36C25022B0045_1.docx

36C25022B0045

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER

2. TYPE OF SOLICITATION

3. DATE ISSUED

PAGE OF PAGES

4. CONTRACT NUMBER

5.

REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUEST NUMBER

6. PROJECT NUMBER

7. ISSUED BY

CODE

8. ADDRESS OFFER TO

a. NAME

b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) (NO COLLECT CALLS)

10. THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES PERFORMANCE OF THE WORK DESCRIBED IN THESE

DOCUMENTS (Title, identifying number, date) 12a. THE CONTRACTOR MUST FURNISH ANY REQUIRED PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS?

(If "YES," indicate within how many calendar days after award in Item 12B.)

12b. CALENDAR DAYS

13. ADDITIONAL

SOLICITATION REQUIREMENTS:

STANDARD FORM 1442 (REV. 8/2014)

STANDARD FORM 1442

Prescribed by GSA-FAR (48 CFR) 52.236-1(d)

SOLICITATION, OFFER,

AND AWARD

(Construction, Alteration, or Repair)

SOLICITATION

SOLICITATION

IMPORTANT - The "offer" section on the reverse must be fully completed by offeror.

9. FOR INFORMATION

CALL:

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

1. The Contractor shall begin performance within ____________ calendar days and complete it within calendar days after receiving award, notice to proceed. This performance period is mandatory negotiable. (See

YES

NO

a.

Sealed offers in original and ___________________copies to perform the work required are due at the place specified in Item 8 by _____________ (hour) local time _____________________ (date). If this is a sealed bid solicitation, offers must be publicly opened at that time. Sealed envelopes containing offers shall be marked to show the offeror's name and address, the solicitation number, the date and time offers are due.

b.

An offer guarantee is, is not required.

c.

All offers are subject to the (1) work requirements, and (2) other provisions and clauses incorporated in the solicitation in full text or by reference.

d.

Offers providing less than ____ ___________________ calendar days for Government acceptance after the date offers are due will not be considered and will be rejected.

36C25022B0045 X 05-12-2022 539-22-3-6933-0010 539-21-102 36C250 Luke Turner/CO Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10 260 E. University Avenue Cincinnati OH 45219 Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10 ATTN: Luke Turner 260 East University Avenue Second Floor, Suite 100 Cincinnati, Ohio 45219-2637 Luke Turner 513-559-3712 Project # 539-21-102 - Replace Domestic Water and Chilled Drinking Water Piping, at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center (VAMC), 3200 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220.

The contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, tools, equipment, permits, demolition, debris/trash removal and supervisio n necessary to complete the project.

An organized pre-bid site visit is scheduled for 05/18/2022 at 2:00 P.M. EST. Please see provision 52.236-27 for additional details.

The magnitude of construction for this project is estimated to be between $2,000,000 and $5,000,000.

NAICS Code # 236220 with a size standard of $39.5 Million.

A public bid opening, via CONFERENCE CALL, will be conducted as outlined below (13.a) by the CO, Luke A.

Turner.

This solicitation is 100% set aside for a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business. Only bids from VA-verified SDVOSBs in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database (https//www.vip.vertiz.gov/) at the time of bid submission and prior to award will be eligible for award.

NOTICE: The VA and/or a third party (support contractor) will require access to the VA contractor records to assess contractor compliance with the limitations on subcontracting requirement included in VAAR 852.219-10. See 852.219-74 Limitations on Subcontracting - Monitoring and Compliance (Jul 2018) located in the General Condition Section of this Solicitation.

X X 52.211-10 X 10:00

EDT

06-14-2022 X

14. NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR

15.

TELEPHONE NUMBER

16. REMITTANCE ADDRESS

CODE

FACILITY CODE

17. The offeror agrees to perform the work required at the prices specified below in strict accordance with the terms of the solicitation, if this offer is accepted by the Government in writing within __________ calendar days after the date offers are due.

AMOUNTS

18. The offeror agrees to furnish any required performance and payment bonds.

19. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

AMENDMENT

NUMBER

DATE.

20a.

NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER

20b. SIGNATURE 20c. OFFER DATE

21. ITEMS ACCEPTED:

22. AMOUNT

23. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

24. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

ITEM

25. OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION PURSUANT TO

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)( 41 U.S.C. 3304(a) (

26. ADMINISTERED BY

27. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

PHONE:

FAX:

28. NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT

29. AWARD

Your Contractor agrees offer on this solicitation is hereby accepted as to the items listed. This to furnish and deliver all items or perform all work requirements identified award consummates the contract, which consists of (a) the Government on this form and any continuation sheets for the consideration stated in solicitation and your offer, and (b) this contract award. No further cont-this contract. The rights and obligations of the parties to this contract ractual document is necessary.

shall be governed by (a) this contract award, (b) the solicitation, and (c) the clauses, representations, certifications, and specifications incorporated by reference in or attached to this contract.

30a. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTOR OR PERSON AUTHORIZED 31a. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

TO SIGN

30b. SIGNATURE 30c. DATE 31b. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 31c. AWARD DATE

BY

OFFER

AWARD

STANDARD FORM 1442 (REV. 8/2014) BACK

(Include ZIP Code) (Include area code) (Include only if different than Item 14.)

(Insert any number equal to or greater than the minimum requirement stated in Item 13d. Failure to insert any number means the offeror accepts the minimum in Item 13d.)

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the solicitation -- give number and date of each) (Type or print) (4 copies unless otherwise specified) (Type or print) (Type or print) (Contractor is required to sign this document and return _______ copies to issuing office.)

(Contractor is not required to sign this document.)

(Must be fully completed by offeror) (To be completed by Government)

CONTRACTING OFFICER WILL COMPLETE ITEM 28 OR 29 AS APPLICABLE

Bid Amount:

Tax I.D.:

UEI #:

Email Address:

539-3620162-6933-854200-3220 23NR1KA05

36C250 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10 260 E. University Avenue Cincinnati OH 45219 Department of Veterans Affairs

FMS-VA-2(101)

Financial Services Center PO Box 149971 Austin TX 78714-9971 Luke A. Turner

VA-VHA-2020-D02DEFD3

Table of Contents

STATEMENT OF WORK

The Contractor shall provide all tools, equipment, material, permits, labor, and supervision required to completely perform the required construction work for the Replace Domestic Water and Chilled Drinking Water Piping project (539-21-102). All work shall be completed in accordance with the project drawings and specifications.

The scope of work for the project includes replacing existing gate valves ¾” and larger that are beyond useful life with new ball valves within Building #1 at the Cincinnati VAMC. Contractors are to remove any existing dead legs discovered during work. Sections of existing utilities may need to be manipulated for access to the piping. These utilities were identified to include, but are not limited to, HVAC ductwork, electrical conduit, low voltage wiring, and hydronic piping.

The contractor must provide written certification that all contract employees assigned to the work site have had a pre-placement tuberculin screening within 90 days prior to assignment to the worksite and been found to be with negative screening reactions. This can be the CDC two-step skin testing or a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved blood test. Contract employees manifesting positive screening reactions to the tuberculin must be examined according to current CDC guidelines prior to working on VHA property. Subsequently, if the employee is found without evidence of active (infectious) pulmonary TB, a statement documenting examination by a physician must be on file with the employer (construction contractor), noting that the employee with a positive tuberculin screening test is without evidence of active (infectious) pulmonary TB. If the employee is found with evidence of active (infectious) pulmonary TB, the employee would require treatment with a subsequent statement as outlined in subparagraph 4q

(11) (c) before being allowed to return to work on VHA property.

Work shall be performed over nights and weekends to minimize the impact to the facility during normal business hours of operation. Any work completed in a public space (ie. hallway, waiting room, etc.) will require use of HEPA equipped air filtration units. A full list of requirements and further details are provided in the project drawings and specifications.

The above construction Statement of Work (SOW) constitutes a basic outline of work and in no way outlines all details for the construction of this project. It is recommended that a detailed inspection of the premises, drawings and specifications be initiated to determine the needs and conditions for the construction of this project.

