Draft-PWS Chemical Treatment.pdf

CHEMICAL WATER TREATMENT

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Introduction:

The overall purpose is to provide chemical water treatment of boiler plant (water and steam), chillers (all condensers, all cooling towers water side), heating hot water, and potable water well to achieve specified results. This also includes the water softener system for the boiler system and polisher system. Contractor shall provide all supplies and technical advisory services including reports for proper water chemistry treatment to ensure compliance with VHA standards and requirements.

VAMC boiler plant employees will be responsible for continuous feeding of chemicals and performing water tests with oversight by the contractor.

In addition, the contractor shall verify the proper operation of all water treatment systems which serve the boiler plant including feedwater deaerator, water softener, chillers, polisher, and continuous blowdown at least semiannually. This includes chillers at outer buildings.

The goals are safety, reliability and longevity of the steam and condensate piping and equipment in the boiler plant, in the steam distribution system and in the various buildings of the VA facility.

Requirements: Chemical treatment and testing, PM in accordance with (IAW) the contractor’s set chemical water treatment program, industry standards, VA Standards and guidelines and statutory requirements.

Government Owned Equipment: Chemical treatment, service, PM service and routine repair service, emergency repair service, technical advisory services (including reports) IAW the contractor’s set chemical water treatment program shall be done for the equipment listed in the table below.

Item # Description of Service/Part Number* Products Unit Qty

1 Five Hundred HP Boilers Ea. 4

2 Cooling Towers Ea. 12

3 Emergency Water Well Ea. 1

4 Stenner Model 85MHP17 Ea. 1

5 1000 Ton Chillers Ea. 7

6 1250 Ton Chillers Ea. 2

7 450 Ton Chillers Ea. 3

8 Allis Chalmers 1650 gpm;175 psi Heating Hot Water Pumps: Ea. 2

Period of Performance: The expected Period of Performance (POP) will be One (1) Base Year plus Four

(4) Twelve (12) Month Option Periods that may or may not be exercised based on the needs of and at the discretion of the government. The actual performance period shall be established at the time of contract award.

Hours of Operation: Services shall be performed during the VA normal business hours, 7:00 a.m.

through 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. Any work that needs to take place outside of the scope of normal business hours shall be approved by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) prior to the commencement of work. VA follows all Federal holidays that are set by law (USC Title 5 Section 6103).

New Year's Day January 1 Martin Luther King's Birthday Third Monday in January President's Birthday Third Monday in February Memorial Day Last Monday in May Independence Day July 4 Juneteenth June 19 Labor Day First Monday in September Columbus Day Second Monday in October Veterans Day November 11 Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November Christmas December 25

Scope:

1. Contractor shall provide full chemical water treatment and service to include, emergency repair service, technical advisory services including reports, and utilities systems technical training IAW the contractor’s set chemical treatment program for the equipment listed above.

Chemical water treatment shall consist of the following systems: 1.) Closed- Loop chill water system

2.) Chiller Condenser water system, 3.) Boiler Plant Closed Loop Water Systems, 4.) Closed-Loop

Heating Hot Water System, 5.) Emergency Potable Water Well System, 6.) Water Softener system for

Boilers, 7) Polisher for the return system on the boilers.

2. Contractor shall provide all needed equipment, parts, and labor to perform service on all equipment listed above in this Performance Work Statement to include personnel, supervision, materials, supplies, and all other associated costs required to perform such services. The contractor shall be responsible for repairs on equipment provided. Furnish on site chemical storage containers with secondary containment. Contractor shall provide bulk delivery service which delivers the chemicals directly into the onsite storage containers. with no assistance necessary from VA employees other than to provide access. Contractor shall provide chemical metering pumps as required plus 1 spare. At the end of the contract, all equipment to remain in place and operational until a new contract is in place and operating prior to removal. Once a new contract is in place and operating, the old equipment can be removed. This prevents a loss in treatment. The pump and metering equipment shall match the existing and be compatible with BACNET. Pumps are required to be mounted in a pump box. The equipment package will be required at 3 locations, Building 104, 104A and 109.

3. Contractor shall provide all necessary reagent test kits and calibration solutions in order to perform all necessary treatment, service, preventive maintenance, and on-the-job training for all equipment. All chemicals utilized must conform to FDA guidelines: CFR 21, 173.310, BOILER WATER ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN PLANTS WHERE STEAM CONTACTS FOOD. In addition, the chemicals shall conform to all local, state, and federal government regulations on water pollution and have appropriate EPA registration. The MEDVAMC utilizes boiler steam for food preparation and for humidification.

4. All chemicals shall be in a liquid state when shipped from the manufacture. The manufacture must be ISO certified with proper quality controls in place to ensure there is no variances in the chemical mixtures straight and or concentration from one run to the next run of the same chemical. Copies of the quality control test sheets will be supplied with each delivery.

