36C24725Q0111.docx

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J065--PM Vaporizer efficacy testing
Solicitation number
36C24725Q0111
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This document is a Sources Sought notice for a future contract opportunity to provide preventive maintenance, emergency corrective maintenance, and vaporizer efficacy testing services for various anesthesia machines, gas units, and respiratory modules owned by the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center. The services will be provided under a firm-fixed-price contract with a performance period of March 1, 2025 through February 28, 2030.

The government is conducting market research to determine the availability of small business vendors capable of providing these services. Interested vendors are instructed to submit a capabilities statement by November 25, 2024 acknowledging if they are an authorized provider and including past performance information. The government reserves the right not to respond to any submissions. This Sources Sought notice is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation.

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Anesthesia Machines Statement of Work (SOW)

SUBJECT*
PM Vaporizer efficacy testing

GENERAL INFORMATION

CONTRACTING OFFICE’S ZIP CODE*
30329
SOLICITATION NUMBER*
36C24725Q0111
RESPONSE DATE/TIME/ZONE
11-25-2024 12PM EASTERN TIME, NEW YORK, USA
ARCHIVE
60 DAYS AFTER THE RESPONSE DATE
RECOVERY ACT FUNDS
N
SET-ASIDE
SBA
PRODUCT SERVICE CODE*
J065
NAICS CODE*
811210
CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

Network Contracting Office (NCO) 7 2957 CLAIRMONT ROAD NE, Suite 1200 Atlanta GA 30329

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Jessica Cummings Jessica.Cummings3@va.gov

(803) 776-4000 x7801

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

ADDRESS
Department of Veterans Affairs

Charlie Norwood VAMC

1 Freedom Parkway

Augusta Georgia

POSTAL CODE
30904
COUNTRY
USA

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL
https://www.va.gov
URL DESCRIPTION
https://www.va.gov
AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS
Jessica.Cummings3@va.gov
EMAIL DESCRIPTION
Jessica.Cummings3@va.gov

DESCRIPTION

This is a Sources Sought to conduct market research to determine the availability of small business vendors capable of providing the requirement for security guard services. Please see attached Statement of work for details. This requirement is a service and maintenance contract is to cover all existing Avance CS2 anesthesia machines, Aestiva MRI anesthesia machines, Anesthesia Apparatus Gas units, E-SCIO respiratory modules, and vaporizers owned by Charlie Norwood VAMC. The contract shall include Preventive Maintenance (PM) services, Emergency Corrective Maintenance services, and vaporizer efficacy testing. Sources sought does not guarantee the issuance of an RFQ. If you have the availability to provide the requirement, please respond to the sources sought with a capabilities statement. The sources sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. The VA is not, at this time, seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to the sources sought; all costs associated with responding to the sources sought will be solely at the interested vendor’s expense. Not responding to the sources sought does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, if any is issued. Any information submitted by respondents to this RFI is strictly voluntary. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Please note that requirements defined to date may change before a final solicitation is released.

Sources Sought requirements are as follows: 1. Please acknowledge if your company is an authorized provider of the of these services. 2. Submit responses and related information via email to Jessica.Cummings3@va.gov by 12:00 PM EST, November 25, 2024.

Proprietary/Confidential material shall be clearly marked on every page that contains such. Include the name, phone number, and email address of the lead from your organization. VA reserves the right not to respond to any or all emails or materials submitted. 3. Provide Past Performance (if applicable)

DISCLAIMER

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

*= Required Field
Sources Sought Notice

Sources Sought Notice

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Purpose: Full-service coverage for anesthesia units and vaporizers.

2. Scope of Work: The contractor shall provide all resources necessary to work to provide preventative and unscheduled maintenance for anesthesia units and vaporizers.

3. Background: Previous service contract is coming to an end and service is still needed for anesthesia units and vaporizer.