Period of Performance: All phases of work completed within 427 calendar days after issuance of the Notice to Proceed (NTP).

Security Requirements:

General Security 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.

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.

Training All contractor employees and subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems:

Sign and acknowledge (either manually or electronically) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the VA Rules of Behavior, Appendix E relating to access to VA information and information systems;

Successfully complete the VA Cyber Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training and annually complete required security training;

Successfully complete the appropriate VA privacy training and annually complete required privacy training;

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

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.

VA Information Custodial Language 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).

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.

Security Incident Investigation 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 COTR 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.

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.

Liquidated Damages for 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. However, it is the policy of VA to forgo collection of liquidated damages in the event the contractor provides payment of actual damages in an amount determined to be adequate by the agency.

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:

Notification;

One year of credit monitoring services consisting of automatic daily monitoring of at least 3 relevant credit bureau reports;

Data breach analysis;

Fraud resolution services, including writing dispute letters, initiating fraud alerts and credit freezes, to assist affected individuals to bring matters to resolution;

One year of identity theft insurance with $20,000.00 coverage at $0 deductible; and Necessary legal expenses the subjects may incur to repair falsified or damaged credit records, histories, or financial affairs.

Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) Record Management Clause.

Contractor shall comply with all applicable records management laws and regulations, as well as National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records policies, including but not limited to the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. chs. 21, 29, 31, 33), NARA regulations at 36 CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B, and those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5

U.S.C. 552a). These policies include the preservation of all records, regardless of form or characteristics, mode of transmission, or state of completion.

In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, all data created for Government use and delivered to, or falling under the legal control of, the Government are Federal records subject to the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended and must be managed and scheduled for disposition only as permitted by statute or regulation.

In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, Contractor shall maintain all records created for Government use or created in the course of performing the contract and/or delivered to, or under the legal control of the Government and must be managed in accordance with Federal law. Electronic records and associated metadata must be accompanied by sufficient technical documentation to permit understanding and use of the records and data.

Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of CVAMC or destroyed except for in accordance with the provisions of the agency records schedules and with the written concurrence of the Head of the Contracting Activity. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. In the event of any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records, Contractor must report to CVAMC. The agency must report promptly to NARA in accordance with 36 CFR 1230.

The Contractor shall immediately notify the appropriate Contracting Officer upon discovery of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of information, data, documentary materials, records or equipment. Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know as described in the Statement of Work. The Contractor shall ensure that the appropriate personnel, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is properly protected. The Contractor shall not remove material from Government facilities or systems, or facilities or systems operated or maintained on the Government’s behalf, without the express written permission of the Head of the Contracting Activity. When information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is no longer required, it shall be returned to CVAMC control or the Contractor must hold it until otherwise directed. Items returned to the Government shall be hand carried, mailed, emailed, or securely electronically transmitted to the Contracting Officer or address prescribed in the Statement of Work. Destruction of records is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED unless in accordance with Paragraph (4).

The Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, contracts. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and CVAMC guidance for protecting sensitive, proprietary information, classified, and controlled unclassified information.

The Contractor shall only use Government IT equipment for purposes specifically tied to or authorized by the contract and in accordance with CVAMC policy.

The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public CVAMC information that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract.

The Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected from public disclosure by an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act.

The CVAMC owns the rights to all data and records produced as part of this contract. All deliverables under the contract are the property of the U.S. Government for which CVAMC shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest. Any Contractor rights in the data or deliverables must be identified as required by FAR 52.227-11 through FAR 52.227- 20.

Training. All Contractor employees assigned to this contract who create, work with, or otherwise handle records are required to take VHA- provided records management training. The Contractor is responsible for confirming training has been completed according to agency policies, including initial training and any annual or refresher training.

[Note: To the extent an agency requires contractors to complete records management training, the agency must provide the training to the contractor. TMS Course 10203, VA Privacy & Information Security Awareness will be used to satisfy this requirement.

The Contractor shall incorporate the substance of this clause, its terms and requirements including this paragraph, in all subcontracts under this Statement of Work and require written subcontractor acknowledgment of same.

