S06 Response to Vendor Questions 36C26325Q0691 0001.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)

04-29-2025

36C263 Department of Veterans Affairs

NETWORK 23 CONTRACTING OFFICE

316 Robert Street N. STE. 506 St. Paul MN 55101

Department of Veterans Affairs

NETWORK 23 CONTRACTING OFFICE

316 Robert Street N. STE. 506 St. Paul MN 55101 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C26325Q0691

X

X X

** HOUR & DATE for Receipt of Offers is EXTENDED to: 05-09-2025 17:00 CDT

See following pages.

Jeffrey Brown Contracting Officer

VA-VHA-RPOC-2024-0033

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1. Extend the offer deadline to the date listed above.

2. Respond to vendor questions.

3. Edit the Statement of Work (SOW).

4. Add in FAR clause FAR 52.223-23.

See updates highlighted below as appropriate.

Vendor Questions in Bold/Responses to Vendor Questions in Red

This statement in the SOW - This Indefinite Quantity contract minimum guarantee is $5,000.00; the maximum spend (ceiling price) shall not exceed $2,000,000.00. Is this referring to the total contract per year?

The maximum spend refers to the total value of the contract, for however long the contract runs.

1. Technical Approach

· Can you confirm whether the VA has preferred methodologies for sanitization and disinfecting protocols, especially for facilities housing TeleICU or Telehealth staff?

There are no preferred sanitization/disinfecting procedures for this contract, we require only that surfaces that are required to be sanitized or disinfected are sanitized or disinfected in accordance with the requirements in the contract.

· Are there any green cleaning standards or sustainability initiatives the contractor should incorporate (e.g., EPA Safer Choice products, LEED alignment)?

Yes. FAR 52.223-23 has been added into the solicitation.

2. Compliance & Performance Standards

· Are there any key performance indicators (KPIs) the VA intends to use for contract evaluation during performance (e.g., quality inspections, response time, missed task thresholds)?

No, vendors will be evaluated based on their adherence to the terms and conditions of the contract.

· Does the government anticipate random COR inspections, or will there be a formal inspection schedule the contractor should prepare for?

Random inspections only.

3. Pricing Strategy

· Is there a preferred cost allocation model (e.g., labor-driven, cost-plus, blended rates) that the VA recommends or historically accepts for similar IDIQ custodial service contracts?

Vendors will bill the VA based on the schedule in the contract. See B.2 Schedule for details.

· Will price reasonableness be determined against the DOL Wage Determination only, or should market comparables be referenced as well?

Price reasonableness will be determined by the Contracting Officer prior to award.

4. Proposal Structure & Submission

· Aside from the SF-1449 and technical narrative, are there any additional attachments or forms the VA would like to see included (e.g., contractor work schedule template, org chart, equipment lists)?

The required document to be included with offers are listed in the solicitation.

· Please confirm whether electronic signatures are acceptable on SF-1449 at submission, and if submission must be made via email or a secure government portal.

Electronic signatures are acceptable. See the Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors for submission instructions.

Our estimate is around 75 people work in building 89.

Our estimate is around 125 people work in building 222.

Our estimate is around 100 people work in the VISN office.

B.3 STATEMENT OF WORK

JANITORIAL SERVICES

Section 1: General Information This is a non-personal services contract to provide janitorial services for five (5) off-site locations for the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government.

1.1 Place of Performance

· Building 9 5445 Minnehaha Ave.

Minneapolis, MN 55417

· Building 89 239 Minnehaha Ave.

St. Paul, MN 55111

· Building 222 6330 Bloomington Rd.

St. Paul, MN 55333

· Building 223 6330 Bloomington Rd.

St. Paul, MN 55333

· VISN 23 Office 2805 Dodd Rd. #250 Eagan, MN 55121

1.2 Hours of Operation and Schedule

Services are not to take place during Normal Clinic Hours. Normal Clinic hours are between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST Monday – Friday. The janitorial services shall be completed in the off hours not starting before 4:00PM and finished before 8:00am the next day. Services will not be needed on Federal Holidays. Federal holidays are observed and are listed below.

