36C24225Q0968.docx

SUBJECT*

FY25 - NJHCS Sensitive Document Destruction

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Network Contracting Office 2 James J. Peters VA Medical Center 130 West Kingsbridge Road Bronx NY 10468-3904

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Tiffany Vazquez-Simon tiffany.vazquez-simon@va.gov

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

385 Tremont Ave.

East Orange NJ

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice This Sources Sought is issued by VISN 2 Contracting Office in Network Contracting Office 2 for the purpose of collecting information about VA New Jersey Healthcare System - Sensitive Document Destruction Services. The VA is seeking to provide for this requirement on or about September 2025 to establish a new service contract. The NAICS code identified for this requirement is 561410 – Document Preparation Services. Contractor must be able to service all locations. The requirement is detailed in the Statement of Work section of this document.

Sources Sought Notice

1. This is a Sources Sought Notice.

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Sources Sought or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

(b) Although "proposal," "offeror," contractor, and "offeror" may be used in this sources sought notice, any response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. The Government is seeking information for market research purposes only.

(c) Any information received from a contractor in response to this Sources Sought may be used in creating a solicitation. Any information received which is marked with a statement, such as "proprietary" or "confidential," intended to restrict distribution will not be distributed outside of the Government, except as required by law.

(d) This Sources Sought is issued by VISN 2 Contracting Office in Network Contracting Office 2 for the purpose of collecting information about VA New Jersey Healthcare System for Sensitive Document Destruction Services. The VA is seeking to provide for this requirement on or about September 2025 to establish a new service contract. The NAICS code identified for this requirement is 561410 – Document Preparation Services. The requirement is detailed in the Statement of Work section of this document.

(e) Cursory market research has identified small businesses that may be able to provide for this requirement. Contractors that are able to meet the requirements in the attachment and possess an interest in performing these service, are encouraged to email a capability statement and full information to Contract Specialist, Tiffany Vazquez-Simon at tiffany.vazquez-simon@va.gov.

Interested parties MUST provide company/individual name, a capability statement, examples of same or similar work performed at other facilities, SAM UEI number, address, a point of contact and social-economic status documentation. If any of the requested information is not supplied with the response, this may result in the contractor not being considered in the Government’s Procurement Strategy.

- Part of the purpose of this sources sought is to determine the viability of set aside to a specific socio-economic category (service-disabled veteran owned small business, veteran owned small business, women owned small business, HUB Zone, 8(a), small business).

- If contractor is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), or any other special category of contractors, then contractor is responsible for providing documentation in support of this. This information will be used to determine the viability of a set aside for this requirement.

- Prospective Quoters must register themselves on System for Award Management (SAM) https://www.sam.gov/. Prospective Quoters must have an active registration in SAM at the time of submission of quotes in order to participate in this procurement.

- Contractors are required to register and submit requests for electronic payments via the Customer Engagement Portal (CEP) www.cep.fsc.va.gov. Registration with ID.me is required from the CEP portal. Contractors shall submit payment requests in electronic form via https://www.tungsten-network.com/customer-campaigns/veteransaffairs/.

The following information is required for determining procurement strategy and viability of sources:

· Contractor shall identify pertinent point of contact for company, SAM UEI number for size standard and socioeconomic verification in SAM and SBA, as well as for any intended subcontractors.

· This service is located at multiple locations throughout the VA New Jersey Healthcare System- See SOW. Contractor must be able to service all locations. Provide your site location and supporting documentation. Given your location and proximity to the service site, how do you plan to accomplish self-performance of this work?

· Contractor shall provide 2 to 3 instances of past experience which demonstrate that they are a firm regularly engaged in this type of work, to include subcontractors for those jobs. How many years’ experience does your company have in performing tasks of this nature, of this scope and this complexity? How many years of service do your proposed technicians have performing tasks of this nature, this scope, and this complexity? How many years does your proposed subcontractor have in performing tasks of this nature, this scope, and this complexity?

· Contractor shall supply proof of any applicable certification or training required to meet the regulatory requirements, if applicable. How many certified/licensed/trained technicians does your company currently employ?