Violation by a subcontractor of any provision set forth in this clause will be attributed to the Contractor.

INFORMATION REGARDING BIDDING MATERIAL, BID GUARANTEE AND BONDS

IMPORTANT BIDDER INFORMATION

BIDDING MATERIALS: Bidding materials consisting of drawings, specifications, contract forms and any issued amendments will be posted at Government Portal of Entry (GPE). Currently accessed here: https://beta.sam.gov/. Enter the solicitation # (SF 1442/Box 1) into the search box to access the bid materials. This is the only official location where these documents can be obtained and where official amendments and updates are posted. No ‘hard copy’ bidding materials are available.

BID SUBMISSION: This solicitation is an Invitation for Bids (IFB) and will utilize sealed bidding IAW FAR Part 14. A public bid opening, via CONFERENCE CALL, will be conducted by the Contracting Officer, Luke A. Turner, at the date and time outlined in Box 13 of the SF 1142, at the Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10, 260 East University Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219-2637.

Offerors should call into one of the VA Conference Lines listed below:

Microsoft Teams meeting Join on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 872-701-0185,,667089637# United States, Chicago Phone Conference ID: 667 089 637# Find a local number | Reset PIN *Dial the number and when prompted, enter the Code, followed by the # sign.

Electronic bids shall not be accepted.

The following documents are to be included in the bid submission: (1) An original, fully completed and signed SF 1442 Offer page. (2) Acknowledgment of any amendments issued either via completing block 19 of the SF1442 or completing blocks 15a, b, and c of the Amendment and attaching to the SF 1442 Offer page. (3) An original, fully completed bid schedule. The Base Bid amount for the entire project is entered in block 17 of the SF1442 Offer page. (4) An original, completed and signed SF 24 Bid Bond. (5) Completed and signed copy of Attachment V - EMR Attachment and Attachment IV - Limitations on Subcontracting—Certificate of Compliance. Any other documents referenced in the solicitation that are to be provided and not specifically mentioned here.

CAUTION TO BIDDERS--BID ENVELOPES (JAN 2008)

It is the responsibility of each bidder to take all necessary precautions, including the use of proper mailing cover, to ensure that the bid price cannot be ascertained by anyone prior to bid opening. The bidder may use any suitable envelope, identified by the invitation number and bid opening time and date.

PROJECT INFORMATION

PROJECT NUMBER: 539-21-102

PROJECT LOCATION:

Cincinnati VA Medical Center 3200 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2637

MAGNITUDE OF CONSTRUCTION: Between $2,000,000 and $5,000,000.

TYPE CONSTRUCTION: Commercial & Institutional Building Construction

NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM CODE: (NAICS): 236220

SMALL BUSINESS SIZE STANDARD: $39.5 Million PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 427 calendar days from receipt of Notice to Proceed WAGE DETERMINATION: Department of Labor General Decision Number OH20220082 is included as an attachment this solicitation and is applicable to any resultant contract. If necessary, subsequent revisions will be posted to the solicitation via amendment prior to bid opening. Revision may also be applicable prior to any contract award. Wage determinations are available at: https://wdolhome.sam.gov REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION (RFI): To obtain clarifications and/or additional information concerning the contract requirements, specifications and/or drawings, submit a written RFI utilizing the RFI Form attached to this Solicitation, send via email to luke.turner@va.gov. The subject line of the email must read ‘RFI – 36C25022B0045.’ RFIs must be specific identifying section, paragraph and page no. of the specifications or cite the drawing number and must be in question format. All RFIs submitted shall include the solicitation number and title, contractor name, city, state, telephone, email address, date submitted, and the RFI question(s). RFI responses will be posted to https://beta.sam.gov/ as necessary in amendment format. Deadline for submission of RFIs for this solicitation is close of business 05/23/2022. No questions will be answered after this date unless determined to be in the best interest of the Government as deemed by the Contracting Officer. Telephone requests for information will not be accepted or returned.

THIS SOLICITATION IS A 100% SET-ASIDE FOR SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES SEE THE SOLICITATION FOR ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.

SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT REGISTRATION: The System for Award Management (SAM) is the Official U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of the Central Contractor Registration (CCR including FedReg), Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA), and the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS). Federal Acquisition Registrations require that federal contractors register in SAM at www.sam.gov and enter all mandatory information into the system. Warning: FAR 4.1102 (a) requires be registered in SAM at the time an offer or quotation is submitted in order to comply with the annual representations and certifications requirements. If a bid is received and bidder is not registered as required, the bid will be considered non-responsive and therefore not eligible for award.

THE EXCLUDED PARTIES LIST SYSTEM (EPLS): To ensure that the individuals or businesses providing services under the contract have not engaged in fraud or abuse regarding Sections 1128 and 1128A of the Social Security Act regarding federal health care programs, the contractor is required to check the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) located at www.sam.gov for each person or business providing services under this contract. During the performance of this contract the Contractor is prohibited from using any individual or business listed on the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities.

VETS-4212 FEDERAL CONTRACTING REPORTING SYSTEM: Contractors are required to submit a required annual Form VETS-4212, Federal Contractor Veterans' Employment Report in all cases where the contractor or subcontractor has received an award of $150,000 or more in any fiscal year. The rules and regulations can be found here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/vets4212. Contracting Officers are prohibited from awarding a contract to a contractor that has not submitted a required VETS-4212 Report with respect to the preceding fiscal year if the contractor was subject to the reporting requirement of 38 U.S. Code, Section 4212, codified at 41 CFR Section 61-300. Submit this report as soon as possible, if not already submitted, to avoid delays in the contract award process. See FAR provision 52.222-38, Compliance with Veterans' Employment Reporting Requirements (JUN 2020) under the Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Offerors, and FAR clause 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (JUN 2020) under the General Conditions.

BONDING INFORMATION

BID GUARANTEE: A bid guarantee is required in an amount not less than 20 percent of the bid price but shall not exceed $3,000,000. Failure to furnish the required bid guarantee in the proper form and amount, by the time set for opening of bids, shall require rejection of the bid in all cases except those listed in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 28.101-4. Bid Bonds must be provided using Standard Form 24 (see FAR 28.106-1) and the form must be provided in original (no white outs, faxed or copied signatures, seals) with ‘wet ink’ signatures and contain the proper solicitation number, bid opening date, and be from a corporate surety listed in Department of Treasury Circular 570. Individual sureties have to be acceptable to the Contracting Officer (see FAR 28.203) and be accompanied by Standard Form 28 Affidavit of Individual Surety. Other forms of bid security are acceptable as denoted in solicitation provision FAR Part 28.204.

PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS: In accordance with Contract Clause 52.228-15, and FAR 28.102, Contractors are reminded that any amount awarded over $35,000.00 shall require a Payment Bond (SF 25A), and awards exceeding $150,000.00 shall require both Payment and Performance Bonds (SF 25). Payment and Performance bonds are due no later than 10 days after notification of award. Bonds must be provided with original ‘wet ink’ signatures - no white outs or other corrections are allowable. Copies and facsimiles of bonds shall not be accepted.

SECURITY

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS: All contractor employees are subject to the same level of investigation as VA employees who have access to VA Sensitive Information. The level of background investigation is commensurate with the level of access needed to perform the statement of work. This requirement is also applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same level of access.

Levels and associated types of Background Investigations:

· If the project requires that workers have only limited physical access to the VA facility for a period of one year or less, a local flash badge with fingerprint check is issued.

· If the project requires that workers require un-supervised, logical and/or physical access for 180 consecutive or aggregate days in a 365-day period, over a 3-year period, a background investigation is required (Special Agency Check (SAC)) which must be completed prior to being allowed access.

· If the project requires that workers have un-supervised, full-time, logical, and/or physical access for more than 6 months or more than 180 aggregate days in a one year period, a background investigation is required (Special Agency Check and National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NACI)) and access is not allowed until a favorable SAC completion.