· New Year's Day

· Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday

· President's Day

· Memorial Day

· Juneteenth National Independence Day

· Independence Day

· Labor Day

· Columbus Day

· Veterans' Day

· Thanksgiving Day

· Christmas Day Prior to commencing performance under this contract, the Contractor shall provide a proposed work scheduled to the COR describing how services will be accomplished. All work shall be coordinated with the COR or designated representative when accomplished during normal business hours to avoid disruptions or conflicts between the Government functions and the provision of service under this contract.

1.3 Building Information

There are a total of 5 buildings the contractor shall be responsible for. The square footage is approximately 110,306 square feet. See attachment S02 Floor Plans for floorplans of buildings.

· 9 Three (3) level and basement, 55 Offices, 4 Conference rooms 8 Bathrooms.

Approximately 37,518 sq. ft.

· 89 Single level, 4 Bathrooms.

Approximately 14,238 sq. ft.

· 222 Storehouse – 10,179 total sq. ft.

Lower Level – 4979 sq. ft., 22 Cubicles and 4 Offices Main Floor – 3071 sq. ft., 22 Cubicles and 5 Offices Upper Floor - 2129 sq. ft., 24 Cubicles and 0 Offices Root House (Occupants: 18 TeleICU) Main Floor - 3071 sq. ft., 5 Cubicles and 4 Offices (12 ICU stations) Annex (Occupants: Care in the Community) 5,826 total sq. ft.

1934 Warehouse (Occupants: Telehealth) 1st Floor 2503 sq. ft., 8 Cubicles and 11 Offices Building 222 – 20,788 total sq. ft.

Approximately 80 sq. ft.

· VISN 23 16,183 Sq. Feet with 3 bathrooms

1.4 Contract Changes

Additional cleaning required by changes in mission assignments must be documented by a written contract modification. If the contractor receives a request from VA personnel directing or requesting work that the contractor believes is not within the terms of the SOW or the contract, then the contractor must notify the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and the Contracting Officer of the request. The only person that has the authority to modify the terms of the contract or request work for which compensation will be provided is a Contracting Officer.

Section 2: Government Furnished Property, Equipment, and Services

The government will provide storage space for supplies and equipment for the contractor’s use in the Statement of Work under this contract. The Contractor shall maintain this space in a neat and orderly condition. The government will supply dispensers for: touchless automatic paper towel, hand sanitation soap, waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and lotion.

Section 3: Contractor Furnished Items and Services The Contractor shall provide all equipment (i.e. vacuums, brooms, carts, ladders), management, supervision, personnel, and transportation except as specified herein as government-furnished, necessary to assure that all services are in accordance with the contract and all applicable laws and regulations. The contractor shall ensure all work meets performance standards specified in this Statement of Work (SOW) and referenced documents.

Section 4: Tasks and Cleaning Standards Aseptic areas apply to the kitchen, dining, and restrooms. Custodial standards apply to the common areas, excluding the dining area, and the rooms.

The following table summarizes the tasks required under this SOW.

· Carpet Maintenance: Vacuum all carpeted areas in the corridors, elevators, offices, group rooms and public areas. Furniture shall be moved for thorough cleaning and replace the furniture after cleaning. Spot cleaning as required so that the carpet presents a uniform and clean appearance, free of spots and stains. The Contractor shall report any tears, burns and raveling to the attention of the COR or designated representative.

· Light Shampoo to protect carpet with soil-repellent and/or static free application of treatment as required.

· Deep Steam Clean by using “steam” or other residue-free cleaning product. The carpet shall be dried to the touch upon completion.

· Door and Doorjambs: Perform spot cleaning by damp-wiping and polishing unpainted metal doors, washable surfaces of walls, partitions, doors and fixtures, and handrails. Sanitize as needed.

· Ducts, Light Fixtures, Vents and Louvers: These areas are to be cleaned and vacuumed. The ducts shall be cleaned as needed.