5. NO blending of several treatment chemicals into one mixture. Each Chemical treatment must remain separate from the others and feed into the system as an individual chemical. The Blending of Amines are acceptable (Neutralizing and Filming amines)

6. There will be no mixing of chemicals by the operators or in the boiler plant.

7. Chelant-based chemicals are not permitted. Phosphate is not allowed.

8. The Contractor shall provide all staffing and transportation necessary for the delivery and administration of the necessary chemicals for the treatment of the systems noted. The contractor shall be responsible for bringing the needed chemicals to specific site locations and transferring chemicals to and from the site. The contractor shall also be responsible for handling all chemical transfers into all the tanks. Point of feed locations for each system are easily accessible and are not located in remote or hard to access locations to include sensitive areas (i.e. patient care or public areas). Contractors will not have to travel through sensitive areas or interact with patients to reach point of feed locations.

9. The Contractor shall adhere to all regulations as established by the Texas Department of

Transportation concerning the transport of chemicals. The Contractor shall also be responsible for all proper disposal of all chemicals as disposal requires. The Contractor shall provide bill of lading for each chemical delivery completed to the VA. VA employees will not sign for chemical deliveries. Therefore, the Contractor shall provide someone on site to receive all deliveries.

Chemical inventories shall be completed as part of weekly tasks and chemical administration.

(PM Service) – Definition/Description

1. Contractor shall accomplish weekly PM Service for the first three (3) months of the contract and then every two (2) weeks and all scheduling shall be coordinated with Contracting Officer’s

Representative (COR). PM service does not involve maintaining government equipment itself.

The scope of PM service includes (but is not limited to) the following:

Water treatment testing on all equipment performed every two (2) weeks. The contractor shall collect water samples for testing, inspection, calibration, and servicing the water treatment system equipment as required by the manufacturer, industry, and statutory requirements. The purpose of this testing is to prevent premature equipment failures and to extend equipment life. Services may be performed separate from or in conjunction with other services. System checks and adjustments to the make-up and recirculation system will be made as required.

2. PM Service shall consist of a PM site visit by the contractor every two (2) weeks for all equipment items in this Statement of Work. PM service shall be scheduled with the COR during the VA normal business hours, 7:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. Federal holidays work that needs to take place outside of the scope of normal business hours shall be approved by the COR prior to the commencement of work.

When doing PM service every two (2) weeks, the contractor shall utilize a PM checklist. This PM checklist shall clearly state the Contractor personnel for all PM visits. The contractor shall prepare

PM checklist during each PM visit and be submitted to the COR within seven (7) days after each PM visit.

The PM site visit every two (2) weeks shall include (but is not limited to the following):

1). Chemical Treatment - Contractor shall provide all reagents test kits and calibration solutions each year for Boiler, Cooling Tower, Chill Water, Hot Water Systems and the potable water well. The potable water treatment system is a Stenner Model 85MHP17 and Model 85M3.

2). System Testing Check and Adjustments

a. On-site visit shall be conducted every two (2) weeks which shall include an equipment operational review and visual inspections.

b. System checks and adjustments to the make-up and recirculation system shall be made as required.

c. Instrumentation calibration shall be checked and adjusted if needed and any adjustments shall be recorded on the service ticket.

3). On-Site Water Testing

a. Water testing shall be done every two (2) weeks and performed on all equipment.

b. Water testing shall consist of the following tests (at a minimum) but is not limited to the following: Boiler Plant

- All polymer inhibitor (20 ppm active polymer minimum)

- Sulfite – 20% active minimum (30 ppm to 100 ppm)

- Neutralize amine - dual amine – (pH 8.5 – 8.9)

- Metal passivator for DA and makeup tank (500 ppb to 1,000 ppb) o Contractor shall provide all chemicals each year for Cooling Tower Water Treatment Chemicals at B104, B104A and B109.

o Copper Corrosion Inhibitor (Azole) – 50% active (4-8 ppm minimum) o Bromine - - 96% active 1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (0.3 lbs/1000 gal minimum o Contractor shall provide all chemicals each year for Chill Water System (including Hot Water Closed Loop System).

o Current treatment is all organic. Must be the same or in the same classification as

Chemtreat CL6033 or equal. Silica and or silicate-based chemistry shall not be accepted. Should biocide be required, oxidizing biocide shall be chlorine dioxide or hydrogen peroxide. No non-oxidizers shall be allowed in the closed loop system.

4) Contractor shall provide a corrosion coupon rack for each condenser water system to monitor mild steel and copper corrosion rates.

