RFQ 36C24826Q1151 VACHS DENTAL DELIVERY SYSTEM.pdf

PAGE 1 OF 1. REQUISITION NO.

2. CONTRACT NO. 3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE 4. ORDER NO. 5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

a. NAME b. TELEPHONE NO. (No Collect Calls) 8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL

TIME

9. ISSUED BY CODE 10. THIS ACQUISITION IS UNRESTRICTED OR SET ASIDE: % FOR:

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

8(A)

NAICS:

SIZE STANDARD:

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINA-

TION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

RFQ IFB RFP

15. DELIVER TO CODE 16. ADMINISTERED BY CODE

17a. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR CODE FACILITY CODE 18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE

TELEPHONE NO. UEI: EFT:

PHONE: FAX:

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER

18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW IS CHECKED

SEE ADDENDUM

19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

ITEM NO. SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only)

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN _______________ 29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF. ___________________________________ OFFER COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND DATED ________________________________. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY (BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED SET FORTH HEREIN IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (TYPE OR PRINT) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION (REV. NOV 2021)

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

STANDARD FORM 1449

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

36C24826Q1151

6. SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE

9-01-2026

Jessica Kiser (407) 413-2412 09-09-2026

16:00 EDT

36C248 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 8 (NCO 8) VA Caribbean Healthcare System 10 Casia Street San Juan FL 00921

X 100

X

339114

750 Employees

N/A

X

36C672

Department of Veterans Affairs VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS) VSS Logistics (VACHS-VSS Logistics) 1250 Imeson Park, Suite 123 Jacksonville FL 32218

36C248

Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 8 (NCO 8) VA Caribbean Healthcare System 10 Casia Street San Juan PR 00921

Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center

P.O. Box 149971 Austin TX 78714-9971

(877) 353-9791 (512) 460-5429

See CONTINUATION Page

Solicitation for A-DEC, INC., Dental Delivery System for the VA Caribbean Healthcare System in San Juan, PR.

Reference Section B.2 and Statement of Work to quote line items.

Reference Section C.13 Delivery Location for delivery instructions.

See CONTINUATION Page

X

X 1

36C24826Q1151

Table of Contents

SECTION A

A.1 SF 1449 SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND

COMMERCIAL SERVICES

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

B.2 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE/ITEM INFORMATION

B.3 DELIVERY SCHEDULE

B.4 STATEMENT OF WORK

B.5 IT CONTRACT SECURITY

SECTION C - CONTRACT CLAUSES

C.1 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS

AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES (OCT 2025) (DEVIATION)

C.2 52.222-90 ADDRESSING DEI DISCRIMINATION BY FEDERAL CONTRACTORS

(DEVIATION APR 2026)

C.3 52.240-91 SECURITY PROHIBITIONS AND EXCLUSIONS (NOV 2025)

(DEVIATION)

C.4 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

C.5 VAAR 852.204-72 PERSONNEL VETTING AND CREDENTIALING (DEVIATION)

(MAR 2026)

C.6 VAAR 852.219-73 VA NOTICE OF TOTAL SET-ASIDE FOR CERTIFIED SERVICE-

DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES (JAN 2023) (DEVIATION)

C.7 VAAR 852.219-76 VA NOTICE OF LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING—

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR SUPPLIES AND PRODUCTS (JAN 2023)

(DEVIATION)

C.8 VAAR 852.247-71 DELIVERY LOCATION (OCT 2018)

C.9 VAAR 852.247-73 PACKING FOR DOMESTIC SHIPMENT (OCT 2018)

SECTION D - CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, OR ATTACHMENTS

SECTION E - SOLICITATION PROVISIONS

E.1 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND

COMMERCIAL SERVICES (OCT 2025) (DEVIATION NOV 2025)

E.2 52.212-2 EVALUATION—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL

SERVICES (OCT 2025) (DEVIATION NOV 2025)

E.3 52.225-2 BUY AMERICAN CERTIFICATE (OCT 2022)

E.4 52.240-90 SECURITY PROHIBITIONS AND EXCLUSIONS REPRESENTATIONS

AND CERTIFICATIONS (NOV 2025) (DEVIATION)