All costs for SAC and NACI checks are borne by the contractor. The VA may at its discretion make deductions against the contract in order to recoup the investigation costs. Current cost for a SAC is $25.00 per employee and the current cost for a NACI check is $177.00 per employee (subject to change at any time).

MEDICAL CENTER ACCESS: Anyone participating in the site visit, or for any other reason that involves visiting the medical center related to this solicitation, must have a valid ID on your person and your vehicle must be properly registered and insured. Visitors are prohibited from possessing weapons while on a federal installation (See 18 USC 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities). Handheld cellphone use or texting while driving is also prohibited. All VA Medical Centers and associated properties are Federal Property.

PRIVACY TRAINING: All workers regardless of project length must take VA Privacy Training which will be coordinated after project award with the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

E-VERIFY SYSTEM: Companies awarded a contract with the federal government shall enroll in E-Verify within 30 days of the contract award date. They shall also begin using the E-Verify system to confirm that all of their new hires and their employees directly working on federal contracts are authorized to legally work in the United States. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that allows an employer, using information reported on an employee's Form I-9, to determine the eligibility of that employee to work in the United States. There is no charge to employers to use E-Verify. (FAR 52.222-54).

VHA DIRECTIVE 1192.01: The Construction Contractors representatives performing construction activities on Cincinnati VA Medical Center campus must validate the following additional requirements are in place before starting construction activities on campus:

1. Daily visit at check-in station for COVID and temperature screening a. Sticker/device must be worn visibly.

2. Annual influenza shot is required for all staff performing work on Cincinnati VA Medical Center campus.

3. Contractor badge must be obtained and worn by contractor or representative at all times while on campus.

The contractor will validate in writing via signed memo to the Contracting Officer that the above items are being done as part of the bid package. No Personally Identifiable Information (PII) will be collected.

The temperature checks are performed on the Cincinnati VA Medical Center campus and must be performed immediately when the contractor arrives on site. Temperature checks are currently performed at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center. If at any time an employee of the Construction Contractor is found in deficiency of the listed, a stop work order will be issued for safety of Cincinnati VA Medical Center VAMC patients and staff. Any further questions please refence the below document.

CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS FOR COMBATTING COVID-19:

VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for Combatting COVID-19

1. Contractor employees who work in or travel to VHA locations must comply with the following:

a. Documentation requirements:

1) If fully vaccinated, contractors shall show proof of vaccination.

i. NOTE: Acceptable proof of vaccination includes a signed record of immunization from a health care provider or pharmacy, a copy of the COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card (CDC Form MLS-319813_r, published on September 3, 2020), or a copy of medical records documenting the vaccination.

2) If unvaccinated, contractors shall show negative COVID-19 test results dated within three calendar days prior to desired entry date. Test must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use or full approval. This includes tests available by a doctor’s order or an FDA approved over-the-counter test that includes an affiliated telehealth service.

3) Documentation cited in this section shall be digitally or physically maintained on each contractor employee while in a VA facility and is subject to inspection prior to entry to VA facilities and after entry for spot inspections by Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) or other hospital personnel.

4) Documentation will not be collected by the VA; contractors shall, at all times, adhere to and ensure compliance with federal laws designed to protect contractor employee health information and personally identifiable information.

2. Contractor employees are subject to daily screening for COVID-19 and may be denied entry to VA facilities if they fail to pass screening protocols. As part of the screening process contractors may be asked screening questions found on the COVID-19 Screening Tool. Check regularly for updates.

a. Contractor employees who work away from VA locations, but who will have direct contact with VA patients shall self-screen utilizing the COVID-19 Screening Tool, in advance, each day that they will have direct patient contact and in accordance with their person or persons who coordinate COVID-19 workplace safety efforts at covered contractor workplaces. Contractors shall, at all times, adhere to and ensure compliance with federal laws designed to protect contractor employee health information and personally identifiable information.

3. Contractor must immediately notify their COR or Contracting Officer if contract performance is jeopardized due to contractor employees being denied entry into VA Facilities.

1. For indefinite delivery contracts: Contractor agrees to comply with VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for any task or delivery orders issued prior to this modification when performance has already commenced.