· Elevators: The Contractor shall clean all interior surfaces, including doors, metal thresholds, tracks, fans. Spot-clean walls.

· Entrance Area: Sweep landing, steps, sidewalk of front entrance area, clean the walk-off mats, hose off as required, and remove standing water. The Contractor shall damp-mop the entrance and lobby floors during inclement weather. Trash containers located inside and outside of entrances shall be emptied.

· Floor maintenance (non-carpeted):

· The Contractor shall strip wax, finish and buff using non-slip floor finish. The Contractor shall “turn back the rugs” to clean and finish the floor areas at least one foot underneath the rugs. The stripping of wax, finish and buffing shall be performed once per year at each facility. The entire facility shall be waxed, finished, and buffed once per year. The scheduling of this task will be coordinated between the Contractor CEH, COR and staff occupying building to ensure there is no disruption to staff and visitors.

· Individual rooms and/or a designated area requiring the stripping of wax, refinishing and rebuffing, shall occur no more than once per week. The area or the room requiring the service will be identified by COR or designated representative to the Contractor’s CEH.

· The Contractor shall wet-mop and scrub using germicidal type detergent to sanitize all accessible areas including corners and abutments. The Contractor shall remove any splash marks or mop streaks on furniture, walls, baseboards, etc., or mop strands remaining in the area. The Contractor shall not mop wood or carpeted floors. The Contractor shall change water in mop bucket in between room cleanings.

· The Contractor shall sweep, dust, and damp mop hard-surfaces, resilient flooring to include normal traffic areas, group rooms, and restrooms. The floors shall be swept, dusted and damp mop using a treated or dust- free method/mop. The Contractor shall ensure that the cleaning includes the corners and abutments. The Contractor shall tilt or move chairs, trash receptacles, and other easily movable items to clean underneath and shall return items to their proper position.

· The Contractor shall spray and buff all floors accessible to floor machine unless specified elsewhere as having carpet or special flooring. The Contractor shall apply a uniform coating of non-skid floor finish to protect and restore gloss or sheen. The Contractor shall remove excess floor finish solutions. The Contractor shall apply these techniques only to the portion of the floor needing work, to bring the entire floor up to standard.

· Furniture and Flat Surface Cleaning: (Low Dusting refers to areas 36” and below) The Contractor shall dust all uncluttered horizontal surfaces within reach with a treated dust cloth (i.e., desks, counters, file cabinets, ledges, bookcases, tables, credenzas, windowsills, etc.). The Contractor shall dust vertical surfaces and underneath desks in such a manner as to prevent airborne dust.

· The Contractor shall dust furniture items such as chairs, file cabinets and other types of office furniture. The Contractor shall damp-dust other office furniture such as vinyl chairs, lamps, telephones, furniture bases, picture frames. The Contractor shall not dust typewriters, computers, business machines and equipment of similar nature.

· Furniture and Flat Surfaces Cleaning (High Dusting refers to areas higher than 36” up to 70”): High dusting includes all the wall surfaces, door frames, shelves, fans, picture frames, equipment, windowsills, ledges, handrails, etc. that are 70 inches from the floor or more.

· Furniture: The Contractor shall vacuum upholstered furniture; clean behind furniture and corners, in particular. Move items as necessary to ensure thorough and adequate cleaning; replace to original position. Spot clean upholstered furniture as required.

· Doors (Entrance areas): The Contractor shall clean all glass partitions, interior and exterior glass doors, display cases, directory boards, and draft shields on windows, mirrors, and adjacent trim.

· Stairwells: The Contractor shall sweep, dust and damp mop as needed. Lamps, vents, ceiling, and wall areas shall be free of cobwebs, dust, debris, and insects.

· Walls: Spot/Clean/Wash. The Contractor shall spot-clean wall surfaces to remove cobwebs, fingerprints, smudges. The Contractor shall sanitize the walls as needed.

· Venetian Blinds: The Contractor shall vacuum and damp clean all blinds to remove surface dust, vacuum drapes in place.

