36C24725R0020 0006.docx

36C24725R0020

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE

7. ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODE

CODE

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office.

is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.243 (Type or print) (Type or print) (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (If other than Item 6) (Specify type of modification and authority) (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

03-17-2025

521-21-106 36C247 Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 7 Network Contracting Activity 700 19th St. S., Room 2708 Birmingham, AL 35233

36C247 Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 7 Network Contracting Activity 501 Greene Street Hatcher Building - Suite 2 Augusta GA 30901 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C24725R0020

X

X

** HOUR & DATE for Receipt of Offers is EXTENDED to: 03-26-2025 1:00pm EDT

The purpose of this RFP amendment is to provide additional RFI clarifications and extend the due date for proposals.

See the follow on pages for RFI clarifications.

Proposals are now due by 1:00pm ET on 3/26/25.

Margaret Yeaton Contracting Officer

VA-VHA-2020-7E2249EB

1. Contractors cannot prescribe medicine, and medical grade oxygen is considered a prescription. Will temporary gases be provided by the VA?

· VA Response 1: No. All temporary medical and laboratory gases and vacuum equipment and services required for this project including but not limited to certified backfeeding will be provided and coordinated by the contractor.

· Offeror response 1: Perhaps this question was not clear, but it was intended to ask if the VA will provide medical grade gases TO ITS PATIENTS during construction. The response appears to say that the VA intends for the construction contractor to provide medical and laboratory gases TO PATIENTS. This is not possible for many reasons. Medical and laboratory gases are pharmaceuticals strictly governed by the FDA and state agencies and are only available to be provided by a licensed pharmaceutical provider when prescribed by a physician. According to the VA’s own requirements (va.gov/opal/nac/ncs/ppv.asp), pharmaceuticals may only be procured through the Pharmaceutical Prime Vendor Program. The VA’s medical director or medical team would have to determine the needs of the hospital and procure temporary medical and laboratory gases based on those identified needs. The construction contractor cannot legally or actually provide those needs to the VA for patient care. The contract COULD provide medical gases as needed exclusively to purge the lines, which is customary when working on medical gas systems. Please clarify that the VA will provide temporary medical and laboratory gases for patient and hospital use separate from this contract as needed during construction.

· VA Response 2: To answer the intent, the VA medical staff will assess, procure, and provide certain temporary medical gases and vacuum for patients as allowed by hospital procedures. The medical gas subcontractor will utilize the appropriate VA-provided gas cylinders for backfeeding, if required, for continued operation of applicable hospital areas. The contractor will reimburse the VA for the procurement of these cylinders only. The contractor will provide all necessary purging gas for normal brazing operations.

· Offeror response 2: This solicitation in its current state was not structured for the contract to allow for reimbursement to the government for their own materials within the FAR. The solicitation is for a firm fixed price for a turnkey project. Requiring the contractor to reimburse the government appears to require the government to pay for its own material twice. If the VA is providing this product, the contractor shouldn’t include this in their bid. If the contractor is to include this cost in their bid, there is no way to determine any quantity. The VA’s requirements here are ambiguous.

· VA Response 3: See removal of above statement. Per PG-00, General Work Scope and Phasing Plan Supplement, Sub-Basement, D/E “Fully install and commission the new medical air compressor, laboratory vacuum pump and medical vacuum pump. Coordinate work with the electrical contractor. Remove and decommission the existing medical vacuum pump and medical air compressor complete” and Dental Area, B/A “Place, fully install and commission the new oral evacuation pumps and system. Remove all abandoned dental equipment as shown on plans…” This dental equipment work must be properly sequenced to minimize the service downtime. Per 01.00.00-8, K, “Utilities Services: Maintain existing utility services for the medical center at all times. Provide temporary facilities, labor, materials, equipment, connections and utilities to assure uninterrupted services,” including medical gas services. The above should be provided at the contractor’s expense.

1. Will the VA be able to support shutdowns every working day for the duration of the project?

· VA Response 1: Per 01.00.00-8 1.6.K.2.2 “The contractor shall indicate planned interruptions on the project schedule and submit a request to interrupt any such services to the COR in writing, fifteen business days before the proposed interruption…”

· Offeror response 1: This work will require significant shutdowns since no medical gas systems are worked on live. For the purposes of planning the work and estimating the job, the bidders must understand how and when shutdowns could occur. So, if the contractor gave proper notice of the need for shutdowns as described in the answer, can the VA accommodate shutdowns for every working day during the period of performance?

· VA Response 2: Per GI-02, Phasing Notes 2 “Portions of facility included within work scope are in use 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Temporary outages and disruptive construction demolition shall be scheduled with the COR. The contractor is to make all requests at least 14 days before the proposed work is to begin. When possible, outages and disruptions will be noted on the project schedule.” The contractor will also provide the required 3-week look aheads.

· Offeror response 2: This answer is ambiguous. We are inquiring if the VA can accommodate daily shutdowns. We realize these must be requested, but to bid this project in the timeframe, we are asking if the VA will or will not be able to accommodate shutdowns DAILY for the duration of the project. We agree the COR must approve, however, is this possible with the needs of the facility? We are attempting to determine if the work can be performed in the period of performance that the VA has given. We must know “yes” or “no.” If daily shutdowns will not be allowed due to the needs of the facility, how many shutdowns per week will be granted? This is a 2-part questions. We need to know if the facility will or will not accommodate daily shutdowns. If no- please provide how many shutdowns per week will be granted. Bidders cannot fairly estimate the time, labor, and materials to perform these shutdowns without this vital information.

· VA Response 3: No. Per 01.00.00-8, K “Utilities Services: Maintain existing utility services for the medical center at all times. Provide temporary facilities, labor, materials, equipment, connections and utilities to assure uninterrupted services.” Detailed and thorough phasing/subphasing plans are required to identify outages, including installation, purging and individual certifications per 22.63.00-5 1.4.F “Certification: The completed systems have been installed, tested, purged, analyzed and verified in accordance with the requirements of this specification. Certification shall be submitted to COR” to ensure the system can be utilized in hospital areas where complete isolation is not available and must be completed and ready for patient care services by the next morning in some cases. This will determine coordination for effective outages and planning which is required per the specifications.