- key control parameters are:

1. Total hardness (ppm CaCO3)

2. Chlorides (ppm)

3. Conductivity

4. PH

5. Alkalinity

6. Residual chemical

7. Phosphates

8. TDS

9. Bromine levels

10. Coppertrol

11. Ammonia and Chlorine Levels in the potable water well.

12. Test the condensate for pH at representative samples of condensate receivers throughout the facility at least twice per year. Vary the sample sites every year.

5). Service Reporting (which includes the following):

a. On site follow up with key observations shall be delivered to operators.

b. Summary report shall be completed and submitted within 7 calendar days to the COR and Plant

Manager.

c. Reports shall include test results, records of adjustments and any system operation recommendations.

d. Contractor shall maintain report archives.

e. Review of operator log for completion, accuracy and errors.

General Requirements:

1. The Contractor shall inform the COR and provide any original equipment manufacturer (OEM) updates that are necessary to perform the required services. OEM updates shall be accomplished during visits or emergency service calls. The Contractor shall also inform the COR of any optional updates provided by the OEM. The government reserves the right to consider and implement these optional updates if deemed necessary.

2. The Contractor shall be accessible by phone and shall provide a point of contact name and telephone number in the event that emergency services must be performed on the equipment, emergency response to chemical water treatment is required, or emergency equipment PM is required. Accessibility for emergency requests consists of a telephone number where a designated contact person can be reached or a message left for emergency repair requests, 24 hours per day, seven days per week (notification time, as stated in this contract, shall be considered to have been given at the time a message is left, or a call received).

3. Call Back: Call backs will be at the discretion of the Government. Call backs will only occur in the event of unscheduled service when the government requires your assistance. However, if contacted, the Contractor shall respond to all unscheduled service requests within four (4) hours by telephone, from the time of the initial telephone call received by the COR or their approved designee. If the problem cannot be resolved by telephone the Contractor shall make an on-site visit in person after receipt of the verbal request to do so. The Contractor shall bring the proper tools, equipment, and parts as appropriate for the problem described. Should parts not be available immediately, the Contractor shall notify the COR or designee and obtain these unavailable parts in the most expeditious manner available. Temporary measures shall be implemented by the Contractor in the event the issue cannot be addressed immediately.

4. Upon arrival at the medical center, the Contractor shall check in with Contracting Officer Representative or their approved designee. Contractor shall wear their Identification Badge visibly upon their person, between the height of the waist and shoulders. The Contractor shall return to the COR to check out at the completion of each service. Failure to wear the required badge may result in removal from the medical center. The Contractor may have to seek parking outside of the boiler plant.

5. Service calls shall be deemed to be ROUTINE by the Government. Routine service calls will be scheduled by the COR, making every effort to arrange this repair service at a time convenient to both the Contractor and the VA.

6. Routine visits shall not be canceled once scheduled (without the prior coordination and approval from the COR).

7. Should the Contractor determine that the damage or needed repair has been caused through the fault or negligence of the VA, the Contractor shall receive the COR or designee concurrence before proceeding. The Contractor shall notify the COR who will notify the Contracting Officer in writing of the repair accomplished outside the scope of the contract and will request a separate purchase order to cover those repair costs.

8. Contractor shall provide a service report (which includes both the Contract Number and the Purchase Order Number) each time the Contractor accomplishes routine or emergency repairs.

Contractor shall use an approved checklist for accomplished service reports for all required service calls.

9. Contractor shall submit to the COR a service log. Contractor shall maintain a service log for each water system listed in this Performance Work Statement that is to be maintained/serviced. Upon arriving at the equipment site, Contractor personnel shall log in their name and the time of arrival.

Prior to departure from the site for the day, Contractor personnel shall log out by entering the time of departure and ensuring that all required information is written in the log.

10. Government will not furnish any supplies, consumables, refinishing (painting) of the equipment or furnishing materials, or electrical repairs external to the equipment.

Training:

Contractor shall provide a complete written program with instructions, supplemented by oral instructions and demonstrations, to boiler plant personnel for their performance of routine water tests and for feeding the chemicals into the systems. The instructions shall cover all aspects of safe chemical handling and safe and accurate testing, and proper chemical feed quantities and methods to suit the plant operating parameters and water treatment performance requirements.

Provide three two-hour training sessions within two months of the start of a new contract. The first session shall be within one week of the start of the contract. Provide one two-hour training session every six months after the new contract has been in force for six months.

Yearly refresher training or when new chemicals or test procedures are added, or changes are made to the treatment program.

Contractor shall provide written guidance, instructions and any changes to the government (COR) in order to ensure the contractor’s approved treatment plan is consistent and followed by government staff.

Chemical Water Treatment Contractor Qualifications:

The contractor shall have been in business at least five years providing chemical treatment of boiler plant and steam distribution systems similar in design and annual steam production rates to that of the VA facility. Provide a list of at least five customers similar to VA who have utilized the services for boiler chemical treatment for at least three years.