· Fans and picture frames: The Contractor shall perform high/low dusting to clean all fans and picture frames.

· Window Cleaning Interior: The Contractor shall wash all windows on interior surfaces, damp-wipe window sashes/sills. The contractor is not responsible for the highest interior windows.

· Window Cleaning Exterior: The Contractor shall wash exterior surfaces, damp-wipe window sashes/sills. The contractor shall be responsible for the exterior windows on the entrance only and first the first-floor level. To maintain clean appearance, the exterior windows and glass entrance doors shall be cleaned daily and spot cleaned as necessary.

· Dining room, kitchen, and break areas: The contractor shall clean dining room, kitchen, and break areas daily; trash is to be removed as needed. All tables and counter tops are to be wiped down daily and as needed throughout day. All kitchen appliances, refrigerators, microwave oven, conventional oven, dishwasher, etc. are to be cleaned daily and as needed. The contractor is to work with staff to schedule cleaning of oven and refrigerator.

· Ceilings: The Contractor shall dust and remove cobwebs from the ceilings, vents, and light fixtures.

· Unoccupied Rooms: Cleaning of unoccupied rooms should be performed weekly to remove dust from all surfaces, the restroom should be cleaned, and the commode flushed to prevent hard water deposits.

· Miscellaneous

· Contractor's Storage Room: The Contractor shall store equipment and supplies in a Government-provided storage room. The Contractor shall maintain the storage room and used only as authorized. The Contractor shall not store food in the room. This storage room shall be always clean and odor free.

· Water Fountains: The Contractor shall empty, rinse, and sanitize drinking fountains, water coolers, the hot/cold water dispensers with a germicidal type of detergent. The Contractor shall re-stock those water coolers with cups.

· Polish Metal. The Contractor shall polish the brass and other metal, aluminum, stainless steel hardware on doors, push bars, and the kicking plates.

· Restrooms

· The Contractor shall clean and sanitize sinks, urinals, and toilets.

· The floor traps shall be always maintained free from odor.

· The Contractor shall sweep and wet-mop the floors daily and spray buff as required. The Contractor shall apply a uniform coating of non-skid floor finish. The Contractor shall remove any excess floor finish solutions.

· The Contractor shall damp-wipe walls, doors, partitions, mirrors, shelving, and window frames and sills. The Contractor shall use an approved germicide/detergent in restrooms to disinfect all surfaces of partitions, stalls, faces of toilet bowls, urinals, lavatories, showers, dispensers, and other such surfaces.

· The Contractor shall damp-wipe and polishes the chrome fixtures.

· The Contractor shall clean (descale) toilet bowls and urinals.

· The Contractor shall receive from the Government and replenish restroom supplies for example: soap dispensers, paper towels and toilet tissue. The Contractor shall request additional supplies if needed.

· The Contractor shall empty, clean, disinfect, and re-line all sanitary napkin and all waste receptacles.

· Waste

· Trash Removal: The Contractor shall pick up and empty all trash or waste receptacles, to include the vending machine/snack areas. The Contractor shall wash and damp-wipe all waste receptacles; re-line daily or as needed. The Contractor shall dispose of trash in plastic bags secured with bag ties.

· Litter Removal: The Contractor shall pick up and dispose of litter and trash from the entrances and perimeter of the building.

· Supplies:

· The following is a list of current supply dispensers and supplies used at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System which will be stocked by MVAHCS.

· EnMotion

· Coreless toilet tissue

· 4 ounce, Provon Tearless Body and Hair Shampoo (No substitutions)

· 4 ounce, 2000ml and 1000ml Provon Medicated Soap with Triclosan (No substitutions)

· Plastic Bags, Large Clear 33x40, 1.5mil

· Plastic Bags, Small Clear, 24x24, 1.5mil

· Plastic Bags, Extra Large Clear, 40x47, 1.5mil

· Provon 2000 ML Body Wash Shampoo

· Feminine hygiene products and dispensers

· Purell 750 ML Sanitizer

· The MVAHCS will supply batteries for the touchless dispensers.