4. Performance Period:

3/1/25 – 2/28/26 3/1/26 – 2/28/27 3/1/27 – 2/28/28 3/1/28 – 2/28/29 3/1/29 – 2/28/30

5. Type of Contract: Firm-Fixed-Price.

6. Place of Performance: Delivery will be made to Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Warehouse Bldg 111, 1 Freedom Way, Augusta GA 30904. Anesthesia units are located at 950 15th street Augusta GA 30904

7. Hours of Operation: Warehouse deliveries are accepted between 8am and 3:30pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Hospital normal hours of operation are between 8am and 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Holidays falling on a Sunday will be observed the following Monday.

Federal Holidays
New Year’s DayJanuary 1st
Martin Luther King’s Birthday3rd Monday in January
President’s Day3rd Monday in February
Memorial DayLast Monday in May

Juneteenth Day June 16th

Independence DayJuly 4th
Labor Day1st Monday in September
Columbus Day2nd Monday in October
Veteran’s DayNovember 11th
Thanksgiving DayLast Thursday in November
Christmas DayDecember 25th

B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Preventive Maintenance:

a) All PMs shall be conducted per Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) recommended procedures / protocols (no exceptions). All PMs shall be conducted pursuant to OEM hardware / software specifications as detailed in the applicable service manuals from the OEM.

b) Contractor shall provide (as part of this service and maintenance contract), at no additional cost to the Government, all necessary service parts (including shipping and handling costs), labor, and travel to complete required PMs.

c) Contractor shall complete PMs based on the frequency basis noted in Section j. Equipment Listing (no exceptions) and shall complete PMs based on the PM month schedule set forth by CNVAMC Biomedical Engineering (also detailed in Section j. Equipment coverage).

d) Preventive Maintenance (P.M.) shall be performed by a factory (OEM) trained service representative/service technician (no exceptions). These service individuals must be factory trained on all items listed in the equipment schedule (no exceptions). Documentation shall be provided to the Contracting Officer with the bid certifying that the service representative or service technician has been trained and certified in the performance of this work by the original equipment manufacturer (no exceptions). OEM training certificates will be requested during the evaluation process. Service representatives / technicians that are not factory trained and or do not have OEM training certificates will not qualify to work on the anesthesia units listed at CNVAMC. PM Service Hours: All P.M. service shall be performed during normal V.A. working hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (deviations must be approved in advance by Contracting Officer e). Unscheduled repairs and maintenance should be at least scheduled for repair within 24 hours of call and repairs finished within 4 working days.

f) P.M. inspections will be made in accordance with schedules as defined in this SOW. During the P.M. visit (as part of this service and maintenance contract), the Contractor shall perform preventive maintenance to correct any equipment malfunctions and assure that the equipment meets manufacturer's factory specifications (at no additional cost to the Government). Any calibration procedures or adjustments necessary to assure accurate and reliable equipment operation will be performed at this time. A service report of all work done should be generated and sent to Bioengineering within 4 days of completed work.

g) P.M. procedures used to perform work under this contract are required to be submitted. Two copies of the P.M. procedures used must be presented in writing to the Contracting Officer within 10 days of contract issue. Failure to provide these procedures may result in delay of payment or non-payment.

h) During the P.M. visit, the Contractor will replace such parts as may be necessary for the satisfactory functioning of the equipment. Contractor shall be able to certify that equipment is safe for patient use after completion of P.M. services.

i) The Contractor shall call Bioengineering Department, Downtown Division, at phone (706) 733-0188, ext. 3342, two (2) days in advance to confirm that the equipment can be serviced at a time that is agreeable to the VA and the Contractor.

j) Equipment Coverage:

