36C24226Q0611_2.docx

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

Network Contracting Office (NCO) 2 3495 Bailey Avenue Building 3, 2nd floor Buffalo NY 14215

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Megan Ross Megan.Ross3@va.gov 716-862-7461 22451 716-684-0474

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

385 Tremont Ave

East Orange NJ

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

DESCRIPTION

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Temporary Lodging (Hoptel) Services VA New Jersey Healthcare System (VANJHCS) – East Orange Campus

Office of Patient Centered Care & Employee Engagement (OPCC&EE)

385 Tremont Avenue, East Orange, NJ 07018

SECTION 1: GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Purpose

The VA New Jersey Healthcare System (VANJHCS), Office of Patient Centered Care & Employee Engagement (OPCC&EE), is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to conduct market research and identify commercial sources capable of providing temporary overnight lodging services (Hoptel services) for eligible Veterans receiving medical treatment at VANJHCS or in the community when pre-authorized by VA.

This RFI is issued solely for market research and information purposes in accordance with FAR Part 10, Market Research. This is NOT a solicitation, a Request for Proposal (RFP), or a Request for Quote (RFQ). This RFI does not constitute a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, make an award, or pay for any costs incurred in the preparation or submission of a response. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with responding to this RFI.

Responses to this RFI will be used to:

· Identify qualified and capable sources;

· Determine the appropriate acquisition strategy and contract vehicle;

· Assess small business and socioeconomic set-aside potential;

· Gather pricing information to support an Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE).

1.2 Background

VANJHCS provides care to Veterans who served in active military, naval, or air service, as well as qualifying reservists and National Guard members. Eligible patients who are medically stable but receiving ongoing treatment — including Radiation Oncology, Surgery, Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), War Related Illness and Injury, and GI procedures — may require temporary lodging when they cannot safely travel home the same day as treatment.

The program is governed by VHA Directive 1107(1), Department of Veterans Affairs Fisher Houses and Other Temporary Lodging (October 19, 2023, as amended April 8, 2025), and VANJHCS Local Policy #CC-08-0811.

1.3 Anticipated Requirement Summary

The Government anticipates requiring one (1) vendor to provide the following from a single, dedicated facility:

· Temporary overnight accommodations no more than 20 minutes travel time from VANJHCS (385 Tremont Avenue, East Orange, NJ 07018)

· ADA-compliant rooms with roll-in shower availability

· All-inclusive daily room rates covering: continental breakfast, free parking, complimentary Wi-Fi, and kitchenette (refrigerator, stovetop, microwave, dishes)

· On-site laundry facilities

· Complimentary shuttle transportation to/from VANJHCS between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., seven days per week

· 24/7 contractor availability for reservations, modifications, and cancellations

· Pet accommodations (minimum 2 pets per room) at a minimal fee

· Minimum two (2) rooms available at the government rate for 95% of the contract year

· A 4-star or higher facility rating from a nationally recognized rating source

· Active SAM.gov registration

· Estimated volume: 0 to 5+ patients per week

SECTION 2: REQUIRED RESPONDENT INFORMATION

All respondents must complete and return this RFI in its entirety. Incomplete submissions will not be considered for market research purposes. Each section below must be addressed. A signed certification page is required (see Section 6).

2.1 Vendor Identification and Contact Information

Respondents shall provide the following:

Legal Business Name

Doing Business As (DBA), if applicable

Hotel / Facility Name (if different from legal business name)

Physical Address of Proposed Lodging Facility

Business Mailing Address (if different)

Primary Point of Contact Name

Title

Phone Number

Email Address

Company Website

2.2 SAM.gov Registration – MANDATORY

Active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov is a mandatory prerequisite for award of any Federal contract. Respondents must provide the following information and acknowledge their registration status.

SAM Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):

SAM Registration Status (Active / Inactive):

SAM Registration Expiration Date:

CAGE Code (if applicable):

DUNS Number (if retained for reference):

Entity Type (e.g., Corporation, LLC, Sole Proprietor, Partnership):

Primary NAICS Code under which entity is registered:

☐ Separate/Parent Entity

If separate/parent entity, provide parent entity name and UEI:

Certification: By signing Section 6 of this RFI, the respondent certifies that the information provided above is accurate and that their SAM registration is currently active at www.sam.gov. The Government will verify all SAM registrations. Responses from entities with inactive or absent SAM registrations will be noted and the entity will be advised to register prior to any solicitation issuance.

2.3 Socioeconomic Status – MANDATORY

The Government is required to conduct market research to assess the availability of small business and socioeconomic category vendors capable of meeting the requirement, in accordance with FAR 19.102 and the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. § 631 et seq.). Respondents must identify their socioeconomic status as registered in SAM.gov.

Check all that apply and provide supporting certification or SBA designation where indicated:

Note: The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is anticipated to be 721110 (Hotels and Motels, except Casino Hotels and Motels). The SBA size standard for NAICS 721110 is $47.0 million in average annual receipts. Respondents should confirm their size status against the current SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards at www.sba.gov/size-standards.

Annual Revenue (for size standard verification purposes):

Note for SDVOSB/VOSB respondents: Pursuant to the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-461) and 38 U.S.C. § 8127–8128, VA is required to set aside acquisitions for SDVOSBs and VOSBs when two or more such firms are reasonably expected to submit offers at a fair and reasonable price. Verified SDVOSB/VOSB firms must be listed in the VA Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database at https://www.vetbiz.va.gov. Respondents claiming SDVOSB or VOSB status must provide their VIP verification status.