Section 5: Contractor Requirements

5.1 Contractor Personnel

The Contractor shall assign at least one individual certified in the International Executive Housekeeper Association (IEHA) as a Certified Executive Housekeeper (CEH) to supervise and train the contracted personnel. The supervisor shall develop and evaluate the environmental sanitation procedures to ensure compliance with all provisions contained in this contract.

The CEH shall have at least one (1) year of prior experience as a CEH Manager within the last three years. Written certification of experience and copies of any formal training program (i.e. National Executive Housekeeping Association (NEHA)) shall be submitted to the COR before starting work. The COR’s approval must be received prior to an employee working at any of the facilities.

The CEH or stand-in representative shall be available during VHA duty hours to respond by telephone within thirty (30) minutes of notification by the COR and shall be available to meet with COR or designated representative within 2 hours after notification to discuss problems areas. After normal duty hours, the CEH or stand-in representative shall be available within 3 hours.

The contractor must have a minimum of 10 local employees working in the area for daily coverage. The contractor’s employees shall be fluent in English and shall be able to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate effectively in English.

Prior to beginning performance under this contract, the Contractor shall provide the following:

· List of employees who will provide services under this contract.

· Name, telephone number and address of the CEH.

· List of shift supervisors The Contractor shall notify the COR in writing whenever there is a change of personnel appointed to fulfill supervisory or shift leader function or when there is a planned absence of key personnel. The CEH shall, in the absence of the Contractor, act as the Contractor Representative. He/she shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all matters relating to daily operations of this contract.

The Contractor shall not consume food, snacks, drinks, or tobacco products except during specified break periods in appropriate designated break areas only.

The Contractor is responsible for compliance with all appropriate Joint Commission record keeping requirements.

The Contractor shall also be responsible for adhering to all requirements under the Privacy Act due to the possibility that confidential medical record information may be accessible and/or visible to contractor employees during performance of their daily duties. The Contractor shall obtain a signed “Confidentiality Certificate” from each employee prior to allowing them to start work under this contract. The contractor shall keep a copy of confidentiality certificate on site for inspection purposes.

The Contractor is not required to have physical examination prior to work on this contract; however, the Contractor is expected to be in good physical health and able to work in patient care areas without risk to the patients. The Contractor shall not be assigned to this contract if not in good physical health or pose a risk to patients. The Contractor who acquires a communicable illness shall not perform service under the contract and shall be free of illness before returning to work.

Contractor Personnel Security Requirements - Must complete before allowed to start working on contract. Tier 1 investigation is required for this contract. INSTRUCTIONS: The following applies to requesting pre-hire and background investigation services for contractors, after a contract has been awarded:

1. The COR must send the following forms to the contractor for completion, and forms are returned safely with PHI/PHII protected to the COR. Do not use old forms, forms are updated often, and old versions will cause a delay in background investigation. Forms COR will send to contractor for their employees to complete:

· OF-306 (Must be typed and have a wet signature)

· WMC HROO Security Services Contract Request form

· Self-Certification of Continuous service Form, if Prior federal Service. (Must be wet signature)

· If Foreign National check for non-US citizens, the process shall very and contractor shall connect with COR for most up to date process.

2. FINGERPRINTING: Cor shall send a National Criminal History Check (NCHC) form to contractor. Form shall be completed by the contractor’s employee and sent to the COR. Once COR receives form back, an appointment for finger prints may be made at the closest VA Medical center.

3. E-APP Process

· A security specialist shall email the E-APP directly to contractor employee via the email address supplied on OF -306 form. Contractor employee shall have 5 business days to complete once emailed to them. If not completed within those 5 days it shall be automatically rejected.

