veterans Affairs under the following terms and conditions incorporated in this BPA:

Primary Point of Contact: Contractor POC Name___________ Title:________________________ Email:______________________________________________________ Phone: __________________

Alternate Point of Contact: Contractor Alternate POC________________ Title:______________________________________________________ Email:______________________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________________________

DUNS NUMBER:

Cognizant Office (Include complete address):

Department of Veterans Affairs VAMC Togus (90C) ATTN: Kevin LaBrie 1 VA Center Augusta ME 04330

(a) All delivery orders or task orders are subject to the terms and conditions of this Blanket Purchase Agreement. (BPA) In the event of conflict between a delivery order or task order and this BPA, the terms and conditions of the BPA shall control.

(b) If mailed, a delivery order or task order is considered “issued” when the Government deposits the order in the mail. Orders may be issued orally, by facsimile, or by electronic commerce methods only if authorized in the Schedule.

(c) Any order issued during the effective period of this BPA and not completed within that time shall be completed by the Contractor within the time specified in the order. The BPA shall govern the Contractor’s and Government’s rights and obligations with respect to that order to the same extent as if the order were completed during the BPA’s effective period; provided, that the Contractor shall not be required to make any deliveries for under this contract after 180 days of expiration of this BPA.

(d) Review and Review Procedures

(1) The contracting officer placing orders under this BPA, or the designated representative of the contracting officer, shall review a sufficient random sample of the BPA files at least annually to ensure that authorized procedures are being followed.

(2) The contracting officer that entered into the BPA shall-

(i) Ensure that each BPA is reviewed at least annually and, if necessary, updated at that time;

and

(ii) Maintain awareness of changes in market conditions, sources of supply, and other pertinent factors that may warrant making new arrangements with different suppliers or modifying existing arrangements.

B.3 PRICING

Contract Services as listed below, with associated pricing, can be ordered under this BPA. The Contractor shall be allowed to vary within the categories for successful and efficient task completion not to exceed funded values of each order awarded under this agreement. As proposed, the Contractor will apply applicable extended/tier pricing to all categories used in the performance of orders issued under this Agreement. Orders may be awarded on a Firm Fixed Price basis only. All Calls/Orders placed against this BPA are subject to the terms and conditions of the referenced BPA.

The line item pricing of each individual task order for the VAMC campus is the firm-fixed price line-item that pertains to projects at the VAMC campus.

Unless directed otherwise by the Contracting Officer or Contract Specialist, the contractor shall segregate the costs of any individual VAMC campus as per the task/delivery order unique to the campus.

Exception: VISN-wide buys. The Contracting Officer may issue a VISN-wide task/delivery order encompassing one or more campuses.

B.4 GENERAL SERVICES ORDERS

a. The BPA holder shall furnish all the necessary qualified personnel, materials, facilities and management resources to furnish the services set forth in the Statement of Objectives (SOO) or the Performance Work Statement (PWS) within the terms specified and at the price(s) stated.

b. It is understood and agreed that the BPA holder shall provide Fixed-Price proposals when requested by the Contracting Officer (CO). The CO will issue Fixed Priced Orders upon completion of negotiations of contractor proposals.

B.5 NONPERSONAL SERVICES

a. In performance of this contract, the BPA holder will provide services as required by program offices to support management of their overall mission. This will be based upon the order's performance work statement for the specific effort. Orders will be formally issued to the BPA holder as opposed to individual BPA holder employees.

b. The services required under the Agreement constitute professional and management services within the definition provided by FAR 37.201. Under this Agreement the Government will obtain professional services, which are essential to the Department of Veterans Affairs mission but not otherwise available within Department of Veterans Affairs.

c. The Government will neither supervise BPA holder employees nor control the method by which the BPA holder performs the required tasks. Under no circumstances shall the Government assign tasks to, or prepare work schedules for, individual BPA holder employees. It shall be the responsibility of the BPA holder to manage their employees and to guard against any actions that are of the nature of personal services, or give the perception of personal services. If the BPA holder feels that any actions constitute, or are perceived to constitute personal services, it shall be the BPA holder's further responsibility to notify the Contracting Officer immediately.

d. These services shall not be used to perform work of a policy/ decision making or management nature. All decisions relative to programs supported by BPA holders will be the sole responsibility of the Government. Support services will not be ordered to circumvent personnel ceilings, pay limitations, or competitive employment procedures.