Asset Numbers
Mfg Name
Model
Serial #
PM frequency
509 EE82513
GE Healthcare USA
AESTIVA/5 MRI
AMTV00315
Semi-Annual
509 EE58710
GE Healthcare
AESTIVA/5 MRI
AMTN00151
Semi-Annual
509 MX3516536
GE Healthcare USA
AISYS CS2 W/ET CONTROL
AQDD40233
Semi-Annual
509 MX3516552
GE Healthcare USA
AISYS CS2 W/ET CONTROL
AQDD40232
Semi-Annual
509 EE82514
GE Healthcare USA
AVANCE CS2
APKV02256
Semi-Annual
509 EE82522
GE Healthcare USA
AVANCE CS2
APKV02263
Semi-Annual
509 EE82517
GE Healthcare USA
AVANCE CS2
APKV02259
Semi-Annual
509 EE82515
GE Healthcare USA
AVANCE CS2
APKV02258
Semi-Annual
509 EE82519
GE Healthcare USA
AVANCE CS2
APKV02261
Semi-Annual
509 EE82516
GE Healthcare USA
AVANCE CS2
APKV02257
Semi-Annual
509 EE82567
GE Healthcare
AVANCE CS2
APKV02262
Semi-Annual
509 EE82520
GE Healthcare USA
AVANCE CS2
APKV02264
Semi-Annual
509 EE82518
GE Healthcare USA
AVANCE CS2
APKV02260
Semi-Annual
509 EE82523
GE Healthcare USA
AVANCE CS2
APKV02265
Semi-Annual
509 EE82555
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16370232HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82554
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16370253HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82548
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16370099HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82552
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16370226HA
Semi-Annual
509 MX3525397
GE Healthcare USA
E-SCAIO
SUA24094026HA
Semi-Annual
509 MX3525398
GE Healthcare USA
E-SCAIO
SUA24094033HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82547
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16320084HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82549
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16370159HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82550
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16370222HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82553
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16370231HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82556
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16380020HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82551
GE Healthcare
E-SCAIO
SGV16370224HA
Semi-Annual
509 EE82539
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV06313
Semi-Annual
509 EE82510
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESW31034
Semi-Annual
509 EE82544
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV06325
Semi-Annual
509 EE82506
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESW43012
Semi-Annual
509 EE66758
Baxter Healthcare Corp
TEC 7
BEJN00713
Semi-Annual
509 EE82540
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02138
Semi-Annual
509 EE82508
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESV43019
Semi-Annual
509 EE82537
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV06278
Semi-Annual
509 EE82545
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV04869
Semi-Annual
509 EE82530
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02152
Semi-Annual
509 EE82512
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESV43034
Semi-Annual
509 EE82536
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV06261
Semi-Annual
509 EE82527
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02141
Semi-Annual
509 EE50411
Baxter Healthcare Corp
TEC 6 PLUS
AETL39010
Semi-Annual
509 EE82504
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESV38015
Semi-Annual
509 EE82533
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV05716
Semi-Annual
509 EE82538
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV06282
Semi-Annual
509 EE82509
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESV43028
Semi-Annual
509 EE82507
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESV43016
Semi-Annual
509 EE50405
Baxter Healthcare Corp
TEC 6 PLUS
AESS16090
Semi-Annual
509 EE82542
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02132
Semi-Annual
509 EE82529
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02144
Semi-Annual
509 EE82525
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02136
Semi-Annual
509 EE82521
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESV43047
Semi-Annual
509 EE82532
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV04723
Semi-Annual
509 EE82505
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESV40044
Semi-Annual
509 EE82535
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV06192
Semi-Annual
509 EE82541
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEJV06314
Semi-Annual
509 EE66762
Baxter Healthcare Corp
TEC 7
BEGF00327
Semi-Annual
509 EE82528
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02143
Semi-Annual
509 EE82543
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02148
Semi-Annual
509 EE82531
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02154
Semi-Annual
509 EE82524
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02134
Semi-Annual
509 EE50406
Baxter Healthcare Corp
TEC 6
AETM16109
Semi-Annual
509 EE82534
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
Tec 850
SQBZ13129
Semi-Annual
509 EE82526
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 7
BEGV02140
Semi-Annual
509 EE82511
Datex-Ohmeda Inc
TEC 6 PLUS
AESV43033
Semi-Annual

C. CHANGES TO STATEMENT OF WORK

Any changes to this SOW shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the CO. A copy of each change will 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 CO shall be borne by the contractor.