4. Required TMS Courses to be completed per contractor employee.

· Course ID# VA10176 – VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior

· Course ID#4656730 - Identity, credential, and access management PMO: VA account provisioning/deprovisioning system for contractors

5. MVAHCS sponsors Contractor employee for PIV badge. Additional information may be required at this step.

5.2 Contractor’s Attire and Identification

The Contractor shall wear a standard custodial type of uniform which is easily recognizable and clearly distinguish them as the “Contractor.” Uniforms shall present a neat, distinctive appearance; shall be clean and maintained in good repair; and shall be worn as designed by the manufacturer. Standard custodial type uniform is defined as collared work short (button-down or polo style) and pants or skirt of twill or similar material (no denim). The Contractor shall wear appropriate footwear that will cover the entire foot for safety purposes.

Identification Tags/Cards. The Contractor shall wear on the front of the uniform, clearly readable name identification (ID) logo identifying the contractor’s and employee’s name. The Government will issue ID cards to the Contractor after background checks have been completed. The Contractor shall obtain “Visitors’ Badges” during the interim period via VA Police or Human Resource Department.

In special sanitation and/or “isolation” situations, the Contractor may be required to wear special protective clothing and shoe covers, which will be supplied by the medical facility. Such items are to remain the property of the Government and shall not be removed from the premises of the medical facility. They will be received, worn, and turned in or disposed of as directed by the COR. All other safety or protective clothing or equipment shall be provided and maintained by the Contractor at the Contractor’s own expense.

Contractor’s Personal Hygiene: The Contractor’s attire and presentation shall be appropriate per industry standard.

5.3 Contractor Training

Contractor personnel shall not be assigned to work until they have completed initial orientation and required training as indicated below. An exception will be made during the first sixty (60) days of contract performance, whereby Contractor’s employees who have had general janitorial will be permitted to start work at the VA medical facilities, on the condition that the training specified herein shall be completed within sixty (60) days after contract effective date. The Contractor shall provide an initial training plan to the COR for approval. The initial plan shall include topics, brief statement of content and method of training. Documentation verifying the content of such training and orientation shall be transmitted to the COR.

Minimum Contractor-Furnished Training: Initial training shall cover the topics listed below. The Contractor shall accomplish the training within 5 workdays. The Contractor shall supply a certificate of training completion to the COR for their personnel once the personnel's training has been completed.

· Proper use and handling of germicidal detergents, supplies, and equipment.

· Care and maintenance of Contractor and Government-furnished property.

· Familiarization with local fire preventing and safety procedures.

· Familiarization with applicable facility polices/regulations and their effect on sanitation Services.

· Familiarization with the Contractors procedures manual.

· Individual duties and responsibilities.

· Procedures for replenishing cleaning supplies and obtaining equipment repair.

· Techniques/methods for measuring quality of work performance.

· Facility emergency fire and disaster program

· Hazardous Communication Standard

· Utility Operation

· Standard Precautions

· Emergency Preparedness

· Body Mechanics/Lifting

· Accident Reporting

· Sexual Harassment

· Ethics

Compliance and Business Integrity (CBI) Awareness Training: The Contractor staff shall complete initial compliance awareness training within thirty (30) days of being selected to work on this contract. The Contractor shall also meet the annual compliance awareness refresher training. This requirement can be fulfilled by completing the training module available via TMS training site. Course ID # VA 43790 Integrity and Compliance Awareness Training for all VHA staff.

Remedial Training: When notified, the Contractor shall complete remedial training and education to address any detected compliance issues.

Proof of Training: The Contractor shall submit proof of training by providing a copy of the training to the COR or designated representative. The COR will retain proof of training in accordance with applicable Records Control Schedule.

5.4 Contractor’s Quality Control Plan

The Contractor shall establish and maintain a complete quality control program to ensure the requirements of the contract are met. One copy of the Contractor’s basic Quality Control Program shall be provided to the COR 15 days after contract award effective date. An updated copy shall be provided the COR as changes occur. The quality control program shall include, but are not limited to the following:

· Basic cleaning schedule for the included five (5) buildings.

· An inspection system covering the required services. The plan shall specify the areas to be inspected on either a scheduled or unscheduled basis and how often inspections shall be accomplished.