B.6 AUTHORIZED LIMITS

The Government estimates, but does not guarantee, that individual BPA Orders placed against this Agreement may reach $400,000.00/per Order. This Order Limit may be increased by mutual agreement of the parties as necessary, in whole or part. The authorized Ceiling Limit of the Agreement is set at $2,600,000.00 over the period covered by the Agreement; this ceiling is also not a guarantee. The Ceiling Limit may also be raised in association with Order Limit increases or other conditions which, by mutual agreement of the parties, maybe considered necessary. Authorization for individual orders above the stated order and/or Ceiling Limits must be coordinated through the Contracting Officer before larger valued orders can be issued and prior to commencement of work. All unauthorized work, regardless of amount, will be processed through the ratification process.

B.7 OBLIGATION OF FUNDS

This BPA does not obligate any funds. The Government is obligated only to the extent of authorized orders actually issued under the BPA by the Contracting Officer.

B.8 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

This BPA expires on 06-30-2025 or such date as determined by the contracting office.

B.9 AUTHORIZED INDIVIDUALS

Individuals Authorized to Place Orders:

The following entities are authorized to place orders:

B.10 ORDER FORMAT

Orders will be placed against this BPA via e-mail, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), FAX, or in hardcopy format. Each individual BPA Order will describe the tasks, services and deliverables required.

B.11 AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES

The primary Contracting Officer (CO) for this Agreement is:

The Primary Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for projects under this Agreement is:

TBD

The Secondary Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for projects under this Agreement is:

TBD

The Primary and/or Secondary COR will be responsible for technical monitoring of the contractor's performance and deliveries. The COR and the Contractor's Representative shall work together to ensure that all contractual requirements are being met. The COR will interpret specifications or technical portions of the work. The COR is not authorized to perform, formally or informally, any of the following actions:

(1) Promise, award, agree to award, or execute any contract, contract modification, or notice of intent that changes or may change this contract;

(2) Waive or agree to modification of the delivery schedule;

(3) Make any final decision on any contract matter subject to the Disputes Clause;

(4) Terminate, for any reason, the contractor's right to proceed;

(5) Obligate in any way, the payment of money by the Government. Only a warranted Contracting Officer is authorized to obligate funds on this or any other contract action.

The contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer in writing if the COR has taken an action (or fails to take action) or issues directions (written or oral) that the contractor considers to exceed the above limitations.

The contractor shall provide the Contracting Officer information copies of all correspondence to the COR.

Ordering Procedures General BPA awardees shall register in the VISN 1 eCMS Vendor Portal.

Solicitations for competitive task/delivery orders placed against the BPA may be issued (a) through the vendor portal or (b) through email sent by the Contracting Officer to the BPA holder.

The Contracting Officer shall utilize fair and streamlined procedures in competing orders among BPA holders. Fair and streamlined procedures for competition and award of orders are at FAR part 12.601 and include comparative evaluation of offerors, FAR 13.106-2(b)(3).

Competed orders shall be evaluated on the basis of technical, cost and past performance. Because of the proximity, relevancy and recency of the ongoing VISN 1 kitchen process improvement projects, BPA holders’ performance under ongoing and completed VISN 1 task orders is significant and important in the past performance component of the evaluation.

An order that is a logical follow-on to a prior competed order may be issued non-competitively. A non-competed order shall not be prejudicial to other BPA holders and shall be documented in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b).

Calls at or less than the micro purchase threshold.

Calls issued under the BPA are subject to the then prevailing micro-purchase threshold at time of issuance of the call.

Calls at or less than the micro purchase threshold are subject to the FAR 13.201(h). Funds for disbursement for the call may, at the election of the ordering official, be liquidated via the Government Purchase Card (GPC), via certified invoice or via receiving report.