E.5 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB

1998)

SECTION B - CONTINUATION OF SF 1449 BLOCKS

B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

1. Contract Administration: All contract administration matters will be handled by the following individuals:

a. CONTRACTOR:

b. GOVERNMENT: Contracting Officer 36C248 Jessica Kiser, jessica.kiser@va.gov Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 8 (NCO 8) VA Caribbean Healthcare System 10 Casia Street San Juan FL 00921

2. CONTRACTOR REMITTANCE ADDRESS: All payments by the Government to the contractor will be made in accordance with:

[X] 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer—System For Award Management, or [] 52.232-36, Payment by Third Party

3. INVOICES: Invoices shall be submitted in arrears:

a. Quarterly []

b. Semi-Annually []

c. Other [X] Invoice upon receipt at the VA warehouse.

4. GOVERNMENT INVOICE ADDRESS: All Invoices from the contractor shall be submitted electronically in accordance with VAAR Clause 852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests.

vafsccshd@va.gov

5. FSC MANDATORY ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Contractors are required to submit payment requests in electronic form in accordance with the submission instructions below.

TUNGSTEN ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION

FSC e-INVOICE PROGRAM THRU AUSTIN PORTAL

FSC MANDATORY ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION FOR AUSTIN PAYMENTS

i. Vendor Electronic Invoice Submission Methods:

Facsimile, e-mail, and scanned documents are not acceptable forms of submission for payment requests.

Electronic form means an automated system transmitting information electronically according to the accepted electronic data transmission methods below.

a. VA’s Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment System – The FSC uses a third-party contractor, Tungsten, to transition vendors from paper to electronic invoice submission. Please go to this website: http://www.tungsten-network.com/US/en/veterans-affairs/ to begin submitting electronic invoices, free of charge.

http://www.tungsten-network.com/US/en/veterans-affairs/

b. A system that conforms to the X12 electronic data interchange (EDI) formats established by the Accredited Standards Center (ASC) chartered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The X12 EDI Web site (http://www.x12.org)

ii. Vendor e-invoice Set-Up Information:

Please contact Tungsten at the phone number or email address listed below to begin submitting your electronic invoices to the VA Financial Services Center for payment processing, free of charge. If you have question about the e-invoicing program or Tungsten, please contact the FSC at the phone number or email address listed below.

a. Tungsten e-Invoice Setup Information: 1-877-489-6135

b. Tungsten e-Invoice email: VA.Registration@Tungsten-Network.com

c. FSC e-Invoice Contact Information: 1-877-353-9791

d. FSC e-invoice email: vafsccshd@va.gov http://www.tungsten-network.com/US/en/veterans-affairs

6. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS: The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the Solicitation numbered and dated as follows:

AMENDMENT NO DATE

http://www.x12.org/ mailto:VA.Registration@Tungsten-Network.com mailto:vafsccshd@va.gov http://www.tungsten-network.com/US/en/veterans-affairs

B.2 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE/ITEM INFORMATION

ITEM

NUMBER

DESCRIPTION OF

SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

3.00 EA __________________ __________________

A-dec 511 Chair

PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 339114 - Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: 6520 - Dental Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies

MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): V0195.0264

2.00 EA __________________ __________________

Inspire Treatment Console

PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 339114 - Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: 6520 - Dental Instruments, Equipment, MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): V0335.0004

1.00 EA __________________ __________________

Inspire Treatment Console

PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 339114 - Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: 6520 - Dental Instruments, Equipment, MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): V0335.0004

2.00 EA __________________ __________________

541 12 O'Clock Duo INSTM V

PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 339114 - Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: 6520 - Dental Instruments, Equipment, MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): V0195.0268

1.00 EA __________________ __________________

541 12 O'Clock Duo INSTM left configuration

PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 339114 - Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: 6520 - Dental Instruments, Equipment, MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): V0195.0268

A-dec 577L LED Dental Light, Track Mt

PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 339114 - Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: 6520 - Dental Instruments, Equipment, MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): V0195.0206

A-dec 521 Doctor's Stool PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 339114 - Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: 6520 - Dental Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies

MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): V0195.0246

0008 3.00 EA __________________ __________________

A-dec 522 Asst Stool PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 339114 - Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: 6520 - Dental Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies

MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): V0195.0247

0009 1.00 EA __________________ __________________

Installation PRINCIPAL NAICS CODE: 339114 - Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing PRODUCT/SERVICE CODE: 6520 - Dental Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies

MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER (MPN): INSTALLATION

GRAND TOTAL __________________

B.3 DELIVERY SCHEDULE

ITEM

NUMBER SHIPPING INFORMATION QUANTITY

DELIVERY

DATE

0001-

SHIP TO: Department of Veterans Affairs 1250 Imeson Park Blvd Suite 213 Jacksonville, FL 32218

USA

As shown in Section B.2

120 Days ARO

MARK FOR: To Be Determined

FOB: DESTINATION

B.4 STATEMENT OF WORK

Dental Delivery Units, Treatment Consoles, Chairs, and Lights for VACHS

1. Introduction This Statement of Work (SOW) defines the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Affairs Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS) located in San Juan, Puerto Rico in support of Dental Services has a requirement to purchase three (3) patient dental chairs, three (3) dentist stools, three (3) dental assistant stools, three (3) dental lamps, three (3) dental delivery units, and three (3) treatment consoles.

2. Background The VACHS Dental Service is undergoing an expansion and requires furnishing and equipping three (3) dental rooms.

3. Scope The Contractor shall provide brand-name A-DEC items and deliver them to the San Juan VA location through the Consolidated Warehouse in Jacksonville, Florida.

4. General Requirements The Contractor shall deliver the following items meeting the specified characteristics:

Description Part Number Quantity A-DEC 511 Chair 511 3 A-DEC 541 12 O’clock Duo INSTM, water bottle assembly 541 3 A-DEC 577L LED Dental Light, Track Mount 577L 3 A-DEC 591 Inspire Treatment Console 591 3 A-DEC 521 Doctor’s Stool with Armrest 521 3 A-DEC 522 Assistant’s Stool with Footrests 522 3 Installation — 1

4.1 Salient Characteristics

A-DEC 511 Chair

Purpose: Enhances patient comfort and provides ergonomic provider access.

• Ergonomic dental chair with ultra-thin backrest

• Double-articulating headrest

• Programmable positions

• Hydraulic lift, smooth/quiet operation

• Upholstery options: Base Color White, Upholstery Color Type Formed/Seamless

A-DEC 591 Inspire Treatment Console Purpose: Provides organized operatory storage and workspace.

• Compact treatment/storage cabinet

• Multiple drawers

• Integrated power/plumbing capability

• Optional sink

• Durable, easy-to-clean surfaces

A-DEC 541 12 O’clock Duo INSTM Purpose: Improves ergonomic workflow for both right- and left-handed providers.

• Rear delivery cabinet

• Ambidextrous access

• Integrated utilities and storage

A-DEC 577L LED Dental Light Purpose: Provides shadow-free, adjustable clinical lighting.

• Track-mounted LED illumination

• Color-correct lighting

• Touchless controls

• Multi-axis positioning

PA-DEC 521 Doctor’s Stool Purpose: Enhances comfort and reduces fatigue for providers.

• Ergonomic design

• Adjustable height, tilt, and backrest

• Mobility casters

A-DEC 522 Assistant’s Stool Purpose: Supports proper positioning and assistant comfort.

• Ergonomic design

• Adjustable armrest and foot ring

• Mobility casters

5. Installation and Training The Contractor shall provide complete, turnkey installation services for all A-DEC dental equipment.

Installation shall include all labor, supervision, tools, equipment, transportation, and materials required to deliver functional, fully assembled operatories.

5.1 Installation Requirements

The Contractor shall:

• Contractor shall deliver and install the Dental Delivery Systems in the designated dental facilities.

• Uncrate, assemble, stage, and position all equipment according to manufacturer specifications.

• Install dental chairs, delivery units, treatment consoles, stools, and track-mounted lights.

• Perform anchoring, mounting, adjustment, and alignment required for proper operation.