· Set-aside requirements have limitations on subcontracting. If your intention is to subcontract work, what tasks will be performed by you as the prime contractor? What tasks will require a subcontractor due to your inability to perform them within your company?

· Contractor shall provide a listing of any teaming agreements they intend to employ in the performance of this requirement if awarded.

· Contractor shall also identify any Federal Supply Schedules that may carry the desired services. (Please clearly indicate what services are included under the FSS schedule and what are open market) Sources Sought Notice

· Contractor shall include any relevant comments about the Attachment(s) if applicable.

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DRAFT – STATEMENT OF WORK

Sensitive Document Destruction Container Collection/Removal VA New Jersey Health Care System

I. General A. This is a non-personal services requirement for Sensitive Document Destruction Container Collection/Removal Services. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service as provided in statements of performance. Sub-contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who in turn is responsible to the Government.

II. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES/INTRODUCTION:

A. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform Sensitive Document Destruction Container Collection/Removal Contract as defined in this Statement of Work (SOW).

B. The contractor shall provide for all labor and materials necessary for the collection, removal and destruction of sensitive documents. The contractor shall perform all required services identified in this SOW. The contractor shall furnish containers for various locations as specified below.

III. SCOPE:

A. Services shall be performed with strict adherence to Federal, State and Local regulations pertaining to the collection, handling, packaging and disposal of sensitive and secured material including VA Directive 6371. Material must be shredded on-site at the VA facility with final destruction to an unreadable and unreconstructible size and form per VA Directive 6371 able to occur off-site.

B. Requirement is for an approximate number of bins as stated in the "Delivery Schedule." This delivery schedule contains the number of bins for each location and the pickup frequency for each location. The operating hours for pickups shall be between the hours of 7:00AM and 3:00PM, Monday through Friday.

C. Upon arrival at a site, document destruction technician must notify VA personnel to proceed with document destruction service. No service shall begin without approval to allow for the opportunity to notify contractor of full and/or missed bins between service dates.

D. If a device is not used by the vendor; some method of identifying each console/bin serviced must be provided by the contractor.

E. The technician shall provide in-building service of all consoles/bins containing sensitive documents. This will be accomplished by entering each building and traveling to every location within the building of the medical center campus that has bins/consoles to empty and transport material of consoles/bins to shredding truck.

Page 1 of F. The technician shall perform onsite destruction of console/bin contents and repeat process until all bins are serviced.

G. At no time shall consoles/bins be left open or unlocked or unattended.

H. All contents of each bin must be shredded onsite before transport to final destruction site.

I. Upon completion of service the COR or Point of Contact (POC) acting for the COR must be contacted to verify completion of service and sign the Certificate of Destruction. The COR and/or POC will be designated at the commencement of period of performance.

J. Documentation - No documents shall leave the premises without some form of signed documentation indicating chain of custody. IAW Directive 6371 8b. The destruction contractor must provide the designated VA representative with documentation that acknowledges receipt of the temporary records prior to departing the VA location. When the sensitive documents leave the VA location, they must either be finally shredded with a Certificate of Destruction (COD) or the contractor must provide a signed form stating that they are leaving the VA location with interim shredded records. Interim destruction shall take place before the COR or COR designee and signs the document. No documents are to be removed from VA premises without a COR or COR designee signature.

K. At no time shall maintenance or repair of the shred truck cause delays or rescheduling to the servicing dates for any locations.

L. If a location's servicing date needs to be rescheduled by the contractor, they must provide the COR with written notice at least 72 hours in advance.

IV. SCHEDULE LOCATIONS: The contractor shall develop and maintain a routine service schedule. The proposed service schedule shall provide the suggested days of the week, task, and frequency of service to be performed.

A. Delivery Schedule: Contractor must be able to service all locations.

VA New Jersey Health Care System: *Requires an estimated 44 bins.

*Additional sites and Bins may be added or removed with a modification agreement between the Government and the Contractor. NO ADDITIONAL BINS MAY BE ADDED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF CONTRACTING OFFICER VIA MODIFICATION TO THE CONTRACT.

V. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

A. ESTIMATED: SEPTEMBER 2025 - DECEMBER 2025.

VI. CONTRACT TYPE: Firm Fixed Price.

VII. QUALITY CONTROL: The contractor shall develop an effective quality control program (QCP) to ensure service is performed in accordance with this SOW. The quality control program should include contractor's plan and procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of any incidence of defective service known or recognized during the contract. The contractor's quality control program is the means to ensure that their work complies with the requirement of SOW and contract agreement.

VIII. QUALITY ASSURANCE: The government shall evaluate the contractor's performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s).

IX. RECOGNIZED FEDERAL HOLIDAYS: Contractor shall not be allowed to work on Federal holidays. If the scheduled service falls on a holiday, service MUST be performed on the next working day or re-scheduled with the COR. Federal holidays are:

Christmas Day

X. Hours of Operation: The contractor shall perform services between the hours of 7:00AM and 3:00PM Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings. The contractor must maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this SOW.

XI. SAFETY/ HEALTH:

A. Contractor personnel performing work under this contract must observe all safety precautions throughout the performance of this contract. All work shall comply with the applicable federal, state and local safety and health requirements.

XII. PRIVACY & SECURITY REQUIREMENTS: Contractor personnel performing work under this contract must have:

A. UNIFORMS AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING - The contractor shall provide uniforms that display a legible identification of the employee's and company's name (i.e., badge) to their workforce; clearly distinguishing its workers from those of the VA. The contractor shall determine the need for and provide any personal protective clothing required.

B. ID BADGES - All contract employees must wear VA provided identification badges in addition to their contractor provided uniforms which are clearly distinguishable and shall display legible identification of the employee's and company's name (i.e., badge).

C. PRIVACY ACT MANDATES

1. The Privacy Act applies to Federal government contractors who operate systems of records containing personal information.

2. When an agency contracts for the design, operation, maintenance, or use of systems containing information covered by the Privacy Act, the contractor and its employees are subject to the same requirements for safeguarding information as Federal employees.

3. The contractors and their employees also are subject to civil and criminal sanctions under the Act for any violation that may occur due to oversight or negligence.

4. An agency that fails to require that systems of records operated on its behalf under contracts be maintained according to the Act may be civilly liable to individuals injured as a consequence of any failure to maintain records in conformance with the Act. Officers or employees of the agency may be criminally liable for any violations of the Act.

D. SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION

1. The term "security incident" means an event that has, or could have, resulted in unauthorized access to, loss or damage to VA assets, or sensitive information, or an action that breaches VA security procedures. The contractor/subcontractor shall immediately notify the COR and simultaneously, the designated ISO and Privacy Officer for the contract of any known or suspected security/privacy incidents, or any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, including that contained in system(s) to which the contractor/subcontractor has access.

2. To the extent known by the contractor/subcontractor, the contractor/subcontractor's notice to VA shall identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and where the VA information or assets were placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the contractor/subcontractor considers relevant.

3. With respect to unsecured protected health information, the business associate is deemed to have discovered a data breach when the business associate knew or should have known of a breach of such information. Upon discovery, the business associate must notify the covered entity of the breach. Notifications need to be made in accordance with the executed business associate agreement.

4. In instances of theft or break-in or other criminal activity, the contractor/subcontractor must concurrently report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement entity (or entities) of jurisdiction, including the VA OIG and Security and Law Enforcement. The contractor, its employees, and its subcontractors and their employees shall cooperate with VA and any law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any possible criminal law violation(s) associated with any incident. The contractor/subcontractor shall cooperate with VA in any civil litigation to recover VA information, obtain monetary or other compensation from a third party for damages arising from any incident, or obtain injunctive relief against any third party arising from, or related to, the incident.

XIII. TRAINING: Contractor employees and subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following:

1. Acknowledge (either manually or electronically) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Contractor Rules of Behavior, Appendix E relating to access to VA information and information systems; the event, including:

2. VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training and annually complete required security training.

3. VA privacy training and annually complete required privacy training; and

4. The contractor shall provide to the contracting officer and/or the COR a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Contractor Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required. Failure to complete the mandatory annual training and sign the Rules of Behavior annually, within the timeframe required, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and documents are complete.