36C25225Q0373 0002.docx

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE

7.

ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF

PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODE

CODE

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

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

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

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

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

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

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

15C. DATE SIGNED

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

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR

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

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

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED

STATES OF AMERICA

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

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF

CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

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

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

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

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

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

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF

SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer) None 05-02-2025 578-25-3-6072-0007 N/A Department of Veterans Affairs 36C252 115 South 84th Street, Suite 101 Milwaukee WI 53214-1476 Department of Veterans Affairs 36C252 Great Lakes Acquisition Center - HC 115 South 84th Street, Suite 101 Milwaukee WI 53214-1476 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C25225Q0373

X X X ** HOUR & DATE for Receipt of Offers is EXTENDED to: 05-08-2025 10:00am CDT See CONTINUATION Page X

ONE

The purpose of this modification is to answer vendor questions.

The purpose of this modification is to also provide updated Statement of Work (SOW).

The purpose of this modification is to also extend the date/time offers are due from 05/05/2025 @10:00am Local Time to 05/08/2025 @10:00am Local Time.

Jerri Schuster Contract Specialist

CONTINUATION PAGE

STATEMENT OF WORK

A. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

The contractor shall provide all necessary labor, supervision, materials, and equipment to test water in patient areas located at the Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital, Hines, IL. All work performed shall be in accordance with this statement of work and VA Directive 1061. (See Attachment 9)

B. SCOPE

1. VA Directive 1061 requires quarterly testing. Hines VA Hospital’s expectations for schedule are:

a. Quarter 1: October

b. Quarter 2: January

c. Quarter 3: April

d. Quarter 4: July

2. The contractor shall provide all labor and materials to sample and test domestic potable water. The tests shall include results for quantity of Legionella per 250ml sample (typical) with all positives speciated, e.g. analysis shall include the culture, identification and enumeration of Legionella species and serotyping including Legionella pneumophila (serogroups 1-15), L. dumoffii, L. micdadei, L. bozemanii (serogroup 1), L. longbeachae (serogroups 1, 2), L. jordanis L. feeleii (serogroup 1), L. gormanii, L. wadsworthii, L. hackeliae, L. maceachernii, L. oakridgensis, L. cherrii, L. sainthelensi, L. anisa, L. parisiensis, L. spiritensis, L. jamestownensis, L. steigerwaltii, L. rubrilucens, and L. erythra.

3. The laboratory shall provide a report indicating the analytical results for each sample submitted.

4. Results shall be returned on the same spreadsheet provided for the sampling. No changes shall be made to any of the data provided for area or source sampled.

5. Draft Results shall be returned within 24 hours of the results being returned to the contractor and watermarked on the spreadsheet as DRAFT COPY.

6. Results shall be due within 2 days of the receipt of the draft results.

7. Results shall be calculated in terms of colony forming units (CFU).

8. All samples shall be properly preserved, and protocol records kept for final Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC).

9. The laboratory shall be certified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) Program as proficient at performing the culture of Legionella from environmental samples. The laboratory shall also have environmental microbiology accreditation by a nationally recognized accrediting body (e.g., EMLAP, NELAP).

10. The contractor shall be required to take 20 samples per building, 10 from the hot water distribution side and 10 from the cold-water distribution side. Buildings included in this work include Buildings 100, 113, 128, 200, 217, 221 and 228. (Please see attachments). EXCEPTION: Building 200 with 40 samples total. At the time each water sample is taken, test and document the following for each sample: water temperature, level of residual biocide, and pH.

11. The contractor shall supply all labor and material to resample all positive samples using the same procedure until results come back negative.

C. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Base year plus four (4) one (1) year options.

D. INVENTORY/TESTING LOCATIONS

See Attachments 1-8.

E. PERFORMANCE MONITORING

The government shall periodically evaluate the contractor’s performance by appointing a representative(s) to monitor such performance and ensure services shall be received. The government representative shall evaluate the contractor’s performance through intermittent on-site inspections of the contractor's quality control program and receipt of complaints from facility personnel. The government may inspect each task as completed or increase the number of quality control inspections if deemed appropriate because of repeated failures discovered during quality control inspections or because of repeated customer complaints. Likewise, the government may decrease the number of quality control inspections if performance dictates.

F. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

A background check is a requirement for all contractors and any subcontractor’s employee(s) providing services to the government. The government’s decision to exercise this option shall not entitle the contractors or subcontractors to any contract price adjustments. This background check shall allow the contractor to access areas within the Medical Center such as offices, clinics, patient rooms, and other sensitive or restricted areas. No employee shall be permitted to perform work or access non-public areas unescorted without a background check and written clearance by VA Police. The contractor is always required to wear and properly display contractor identification badges while on premise at Hines VA. All contractors shall be requested to provide the following information to obtain a background check: Name; Social Security Number; Date of Birth; Race; State(s) lived in.

Contractor shall require escort from Hines VA for all testing. building 100 and building 228, 2nd floor.

Badging Process Hines VA Hospital (Only Real ID Accepted) Step 1:

Contract employee shall fill out and bring fingerprint request form to Bldg 2, Room 119 to Mikel Jones, Hines’s Engineering Badging Sponsor, between the hours of 7:00am-3:00pm Monday – Friday.

It is recommended to call 708-202-8387 x 21322 prior to visit. The badging sponsor shall review the fingerprint request and transfer the details to a Special Agreement Check (SAC) form. The sponsor shall create a contractor profile in the US-Access sponsorship program.

Step 2:

Contractor shall go to Bldg. 17 HR/PIV office on Hines campus between the hours of 8am – 4pm Monday - Friday. The HR/PIV shall conduct electronic fingerprinting. After completion of fingerprints, the contractor must inform Mikel Jones, Hines’s Engineering Badging Sponsor. The sponsor shall then submit package to the PSAC office starting the fingerprint adjudication processes.

Step 3:

Sponsoring takes approximately 2-7 days after PSAC package submission has cleared. After cleared by PSAC, Mike Jones shall “sponsor” personnel within the US Access system. Mikel Jones shall call the contractor to setup an appointment for badge pickup at Bldg. 17. The Contractor must bring two forms of valid ID, and it is the contractor’s responsibility to make this appointment. If this appointment is missed and needs to be rescheduled, it shall be at the contractor’s expense. The VA shall not provide funding for delays in badging due to missed appointments.

G. OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION OR SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Contractor personnel shall be certified by appropriate federal and state regulatory agencies to meet federal and local certification requirements in calibrating test equipment as applicable. All licenses and permits shall be kept current throughout the period of performance of the contract. The Contractor shall provide the Government copies of such certificates.

H. RISK CONTROL

Laboratories that process the water samples for Legionella must be certified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) program or the Public Health England (PHE) Legionella External Quality Assessment (EQA) scheme as proficient at performing the culture of Legionella from environmental samples. Information about CDC ELITE certified laboratories can be found at https://wwwn.cdc.gov/elite/Public/MemberList.aspx. Laboratories must also be able to determine if the Legionella detected in environmental samples is the species Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. NOTE: Per CDC guidance, rapid testing methods, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct fluorescent antibody (DFA), are not recommended for the detection of Legionella in environmental water samples. In addition to the requirement for current CDC ELITE or PHE Legionella EQA certification, consider using a laboratory that also has environmental microbiology accreditation by a recognized accrediting program.

I. HOUR OF OPERATIONS

Sample collection for testing shall occur between the hours of 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM Local Time (Central), Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays listed below.

Federal Holidays observed by the VAMC:

Any other day specially declared by the President of the United States to be a Federal Holiday.

When one of the above designated Federal Holidays falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed as a Federal Holiday. When a Federal Holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as a Federal Holiday by United States Government agencies.

J. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The primary contact location is, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital 5000 S. 5th Avenue Hines, IL 60141

K. POINTS OF CONTACT

Hines VA Safety

Sean Mcloughlin Chief of Safety, Hines VA Hospital sean.mcloughlin@va.gov

Avraham Zwanziger Industrial Hygienist, Contracting Officer Representative Avraham.Zwanziger@va.gov

Hines VA Engineering

Douglas Crombie Engineering Pipe Shop Supervisor Douglas.Crombie@va.gov

(708) 202-8387 x22307

Jason Espinosa Chief of Maintenance & Operations Dana.Greenley@va.gov

(708) 202-8387 x24786

Lee Holloway Deputy Chief of Engineering Lee.Holloway@va.gov

(708) 202-8387 x 21132

Joseph Tumpis Chief of Engineering Joseph.Tumpis@va.gov 708-202-8387 x21131

Vendor Questions/Answers

1. Is this a new requirement? If not, who is the incumbent and what was the value of the previous contract?

Contract 36C25220D0013 was awarded 11/1/2019. All details relating to this award can be found on sam.gov.

2. SOW Scope Section B2. This section lists 100 mL as the required volume, will the government allow for a sample volume of 250 mL?