Review If a BPA holder is unsuccessful in competing for an order, the BPA holder may ask for a review or reconsideration of the Contracting Officer decision. The BPA holder shall first seek review and reconsideration from the Contracting Officer, after which the unsuccessful offeror may seek recourse through the VA Ombudsman, at the following common mailbox:

Attention VA Ombudsman VARiskManagement@va.gov.

Procedures Orders issued under this BPA shall:

Describe the method for determining prices to be paid to the contractor for the supplies or services;

Specify delivery terms and conditions for the individual campus;

Become a binding contract upon acceptance of the order whether by substantial performance or by signature;

Be subject to the Disputes clause;

Be subject to any applicable justifications and approvals, and any determination and findings, and comply with other requirements in accordance with 1.602-1(b), as if the order were a contract awarded independently of a blanket purchase agreement;

Be issued on Optional Form (OF) 347, Order for Supplies or Services, or on any other appropriate contractual instrument (e.g. SF 1449), and

Be subject to the terms and conditions and provisions of the blanket purchase agreement.

<End Ordering Procedures>

B.12 FEDERAL HOLIDAYS

Unless specifically authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer, no services will be provided and no charges will be incurred and/or billed to any order on this contract on any of the Federal Holidays listed below.

B.13 BPA EMPLOYEE IDENTIFICATION

All support BPA holder personnel will be required to wear company identification badges in order to distinguish themselves from Government (organic) employees. When conversing with Government personnel during business meetings and over the telephone, support BPA holder personnel shall identify themselves as such to avoid situations arising where sensitive topics might be better discussed solely between Government employees. Where practicable, support BPA holders occupying collocated space with their Government program customer should identify their workspace area with their name and company affiliation.

B.14 ORDERING MANAGEMENT

a. Order Management Requirements: Delivery of services shall be implemented only if directed by an order. The BPA holder shall respond in no more than working days from the issuance of the order to identify the Contractor's Task Leader. The Contractor's Task Leader shall arrange for a meeting between the BPA holder Task Leader and the COR to obtain the necessary detailed information to proceed with the task.

b. Order Procedures: Each Request for Proposal for an order will contain a Statement of Objectives (SOO), or other performance based work statement, describing the program to be supported, a description of the task, evaluation criteria, the deliverables, an order start and completion date, and the COR. The BPA holder(s) solicited will respond to the SOO with a Performance Work Statement (PWS), a proposed technical solution including labor mix and hours, and a proposed ceiling or fixed price for the order. Note: The Government will accept order proposals only from BPA holders that it has solicited. The PWS and labor mix will be incorporated into any resulting order. The proposed technical solution may also be incorporated in the order. The BPA holder on a per site basis will assign the Task Leader.

c. Order Accounting: The BPA holder's order accounting system shall provide traceability of all labor hour and cost reimbursable elements (e.g. travel, material, other authorized direct costs) ordered by each program's funding citation's Accounting Classification Reference Number (i.e. "acrn" assigned at the "SubCLIN" level in Section B), if required by the program office. Otherwise, traceability shall be at the CLIN level, to include segregation by Government appropriation (i.e. "color of money"), set forth in the order. Under no circumstances will any invoice exceed the period of performance, hours or dollar amount (ceiling price) for any funded order. The BPA holder will separately track and invoice US Government and FMS charges. All invoices submitted for payment shall clearly identify:

1. Government order number.

2. Period of performance

3. Amount due by CLIN

4. Labor hours provided per labor category

d. The BPA holder shall prepare and maintain a Funds and Man-hour Expenditure Report for each order. The BPA holder will submit reports, in contractor format, to the COR and Contracting Officer on a regular basis as defined by each order. Reporting shall include schedule by task, labor hour expenditures by labor category by task, cost reimbursable elements, calendar of supported travel, reviews, meetings and briefings, deliverables status and an estimated completion date. The report shall also identify the most significant cost driver(s) for each task (i.e. Schedule, Type of Program, and Complexity), the value of the driver, and a brief explanation. The Government shall identify a standard set of activities and definitions. For each task, the BPA holder shall identify the approximate percentage of hours allocated to those activities. Until such a time as the Government provides this standard set of activities, the BPA holder will not be required to provide this information. The Funds and Man-hour Expenditure Report will be prepared and submitted by those individuals covered by company overhead and will not be directly charged to any specific labor category on a specific order. These reports will be submitted electronically.