Contractor shall provide one (1) water treatment specialist who has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or the physical sciences from an accredited college or university shall be assigned to this contract. The water treatment specialist must have at least five years successful experience with boiler water treatment programs and shall furnish references from at least three customers who utilize boiler water treatment programs.

The water treatment specialist assigned must be located within 100 miles of the site to enable reasonable response times to request for site visits.

The contractor must operate (or continuously maintain a contract with) a state certified laboratory to perform complete scientific analyses of water chemistry, deposits, metallic materials affected by corrosion and provide recommendations for correction of problems related to the chemical and mechanical water treatment program.

On-Site Servicing Technician:

Contractor shall provide documentation of five (5) experience of their personnel performing water testing and chemical treatment on chiller and boiler systems.

Contractor shall provide certification of their personnel as water treatment specialist or technician, provide educational background certificate, or provide other qualifications for chemical water treatment.

Contractor shall familiarize themselves with Addendum A: Hazardous Material Identification and Material Safety Data as listed below for this requirement.

Contractor shall familiarize themselves with Addendum B: Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) guidelines as listed below for this requirement.

Additional Information

All boilers are the same size. Reference government owned equipment.

The existing chemical boiler feed system will be used for the Boilers - Qty (4).

Annual Steam Output: 134,808,525 pounds Annual Makeup: 19,893,800 gallons (calculated, see below) Estimated Percent Condensate Return: 20% (existing condensate return pumps are operating but at a limited capacity). Once system is back in operation, quantities can be adjusted. Assume 60% to 65% return once the system is repaired for the option years.

Rainwater and City Water are the primary source for the twelve (12) Cooling Towers. City Water is the primary boiler feedwater. The estimated percentages of rainwater or city water that is needed cannot be determined because the amount of rainfall cannot be predicted.

The cooling towers do not involve tower cleanings, only chemicals. The cooling tower piping has some leaks so we assume a higher rate and after repairs this will be lower. This is the same condition as the boiler return. The controller should be capable of feeding acid to maintain 7 cycles. The cooling tower inhibitor should have a trace for real time monitoring and easy testing. Bleach is the only biocide being fed at this time, so an ORP probe is required.

The water softener system will include liquid brine. Estimate 18 truck loads per year based on current contract.

Resin will be required for the polisher system.

Well treatment: provide chemicals only, testing will be done by others.

ADDENDUM A:

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION AND MATERIAL SAFETY DATA

DEFINITION "Hazardous material" is defined in Federal Standard No. 313B. (Federal Standards are sold to the public through: General Services Administration (3FFN), Room 6622, 7th & D Sts., S.W., Washington, D.C.

20407).

GENERAL

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are responsible for issuing and administering regulations that require Government activities to apprise their employees of:

All hazards to which they may be exposed.

Relative symptoms and appropriate emergency treatment; and Proper conditions and precautions for safe use and exposure.

Contractors and their subcontractors of any tier shall submit hazardous material data for all hazardous materials that they bring on site or have delivered to the medical center. Federal Standard No. 313B (Materiel Safety Data Sheets, Preparation and the Submission of) includes criteria for identification of hazardous materials. The Standard also prescribes Department of Labor Form OSHA-20 for use with Government contracts.

Contractors shall submit hazardous material identification on the following:

All items in, or ordinarily catalogued under, the Federal Supply Classes listed in Table 1 of Appendix A of Federal Standard No. 313B.

Items having hazardous characteristics in the Federal Supply Classes listed in Table II of Appendix A of Federal

Standard No. 313B.

Any other material designated by a government technical representative as potentially hazardous and requiring safety controls.

ADDENDUM B:

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

Contractors, there employee's and subcontractors of any tier are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with OSHA Act, 1971 and other Federal, State and Local regulations.

Personnel observed in violation of these regulations may be subject to removal from the medical center. The Government assumes no responsibility for injury of contract personnel or subcontractors of any tier if the injury is a direct result of noncompliance or disregard for these regulations.

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

Chemical Treatment for Boiler Plant, Chiller Plant, and Potable Water Well

1. INTRODUCTION

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan has been developed to evaluate Contractor performance while implementing and executing Performance Work Statement (PWS) tasks for this requirement.

It is designed to provide an effective surveillance method for monitoring and evaluating the

Contractor’s performance for the requirements listed in the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

This QASP does not detail how the Contractor will accomplish the work that is required by the PWS.

Rather, this QASP has been created with the premise that the Contractor is responsible for management and quality control actions to meet the terms of the contract. It is the Government’s responsibility to be objective, fair, and consistent in evaluating performance. In addition, the QASP should recognize that unforeseen and uncontrollable situations may occur.