D. INVOICES

1. Payment will be made upon receipt of a properly prepared detailed invoice, prepared by the Contractor, validated by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and submitted electronically through OB-10 (https://portal.tungsten-network.com/).

2. A properly prepared invoice will contain:

a) Invoice Number and Date

b) Contractor’s Name and Address

b) Accurate Purchase Order Number
c) Supply or Service provided
d) Total Amount Due

E. SECURITY

PER REVIEW OF VA HANDBOOK 6500.6, CONTRACT SECURITY, APPENDIX A- INFORMATION SECURITY AND PRIVACY CHECKLIST:

1. “The C&A requirements do not apply and a Security Accreditation Package is not required.”

2. Acquisition of this service does not involve the storage, generating, transmitting, or exchanging of VA sensitive information to the vendor.

3. There may exist exposure to VA sensitive information, in particular to sensitive personal information (SPI) while implementing contractual services.

Minimum Statutory Requirements

1. Prohibition on unauthorized disclosure: Information made available to the contractor or subcontractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the contractor/subcontractor in performance or administration of the contract shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the prior written agreement of the VA. This clause expressly limits the contractor/subcontractor's rights to use data as described in Rights in Data - General, FAR 52.227-14(d) (1). See VA Handbook 6500.6, Appendix C, paragraph 3.a.

2. Requirement for data breach notification: Upon discovery 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, the contractor/subcontractor shall immediately and simultaneously notify the COR, the designated ISO, and Privacy Officer for the contract. 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. See VA Handbook 6500.6, Appendix C, paragraph 6.a

3. Requirement to pay liquidated damages in the event of a data breach: Consistent with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. §5725, a contract may require access to sensitive personal information. If so, the contractor is liable to VA for liquidated damages in the event of a data breach or privacy incident involving any SPI the contractor/subcontractor processes or maintains under this contract.

The contractor/subcontractor shall provide notice to VA of a “security incident” as set forth in the Security Incident Investigation section above. Upon such notification, VA must secure from a non-Department entity or the VA Office of Inspector General an independent risk analysis of the data breach to determine the level of risk associated with the data breach for the potential misuse of any sensitive personal information involved in the data breach. The term 'data breach' means the loss, theft, or other unauthorized access, or any access other than that incidental to the scope of employment, to data containing sensitive personal information, in electronic or printed form, that results in the potential compromise of the confidentiality or integrity of the data. Contractor shall fully cooperate with the entity performing the risk analysis. Failure to cooperate may be deemed a material breach and grounds for contract termination.

Each risk analysis shall address all relevant information concerning the data breach, including the following:

(1) Nature of the event (loss, theft, unauthorized access);

(2) Description of the event, including:
(a) date of occurrence;
(b) data elements involved, including any PII, such as full name, social security number, date of birth, home address, account number, disability code;
(3) Number of individuals affected or potentially affected;
(4) Names of individuals or groups affected or potentially affected;
(5) Ease of logical data access to the lost, stolen or improperly accessed data considering the degree of protection for the data, e.g., unencrypted, plain text;
(6) Amount of time the data has been out of VA control;
(7) The likelihood that the sensitive personal information will or has been compromised (made accessible to and usable by unauthorized persons);
(8) Known misuses of data containing sensitive personal information, if any;
(9) Assessment of the potential harm to the affected individuals;
(10) Data breach analysis as outlined in 6500.2 Handbook, Management of Security and Privacy Incidents, as appropriate; and
(11) Whether credit protection services may assist record subjects in avoiding or mitigating the results of identity theft based on the sensitive personal information that may have been compromised.