· The plan shall provide methods for identifying and preventing deficiencies and how the Contractor shall prevent the level of performance from becoming unacceptable.

· On-site records of all inspections conducted by the Contractor and necessary corrective action taken.

· A system to record all inspections conducted by the Contractor and record corrective action. These documents shall be made available to the COR or designated representative during the term of the contract upon request.

5.5 Fire Prevention and Emergency Procedures

The Contractor shall take such safety precautions as necessary to protect the lives and health of occupants of the buildings.

Any hazardous incidents created by the Contractor shall be corrected immediately.

The Contractor shall comply with applicable Federal, State, Local and facility safety and fire regulations and codes which are in effect at the beginning of the contract period. The Contractor shall keep abreast of and comply with changes in these regulations and codes applicable to the contract.

The Contractor shall follow applicable facility policies concerning fire and/or disaster events.

The Contractor shall display approved warning devices in all areas where operations may cause traffic obstruction or personnel hazard. The cleaning of lobbies and corridors, resulting in a temporary wet or slippery floor surface, shall be, appropriately posted with signs and shall be accomplished so that it will not be necessary for personnel or patients to cross the wet surface to gain access to other areas.

5.6 Building Security and Keys

The Contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all Government property provided for the Contractor’s use. At the close of each work period, Government facilities, equipment and materials shall be secured.

The Government shall provide the Contractor with keys to access the required rooms. Access to restricted areas shall be provided to the Contractor by prior arrangements with the COR. With the exception of keys issued to CEH, keys provided to other Contractor personnel shall not be removed from the premises. Keys shall not be duplicated or issued to any other individuals. All keys not issued for the performance of work being accomplished at the present time shall be secured or returned. The COR or designated representative will perform an inventory of keys assigned to the Contractor at the end of the contract period or as needed. Any keys lost by the Contractor will be replaced by the Government, and the Contractor shall be charged the replacement value of the lost key. The Contractor shall also be responsible for any expense incurred for re-keying of the Facility caused by the lost key. The Contractor shall notify the COR of any lost or suspected lost key within 24 hours.

The Contractor shall not lend keys or open locked rooms or areas to permit entrance by persons other than the Contractor’s assigned staff. The Contractor shall be responsible for securing areas upon completion of duties. There may be certain areas identified by the COR in which Contractor personnel must immediately notify the COR or Security Personnel if a door is found unlocked.

When leaving a work area, the Contractor shall turn off lights if the area is unoccupied unless otherwise directed by the COR. The Contractor shall secure and lock the window(s) before leaving the area and if there is difficulty securing the areas, the Contractor shall notify the COR or designated representative.

The Contractor shall comply with the security clearances or access controls imposed.

The Contractor shall turn in all lost articles found during the performance of duties to the COR or designated representative.

If the contractor does not have access to an area due to either not having a key or otherwise, the contractor shall immediately notify the COR, so that appropriate action can be taken.

The TR Rooms are restricted access. The contractor will not have keys to those areas and will require an escort to those areas.

5.7 Interferences to Normal Function

The Contractor shall delay or interrupt their work at any time to avoid interference with the normal function of the facility, including utility services, fire protection systems, personnel, equipment, and carts.

5.8 Damage and Equipment Loss

The Contractor shall report damages or disfigurement of Government-owned furnishings, fixtures, equipment, and architectural or building structures to the COR immediately. The Contractor shall provide a written report of any damage or disfigurement to items to the COR or designated representative within 24 hours. The Government will not be responsible for Contractor’s equipment or belongings that are lost, stolen or damaged.

5.9 Handling of Government Furniture and Equipment

The COR or designated representative will instruct the Contractor what Government items should not to be moved or otherwise handled.

5.10 Conservation of Utilities

The Contractor shall instruct employees in utilities conservation practices. The Contractor shall be responsible for operating under condition which precludes the waste of utilities, which shall include:

· The Contractor shall not adjust any mechanical equipment controls for heating, ventilation and air conditioning system unless otherwise directed by the COR or designated representative.

· The Contractor shall turn-off all water faucets or values when not in usage.