OTHER IMPORTANT BIDDER INFORMATION

ADDITIONAL PRIME CONTRACTOR INFORMATION - Safety or Environmental Violations and Experience Modification Rating Information

1.) All Bidders/Offerors shall submit information pertaining to their past Safety and Environmental record. The information must contain a certification that the bidder/offeror has no more than three (3) serious, or one (1) repeat or one (1) willful OSHA or any EPA violation(s) in the past three years. If such certification cannot be made, a Bidder/Offeror shall explain why and submit as much information as possible regarding the circumstances of its past safety and environmental record, including the number of EPA violations and/or the number of serious, repeat, and/or willful OSHA violations, along with a detailed description of those violations.

2.) All Bidders/Offerors shall submit information regarding their current Experience Modification Rate (EMR). This information shall be obtained from the Bidder’s/Offeror’s insurance carrier and be furnished on the insurance carrier’s letterhead. If a Bidder/Offeror’s EMR is above 1.0, Bidder/Offeror must submit a written explanation of the EMR from its insurance carrier furnished on the insurance carrier’s letterhead, describing the reasons for the elevated EMR and the anticipated date the EMR may be reduced to 1.0 or below.

3.) Self-insured contractors or other contractors that cannot provide their EMR rating on insurance letterhead must obtain a rating from the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. (NCCI) by completing/submitting form ERM-6 and providing the rating on letterhead from NCCI. Note: Self-insured contractors or other contractors that cannot provide EMR rating on insurance letterhead from the states or territories of CA, DE, MI, NJ, ND, OH, PA, WA, WY, and PR shall obtain their EMR rating from their state run worker’s compensation insurance rating bureau.

4.) If the NCCI cannot issue an EMR because the Bidder/Offeror lacks insurance history, Bidder/Offeror shall submit a letter indicating so from its insurance carrier furnished on the insurance carrier’s letterhead and include a letter from the NCCI indicating that is has assigned Bidder/Offeror a Unity Rating of 1.0.

5.) The above information, along with other information obtained from Government systems, such as the OSHA and EPA online inspection history databases, will be used to make an initial Determination of Responsibility.

6.) This requirement is applicable to all subcontracting tiers, and prospective prime contractors are responsible for determining the responsibility of their prospective subcontractors.

CONFORMANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: The Contractor shall perform work under this contract consistent with the relevant policy and objectives identified in the agency, organizational, or facility Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) applicable for your contract. The Contractor shall perform work in a manner that conforms to all appropriate Environmental Management Programs and Operational Controls identified by the agency, organizational, or facility GEMS, and provide monitoring and measurement information as necessary for the organization to address environmental performance relative to the environmental, energy, and transportation management goals. In the event an environmental nonconformance or noncompliance associated with the contracted services is identified, the contractor shall take corrective and/or preventative actions. In the case of a noncompliance, the Contractor shall respond and take corrective action immediately. In the case of a nonconformance, the Contractor shall respond and take corrective action based on the time schedule established by the facility GEMS Coordinator. In addition, the Contractor shall ensure that their employees are aware of the roles and responsibilities identified by the environmental management system and how these requirements affect their work performed under this contract.

REFERENCES TO VA ENGINEER, RESIDENT ENGINEER, SENIOR RESIDENT ENGINEER, OR PROJECT MANAGER: Any reference contained within contract specifications and/or drawings to the “VA Engineer”, “Resident Engineer”, “Senior Resident Engineer”, “Project Manager”, or their abbreviations are to be replaced with “Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)”.

PAYMENT FOR MATERIALS STORED OFF-SITE: Payment in advance of installation for materials stored off-site is not authorized under this contract.

