Attachment 1-PWS August 2025 Revision 1.pdf

Performance Work Statement Water and Sewer Operator Services Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center, Walla Walla, Washington March 3, 2025

1. Background The Jonathan M. Wainwright VA Medical Center located in Walla Walla, WA (WWVA), seeks the services of a Washington State certified waterworks operator to perform the following tasks:

A. Create and implement a water management plan for our Group A Small Water System as specified in section 5 Specific Tasks below.

B. Perform water testing services as specified in sections 4, 5 and attachment 1. Water testing shall include drinking water requirements per the State of Washington Administrative Code (WAC); sewer outflow testing per City of Walla Walla requirements; and Sterile Processing Service, Dental, Medical Laboratory, and Legionella testing as required by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

C. Provide waterworks system operations services including backflow preventer testing, certification, and repair, and cross connection control services, as specified in section 5 specific tasks.

D. Maintain certified/licensed waterworks operator status in the State of Washington.

E. Register as the Waterworks System Operator for the WWVA.

2. Site Information The WWVA operates a Washington State Group A small water system, system identification number 90542. Potable water is typically sourced from one of two on-site wells, with backup connections to the City of Walla Walla for use in the event of well service interruption. The WWVA also maintains an on-site sewer system. These WWVA-owned utilities serve several properties leased to community partners, with functions including residential housing, food production, childcare, and recreation. The WWVA operates six dental operatories, two overnight stay facilities, one medical laboratory, and one sterile processing department.

The WWVA’s water system has two wells (one currently in use and one in the process of being capped), approximately 100-110 backflow preventers, one 150,000-gallon water tower, 67 service line connections, 65 full-time residents, and spans approximately 78 acres. Well water is chlorinated on-site and monthly consumption for other than irrigation use is up to two (2) million gallons.

The Water System Plan was created in 2012 and requires updating to reflect the current number of service connections and to capture regulatory changes required by the state of Washington and the Washington State Department of Health. The WWVA is currently operating under a blue permit status, due to having more connections than approved under the 2012 plan.

3. General Requirements A. The contractor must have prior experience successfully operating a water system of similar size and complexity to the WWVA campus, within the state of Washington. Testing requirements are itemized on a per test basis in attachment 1 for ease of biddability. The contractor is responsible for ensuring permits do not expire throughout the duration of the contract, in addition to meeting the below VA and state water testing requirements.

a. VHA Directive 1116

b. AAMI ST108

c. VA Directive 1061(4)

d. WAC 246-290

e. RCW 70A.120

f. RCW 70A.125

g. City of Walla Walla Sewer Permit 0006

B. The WWVA shall perform all maintenance other than repair of backflow preventers.

C. Have and maintain the licenses stated in this SOW required by state mandates.

D. Contractor shall follow the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) criteria found in attachment 4. QASP list

4. Specific requirements for Legionella testing A. Qualifications: The Reference Laboratory shall provide in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, laws, and ordinances, and in accordance with the specifications below in this section for accreditation certification, Legionella testing. The Reference Laboratory is defined as a small or large company that has the capability to perform legionella testing. All requirements and provisions defined in the specification of this solicitation shall apply to any Reference Laboratory, i.e. branch, division, sub-contractor, etc. performing reference testing on behalf of the Reference Laboratory.

B. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES: In accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, laws, and ordinances, and in accordance with the specifications below in this section for accreditation certification if applicable, provide interpretation of specimen testing in tasks 1-10. All requirements and provisions defined in the specifications below of this solicitation will apply to any Reference Laboratory, i.e. branch, division, sub-contractor, etc. performing reference testing on behalf of the Reference Laboratory.

1. Task 1. Provide requisition forms, special instructions, and current list of serotypes that are tested with reference ranges, turn-around-times and specimen requirement.

2. Task 2. Reference Laboratory that contractor selects to utilize shall be ab le to meet the shipping and receiving ANSI standards related to each specific type of test. If there are any samples that have failed these standards, contractor must notify the COR and send a list of all of the samples to the COR that were compromised and the reason why they failed. This will allow our facility to retest all the failed locations.

3. Task 3. The Reference Laboratory shall report test results that contain a concentration of legionella that is greater than zero within 24 hours of the sample being processed.

4. Task 4. The Reference Laboratory must be close enough in proximity to allow overnight shipping of water samples. This will allow the Reference Laboratory to process the water samples within the Reference Laboratory set hold time without any issues.

5. Task 5. Reference Laboratory must be certified, and provided to the VA, by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) program 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.

6. Task 6. Reference Laboratory shall follow CDC ELITE guidance, i.e., “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.” If this sampling method must be used, the contractor must obtain approval from the COR first before proceeding with this method.

7. Task 7. Reference Laboratory shall have environmental microbiology accreditation from the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) through the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP).