e. Closeout Procedures: To facilitate closeout of individual orders placed under this BPA, within thirty (30) days of completion of any individual order, the BPA holder shall present a final invoice to the Contracting Officer that contains a complete accounting of hours expended by category, the prices associated with those hours, any cost reimbursable expenses, and a proposed final price. If the Government concurs with the invoice and the proposed final price is within the ceiling price of the order, the Government will issue an order modification converting the order to a firm fixed price order at the proposed final price.

B.15 PERFORMANCE

The following terms and conditions are applicable:

a. All services will be initiated within 20 calendar days following receipt of a valid order, unless otherwise specified in the order.

b. The BPA holder shall be familiar with Federal Government and Department of Veterans Affairs acquisition regulations, directives and instructions. If a particular document is required in a specific order, it will be cited within the order's PWS.

c. The BPA holder shall not provide technical direction to any other acquisition BPA holder(s) or government personnel at any time. Neither shall the Government directly supervise BPA holder employees. The BPA holder Task Leader should conduct day to day supervision of BPA holder personnel wherever the BPA holder personnel are located. All direction of the BPA holder shall be through the Contracting Officer (CO) of the ordering organization specified in each individual order. Technical "tasking" assignments for the BPA holder will be transmitted by the program office's COR (or program manager) to the BPA holder's Task Leader.

d. The "ordering period" will run from BPA award to 06-30-2025, or until such ending date of any option year, which may be exercised under the Agreement. The "performance period" will terminate with the end of the BPA, unless the ordering CO elects to extend performance as provided under the BPA. If the ordering CO elects to extend performance beyond the end of the BPA, he/she may extend performance up to six (6) months beyond the end of the order period.

e. Capitalization Requirements: The BPA holder shall provide their employees sufficient computer equipment to support orders. The BPA holder shall be able to support the automatic transmission of unclassified data only to the requiring Program Office by modem if so requested. Any computers connected to, or transmits to (connected or via magnetic media) the government shall be properly protected from computer viruses. The BPA holder shall be capable of supporting the software packages utilized by Department of Veterans Affairs for the indicated processors. Specific software packages utilized within a program office shall be stated in the order PWS if it is other than Microsoft Office Professional or Microsoft Project.

f. Cancellation: This BPA may be canceled if the BPA holder fails to perform in accordance with the terms and conditions of this BPA, any order established under this BPA, or if deemed as in the best interests of the Government. The BPA holder must strictly comply with all terms and conditions or the Department of Veterans Affairs/ Contracting Officer may determine that performance by the BPA holder has been unsatisfactory and cancel this BPA.

B.16 INVOICES

a. Inspection and acceptance shall be accomplished as follows: The Government, for all services furnished under any resulting order, hereby designates the COR in the program office as the point of final inspection and acceptance. The BPA holder will submit each invoice, including all back-up data, to the Contracting Officer (CO) for review and signature. When the CO receives an accurate and complete invoice, he/she will return a signed copy to the BPA holder within five (5) working days. If the invoice is incomplete or inaccurate, the CO will return the unsigned invoice to the BPA holder for correction. The Contracting Officer will then forward the signed invoice to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for payment. Final payment for each order will be accomplished by final invoice accompanied by a receiving report.

b. An itemized invoice shall be submitted to the CO at least monthly or upon expiration of this BPA, whichever occurs first, for all deliveries made during a billing period and for which payment has not been received. Copies of delivery tickets shall support these invoices. "Approved-for-payment" invoices will be submitted to the payment address specified on each individual order issued under this BPA.

B.17 PRECEDENCE

36C24120Q0304 The Terms and conditions included in this BPA apply to all purchases made pursuant to it. In the event of an inconsistency between the provisions of this BPA and the Contractor's invoice, the provisions of this BPA will take precedence.

Page 1 of Page 1…