This QASP is a “living document” and the Government may review and revise it on a regular basis to ensure that the QASP remains a valid, useful, and enforceable document. However, the Government will coordinate changes with the Contractor (if changes are required). Copies of the original QASP and revisions will be provided to the Contractor and Government officials implementing surveillance activities.

2. OBJECTIVE

The foundation of this Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) is derived from the Objective of this requirement which is the following: The overall purpose is to provide chemical treatment, service, complete preventative maintenance (hereafter called PM Service), routine repair service, emergency repair service and on-the-job training for Government owned equipment (listed in the table below).

Item # Description of Service/Part Number* Products Unit Qty

1 Five Hundred HP Boilers Ea. 4

2 Cooling Towers Ea. 12

3 Emergency Water Well Ea. 1

4 Stenner Model 85MHP17 Ea. 1

5 1000 Ton Chillers Ea. 7

6 1250 Ton Chillers Ea. 2

7 450 Ton Chillers Ea. 3

8 Allis Chalmers 1650 gpm;175 psi Heating Hot Water Pumps: Ea. 2

3. GOVERNMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following Government personnel are responsible for overseeing and coordinating surveillance activities.

1). Contracting Officer Representative (COR)

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) - The COR is responsible for technical administration of the contract and is responsible for ensuring proper Government surveillance of the Contractor’s performance. The COR is responsible for keeping a quality assurance file and after the contract, or when requested by the CO, providing corresponding documentation to the CO. The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the

Government’s behalf. The Contractor shall refer any changes they deem may affect contract price, terms, or conditions to the CO for action.

2). Contracting Officer (CO)

The CO is responsible for ensuring performance of all necessary actions for effective contracting, ensuring compliance with the contract terms, and safeguarding the interests of the United States in the contractual relationship. The CO is responsible for ensuring that the Contractor receives impartial, fair, and equitable treatment under this contract. The CO is ultimately responsible for the final determination of the adequacy of the Contractor’s performance.

Upon award or before the performance period start date of the contract the individuals who will be involved in the execution of this Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) shall be identified.

4. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (MEASURES). Contractor performance will be rated/evaluated by the COR or other authorized designee using the following metrics in the table below. The contractor’s performance under the terms and conditions of this contract will be based on how successfully the contractor executes the tasks/deliverables listed in the Performance Work

Statement (PWS). At a minimum, the contractor must complete the required tasks that contained within the Performance Work Statement for this requirement.

TASK # TASK NAME SCHEDULE,

DESCRIPTION,

PERFORMANCE

STANDARD

Acceptable Quality Levels

(AQL)

INCENTIVES/

DISINCENTIV

ES FOR

MEETING/

NOT

MEETING

Every two

(2) weeks every two (2) weeks

PM Service

Contractor conducts/executes every two (2) weeks service on all equipment and utilizes an

100% of the time Service is conducted weekly by the contractor and appropriate

1,2,3 appropriate checklist to document these visits and the services performed per PWS requirements. At a minimum, the service visit includes Chemical Treatment, System Testing Check & Adjustments, On- Site Water Testing, and Service Reporting.

documentation is provided from these visits.

Minimum requirements are met for every visit 100% of the time

Call Backs / Emergency Service Requests

Contractor responds to all calls for emergency repair service within 2 hours by telephone and onsite if necessary

An emergency call back request is responded to within 2 hours (and onsite if necessary or requested within 4 hours). The nature/reason for the emergency call is rectified by the contractor in cooperation with the

COR.

Rapid response by contractor within the appropriate time windows and successful resolution of the problem/issue 100% of the time

Routine Service Requests.

Service requests must be received, tracked, and responded to in accordance with contract requirements.

All routine service requests are responded to as required by the PWS and repairs are completed within specified timeframes.

By Exception, If PWS standards for Routine Service Requests are not being met then the COR/Government reserves the right to conduct random inspections if necessary

1, 2, 3

Reporting (General & Administrative)

As necessary and as required by the PWS the contractor documents/reports the services and/or work performed on all equipment and submits these reports in a timely manner when required or requested.

Services performed on the equipment are documented/report ed as required and such reports/documentation is available, is furnished to, or is made available whenever requested by the COR. Records are organized, up to date, and reflect actual conditions of the equipment.

By Exception; If PWS reporting requirements are not being met the COR/Government reserves the right to conduct random inspections if necessary

1,2,3

Training User/Operator training is conducted twice a year (biannually) by the contractor in accordance with PWS requirements.

Biannual training is conducted and the curriculum and medium through which it is offered (field/classroom) gives users/operators sufficient knowledge on operation of the equipment in the PWS

By exception or as necessary by the COR (only if training is not occurring twice a year and/or if training does not meet the established standards per the

PWS).

Qualifications of Staff/Personnel

Only individuals having the appropriate qualifications (per the PWS) shall perform services on the equipment

Contractor ensures that its personnel (or the personnel provided by its subcontractors) have the appropriate qualifications as stated in the PWS.

