Food Locker PWS DRAFT.docx

Product Description The Department of Veterans Affairs Food Security Office Food Locker Programming

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Rural Food Locker Program

GENERAL OVERVIEW

The Department of Veterans Affairs Food Security Office’s (FSO) vision is to create an environment where all Veterans are food and nutrition secure. The mission of the Food Security Office is to provide resources to VA healthcare systems through partnerships, data management, and research and education to support an interdisciplinary approach to ensure Veteran food security. FSO is organizationally situated within the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services. VHA FSO is partnering with the Office of Rural Health (ORH) to expand food locker programing. FSO is advancing a West Palm Beach proof of concept to expand food locker programming across five rural and highly rural sites. The Enterprise-Wide Initiative (EWI) uses an interdisciplinary framework designed to connect Veterans with reliable food resources and comprehensive wraparound services that address health related social needs.

Food lockers are secure food distribution sites for Veterans who are experiencing food insecurity so that they may access healthy food, especially for Veterans who cannot reach traditional food pantries during limited hours or who face transportation, stigma, or scheduling barriers. Veterans enrolled in the Food Locker Program have been screened positive for food insecurity and have diet related diseases. The Veterans will be given a “prescription” for medically tailored groceries to be placed in a locker providing accessibility to the Veteran in a dignified, convenient manner The lockers will properly store perishable and non-perishable items for Veterans that are food insecure and/or at risk for food insecurity. The system is intended to expand access to nutritious foods to Veterans by having a secure storage system to prevent food from spoiling. This unit will be accessible twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. This decreases barriers such as a Veteran’s work schedule or transportation. The food lockers allow for customization options for medically tailored groceries to promote food medicine programming. Dietitians can prescribe customized grocery bags to address diet related diseases to include but not limited to cardiovascular grocery bags and diabetes grocery bags.

Definitions

· Medically tailored groceries – groceries developed by Registered Dietitian Nutritionists to meet the specific nutritional needs of patient with diet sensitive conditions.

· Food Locker – a temperate controlled storage solution designed to provide convenient access to nutritious food for those in need.

· Food Insecurity – A lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life or a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.

· Diet related disease - A diet-related disease refers to any condition that arises from nutritional imbalances, including deficiencies or excesses in the diet. The most addressed conditions in nutrition programming include diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Nationwide

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance shall be five years from the date of the award.

Requirements

1. Food Lockers The contractor must furnish all materials, transportation, and expertise necessary to provide a properly installed and functioning smart locker food system that meets the following saliant characteristics:

a. Single point connection of a 220 Volt Single Phase (4) wire circuit for each terminal.

b. Dual temperature control lockers (the ability to freeze and refrigerate).

c. Cellular connection capabilities.

d. Complies with American with Disabilities Act (ADA) easy and secure access.

e. Touchscreen.

f. Minimum of 12 large lockers.

g. Department of Energy Compliant which ensures that lockers are energy- efficient and high performing.

h. Meets National Sanitation Foundation standards to ensure sanitary and safe storage.

i. Includes all software license and support, cloud hosting, and temperature monitoring as applicable

j. Must have the option to for the exterior to be wrapped with VA-approved designed logo.

k. Warranty must include all parts and labor.

l. User authentication; A single, reusable ID or PIN per participant.

m. Not have any requirement for smartphones or apps.

n. Whall be Underwriter Laboratory (UL) approved and must at a minimum meet the following specifications:

i. Ability to indicate power failure.

ii. Apply hysteresis rules to protect food quality.

iii. Ensure users with mobility limitations can complete pickups independently.

iv. Ability to segment lockers.

v. All electrically powered equipment used in performance of this contract shall be UL approved and shall be the most recently developed in the field at the time of use.

2. Emergency Services

a. Emergency services for when an equipment malfunction or natural disaster may threaten a Veteran’s health. The contractor shall have a well-established communication system as well as a disaster and emergency preparedness plan, providing 24-hour emergency services and the ability to provide services within a maximum of two hours of a call.

b. Contractor shall provide a written emergency management plan in compliance with Joint Commission Standards. At the time of set up, contractor shall provide beneficiaries with a telephone number to call if there are any questions or additional information is required, and instructions for what to do in a natural disaster or other emergency.

3. Initial Set-Up and Maintenance

a. Initial setup shall include delivery, installation, and education for VA staff on proper equipment use.

b. The contractor shall coordinate all delivery arrangements with point of contact at each facility.

c. All repairs shall be performed by a contractor who has been certified by the contractor to perform the repairs.

d. The contractor shall maintain units and make timely repairs throughout the period of performance of each order.

e. The contractor shall ensure all local, state, and federal laws and regulations are followed when installing the lockers on VA property.

4. Reports

a. Annually, the contractor shall submit a Periodic Performance Review for all contracted services to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) within 90 days of the end of each performance year.

5. Assessment Requirements

a. The contractor shall assess the proposed installation site to ensure safety and accessibility, including verification of adequate electrical outlets.

6. Employee Certification

a. The contractor shall develop, maintain, and make available for review, education and training to VA employees at the time of locker installation.

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7. Qualifications of Contractor Personnel

a. Contractor will notify VA of any change in accreditation status within three days of any status change.

b. Contractor will have on file a current criminal background check for each employee assigned to VA’s contract.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

It shall be understood that throughout performance of the contract, the contractor’s personnel, while on VA property or Veteran beneficiary properties, shall adhere to all requirements and regulations that govern the VA Health Care System.

Contractor and their personnel shall follow all U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) policies, standard operating procedures, applicable laws, and applicable regulations while on VA property and Veteran beneficiary property. Violations of this may result in citation and disciplinary measures for persons violating the law.

Contractors and their personnel shall wear visible identification at all times while they are on VA property and Veteran beneficiary property.

Possession of weapons is prohibited while on VA property or Veteran beneficiary property.

Contractor shall take all reasonable precautions necessary to protect persons and property from injury or damage during the performance of this contract.