REVIEW REQUIRED REGISTRATION WITH CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM (CPARS)

1. As prescribed in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 42.15, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) evaluates contractor past performance on all construction contracts that exceed $700,000 and shares those evaluations with other Federal Government contract specialists and procurement officials. The FAR requires that the contractor be provided an opportunity to comment on past performance evaluations prior to each report closing. To fulfill this requirement VA uses an online database, CPARS, which is maintained by the Naval Seal Logistics Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. CPARS has connectivity with the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) database, which is available to all Federal agencies. PPIRS is the system used to collect and retrieve performance assessment reports used in source selection determinations and completed CPARS report cards transferred to PPIRS. CPARS also includes access to the federal awardee performance and integrity information system (FAPIIS). FAPIIS is a web-enabled application accessed via CPARS for contractor responsibility determination information.

1. Each contractor whose contract award is estimated to exceed $150,000 is required to register with CPARS database at the following web address: www.cpars.csd.disa.mil. Help in registering can be obtained by contacting Customer Support Desk at DSN: 684-1690 or COMM: 207-438-1690. Registration should occur no later than thirty days after contract award and must be kept current should there be any change to the contractor's registered representative.

1. For contracts with a period of one year or less, the contracting officer will perform a single evaluation when the contract is complete. For contracts exceeding one year, the contracting officer will evaluate the contractor's performance annually. Interim reports will be filed each year until the last year of the contract, when the final report will be completed. The report shall be assigned in CPARS to the contractor's designated representative for comment. The contractor representative will have thirty days to submit any comments and re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer.

Failure to have a current registration in the CPARS database, or to re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer within those thirty days, will result in the Government's evaluation being placed on file in the database with a statement that the contractor failed to respond.”

INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS TO BIDDERS/OFFERORS

2.1 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

The Government contemplates award of a Firm-Fixed-Price contract resulting from this solicitation.

(End of Provision)

2.2 52.222-5 CONSTRUCTION WAGE RATE REQUIREMENTS—SECONDARY SITE OF THE WORK (MAY 2014) (a)(1) The offeror shall notify the Government if the offeror intends to perform work at any secondary site of the work, as defined in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of the FAR clause at 52.222-6, Construction Wage Rate Requirements, of this solicitation.

(2) If the offeror is unsure if a planned work site satisfies the criteria for a secondary site of the work, the offeror shall request a determination from the Contracting Officer.

(b)(1) If the wage determination provided by the Government for work at the primary site of the work is not applicable to the secondary site of the work, the offeror shall request a wage determination from the Contracting Officer.

(2) The due date for receipt of offers will not be extended as a result of an offeror's request for a wage determination for a secondary site of the work.

(End of Provision)

2.3 52.225-10 NOTICE OF BUY AMERICAN REQUIREMENT—CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS (MAY 2014)

(a) Definitions. "Commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) item," "construction material," "domestic construction material," and "foreign construction material," as used in this provision, are defined in the clause of this solicitation entitled "Buy American—Construction Materials" (Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.225-9).

(b) Requests for determinations of inapplicability. An offeror requesting a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American statute should submit the request to the Contracting Officer in time to allow a determination before submission of offers. The offeror shall include the information and applicable supporting data required by paragraphs (c) and (d) of the clause at FAR 52.225-9 in the request. If an offeror has not requested a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American statute before submitting its offer, or has not received a response to a previous request, the offeror shall include the information and supporting data in the offer.

(c) Evaluation of offers.

(1) The Government will evaluate an offer requesting exception to the requirements of the Buy American statute, based on claimed unreasonable cost of domestic construction material, by adding to the offered price the appropriate percentage of the cost of such foreign construction material, as specified in paragraph (b)(3)(i) of the clause at FAR 52.225-9.

(2) If evaluation results in a tie between an offeror that requested the substitution of foreign construction material based on unreasonable cost and an offeror that did not request an exception, the Contracting Officer will award to the offeror that did not request an exception based on unreasonable cost.

(d) Alternate offers.

(1) When an offer includes foreign solicitation in paragraph (b)(2) of the clause at FAR 52.225-9, the offeror also may submit an alternate offer based on use of equivalent domestic construction material.

(2) If an alternate offer is submitted, the offeror shall submit a separate Standard Form 1442 for the alternate offer, and a separate price comparison table prepared in accordance with paragraphs (c) and (d) of the clause at FAR 52.225-9 for the offer that is based on the use of any foreign construction material…