Contractor notifies COR whenever there is a substitution of personnel so the appropriate vetting can be performed on these personnel.

By exception or as necessary by the COR (if PWS tasks, requirements, deliverables are not being met and/or there is poor performance).

Poor performance could be caused

COR verifies the qualifications of personnel before commencement of work.

Adequate Contractor provides at Contractor provided By exception or 1,2,3 number of least the minimum staff shall maintain as necessary by personnel number of required, an acceptable level the COR (if PWS provided qualified personnel as of performance (per tasks, stated in the PWS PWS requirements) requirements, throughout the deliverables are performance period not being met of the contract. and/or there is poor

Performance).

Poor performance could be caused by inadequate staffing levels.

Hazardous Contractors are When bringing (or 100% 1,2

Materials and required to submit having delivered) Inspection

Material hazardous material hazardous materials Safety Data data for all hazardous to the medical materials that they center contractor is bring on site or have submitting delivered to the hazardous material medical center. data for all hazardous materials

Personal When necessary Contractor By Exception; 1, 2

Protective Personal Protective uses/wears Personal Incidents of

Equipment Equipment (PPE) must Protective Contractor’s

(PPE) be used/worn when Equipment (PPE) not executing PWS when necessary. wearing/using tasks/duties/requirements PPE (when PPE is required) will be documented and corrective actions will be taken (if necessary)

Incentive/Disincentives for Meeting/Not Meeting AQL

1. Positive and negative performance will be documented locally (contract file) and/or in the appropriate contractor performance assessment reporting system/database.

2. Noncompliance to contract standards will be corrected at no cost to the government. The government reserves the right and may elect to measure/document negative performance through utilization of a performance report and/or a contract discrepancy report

3. The contractor shall respond in writing to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to all notifications of failure to meet acceptable quality levels within 5 days of issuance by the Contracting

Officer Representative and/or the Contracting Officer. The contractor’s response shall include the corrective action taken to rectify the problem and the proposed measure to preclude the recurrence of the problem.

The Performance Requirements Summary Matrix includes performance standards, the Government will use these standards to determine Contractor performance and will compare Contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL).

5. RATINGS

Metrics and methods are designed to determine if performance exceeds, meets, or does not meet a given standard and acceptable quality level. The following ratings shall be used:

EXCEPTIONAL: Performance significantly exceeds contract requirements to the Government’s benefit.

SATISFACTORY: Performance meets contractual requirements.

UNSATISFACTORY: Performance does not meet contractual requirements.

6. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

a. ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE.

The Government will document positive performance.

b. UNACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE.

When unacceptable performance occurs, the COR will inform the Contractor. This notification will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. Formal reporting may be done through generation of a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) if the issue cannot be rectified by other means.

When the COR determines that formal written communication and reporting is required the COR will prepare a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) and will present it to the appropriate Contractor representative.

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 back to the COR. The Government will review the Contractor's corrective action plan to determine acceptability.

Any CDRs may become a part of the supporting documentation for contract payment deductions, fixed fee deductions, other non-payment actions, or other actions deemed necessary by the CO.

7. FREQUENCY OF MEASUREMENT

a. Frequency of Measurement.

During contract performance, the COR will take periodic measurements as specified in the AQL column of the Performance Standards Summary Matrix and will analyze whether the negotiated frequency of measurement is appropriate for the work being performed.

Contracting Officer (CO): Government official authorized to enter into, make changes to, or terminate contracts on behalf of the US Government. Contracting Officers are responsible for ensuring performance of all necessary requirements of the contract, to ensure compliance with the terms of the contract, and safeguard the interests of the US Government in its contractual relationships.

Modifications: Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to execute modifications on behalf of the

Government. Other Government personnel shall not execute contract modifications, act in such a manner as to cause the contractor to believe that they have the authority to bind the Government or direct or encourage the contractor to perform work that should be the subject of a contract modification.

In cases where the Contracting Officer receives a request for additional work, revisions to requirements, schedule changes, etc. the Contracting Officer will make the final determination as to the appropriateness of the request.

Invoicing and request for payments shall be made through: OB10 to

VA Finance Service Center (FSC) Austin Texas OB10 Useful websites http://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp http://www.ob10.com/activate http://www.ob10university.com/attachment101.htm

OB10 Help Desk: 1-877-489-6135

Expedite Process: va.registration@ob10.com

Contracting Officer Representative (COR): Contracting Officers (CO) shall appoint Contracting Officer’s

Representative (COR) in writing. The Government representative will evaluate the Contractor’s performance through on-site inspections of the Contractor’s quality control program and receipt of complaints from facility personnel. The COR is not authorized to enter into any agreements, obligate the Government or direct any changes to the contract.

