36C25525Q0144.docx

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Network Contracting Office (NCO) 15 3450 S 4th Street Trafficway

Leavenworth KS 66048

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Laura Ferguson Laura.Ferguson@va.gov 913.946.1962

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

2200 Gage Blvd

Topeka KS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

DESCRIPTION

THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/SOURCES SOUGHT

DISCLAIMER

1. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

2. The submission of pricing, capabilities for planning purposes, and other market information is highly encouraged and allowed under this RFI In Accordance With (IAW) FAR Part 15.201(e).

SOURCES SOUGHT DESCRIPTION: Contractor shall provide complete removal of cardboard and comingled recycling materials from the Eastern Kansas Healthcare System campus, Colmery O’Neil VA Medical Center. The Contractor shall provide all labor, management, equipment, supplies, transportation, applicable licenses and permits, and other items and services necessary to perform removal of cardboard and comingled recycling material services at the VA Medical Center, 2200 SW Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66622. The Contractor shall perform to the standards in the contract as well as all local, state, and federal regulations. All landfill fees shall be paid by the Contractor.

3. This is NOT a solicitation announcement. This is a RFI/sources sought only. The purpose of this sources sought/RFI is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 562998. Responses to this sources sought will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this sources sought, a solicitation announcement may be published. Responses to this sources sought synopsis are not considered adequate responses for a solicitation announcement.

4. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VISN 15 Network Contracting Office, is seeking sources that can provide the following:

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 15, has a requirement to provide fully furnished hotel/motel rooms that will include standard amenities including shuttle service and no-cost breakfast, to eligible beneficiaries of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs per this Statement of Work, and other contract terms and conditions for the VA Medical Center, 2200 SW Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66622.

5. It is the responsibility of the interested source to demonstrate to the government that the interested parties can provide the services that fulfill the requirement. If you are interested and are capable of providing the sought-out services, please provide the requested information as well as the information indicated below. Failure to respond to all questions in this sources sought will determine the interested party as non-responsive which may affect a set-aside decision for a resulting solicitation. Response to this notice should include company name, address, point of contact, size of business pursuant to the following questions:

a. Please provide your UEI number.

b. Please indicate the size status and representations of your business, such as but not limited to: Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Hubzone, Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), Large Business, etc.)?

c. Is your company considered small under the NAICS code identified under this RFI?

d. If you are identified as a SDVOSB/VOSB or SB, identify how you intend to meet the requirements found in the limitations on subcontracting FAR or VAAR clauses. (providing 51% of the work outlined in section 4 above): Fill out attached Self Performance Worksheet.

e. Please submit your capabilities that show clear, compelling, and convincing evidence that you can meet the requirement described above.

6. Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to Laura Ferguson at Laura.Ferguson@va.gov. Telephone responses shall not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than Friday, January 30, 2025, at 1630 CST. If a solicitation is issued it shall be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this sources sought. Responses to this sources sought notice are not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation.

STATEMENT OF WORK

Recycling Topeka 2025 Base Year + 4 Option Years

1. GENERAL

a. All dumpsters need to be in place to begin service on 5/31/2025.

b. Contractor shall provide complete removal of cardboard and comingled recycling materials from the Eastern Kansas Healthcare System campus, Colmery O’Neil VA Medical Center. The Contractor shall provide all labor, management, equipment, supplies, transportation, applicable licenses and permits, and other items and services necessary to perform removal of cardboard and comingled recycling material services at the VA Medical Center, 2200 SW Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66622. The Contractor shall perform to the standards in the contract as well as all local, state, and federal regulations. All landfill fees shall be paid by the Contractor.

c. The Recycling Service deals with recycling collection, transportation, and disposal. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to clean up and remove any debris that has fallen from any containers while the exchange is being made. Upon notification by the Contracting Officer or the Contracting Officer Representative (COR), the Contractor shall perform emergency recycling removal in areas covered under this contract. Work performed outside the normal hours of coverage at the request of the COR will be acquired under a separate procurement.

2. COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS

a. All container dumps/exchanges shall be accomplished during regular working hours, i.e., 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding Federal Holidays.

b. The pickup schedule (Appendix A) will be closely followed to prevent Inconsistent and unnecessary call-ins, Additional charges will not be imposed for call-ins resulting from inconsistent dumping which are not in accordance with contract requirements. Additional charges will not be incurred for additional pick-ups unless these services are requested by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).

c. The contractor shall dispose of the recycled material in such a manner that will not create conditions detrimental to public health or to constitute a public nuisance. All containers shall be contractor owned. They shall have lids affixed to prevent material from blowing about the complex and onto neighboring lawns and all containers shall be in operable condition. All containers will be placed as close to the dock for safety of staff to dispose of recyclable material. If upon pick up dumpsters are not placed correctly, contractor will return to place them correct at NO COST to the facility.

d. The contractor shall assume full responsibility for compliance with all Federal, State, City and County laws, rules and regulations governing cardboard and comingled recycling materials.

e. Points of Collections (Appendix A) shall be made in contractor's containers and shall be kept clean and deodorized at all times. The containers shall be placed in areas designated or as directed by the COR. Containers shall be fully enclosed, rodent proof and fire retardant. In areas that receive and contain wet materials, the containers shall hold accumulations of water and other liquids. Care shall be exercised to prevent leakage and scattering of waste on the grounds of the Medical Center during the emptying operations into the disposal truck. The pick-up area shall be left in a clean, orderly and sanitary condition.

f. Cubic Yard Capacity: Proposed capacity of containers is indicated in Appendix A. The Government reserves the right to change the cubic yard capacity at any collection station or change the number of collection stations as long as it does not increase the overall total cubic yard capacity requirement of this SOW. The Government may also reduce the frequency of collections.

g. The containers shall be kept neat in appearance, repaired and painted when warranted (i.e. appearance of rust spots, stains, excessively chipped areas, etc.).

h. The contractor shall furnish the necessary metal containers of approximate size and configuration (Appendix A). If required, larger containers shall be furnished by the contractor if requested by the Contracting Officer or the Administrative Officer (ACO). The containers shall be of such a design that material can be dumped into them with the containers on or off the docks. These containers shall have a maximum door size of 3OWX30", a minimum door size of 20X2On, with a maximum height of 32" from the bottom of the door above the floor of the dock. The Environmental Care manager or designee will indicate the specific location in each area. The VA reserves the right to relocate the containers when deemed necessary.

i. In addition to the regularly scheduled dumps, the VA may request Special Containers and/or Extra Container dumps. Special Containers and/or Extra Container dumps may be requested on any day at any hour and the response time by the contractor shall be within 16 hours. Charges for dumping Special Containers shall be comparable to like containers at other locations at the medical center as listed within contract. Extra Container dumps shall be charged according to the bid pricing as other dumps within the contract.

j. Container dumps will be spot checked and verified by the Assistant Chief, Environmental Services, or designee.

k. All containers shall be clean and sanitary when placed into service.

l. All containers shall be in place and ready for use by 10:00 AM. May 31, 2025.

m. Broken or damaged containers shall be replaced within twenty-four (24) hours' notification.

3. OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

a. Invoicing will be accomplished monthly with payment in arrears for services performed during the billing month. The invoice shall include as a minimum, the name and address of the contractor, the contract number, and an itemized billing for each refuse container, listing the number of times the container was emptied in the billing month. The invoice shall reflect additional requirements as a result of call-ins or the reduced requirements because of workload. Vendor shall provide on a monthly basis a means acceptable to the Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer's Technical Representative that will accurately represent the facility trash volume expressed in pounds.

b. While performing work under this contract, all vehicles used by the contractor shall be locked and the keys removed, when not in use. This action is intended to Protect the Contractor's Property and to ensure the safety of the beneficiaries at the Medical Center.

4. CONTRACT ADMINSTRATION DATA

a. All contract administration functions will be retained by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Contracting Officer will be the only person authorized to approve changes or modify any of the requirements under this contract. The Contractor shall communicate with the Contracting Officer on all matters pertaining to contract administration. Only the Contracting Officer will be authorized to make commitments or issue changes that affect price, or quality of performance of this contract. In the event the Contractor effects any such change at the direction of any person other than the Contracting Officer, the change shall be considered unauthorized, and no adjustment will be made in the contract price to cover any increase in costs incurred as a result thereof.

b. Contractor will submit quarterly recycing data that will include weights of recycling generated by the facility.

5. NON-PERSONAL SERVICES

This is a non-personal services contract. Personnel rendering services under this contract are not subject either by the contract's terms or by the manner of its administration, to the supervision and control usually prevailing in relationships between the government and its employees. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn, is responsible to the Government.