Based on the determinations of the independent risk analysis, the contractor shall be responsible for paying to the VA liquidated damages in the amount of $37.50 per affected individual to cover the cost of providing credit protection services to affected individuals consisting of the following:

(1) Notification;

(2) One year of credit monitoring services consisting of automatic daily monitoring of at least 3 relevant credit bureau reports;
(3) Data breach analysis;
(4) Fraud resolution services, including writing dispute letters, initiating fraud alerts and credit freezes, to assist affected individuals to bring matters to resolution;
(5) One year of identity theft insurance with $20,000.00 coverage at $0 deductible; and
(6) Necessary legal expenses the subjects may incur to repair falsified or damaged credit records, histories, or financial affairs (see VA handbook 6500.6, appendix c, paragraph 7.a, 7.d)

Information System Security

The contractor shall ensure adequate LAN/Internet, data, information, and system security in accordance with VA standard operating procedures and standard contract language, conditions laws, and regulations. The contractor’s firewall and web server shall meet or exceed the government minimum requirements for security. All government data shall be protected behind an approved firewall. Any security violations or attempted violations shall be reported to the VA project manager and the VBA Headquarters Information Security Officer as soon as possible. The contractor shall follow all applicable VA policies and procedures governing information security, especially those that pertain to certification accreditation.

Security Training

All contractor employees and subcontractors under this contract or order are required to complete the VA's on-line Security Awareness Training Course and the Privacy Awareness Training Course annually. Contractors must provide signed certifications of completion to the CO during each year of the contract. This requirement is in addition to any other training that may be required of the contractor and subcontractor(s).

Contractor Personnel Security

All contractor employees who require access to the Department of Veterans Affairs' computer systems shall be the subject of a background investigation and must receive a favorable adjudication from the VA Security and Investigations Center (07C). The level of background security investigation will be in accordance with VA Directive 0710 dated September 10, 2004 and is available at: http://www.va.gov/pubs/asp/edsdirec.asp (VA Handbook 0710, Appendix A, Tables 1 - 3). Appropriate Background Investigation (BI) forms will be provided upon contract (or task order) award and are to be completed and returned to the VA Security and Investigations Center (07C) within 30 days for processing. Contractors will be notified by 07C when the BI has been completed and adjudicated. These requirements are applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same access. If the security clearance investigation is not completed prior to the start date of the contract, the employee may work on the contract while the security clearance is being processed, but the contractor will be responsible for the actions of those individuals they provide to perform work for the VA. In the event that damage arises from work performed by contractor personnel, under the auspices of the contract, the contractor will be responsible for resources necessary to remedy the incident.

The investigative history for contractor personnel working under this contract must be maintained in the databases of either the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Organization (DISCO). Should the contractor use a vendor other than OPM or Defense Security Service (DSS) to conduct investigations, the investigative company must be certified by OPM/DSS to conduct contractor investigations.

1. Background Investigation

The position sensitivity impact for this effort has been designated as [LIMITED, MODERATE, SUBSTANTIAL, or MAJOR] Risk and the level of background investigation is [NACI, MBI, or BI].

2. Contractor Responsibilities

a. The contractor shall bear the expense of obtaining background investigations. If the investigation is conducted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) through the VA, the contractor shall reimburse the VA within 30 days.

b. Background investigations from investigating agencies other than OPM are permitted if the agencies possess an OPM and Defense Security Service certification. The Vendor Cage Code number must be provided to the Security and Investigations Center (07C), which will verify the information and advise the contracting officer whether access to the computer systems can be authorized.

c. The contractor shall prescreen all personnel requiring access to the computer systems to ensure they maintain a U.S. citizenship and are able to read, write, speak and understand the English language.

d. After contract award and prior to contract performance, the contractor shall provide the following information, using Attachment B, to the CO:

(1) List of names of contractor personnel.

(2) Social Security Number of contractor personnel.

(3) Home address of contractor personnel or the contractor's address.

e. The contractor, when notified of an unfavorable determination by the Government, shall withdraw the employee from consideration from working under the contract.

f. Failure to comply with the contractor personnel security requirements may result in termination of the contract for default.

g. Further, the contractor will be responsible for the actions of all individuals provided to work for the VA under this contract. In the event that damages arise from work performed by contractor provided personnel, under the auspices of this contract, the contractor will be responsible for all resources necessary to remedy the incident.”