A list of the names and telephone numbers of the Government team comprising the contract administrator, Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), consultant, and point of contact at the project site may be provided at the post award conference and pre-construction conference when appropriate.

The contractor is advised that the only contract administration responsibilities of the COR are the ones delegated by the Contracting Officer in the Contracting Officer’s delegation of authority letter that appoints the COR for the project.

NOTICE TO PROCEED (NTP) ISSUED:

Permits: The contractor shall develop, coordinate, and assist in applying for and obtaining all, federal, state, local, and other applicable permits, access (including off-base easements and leases), agreements, licenses, and certifications required to perform and complete the requirement as needed.

CONTRACTOR’S PROJECT MANAGER AND EMPLOYEES

For this award the Contractor shall designate a Project/Program Manager (PM). The PM shall be the point of contact for the award and shall be responsible for the management and execution of all activities in exact accordance with the approved statement of work, Contractor's approved submittals and all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

The contractor shall provide the Contracting Officer and COR with telephone numbers at which the contractor or his designated and authorized representative may be contacted at any time during regular working hours and an emergency number at which the contractor may be contacted in situations requiring immediate attention. The above-mentioned representative, if provided, must have full power and authority to act upon the behalf of the contractor.

Contractor Personnel. The contractor shall be responsible for selecting personnel who are well qualified to perform the required work, for supervising techniques used in their work, and for keeping them informed of all improvements, changes, and methods of operation.

In addition:

a) The contractor shall take appropriate personnel action, as required, in the event http://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp http://www.ob10.com/activate http://www.ob10university.com/attachment101.htm mailto:va.registration@ob10.com employee(s)become involved with law enforcement authorities as a result of misconduct.

b) B. The Government will not exercise any supervision or control over contractor employees performing work under the contract. Such employees shall be accountable solely to the contractor, not the Government. The contractor, in turn, shall be accountable to the

Government for contractor employees.

c) Contractor employees shall not be considered Government employees for any purpose under this contract.

CONTRACTOR ACCESS

Most work will be performed in occupied areas. The contractor shall have access to that portion of the area within which work is to be performed. The movement of contractor personnel, its equipment, materials, and tools shall be confined to area so as not to interfere with ongoing operations in the work areas. The contractor’s access to any area shall be in coordination with a fully functioning medical facility. Contractor shall coordinate the activities with the COR.

SECURITY SUITABILITY PROGRAM

Contractors shall comply with VA Directive 0710, VA Handbook 0710, and all security regulations imposed by the Facility Director, VA Police and/or agency occupying the space where work is to be performed. Any necessary security clearances shall be obtained prior to commencement of work.

All contractor employees are subject to the same level of investigation as VA employees who have access to VA Sensitive Information. The level of background investigation commensurate with the level of access needed to perform work is the NACI (National Agency Check with Written Inquiries). This requirement is applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same access Contractors shall bear the expense of obtaining background investigations. If the investigation is conducted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) through the VA, the contractor shall reimburse the VA within 30 days.

The requirements of VHA Handbook 6500.6 Contract Security shall apply to individual Task Orders as established in VA Directive 0710. The individual Task Orders will identify the appropriate appendices to VHA Handbook 6500.6 that shall apply.

In accordance with VA Acquisition Security Requirements, all appropriate personnel security clauses shall be incorporated into the award.

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS (GENERAL)

All personnel employed by the contractor in the performance of this contract, or any representative of the contractor shall abide by all security instructions and directives of the Department of Veterans

Affairs. Employees are responsible for safeguarding all Government property provided for contractor use.

At the close for each work period, Government facilities, equipment and materials shall be secured, lights, and all doors and window secured.

The contractor and, as applicable, subcontractor shall not employ persons for work on this contract if such employee is identified as a potential threat to the health, safety, security, general wellbeing or operational mission of the station/campus and its population, nor shall the contractor or subcontractor employ persons under this contract who have an outstanding criminal warrant as identified during background checks.

Contractors shall ensure their employees and those of their subcontracts have the proper credentials allowing them to work in the United States. Employees and subcontractors later found to be undocumented or illegal aliens will be remanded to the proper authorities.

The contractor shall not be entitled to any compensation for delays or expenses associated with complying with the provisions of this clause. Furthermore, nothing in this clause shall excuse the contractor from proceeding with the contract as required.

All contractors and subcontractors when working in a Controlled, Restricted or other sensitive area must be escorted at all times. The agency or unit responsible for the project or work is responsible for providing the escorts. The Contractor shall follow existing procedures and instructions for obtaining entrance to restricted or controlled areas.

Contractor Badge Policies: All requests for contractor ID badges will be submitted through the station

Police office. All contactor employees who’ll be granted unescorted access to the station/campus are required to consent to a Background Investigation (BI) prior to being granted access to the station/campus. Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion and favorable reporting of the criminal background check.