• Connect utilities only to existing, safe, code-compliant stub-outs.

• Ensure correct operation of all components, including hydraulic systems, handpieces, control pads, lights, and water assemblies.

• Maintain OSHA compliance, VA safety standards, and COVID-19 requirements.

• Contractor shall coordinate installation work with Facility Management Service (FMS). (Point of contact to be determined at time of award.)

• Contractor shall remove all packaging materials, debris, and installation waste.

• Perform full functional testing, calibration, and verification. Submit documentation to Point of

Contact: To be determined at time of award.

• Demonstrate safety features and proper operation to designated staff.

• Contractor must protect walls, floors, fixtures, doorways, and surrounding areas from damage during delivery and installation.

• Contractor shall repair or replace any Government property damaged during installation at no cost to the Government.

• After the arrival of the equipment contractor shall have a week to complete the installation.

5.2 Testing, Calibration & Acceptance

The Contractor shall:

• Perform full functional testing and calibration of each installed component.

• Document all testing, corrections, serial numbers, and installation verification in a written installation report.

• Provide the report for Biomedical Engineering and Dental Service for final acceptance.

5.3 Training

The Contractor shall:

• Provide basic operational training for Dental Service personnel.

• Provide technical orientation to Biomedical Engineering for troubleshooting and maintenance tasks.

• Supply user manuals and technical documentation.

5.4 Waste Removal & Jobsite Cleanliness

• Contractor shall remove all packaging materials and installation debris.

• Contractor may use VA-approved onsite waste containers.

• No packaging or waste may remain inside VA facilities for more than 24 hours.

5.5 Installation Schedule & Visit Limitations

• Work shall be performed during normal business hours (7:30 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday–Friday, excluding Federal Holidays).

• Installation must be completed within the allowable performance period defined in the award.

• Additional visits required due to Government-caused delays shall be coordinated but may affect scheduling.

5.6 Coordination

• Contractor shall maintain communication with all identified VA points of contact.

• Contractor personnel shall comply with VA sign-in procedures, security requirements, and ID badge rules.

6. Warranty and Support The Contractor shall provide a minimum one-year warranty covering all equipment. Biomedical Engineering shall have full access to hardware components. One (1) set of user and technical manuals must be provided.

7. Work Hours Normal business hours are 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Work outside these hours must be coordinated with the point of contact.

8. Federal Holidays Legal holidays recognized by the Federal Government, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 6103, Executive Order 11582, Public Law 94‑97, or any other holiday declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday, are observed for the purposes of this contract as “Legal Federal, official holidays.” The following holidays are included:

• New Year’s Day – January 1

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Third Monday in January

• Presidents Day – Third Monday in February

• Memorial Day – Last Monday in May

• Juneteenth National Independence Day – June 19

• Independence Day – July 4

• Labor Day – First Monday in September

• Columbus Day – Second Monday in October

• Veterans Day – November 11

• Thanksgiving Day – Fourth Thursday in November

• Christmas Day – December 25

*Or any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday.

9. Sign-In Procedures All Contractor workers are required to sign in and out at the VA Police Service as directed by the POC or designee. A valid state driver’s license or state identification card is mandatory for all employees to have access to these facilities.

10. ID Badges All workers are required to obtain a time-limited I. D. badge from the VA Police Service located in the basement of the Main Building. This badge shall be always worn when workers are on site.

11. COVID-19 Compliance Contractor personnel shall comply with all VACHS COVID-19 precautions and SOPs.

12. Security and Privacy Requirements With No Sensitive Data but Requires Training

13. VA INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM SECURITY/PRIVACY LANGUAGE

VA INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE:

a. Contractors, contractor personnel, subcontractors, and subcontractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA Directives and Handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information and information system security.

b. If VA determines that the contractor has violated any of the information confidentiality, privacy, and security provisions of the contract, it shall be sufficient grounds for VA to withhold payment to the contractor or third party or terminate the contract for default or terminate for cause under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 12.

c. A contractor/subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order.

d. All contractors, subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for contractors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures.

SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION:

a. 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.

b. 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.

c. 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.

d. 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.