6. HOURS OF OPERATION

Business hours of EKHCS: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

National Holidays: The 11 holidays observed by the Federal Government are:

• New Year’s Day

• Martin Luther King Day

• Presidents Days

• Memorial Day

• Juneteenth

• Independence Day

• Labor Day

• Columbus Day

• Veteran’s Day

• Thanksgiving

• Christmas Day

• Any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a National Holiday

7. QUALITY CONTROL/CONTRACT PERFORMANCE MONITORING

The POC may perform surveillance of services by any of the methods listed below:

I. Observing actual performance.

II. Inspecting the services to determine whether the performance meets the performance standards, and review of any other appropriate records.

III. When unacceptable performance occurs, the POC shall inform the Contractor and the Contracting Officer. This will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. In any case the POC shall document the discussion and place it in the POC file. When the POC determines that formal written communication is required, the POC shall prepare a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR), and present it to the contractor program manager. The Contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the CDR in writing. The CDR will specify if the Contractor is required to prepare a corrective action plan to document how the Contractor shall correct the unacceptable performance and avoid a recurrence. The CDR will also state how long after receipt the Contractor must present this corrective action plan to the POC. The Government shall review the Contractor corrective action plan to determine acceptability. Any CDRs may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action deemed necessary by the Contracting Officer.

IV. Pursuant to VAAR Provision 852.270-1, Representatives of Contracting Officer representative(s); The Government shall periodically evaluate the Contractor performance by appointing a POC to monitor performance to ensure services are received. The Government representative(s) shall evaluate the Contractor performance through inspections of observations, inspection of services or any other form of documentation and all complaints from VA personnel. The Government may inspect as each task is completed or increase the number of quality assurance inspections if deemed appropriate because of repeated failures or because of repeated customer complaints. Likewise, the Government may decrease the number of quality assurance inspections if performance dictates. The Government Contracting Officer shall make final determination of the validity of customer complaint(s).

V. If any of the services do not conform to contract requirements, the Government may require the Contractor to perform the services again in conformity with contract requirements, at no increase in contract amount. When the defects in services cannot be corrected by reperformance, the Government may require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements at no additional cost to the Government. Require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements at no additional cost to the Government.

8. CONTRACT SECURITY

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

8. Appendix and CLINS

Appendix A (Topeka)

CLIN 0001 – Recycling Management Services BASE YEAR (PoP 5/31/2025 – 5/30/2026) Facility: Topeka

QTY: 12 MO

CLIN 1001 – Recycling Management Services Option Year 1 (PoP /31/2026 – 5/30/2027) Facility: Topeka

QTY: 12 MO

CLIN 2001 – Recycling Management Services Option Year 2 (PoP 5/31/2027 – 5/30/2028) Facility: Topeka

QTY: 12 MO

CLIN 3001 – Recycling Management Services Option Year 3 (PoP 5/31/2028 – 5/30/2029) Facility: Topeka

QTY: 12 MO

CLIN 4001 – Recycling Management Services Option Year 4 (PoP 5/31/2029 – 5/30/2030) Facility: Topeka

QTY: 12 MO

9. SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS:

1. Contractor shall have demonstrated at least three years’ experience servicing at least three similar size hospitals by submitting a list of references including telephone numbers, addresses, and contact names.

2. Contractor shall provide a plan to demonstrate that they can provide ongoing requirements and services in the event of service disruptions for any reason.

3. Contractor shall provide a complete background of their company as well as any company utilized to sustain this contract. Information will include but is not limited to: company’s full legal name, primary business address, all other office locations (city and state), and history, along with the number of years in business.

4. Contractor shall demonstrate their ability to convert the VA locations to their services immediately after award of the contract.

5. Contractor shall have in place and maintain a valid contingency plan to meet the requirements of the contract. Contractor shall incur all cost associated with fulfilling this contingency plan at no additional expense to the Government. Contractor shall be liable for all expenses incurred by the Government due to the contractor's inability to perform in accordance with these requirements.

6. Contractor is required to identify any subcontractors and suppliers. Contractor is responsible for supervision, contract compliance and obtaining any necessary documentation from their subcontractors or supplies performing under this contract. If the contractor intends to utilize subcontractors and suppliers other than those initially identified, operating licenses, permits, certificates and any other forms required by regulatory agencies for the new facility must be submitted to the Contracting Officer no later than thirty (30) days prior to change. Any and all cost increases to meet additional regulatory requirements caused by such change of disposal facilities or any other contractor action relative to transport, storage shall be borne by the contractor.

Sources Sought Notice