Contractor badges will be issued for a maximum period of one year. Prior to reissuing new badges, all old badges must be returned to the station Police. Also, before a new badge will be issued, VA Police must give approval again. In the event a badge is lost or stolen, the badge holder must report the

Loss/Theft of Identification to his/her supervisor. The supervisor of the contractor will investigate the loss and report in writing the circumstances in which the badge was lost and submit a new request for a new ID badge.

Station/campus Access: The contractor shall obtain personal contractor identification badge for all employees for the duration of the contract. Employees are only permitted to enter the station/campus during the date and time periods indicted on their contractor ID badge.

Vehicle registration, proof of insurance and a valid driver’s license must be presented for all vehicles while operating on the station/campus. All vehicles entering the station/campus or sensitive areas are subject to search. Any refusal or non-consent by an employee will result in termination of their access and immediate confiscation of their ID badge.

JOB SITES:

Most work will be performed in occupied areas. The contractor shall have access to that portion of the area within which work is to be performed. The movement of contractor personnel, equipment, materials, and tools shall be confined to this area so as not to interfere with ongoing hospital operations.

Delivery of materials and equipment shall be made with a minimum of interference to Government operations and personnel. VA personnel shall not assist with shipments or deliveries that are made to the job site. Government personnel will not be responsible for accepting, receiving, storing, or delivery of contractor or sub-contractor materials or equipment.

The contractor shall be responsible for providing all work site protective barriers and site control devices. This includes, but is not limited to protective fences, protective tapes and protective signage.

The contractor shall take all precautions to ensure that no damage to private or public property will result from their operations. If such damages occur, the contractor shall make all necessary repairs and/or replacements at no cost to the Government.

Working space and space available for storing materials shall be as determined by the COR in writing.

Workers are subject to rules of the Houston VA Healthcare System applicable to their conduct.

Execute work so as to interfere as little as possible with normal functioning of the Medical Center as a whole, including operations of utility services, fire protection systems and any existing equipment, and with work being done by others. Use of equipment and tools that transmit vibrations and noises through the building structure, are not permitted in buildings that are occupied, during construction, jointly by patients or medical personnel, and Contractor's personnel, except as permitted by COR where required by limited working space.

SAFETY ASSURANCE

Compliance with Regulations. All work including the handling of hazardous materials or the disturbance or dismantling of structures containing hazardous materials shall comply with the applicable requirements of 29 CFR 1910/1926. Work involving the disturbance or dismantling of asbestos or asbestos-containing materials; the demolition of structures containing asbestos; and/or disposal and removal of asbestos, shall also comply with the requirement of 40 CFR, Part 61, Subpart

A. All work shall comply with applicable federal, state and municipal safety and health requirements.

Where there is a conflict between applicable regulations, the most stringent shall apply.

Accident Notification/Report. In the event of a job-related accident, the Contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and shall prepare a Report of Accident (VA Form

2162 or equivalent) in quadruplicate and forward the original and two copies to the Contracting Officer or COR for forwarding to Safety Officer for construction projects. The Contractor shall maintain an accident file for the life of the contract to include all accident reports. Any technical advice and assistance necessary in accident investigation and reporting may be requested from the respective

Safety Office. Lost time injury is defined as "An injury resulting in a lost workday, not including the day of injury."

Contractor Responsibility. The Contractor shall assume full responsibility and liability for compliance with all applicable regulations pertaining to the health and safety of personnel during the execution of work. The Government shall not be held liable for any action on the part of the Contractor, his employees or Sub-contractor, which result in illness, injury or death.

Crawl spaces and attics are to be treated as confined space entry. Contractor must follow 29CFR

1910.146 and use VA furnished Form entitled Required Confined Space Entry Permit when making an entry. NOTE: A confined space does not include areas above suspended acoustical tile ceiling.

Where an employee can fall more than 6 feet, a fall protection system must be used; 29 CFR 1926.500 stipulates where this occurs and the different types of fall arrest systems. When the Contractor is working in buildings that are occupied by Government personnel, the Contractor must provide

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to the Contracting Officer before they begin the work.

All references to protection of the site and adjacent buildings when trenching, shall include protection of all employees also. Inspections, Tests and Reports. Required inspections, tests and reports made by the Contractor, Sub-contractor, specially trained technicians, equipment manufacturers and other as required, shall be at the Contractor’s expense. Materials and Equipment.

Special facilities, devices, equipment, clothing and similar items used by the Contractor in the execution of work shall comply with applicable regulations.

OSHA REQUIREMENTS

Contractors shall comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. This will include the safety and health standard found in Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910 and 1926. Copies of those standards can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20420.

In addition, contractors shall comply with other applicable medical center policies and safety regulations. These policies and regulations will be presented to the contractor at the preconstruction meeting.