Yes. Typical sample volume is 250 mL.

3. Does the government intend for the detection limit to be 1 CFU/mL and not any lower?

Results of 1 CFU/mL and higher should be “front-facing” in emailed communications accompanying laboratory results. Detection lower than 1 CF/mL shall be annotated as “<1”.

4. SOW Scope Section B4-5. Can the government provide examples of the following requirement:

(4.) Results shall be returned on the same spreadsheet provided for the sampling. No changes shall be made to any of the data provided for area or source sampled.

Attachments 2 – 8 are examples of quarterly room sampling per building. Hines VA will send contractor Excel spreadsheets twenty (20) calendar days prior to scheduled sampling date. Contractor shall test areas listed on Excels, fill in all required pertinent information during sampling and after laboratory results, then send back completed Excel spreadsheets to Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

(5.) Draft results shall be returned within 24 hours of the results being returned to the contractor and watermarked on the spreadsheet as DRAFT COPY.

The Excel spreadsheets sent to contractor from Hines VA, shall be due 24 hours after laboratory results are submitted to the government. Traditionally, contractor sends at same time.

5. SOW Scope Section B5. Can the government clarify which results are due within two days of receiving draft results when Legionella testing by culture takes 7-10 days?

The Excel spreadsheets sent to contractor from Hines VA, shall be due 24 hours after laboratory results are submitted to the government. Traditionally, contractor sends at same time.

6. Can the government provide historical retesting requirements for each building for the past three years given the high number of retest quantities?

7. Historically, what species of Legionella is most detected at this location?

“Other”

8. Due to a high cost to the government and negligible impact on how positive sources are remediated, would the government remove the requirement for serotyping of Legionella pneumophila and speciation of non-pneumophila Legionella?

No. Serotyping is for tracking patient exposure as well as remediation.

9. When are bid due? SAM.gov deadline listing appears to conflict with contract document requirements.

RFQ responses are due 05/05/2025 @10:00am Local Time (Central) as stated in the amendment posted 04/30/2025 onto sam.gov.

10. What criteria will be utilized to selection? Will factors other than cost be considered, such as firms with local presence to improve responsiveness?

Responses will be evaluated per the information that can be found in the “Instructions to Offerors” section of the solicitation, beginning on page 30.

11. Will any testing of dental, water tower, or cooling towers be required?

No.

12. Will the facility provide testing locations to the contractor each quarter?

Yes.

13. Does the facility have a sampling standard operating procedure?

No.

14. How should contractors perform sampling in the event there is a legionella filter present on the fixture?

Filter should be removed and placed back on after testing.

15. Who will be the facility rep to receive sample bottles prior to testing?

This information will be provided at the time of award.

16. Will the contractor have an escort during sampling?

Yes.

17. What type of testing is required for detection of Legionella, eg SPREAD PLATE METHOD - PERFORM ISO 11731 LEGIONELLA TESTING?

Yes. Bulk water testing at POU.

18. What type of testing is required for determining the serogroup for positive samples, eg Multiplex PCR for Serogroup Detection?

Hines VA is not using PCRs.

19. Does Hines require speciation within a serogroup for positive samples? What type of testing is required for positive samples to determine speciation, eg Sequence-Based Typing (SBT)?

Yes.

20. For each of the below, please provide bid quantity for number of tests in the base period of performance (Year 1).

Please do not reference inventory as testing locations will vary from quarter to quarter based on the Water Safety Committee direction. Additionally, contractor cannot be responsible for an infinite number of resampling until a positive result occurs, and the facility must provide a quantity for resampling to determine the cost.

Total Routine Quarterly Environmental Validation sampling required to comply with VHA Directive 1061(1).

Non-Routine Legionella Testing (Resampling) performed outside of quarterly sampling - including onsite physical and chemical testing.

Cooling Tower sample collection, analysis, and results management.

Non-Routine HPC Testing (Cooling Tower) performed outside of quarterly sampling, including onsite physical and chemical testing.

Quarterly Dental Waterline Heterthropic Plate Count Analysis

Non-Routine HPC Testing (Dental Waterlines) performed outside of quarterly sampling.

21. Does the lab need to serogroup Legionella longbeachae (which is labeled in the document as Serogroups 1 & 2)?

Yes.

22. Can samples that require non-pneumophila Legionella species be reported as Legionella species (Pending further Identification) while we speciate those rare Legionella? The lab is concerned about meeting the 7-10 day turnaround time while having to speciate.

Yes.

image1.png image2.png