LIQUIDATED DAMAGES FOR DATA BREACH:

a. 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.

b. 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.

SECURITY CONTROLS COMPLIANCE TESTING:

On a periodic basis, VA, including the Office of Inspector General, reserves the right to evaluate any or all of the security controls and privacy practices implemented by the contractor under the clauses contained within the contract. With 10 working-days’ notice, at the request of the government, the contractor must fully cooperate and assist in a government-sponsored security controls assessment at each location wherein VA information is processed or stored, or information systems are developed, operated, maintained, or used on behalf of VA, including those initiated by the Office of Inspector General. The government may conduct a security control assessment on shorter notice (to include unannounced assessments) as determined by VA in the event of a security incident or at any other time.

TRAINING:

a. All contractor employees and subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior Training before being granted access to VA information and its systems. (1) Sign and acknowledge (either manually or electronically) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Rules of Behavior before being granted access to VA information and its systems.

b. The contractor shall provide the contracting officer and/or the COR with a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required.

c. 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.

Certification and Accreditation C&A requirements do not apply. A Security Accreditation Package is not required for this SOW.

B.5 IT CONTRACT SECURITY

VA INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM SECURITY/PRIVACY

1. GENERAL

Contractors, contractor personnel, subcontractors, and subcontractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA Directives and Handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information and information system security.

2. ACCESS TO VA INFORMATION AND VA INFORMATION SYSTEMS

a. A contractor/subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and

VA information systems for their employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order.

b. All contractors, subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for contractors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures.

c. Contract personnel who require access to national security programs must have a valid security clearance. National Industrial Security Program (NISP) was established by Executive Order 12829 to ensure that cleared U.S. defense industry contract personnel safeguard the classified information in their possession while performing work on contracts, programs, bids, or research and development efforts. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not have a Memorandum of Agreement with Defense Security Service (DSS). Verification of a Security Clearance must be processed through the Special Security Officer located in the Planning and National Security Service within the Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness.

d. Custom software development and outsourced operations must be located in the U.S. to the maximum extent practical. If such services are proposed to be performed abroad and are not disallowed by other VA policy or mandates, the contractor/subcontractor must state where all non-U.S. services are provided and detail a security plan, deemed to be acceptable by VA, specifically to address mitigation of the resulting problems of communication, control, data protection, and so forth. Location within the U.S.

may be an evaluation factor.

e. The contractor or subcontractor must notify the Contracting Officer immediately when an employee working on a VA system or with access to VA information is reassigned or leaves the contractor or subcontractor's employ. The Contracting Officer must also be notified immediately by the contractor or subcontractor prior to an unfriendly termination.

3. VA INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE

a. 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).

b. VA information should not be co-mingled, if possible, with any other data on the contractors/subcontractor's information systems or media storage systems in order to ensure VA requirements related to data protection and media sanitization can be met. If co-mingling must be allowed to meet the requirements of the business need, the contractor must ensure that VA's information is returned to the VA or destroyed in accordance with VA's sanitization requirements. VA reserves the right to conduct on site inspections of contractor and subcontractor IT resources to ensure data security controls, separation of data and job duties, and destruction/media sanitization procedures are in compliance with VA directive requirements.

c. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, contractor/ subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/ created by the contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by the VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a contractor/subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA Contracting Officer within 30 days of termination of the contract.

d. The contractor/subcontractor must receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with the terms of the contract and applicable Federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies. If Federal or VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies become applicable to the VA information or information systems after execution of the contract, or if NIST issues or updates applicable FIPS or Special Publications (SP) after execution of this contract, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to implement the information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies in this contract.

e. The contractor/subcontractor shall not make copies of VA information except as authorized and necessary to perform the terms of the agreement or to preserve electronic information stored on contractor/subcontractor electronic storage media for restoration in case any electronic equipment or data used by the contractor/subcontractor needs to be restored to an operating state. If copies are made for restoration purposes, after the restoration is complete, the copies must be appropriately destroyed.

f. If VA determines that the contractor has violated any of the information confidentiality, privacy, and security provisions of the contract, it shall be sufficient grounds for VA to withhold payment to the contractor or third party or terminate the contract for default or terminate for cause under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 12.

g. If a VHA contract is terminated for cause, the associated BAA must also be terminated and appropriate actions taken in accordance with VHA Handbook 1600.01, Business Associate Agreements.