8. Task 8. The Reference Laboratory must also be able to determine and report what Legionella serotype is detected in the water sample.

9. Task 9. The Reference Laboratory must have the ability to store of the environmental isolate(s) for 6 months and be able to return the isolates to the facility upon request.

10. Task 10. The Reference Laboratory shall have the ability to process up to 50 samples within the Reference Laboratory required hold time from shipping to finishing the last sample being processed.

5. Specific Tasks A. See attachment 1. All Water Testing Rev 1, for a list of all tests required on the facility, and the quantities of each test type.

B. Perform water testing services as herein specified below:

1. When meeting HPC, Legionella, SPS, and Wastewater testing requirements, the WWVA shall be responsible for the labor of collecting samples and shipping. The VA will use contractor provided shipping materials, to the testing facility(ies) as designated by the Contractor.

2. When meeting Washington State Water system testing requirements, the contractor will be responsible for the labor of collecting samples. If a third-party laboratory is needed to test the samples gathered, the contractor is responsible for providing all materials needed to ship the samples to said laboratory.

3. The Contractor will provide the COR a digital “.ics” calendar file and PDF file of a testing calendar with all needed water testing included in this contract. This testing calendar will include at least a three-day window where we can take the samples and ship them to the Contractor or third-party Laboratory when applicable. During this three-day window it is expected that the Contractor will coordinate for the water sample materials to arrive on the first day of the window. Additionally, if the samples are shipped on the last day of this window, the Contractor shall plan for enough time from shipping to receiving the test result reports to send the report to the State, City, and VA entities to remain in compliance with the submission deadlines for the different deadline requirements of each sample type.

4. The Contractor shall provide all sample bottles, kits, forms, and other appurtenances as necessary for the timely collection of samples.

5. The Contractor shall provide prepaid shipping labels and appropriate shipping materials for all samples.

6. The Contractor shall receive all test reports from the testing facility(ies) and share these reports with the WWVA within three business days of receipt, including, in narrative form, identification of any test results that exceed maximum limits and recommendations for remediation actions.

7. The WWVA shall be responsible for taking and recording all samples measurements, tests, and measurements that have a required frequency of one day. For all samples and tests, adhere to the following compliance schedules:

a) Drinking water requirements per the State of Washington WAC.

b) Sanitary sewer requirements per City of Walla Walla Wastewater Permit 006 as seen in attachment 5.

c) Sterile Processing Service water per the requirements of ANSI/AAMI ST108:2023.

d) One (1) monthly Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) test for the B143 Laboratory.

e) Thirty-One (31) quarterly HPC tests for the B145 Dental Department.

f) Forty (40) quarterly Legionella tests.

g) Refer to Attachment 1 for test measurements, frequencies, and quantities of tests to be acquired through this contract.

h) Results of samples taken, and subsequent tests performed or acquired by the

WWVA shall be furnished to the contractor upon request.

C. Provide waterworks system operations services including backflow preventer testing and repair and cross connection control services:

1. For all WWVA-owned backflow preventors:

a) Annually inspect, test, repair, certify, and report results to the WWVA and City of Walla Walla for all backflow preventers.

b) The WWVA will purchase and maintain a stock of spare materials. Contractor shall recommend quantities the WWVA shall maintain as part of the Water Plan.

Contractor shall use WWVA parts stock when performing backflow preventer repairs.

2. Cross connection control:

a) Within 60 days of contract award, the Contractor shall develop, implement, and oversee a working draft of the Cross Connection Control Plan in accordance with the Washington State Health Department (WSHD) requirements for this plan.

Contractor shall utilize attachment 3. Current Campus Inventory as supplemental information for the development of the plan.

a. Develop a temporary plan to address any safety concerns, backflow incidents, and addressing possible hazard connections related to WAC 246- 290-490(3).

b) Perform cross connection control duties as required by WAC.

c) Update cross control plan as required to remain compliant with applicable provisions of WAC.

D. Maintain certified/licensed waterworks operator status in the State of Washington E. Register with the WSHD as the Waterworks System Operator for the WWVA.

F. Notification that the VA will exercise CLIN associated with the Water Plan will occur 30 days before the contractor is expected to perform the following :

1. Perform all coordination, development, documentation, research, investigation, and other functions as necessary to update the existing 2012 WWVA Water System Plan ( See attachment 6). Contractor must send the plan the Washington State Department of

Health for approval and perform edits or re writes until approved. This is required to elevate the WWVA Water System Permit to green status from the current blue status.

2. Comply with applicable provisions of WAC and RCW.

3. Finalize the written plan within 30 days of receipt of VA comments.

List of SOW attachments:

1. All Water Testing Rev 1

2. Backflow Incidence Form 331-457-F

3. Current Campus Inventory

4. QASP List

5. City of Walla Walla Wastewater Permit

6. 2012 Water System Plan