36C25719Q0423-0001000.docx

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 36C25718Q9806

AMENDMENT NUMBER: 00001

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 ADM

INISTRATIVE 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 d ate 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 3

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) 04-08-2019 671-192-5539-0014

NA

Department of Veterans Affairs VISN17 Network Contracting Activity 7400 Merton Minter Blvd. (10N17/90C) San Antonio TX 78229 Department of Veterans Affairs VISN17 Network Contracting Activity 7400 Merton Minter Blvd. (10N17/90C) San Antonio TX 78229 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C25719Q0423 03-22-2019

X X X

THIS IS AMENDMENT 0001 FOR THIS SOLICITATION.

PLEASE SEE THE ADDITIONAL PAGES AND ATTACHMENTS TO THIS AMENDMENT.

ANTONIO M. JACKSON

CONTINUATION PAGE

A. This amendment forms a part of the solicitation documents and amends the project solicitation as noted below. You must submit a signed copy of this amendment with your offer. Failure to do so may subject your offer to be disqualified. Amendments to the solicitation are as follows:

1. Questions and Answers:

Question 1: Solicitation Page 8 – “Contractor shall supply sharps containers which have horizontal/direct drop openings”. Our sharps containers provide a vertical drop. Does this meet the requirement for a “direct drop” opening?

Answer: Revised SOW paragraph 9.g amended to read: Contractor shall supply sharps containers which have horizontal/vertical direct drop openings.

Question 2: Page 9 – The Contractor shall provide Type I Medical Waste containers/tubs to include the red liner biohazard bags, appropriate packaging labels, and cardboard boxes. The contractor for the packaging of medical waste transportation shall provide reusable containers”.

a. What is meant by “Type I Medical Waste container”?

b. Based on the additional information provided in Attachment 1, is the intent that the Contractor will, in addition to RMW tubs for transportation/disposal, provide initial collection containers for VA employees to collect RMW within patient rooms?

Answer: a. Revised SOW paragraph 9.L amended to read: The Contractor shall provide medical waste containers/tubs to include the red liner biohazard bags, appropriate packaging labels, and cardboard boxes.

b. Yes, the intent of the govt is the contractor to provide all containers identified in Attachment 1 locations.

Question 3: Page 9 – The Contractor shall coordinate marking, packaging, and providing proof of disposition for medical waste, antineoplastic drugs, and pathological waste, in strict accordance with all local, state, and federal laws”.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “Seven antineoplastic agents are defined by EPA as hazardous waste. Because of the similar toxicities and pharmacologic drugs, NIH officials elected to dispose of all such agents as hazardous wastes.” The RFP only references “white disposable containers” for pharmaceutical waste. However, white pharmaceutical containers are for non-hazardous pharmaceuticals. Does South Texas VA plan to segregate the hazardous pharmaceutical waste into separate containers not included in this RFP? or Does South Texas VA plan to dispose of bulk antineoplastic drug waste as non-hazardous?

Answer: No, hazardous pharmaceutical waste will continue to be managed on a separate contract. This contract will only be responsible for yellow containers containing non-hazardous antineoplastic drug waste and white containers containing non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste.

Question 4: Page 10 – For “Small” “Red” containers, 5-quart containers are listed. The DOT prevents any reusable sharps container from having a volume less than 2-gallons. Are these intended to be provided as disposable containers, or will reusable 2-gallon containers suffice this size requirement?

Answer: 5-quart containers changed to 3-gallon reusable containers. Contractor provide all containers and sizes required in Attachment 1 locations.

Question 5: Page 10 – For “Large” “Red” containers, 3-gallon and 5-gallon containers are listed. Will 4-gallon containers suffice this size requirement?

Answer: No, contractor shall provide all containers and sizes required in the revised Attachment 1 locations.

Question 6: Page 10 – This is the only mention of “Yellow” containers in the RFP. What is the intent? Is Contractor to provide disposable yellow containers – as part of the monthly fee or at an “each” price? Is Contractor expected to service these containers once full?

Answer: Contractor shall provide yellow containers. All costs associated with contract administration should be included in the monthly fee. Contractor shall collect and dispose of yellow containers once containers are full as per manufacturer specifications.

Question 7: Page 19 – To clarify, Single-Use Pharmaceutical Containers are listed as Item Number 0001 asking for a separate total amount from the individual sites, but the sites themselves list “Rx waste” as part of their waste poundage to be included in each site’s fee. Is the intent of Item Number 0001 to be for the cost of the containers themselves to be separate from the cost of disposal, which will be included in each site’s fee?

Answer: Price/Cost Item 0001 is hereby removed. Please see the attached revised Price/Cost Schedule revised to include full service price per location. SOW paragraph 4 (Schedule of Services) revised to read, Contractor monthly pricing will include providing containers at locations listed in Attachment 1, collection, transport and disposal methodology depending on type of medical waste.

Question 8: Page 19 – Item Number 0001 is for pharmaceutical containers, but it is asking for “$____/ea” for container sizes previously mentioned in the RFP as “Red” containers.

a. Is this section meant to be single use pharmaceutical or reusable sharps containers?

b. Is this section asking for a “$ per container” rate separate from the fees under each facility, for single-use containers only without disposal, or a section to provide “future pricing” should there be any additional sharps container locations needed during the term of the agreement?

Answer: See answer to question 7 above.

Question 9: Page 25 – For the “Incineration” per pound pricing requested, is this intended for RMW incineration only (i.e. pathological waste)?

Answer: Incineration and Autoclave separate per pound pricing is removed from the Price/Cost Schedule. See the attached revised schedule.

Question 10: Other than pricing, is there any additional information or documents you need from Stericycle, or do you have everything needed from the last RFP response?