Absent an agreement to use or disclose protected health information, there is no business associate relationship.

h. The contractor/subcontractor must store, transport, or transmit VA sensitive information in an encrypted form, using VA-approved encryption tools that are, at a minimum, FIPS 140-2 validated.

i. The contractor/subcontractor's firewall and Web services security controls, if applicable, shall meet or exceed VA's minimum requirements. VA Configuration Guidelines are available upon request.

j. Except for uses and disclosures of VA information authorized by this contract for performance of the contract, the contractor/subcontractor may use and disclose VA information only in two other situations:

(i) in response to a qualifying order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) with VA's prior written approval. The contractor/subcontractor must refer all requests for, demands for production of, or inquiries about, VA information and information systems to the VA contracting officer for response.

k. Notwithstanding the provision above, the contractor/subcontractor shall not release VA records protected by Title 38 U.S.C. 5705, confidentiality of medical quality assurance records and/or Title 38 U.S.C. 7332, confidentiality of certain health records pertaining to drug addiction, sickle cell anemia, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, or infection with human immunodeficiency virus. If the contractor/subcontractor is in receipt of a court order or other requests for the above mentioned information, that contractor/subcontractor shall immediately refer such court orders or other requests to the VA contracting officer for response.

l. For service that involves the storage, generating, transmitting, or exchanging of VA sensitive information but does not require C&A or an MOU-ISA for system interconnection, the contractor/subcontractor must complete a Contractor Security Control Assessment (CSCA) on a yearly basis and provide it to the COR.

4. INFORMATION SYSTEM DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

a. Information systems that are designed or developed for or on behalf of VA at non-VA facilities shall comply with all VA directives developed in accordance with FISMA, HIPAA, NIST, and related VA security and privacy control requirements for Federal information systems. This includes standards for the protection of electronic PHI, outlined in 45 C.F.R. Part 164, Subpart C, information and system security categorization level designations in accordance with FIPS 199 and FIPS 200 with implementation of all baseline security controls commensurate with the FIPS 199 system security categorization (reference Appendix D of VA Handbook 6500, VA Information Security Program).

During the development cycle a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) must be completed, provided to the COR, and approved by the VA Privacy Service in accordance with Directive 6507, VA Privacy Impact Assessment.

b. The contractor/subcontractor shall certify to the COR that applications are fully functional and operate correctly as intended on systems using the VA Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC), and the common security configuration guidelines provided by NIST or the VA. This includes Internet Explorer 7 configured to operate on Windows XP and Vista (in Protected Mode on Vista) and future versions, as required.

c. The standard installation, operation, maintenance, updating, and patching of software shall not alter the configuration settings from the VA approved and FDCC configuration. Information technology staff must also use the Windows Installer Service for installation to the default "program files" directory and silently install and uninstall.

d. Applications designed for normal end users shall run in the standard user context without elevated system administration privileges.

e. The security controls must be designed, developed, approved by VA, and implemented in accordance with the provisions of VA security system development life cycle as outlined in NIST Special Publication 800-37, Guide for Applying the Risk Management Framework to Federal Information Systems, VA Handbook 6500, Information Security Program and VA Handbook 6500.5, Incorporating Security and Privacy in System Development Lifecycle.

f. The contractor/subcontractor is required to design, develop, or operate a System of Records Notice (SOR) on individuals to accomplish an agency function subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, (as amended), Public Law 93-579, December 31, 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) and applicable agency regulations. Violation of the Privacy Act may involve the imposition of criminal and civil penalties.

g. The contractor/subcontractor agrees to:

(1) Comply with the Privacy Act of 1974 (the Act) and the agency rules and regulations issued under the Act in the design, development, or operation of any system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function when the contract specifically identifies:

(a) The Systems of Records (SOR); and

(b) The design, development, or operation work that the contractor/ subcontractor is to perform;