3. Government Responsibilities 1.

1. a. The VA Security and Investigations Center (07C) will provide the necessary forms to the contractor or to the contractor's employees after receiving a list of names and addresses.

b. Upon receipt, the VA Security and Investigations Center (07C) will review the completed forms for accuracy and forward the forms to OPM to conduct the background investigation.

c. The VA facility will pay for investigations conducted by the OPM in advance. In these instances, the contractor will reimburse the VA facility within 30 days.

d. The VA Security and Investigations Center (07C) will notify the contracting officer and contractor after adjudicating the results of the background investigations received from OPM.

e. The contracting officer will ensure that the contractor provides evidence that investigations have been completed or are in the process of being requested.

F. ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

INTERNET/INTRANET

The contractor shall comply with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Directive 6102 and VA Handbook 6102 (Internet/Intranet Services).

VA Directive 6102 sets forth policies and responsibilities for the planning, design, maintenance support, and any other functions related to the administration of a VA Internet/Intranet Service Site or related service (hereinafter referred to as Internet). This directive applies to all organizational elements in the Department. This policy applies to all individuals designing and/or maintaining VA Internet Service Sites; including but not limited to full time and part time employees, contractors, interns, and volunteers. This policy applies to all VA Internet/Intranet domains and servers that utilize VA resources. This includes but is not limited to va.gov and other extensions such as, “.com, .edu, .mil, .net, .org,” and personal Internet service pages managed from individual workstations.

VA Handbook 6102 establishes Department-wide procedures for managing, maintaining, establishing, and presenting VA Internet/Intranet Service Sites or related services (hereafter referred to as “Internet”). The handbook implements the policies contained in VA Directive 6102, Internet/Intranet Services. This includes, but is not limited to, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Web pages, Active Server Pages (ASP), e-mail forums, and list servers.

VA Directive 6102 and VA Handbook 6102 are available at:

Internet/Intranet Services Directive 6102 http://www.va.gov/pubs/directives/Information-Resources-Management-(IRM)/6102d.doc Internet/Intranet Services Handbook 6102 http://www.va.gov/pubs/handbooks/Information-Resources-Management-(IRM)/6102h.doc

Internet/Intranet Services Handbook 6102 Change 1 – updates VA's cookie use policy, Section 508 guidelines, guidance on posting of Hot Topics, approved warning notices, and minor editorial errors.

http://www.va.gov/pubs/handbooks/Information-Resources-Management-(IRM)/61021h.doc

In addition, any technologies that enable a Network Delivered Application (NDA) to access or modify resources of the local machine that are outside of the browser’s ”sand box" are strictly prohibited. Specifically, this prohibition includes signed-applets, or any ActiveX controls delivered through a browser's session. ActiveX is expressly forbidden within the VA while .NET is allowed only when granted a waiver by the VA CIO *PRIOR* to use.

JavaScript is the preferred language standard for developing relatively simple interactions (i.e., forms validation, interactive menus, etc.) and Applets (J2SE APIs and Java Language) for complex network delivered applications.

SECTION 508

The contractor shall comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220), August 7, 1998.

In December 2000, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board), pursuant to Section 508(2)(A) of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, established Information Technology accessibility standards for the Federal Government. Section 508(a)(1) requires that when Federal departments or agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use Electronic and Information Technology (EIT), they shall ensure that the EIT allows Federal employees with disabilities to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of information and data by other Federal employees. The Section 508 requirement also applies to members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal department or agency.

Section 508 text is available at:

http://www.opm.gov/HTML/508-textOfLaw.htm http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=14

G. CONFIDENTIALITY AND NONDISCLOSURE

It is agreed that:

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

2. The CO will be the sole authorized official to release verbally or in writing, any data, the draft deliverables, the final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this task order. No information shall be released by the contractor. Any request for information relating to this task order presented to the contractor shall be submitted to the CO 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.

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .