36C24419Q0301-001.docx

Statement of Work Erie VAMC Laundry Service Background:

This document contains the technical provisions for laundry/linen services that are to be provided to the VISN 4, Erie VAMC Medical Center. The Contractor shall provide laundry/linen services including the physical laundry plant, labor, supervision, management, management support, supplies, ancillary equipment, vehicles and materials necessary for accomplishment of complete laundry/linen services, as described within this document.

All linen will be provided by the Contractor. Patient personal clothing, employee uniforms, and select specialty linen will be provided by the Government.

Services are to be provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Erie VA Medical Center, located at 135 East 38th Street, Erie, PA 16504.

Acronyms:

National Association of Institutional Linen Management (NAILM) International Fabricare Institute (IFI) Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) Contractor's Deficiency Report (CDR) Tencate Protective Fabrics (TCPF) Government Furnished Property (GFP) Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)

Scope:

All workmanship shall be in accordance with the practices established by the National Association of Institutional Linen Management (NAILM), International Fabricare Institute (IFI), Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) accepted industry standards, and use universal precaution methods in handling linen. It is intended that services shall include all processes necessary for the laundering of the articles even though every step involved is not specifically mentioned. All work shall be performed under sanitary conditions as specified by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Physical separation, through the presence of a barrier wall and use of pass-through equipment is required to maintain positive air pressure in the clean section relative to a negative air pressure in the soiled section. In no case shall clean and soiled linen share the same physical space. Plants, where the work is completed, shall be open to inspection of sanitary conditions by Government representatives. After processing, laundered articles shall be in serviceable and sanitary condition, meeting established quality and performance requirement standards as described herein.

The Contractor shall be certified by NAILM or be a graduate of an independently controlled management-training program established institutional laundry. The formal course must have been previously established.

Any change of function by the Government, which may affect this contract as contemplated by this paragraph, and which requires permanent adjustments in frequency or type of performance, will be coordinated with the Contracting Officer and the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) prior to initiation of such a change to assure adequate contractual coverage.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the contract covering inspection, acceptance, and deduction from payment, any items found to have been unsatisfactorily cleaned, shall be re-cleaned at no additional cost to the Government. Such items shall be identified, for contractor recognition, by the COR when they are returned on the next scheduled pickup after an unsatisfactory condition is discovered. These items are to be kept separate from the normal laundry items for separate processing.

Scheduled services are to be accomplished subject to emergency situations, which may require alteration of schedules. Emergency situations will be determined by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). In the event the Medical Facility emergencies, disaster, or drills, the Contractor shall perform all laundry/linen services required by the Medical Facility.

Government Representative – COR:

The COR is responsible for providing technical assistance to the Contracting Officer in administration of the contract. This responsibility involves quality assurance inspection, surveillance reporting and monthly certification of the Contractor's performance by the COR. The CO will furnish the name of the COR prior to the start date of the contract. The Contractor shall be advised of the extent of the authority of the COR via a COR Delegation Letter. The COR shall have access to plant facilities, without the necessity of prior notification to Contractor. Each phase of the services rendered under this contract is subject to Government inspection during both the Contractor's operation and after completion of tasks. The Government's program is not a substitute for quality control by the Contractor.

All correspondence relative to this contract shall bear the VA contract number, title, and name of the VA Medical Center, and shall be addressed to the COR with a copy to the Contracting Officer.

Extraneous Articles:

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that all extraneous articles, except trash, found in linens or in areas under the jurisdiction of the Contractor (i.e., medical instrument and personal items) are turned into the COR daily (M-F). A note shall accompany the article returned identifying the area or organization, and the type of linen or item it was found on (ex: general, OR, special).

Safety and Fire Prevention:

In the performance of this contract, the Contractor must take such safety precautions, as necessary, to protect the lives and health of individuals within the laundry plant and transportation vehicles.

Fire and safety deficiencies, which exist and are part of the responsibility of the Contractor, must be corrected immediately. If the Contractor fails or refuses to correct deficiencies promptly, the Contracting Officer may issue an order stopping all or any part of the work and hold the Contractor in default of the contract.

The Contractor shall comply with Federal, State, and local safety and fire regulations and codes. The Contractor shall keep abreast of and comply with changes in these regulations and codes. The Contractor's personnel shall follow policies concerning fire/disaster programs. The Contractor shall display approved warning devices in all areas where operations may cause traffic obstruction or personnel hazard.

Damage and Equipment Loss:

All tasks accomplished by Contractor's personnel shall be performed to preclude damage or disfigurement of Government-owned furnishings, fixtures, equipment, and architectural or building structures. The Contractor shall verbally reply immediately to the COR, any damage or disfigurement to these items when caused by Contractor's personnel. A follow-up written report will be given to the COR and a copy forwarded to Contracting Officer.

When the Contractor has caused damage or loss of government property, or performance is determined to be unsatisfactory; the COR will issue a Contractor's Deficiency Report (CDR). The Contractor will reply, in writing, to the COR within 10 working days, stating the reason for the unsatisfactory condition, the corrective measures which have been taken, and preventive procedures initiated.

Any damage caused to Government property during the course of the Contractor's performance of work under the contract shall be repaired or replaced to preexisting conditions at Contractor's expense.

Linen control:

The Contractor shall comply with all Government request and policies relative to linen control. The Contractor shall participate, as required by VA policy, in inventories of Government-provided specialty linen.

Any articles billed for, but missing, shall be supplied by the Contractor in the next regularly scheduled delivery at no additional cost to the Government. VA owned items lost or badly damaged while under the control of the Contractor must be replaced within a 30-day period at the Contractor's cost.

Unusual losses, including suspected pilferage, shall be reported at once to the COR, who will take immediate action to investigate the loss. If the loss is not recovered, the cost of replacement will be negotiated with the Contracting Officer, along with the approval of the COR. The Contractor will supply an itemized list (by location) of linen that will be replaced, (including item description, quantity and unit cost).

Claim of Patients and Employees:

The Contractor shall establish a procedure for the settlement of claims for loss or damage to property of patients and employees ·while in Contractor's possession., The procedures must be established, and a copy provided to the Contracting Officer for approval, within 20 calendar days after the contract award date.

Phase-in/out Plan:

The Contractor shall include a phase-out plan with their offer. This plan shall describe the Contractor's methods and procedures to ensure smooth and uninterrupted service at contract expiration, and for a period not to exceed 90 days. The Contractor shall fully cooperate with the successor Contractor and the Government so as not to interfere with their work or duties.

Circumstances to be Reported:

The Contractor shall report any circumstances, which may affect the performance of the work, unhealthy or hazardous conditions, or any delays or interference with work. Such reports shall be made immediately upon discovery by the Contractor to the COR by phone. A follow-up shall be sent to the COR via email or facsimile.

Contingency Plan:

The Contractor shall furnish with his proposal a written Contingency Plan indicating that services can be continued in the event of Contractor's equipment and/or production facility failure. The Contingency Plan shall include name of back-up facility, Plant Manager, telephone number, and a binding agreement. The agreement shall state a 24-hour response/production capacity/ability. This Contingency Plan must also include transportation vehicle failure.

Deliveries:

Clean linen delivery and soiled linen pick-up shall occur between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. If an emergency situation causes laundry to be missed on one of these days, the Contractor shall pick-up / drop-off the laundry on the following business day. Laundry exchange carts shall be provided by the Contractor. Laundry is picked up and delivered to the VA Medical Center, 135 East 38th Street, Erie, PA 16504.

Federal Holidays:

The Federal Government observes the following holidays: New Year's Day (1 January), King's Birthday (3rd Monday in January), Washington's Birthday (3rd Monday in February), Memorial Day (Last Monday in May), Independence Day (4th of July), Labor Day (1st Monday in September), Columbus Day (2nd Monday in October), Veteran's Day (11 November), Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November), and Christmas Day (25 December). When such holiday falls on first non-workday, the preceding workday will be considered a holiday. When such holiday falls on the second non-workday, the next workday will be considered a holiday.

Volume:

The following table shows a typical order per item for any given week. This is only an estimate. This table does not reflect other items that may be sent for cleaning such as patient clothes, mop heads, microfiber clothes and any other item we may send.

Mon Wed Fri

Privacy and Security:

All Contractor employees will have to take the VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness Course after contract award and prior to coming on station. See Appendix A 6500 for additional comments provide by Privacy Officer.

Quality Assurance Policy:

The quality of finished textiles shall be checked with sufficient frequency to assure that only aseptically clean linens are delivered to the user. As a minimum, the quality control standards will include:

For purposes of preventing the probably dissemination of contaminates, clean and soiled areas in the TCPF will be physically separated. Negative air pressure will be present in the soiled area and positive air pressure will be present in the clean area. Soiled textiles must enter the wash cavity of a wash system by impervious technique. Soiled textiles being disbursed from patient care areas are not allowed in the clean textile processing area of a TCPF.

Contractor monitoring:

The Contractor will deliver every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 6:00 am and 8:00am. The Contractor shall not exceed more the two late deliveries per year. Scheduled services are to be accomplished subject to emergency situations, which may require alteration of schedules. Emergency situations will be defined by the COR. In the event the Medical Facility emergencies, disaster, or drills, the Contractor shall perform all laundry/linen services required by the Medical Facility.