(1) Include the Privacy Act notification contained in this contract in every solicitation and resulting subcontract and in every subcontract awarded without a solicitation, when the work statement in the proposed subcontract requires the redesign, development, or operation of a SOR on individuals that is subject to the Privacy Act; and

(2) Include this Privacy Act clause, including this subparagraph (3), in all subcontracts awarded under this contract which requires the design, development, or operation of such a SOR.

h. In the event of violations of the Act, a civil action may be brought against the agency involved when the violation concerns the design, development, or operation of a SOR on individuals to accomplish an agency function, and criminal penalties may be imposed upon the officers or employees of the agency when the violation concerns the operation of a SOR on individuals to accomplish an agency function. For purposes of the Act, when the contract is for the operation of a SOR on individuals to accomplish an agency function, the contractor/subcontractor is considered to be an employee of the agency.

(1) "Operation of a System of Records" means performance of any of the activities associated with maintaining the SOR, including the collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of records.

(2) "Record" means any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by an agency, including, but not limited to, education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and contains the person's name, or identifying number, symbol, or any other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a fingerprint or voiceprint, or a photograph.

(3) "System of Records" means a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual.

i. The vendor shall ensure the security of all procured or developed systems and technologies, including their subcomponents (hereinafter referred to as "Systems"), throughout the life of this contract and any extension, warranty, or maintenance periods. This includes, but is not limited to workarounds, patches, hotfixes, upgrades, and any physical components (hereafter referred to as Security Fixes) which may be necessary to fix all security vulnerabilities published or known to the vendor anywhere in the Systems, including Operating Systems and firmware. The vendor shall ensure that Security Fixes shall not negatively impact the Systems.

j. The vendor shall notify VA within 24 hours of the discovery or disclosure of successful exploits of the vulnerability which can compromise the security of the Systems (including the confidentiality or integrity of its data and operations, or the availability of the system). Such issues shall be remediated as quickly as is practical, but in no event longer than five (5 days.

k. When the Security Fixes involve installing third party patches (such as Microsoft OS patches or Adobe Acrobat), the vendor will provide written notice to the VA that the patch has been validated as not affecting the Systems within 10 working days. When the vendor is responsible for operations or maintenance of the Systems, they shall apply the Security Fixes within five (5 days.

l. All other vulnerabilities shall be remediated as specified in this paragraph in a timely manner based on risk, but within 60 days of discovery or disclosure. Exceptions to this paragraph (e.g. for the convenience of VA) shall only be granted with approval of the contracting officer and the VA Assistant Secretary for Office of Information and Technology.

5. INFORMATION SYSTEM HOSTING, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, OR USE

a. For information systems that are hosted, operated, maintained, or used on behalf of VA at non-VA facilities, contractors/subcontractors are fully responsible and accountable for ensuring compliance with all HIPAA, Privacy Act, FISMA, NIST, FIPS, and VA security and privacy directives and handbooks.

This includes conducting compliant risk assessments, routine vulnerablity scanning, system patching and change management procedures, and the completion of an acceptable contingency plan for each system.

The contractor's security control procedures must be equivalent, to those procedures used to secure VA systems. A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) must also be provided to the COR and approved by VA Privacy Service prior to operational approval. All external Internet connections to VA's network involving VA information must be reviewed and approved by VA prior to implementation.

b. Adequate security controls for collecting, processing, transmitting, and storing of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), as determined by the VA Privacy Service, must be in place, tested, and approved by VA prior to hosting, operation, maintenance, or use of the information system, or systems by or on behalf of VA. These security controls are to be assessed and stated within the PIA and if these controls are determined not to be in place, or inadequate, a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) must be submitted and approved prior to the collection of PII.

c. Outsourcing (contractor facility, contractor equipment or contractor staff) of systems or network operations, telecommunications services, or other managed services requires certification and accreditation (authorization) (C&A) of the contractor's systems in accordance with VA Handbook 6500.3, Certification and Accreditation and/or the VA OCS Certification Program Office. Government- owned (government facility or government equipment) contractor-operated systems, third party or business partner networks require memorandums of understanding and interconnection agreements (MOU-ISA) which detail what data types are shared, who has access, and the appropriate level of security controls for all systems connected to VA networks.

d. The contractor/subcontractor's system must adhere to all FISMA, FIPS, and NIST standards related to the annual FISMA security controls assessment and review and update the PIA. Any deficiencies noted during this assessment must be provided to the VA contracting officer and the ISO for entry into VA's POA&M management process. The contractor/subcontractor must use VA's POA&M process to document planned remedial actions to address any deficiencies in information security policies, procedures, and practices, and the completion of those activities. Security deficiencies must be corrected within the timeframes approved by the government. Contractor/subcontractor procedures are subject to periodic, unannounced assessments by VA officials, including the VA Office of Inspector General. The physical security aspects associated with contractor/ subcontractor activities must also be subject to such assessments. If major changes to the system occur that may affect the privacy or security of the data or the system, the C&A of the system may need to be reviewed, retested and re- authorized per VA Handbook 6500.3. This may require reviewing and updating all of the documentation (PIA, System Security Plan, Contingency Plan). The Certification Program Office can provide guidance on whether a new C&A would be necessary.

e. The contractor/subcontractor must conduct an annual self assessment on all systems and outsourced services as required. Both hard copy and electronic copies of the assessment must be provided to the COR. The government reserves the right to conduct such an assessment using government personnel or another contractor/subcontractor. The contractor/subcontractor must take appropriate and timely action (this can be specified in the contract) to correct or mitigate any weaknesses discovered during such testing, generally at no additional cost.

f. VA prohibits the installation and use of personally-owned or contractor/ subcontractor-owned equipment or software on VA's network. If non-VA owned equipment must be used to fulfill the requirements of a contract, it must be stated in the service agreement, SOW or contract. All of the security controls required for government furnished equipment (GFE) must be utilized in approved other equipment (OE) and must be funded by the owner of the equipment. All remote systems must be equipped with, and use, a VA-approved antivirus (AV) software and a personal (host-based or enclave based) firewall that is configured with a VA-approved configuration. Software must be kept current, including all critical updates and patches. Owners of approved OE are responsible for providing and maintaining the anti-viral software and the firewall on the non-VA owned OE.

g. All electronic storage media used on non-VA leased or non-VA owned IT equipment that is used to store, process, or access VA information must be handled in adherence with VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization upon: (i) completion or termination of the contract or (ii) disposal or return of the IT equipment by the contractor/subcontractor or any person acting on behalf of the contractor/subcontractor, whichever is earlier. Media (hard drives, optical disks, CDs, back-up tapes, etc.)

used by the contractors/ subcontractors that contain VA information must be returned to the VA for sanitization or destruction or the contractor/subcontractor must self-certify that the media has been disposed of per 6500.1 requirements. This must be completed within 30 days of termination of the contract.

h. Bio-Medical devices and other equipment or systems containing media (hard drives, optical disks, etc.) with VA sensitive information must not be returned to the vendor at the end of lease, for trade-in, or other purposes. The options are:

(1) Vendor must accept the system without the drive;

(2) VA's initial medical device purchase includes a spare drive which must be installed in place of the original drive at time of turn-in; or

(3) VA must reimburse the company for media at a reasonable open market replacement cost at time of purchase.

(4) Due to the highly specialized and sometimes proprietary hardware and software associated with medical equipment/systems, if it is not possible for the VA to retain the hard drive, then;

(a) The equipment vendor must have an existing BAA if the device being traded in has sensitive information stored on it and hard drive(s) from the system are being returned physically intact; and

(b) Any fixed hard drive on the device must be non-destructively sanitized to the greatest extent possible without negatively impacting system operation. Selective clearing down to patient data folder level is recommended using VA approved and validated overwriting technologies/methods/tools.

Applicable media sanitization specifications need to be pre-approved and described in the purchase order or contract.

(c) A statement needs to be signed by the Director (System Owner) that states that the drive could not be removed and that (a) and (b) controls above are in place and completed. The ISO needs to maintain the documentation.

6. SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION

a. 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.

b. 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.

c. 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.

d. 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.