· The Contractor shall not use Government telephones for personal reasons.

5.11 Applicable Regulations and Manuals

All work under this contract must be performed in accordance with (1) current Joint Commission Manual (JC); (2) Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA); (3) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Hazardous Materials requirements; (4) regulations cited in this Statement of Work (SOW) and (5) industry standards.

Documents applicable to work described in this section are mandatory and are listed below. The Government will provide the Contractor copies of all regulations, manuals, and specifications such as those listed below. Supplements and amendments will be updated and will be considered full force and effective immediately upon receipt by the Contractor. The policies and procedures of mandatory directives shall be always adhered to. The Contractor shall ensure that all mandatory publications are posted and up to date.

· Security Clearances, Access Controls, Identification Badges

· Facility policies concerning fire / disaster program.

· Parking Requirements

A.1 52.223-23 SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (MAY 2024)

(a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Biobased product means a product determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to be a commercial product or industrial product (other than food or feed) that is composed, in whole or in significant part, of biological products, including renewable domestic agricultural materials and forestry materials, or that is an intermediate ingredient or feedstock. The term includes, with respect to forestry materials, forest products that meet biobased content requirements, notwithstanding the market share the product holds, the age of the product, or whether the market for the product is new or emerging. (7 U.S.C. 8101) (7 CFR 3201.2).

Recovered material means waste materials and by-products recovered or diverted from solid waste, but the term does not include those materials and by-products generated from, and commonly reused within, an original manufacturing process. (42 U.S.C. 6903).

Sustainable products and services means products and services that are subject to and meet the following applicable statutory mandates and directives for purchasing:

(1) Statutory purchasing programs.

(i) Products containing recovered material designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (42 U.S.C. 6962) (40 CFR part 247) (https:// www.epa.gov/smm/comprehensiveprocurement-guideline-cpgprogram#products).

(ii) Energy- and water-efficient products that are ENERGY STAR® certified or Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)- designated products (42 U.S.C. 8259b) (10 CFR part 436, subpart C) (https:// www.energy.gov/eere/femp/search-energyefficient-products and https:// www.energystar.gov/products?s=mega).

(iii) Biobased products meeting the content requirement of the USDA under the BioPreferred® program (7 U.S.C. 8102) (7 CFR part 3201) (https://www.biopreferred.gov).

(iv) Acceptable chemicals, products, and manufacturing processes listed under EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program, which ensures a safe and smooth transition away from substances that contribute to the depletion of stratospheric ozone (42 U.S.C. 7671l) (40 CFR part 82, subpart G) (https://www.epa.gov/snap).

(2) Required EPA purchasing programs.

(i) WaterSense® labeled (water efficient) products and services (https://www.epa.gov/ watersense/watersense-products).

(ii) Safer Choice-certified products (products that contain safer chemical ingredients) (https://www.epa.gov/ saferchoice/products).

(iii) Product and services that meet EPA Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels in effect as of October 2023 (https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/recommendationsspecifications-standards-and-ecolabelsfederal-purchasing).

(b) Requirements.

(1) The sustainable products and services, including the purchasing program and type of product or service, that are applicable to this contract, and any products or services that are not subject to this clause, will be set forth in the statement of work or elsewhere in the contract.

(2) The Contractor shall ensure that the sustainable products and services required by this contract are—

(i) Delivered to the Government;

(ii) Furnished for use by the Government;

(iii) Incorporated into the construction of a public building or public work; and

(iv) Furnished for use in performing services under this contract, where the cost of the products is a direct cost to this contract (versus costs which are normally applied to the Contractor’s general and administrative expenses or indirect costs). This includes services performed by contractors performing management and operation of Government owned facilities to the same extent that, at the time of award, an agency would be required to comply if an agency operated or supported the facility.

(3)(i) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this clause, sustainable products and services must meet the applicable standards, specifications, or other program requirements at time of quote or offer submission; and

(ii) Sustainable products and services must meet the EPA Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels in effect as of October 2023.

(c) Resource.