2.4 Subcontracting Plan Acknowledgment – MANDATORY

In accordance with FAR 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, offerors who are large businesses and are awarded a contract exceeding $750,000 are required to submit and comply with an acceptable subcontracting plan. Respondents must acknowledge the following:

a. Business Size for Subcontracting Plan Purposes:

b. Subcontracting Intent (All Respondents):

If yes, describe the nature of the work to be subcontracted (e.g., transportation, laundry, food service, maintenance):

If yes, identify anticipated small business subcontracting categories (e.g., SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, 8(a)):

c. Subcontracting Plan Signature and Acknowledgment:

By signing Section 6 (Certification and Signature) of this RFI, the respondent acknowledges and agrees to the following:

"I/We acknowledge that if our business is classified as a Large Business and is awarded a Federal contract under the resulting solicitation with a value exceeding $750,000, we will be required to submit an acceptable Small Business Subcontracting Plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9 prior to contract award. The subcontracting plan shall include good-faith goals for subcontracting with Small Business, Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), HUBZone Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) concerns. I/We further acknowledge that failure to comply with an approved subcontracting plan is a material breach of the resulting contract."

Respondent Acknowledgment: ☐ ACKNOWLEDGED ☐ NOT ACKNOWLEDGED (Respondents who do not acknowledge this requirement will be noted in the market research findings.)

2.5 Facility Capability Information

Respondents shall provide the following information regarding the proposed lodging facility:

a. Facility Details

Facility Name

Full Street Address of Proposed Facility

Current Star Rating

Star Rating Source (e.g., AAA, Google, Forbes, TripAdvisor)

Number of Total Rooms at Facility

Number of ADA-Accessible Rooms

USFA Master List URL or Reference:

b. Room Amenities

☐ No ☐ Yes ☐ No

☐ No ☐ Yes

☐ No ☐ Yes ☐ No Days available:

☐ No ☐ Yes

☐ No ☐ Yes

☐ No ☐ Yes

☐ No ☐ Yes

☐ No ☐ Yes

c. Transportation

☐ No ☐ Negotiable

Shuttle hours of operation:

☐ No

Backup transportation plan in case of vehicle unavailability:

d. Availability and Operations

☐ Case-by-case

☐ Case-by-case

e. Pet Policy

Maximum number of pets per room:

SECTION 3: QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

Respondents are encouraged to provide any questions, comments, or concerns regarding the anticipated requirement. This feedback will be used to refine the final solicitation documents.

Question / Comment / Concern

SECTION 4: MARKET RESEARCH CONSENT

By submitting a response to this RFI, respondents acknowledge that:

1. Their response may be reviewed by VA acquisition and program personnel;

2. Proprietary or confidential business information should be clearly marked as such;

3. The Government will handle all responses in accordance with applicable Federal laws and regulations;

4. Submission of a response does not guarantee inclusion in any resulting solicitation.

SECTION 5: SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

· Responses must be submitted via email only to Megan.Ross3@va.gov by 06/08/2026 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time

· Subject line must read: RFI 36C24226Q0611 HOPTEL HOTEL ROOM ACCOMMODATIONS

· Responses should be submitted as a single PDF or Microsoft Word document

· Late submissions will not be considered for market research purposes

· Questions regarding this RFI must be submitted in writing to megan.ross3@va.gov no later than 06/08/2026 4:00 PM.

SECTION 6: CERTIFICATION AND SIGNATURE – MANDATORY

This section must be signed and returned with the RFI response. Unsigned submissions will not be considered complete.

The undersigned, on behalf of the responding entity, hereby certifies under penalty of law that:

1. All information provided in this RFI response is accurate, complete, and current to the best of the respondent's knowledge;

2. The entity's SAM.gov registration is active and the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) provided herein is correct;

3. The entity's socioeconomic status as indicated in Section 2.3 is accurate and consistent with current SAM.gov registration and any applicable SBA certifications;

4. If classified as a Large Business, the respondent acknowledges and accepts the Small Business Subcontracting Plan requirement as described in Section 2.4, and agrees to submit an acceptable subcontracting plan in compliance with FAR 52.219-9 upon solicitation issuance;

5. The respondent understands that this RFI is for market research purposes only and does not constitute a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or make an award;

6. The respondent has reviewed the anticipated requirements described herein and, to the best of its knowledge, is / is not (circle one) capable of meeting all requirements.

Authorized Signatory:

Printed Name:

Title:

Legal Business Name:

SAM UEI:

Signature:

Date:

This RFI is issued by the VA New Jersey Healthcare System (VANJHCS), Office of Patient Centered Care & Employee Engagement (OPCC&EE). All responses will be handled in accordance with applicable Federal acquisition regulations. The Government is an equal opportunity employer and encourages responses from all capable sources, including small businesses, SDVOSBs, VOSBs, WOSBs, HUBZone firms, and 8(a) participants.

Contracting Officer: Megan Ross, Megan.Ross3@va.gov for the VANJHCS OPCC&EE VA New Jersey Healthcare System | 385 Tremont Avenue, East Orange, NJ 07018

Sources Sought Notice