Answer: This solicitation is totally new and separate from the last one. A new separate technical package is required to be submitted IAW instructions found beginning on page 40 of the solicitation.

Question 11: Who is the current vendor? What is the current contract number? What is the duration and value of the current contract?

Answer: Medsharps, LLC of Schertz, TX. Contract# 36C25718P2698. Duration is from 9/1/18 thru 5/31/19. $191,912.31.

Question 12: Attachment 1 – Waste Stream Locations:

a. There is no mention of service frequency for either the sharps containers or RMW tubs for any of the sites.

b. Many of these are listed as 5 quart size. Those can’t be reusable and aren’t appropriate for a hospital. Need to change those to the appropriately sized 4-gallon.

c. No Rx waste container listed for Audie Murphy. Also, no 17-gallon sharps at Audie Murphy listed. Based on the size of the hospital, the overall sharps count looks significantly low.

d. Kerrville lists no 8-gallon or 17-gallon containers, which may be correct if it’s mostly outpatient clinics.

e. There are a few confusing notes in the “BIO WASTE” column: What is “RME”? Some say “BIOHAZ” vs red but list a sharps container size.

f. I assume the 28-gallon listed under South Bexar location in the sharps section is a RMW tub.

Answer:

a. Revised SOW paragraph 9.b: An initial collection schedule shall be executed daily during the first 30-day contract period at all locations identified herein. The Contractor shall submit a proposed revised collection schedule after initial 30-day period ensuring all containers and locations do not exceed ¾ full. Contractor’s pick-up schedules shall be coordinated and provided to VA CORs.

b. 5-quart containers changed to 3-gallon reusable containers. Contractor provide all containers and sizes required in Attachment 1 locations.

c. Neither Rx waste containers nor 17-gallon sharps are permanently affixed. All offers are to be submitted based on information in Statement of Work. Contractor provide all containers and sizes required in Attachment 1 locations.

d. Contractor provide all containers and sizes required in Attachment 1 locations.

e. RME typo…should be regulated medical waste (RMW). All containers referenced in Bio Waste column is for Regulated Medical Waste.

f. Changed from sharp to Bio Waste container. Contractor provide all containers and sizes required in Attachment 1 locations.

Question 13: In reference to FY18 Historical Data:

Incineration total pounds = 9,651: Is this total a combination of Pathological, Trace Chemotherapy & Hazardous Pharmaceutical? Can this total be split into the different waste streams under this category?

Answer: Data provided as incineration process. All data combined for incineration method of disposal. Unknown separate data provided for combined 9,651 lbs.

Question 14: The Statement of Work states - Contractor to install uniform locking out cabinets for wall mounted reusable sharps containers:

If new contractor is awarded, is existing equipment to be removed by incumbent and new equipment installed by awarded contractor?

If equipment remains, does the awarded contractor need to update cabinets to uniform visually pleasing status and replacement of cabinets not in proper working condition?

Answer: This is a business decision between incumbent and new contractor. Govt does not require “New out of box” containers in new award. Govt infers current cabinets meet uniform, operational and visual criteria detailed in SOW. Therefore, no expectations for replacing cabinets upon contract award unless needed.

Question 15: The Statement of Work states - Sharps containers to be horizontal drop:

During site visit all sharp containers we viewed were vertical drop. Are all containers requested to be Vertical or Horizontal drop?

Answer: Please see answer to question 1 above.

Question 16: In reference to Attachment 1 – Waste Stream Locations:

The sharps containers listed under BIO column are wide ranging. After thorough calculations, there are 9 - 2gallon, 14 – 3gallon, 8 – 8gallon and 71 – (assuming 28gallon tub). Are these all reusable containers as well? Are these containers used for Pathological or just RMW?

Pharmaceutical container count totals 4 – 3gallon under Kerrville BLDG 11. Are there more disposable pharmaceutical containers than noted on Attachment 1?

Answer: All offers are to be submitted based on information as it is currently written in the revised Statement of Work. Contractor provide all containers and sizes required in Attachment 1 locations.

Question 17: In reference to Price/Cost Schedule:

Item 001 – Single Use Pharmaceutical containers (estimated 1388) see Attachment 1.

As stated above, there are only 4 – 3gallon pharm containers listed on this attachment. The SOW states reusable, yet this section refers the containers as Single Use. Do some facilities use disposable RMW/Sharps/Bio Containers?

Is the requested price per container for disposable only or reusable?

Answer: Price/Cost Schedule revised to include full service price per location. Revised SOW paragraph 4 adds the following: “Contractor monthly pricing will include providing containers at locations listed in Attachment 1, collection, transport and disposal methodology depending on type of medical waste”.

Question 18: What is the service frequency for the RMW tubs at each of the sites?

Answer: See revised SOW paragraph 9.b: An initial collection schedule shall be executed once daily during the first 30-day contract period at all locations identified herein. The Contractor shall submit a proposed revised collection schedule after initial 30-day period ensuring all containers and locations do not exceed ¾ full. Contractor’s pick-up schedules shall be coordinated and provided to VA COR. Also see paragraph 4 (Daily work hours).

Question 19: Will the off-site locations need to be serviced for sharps, or will that portion be self-service? If full-service, what frequency will be required?

Answer: All South Texas VA facilities listed in SOW paragraph 5, Table 3 must be serviced by contractor. See answer to question 18 above.

Question 20: What is the sharps containers service days/hours expectations for the 2 hospital locations?

Answer: See answer to question 18 above.

2. The offer due date remains unchanged.

3. Revised SOW and Price/Cost Schedule are attached and incorporates responses to the RFI’s and questions posed.

4. Page 40 (Submittal Instructions) of the solicitation requires the contractor to submit a Cover Letter with their Price offer. Additionally, the cover letter should describe your company’s pricing methodology and provide some insight to your pricing structure.

B. ALL OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED.

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