P02 MR RFI Notice DRAFT PD.docx

Request for Information 36C10B26Q0355

DRAFT PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

BIRMINGHAM MEDICAL CENTER

Brand Name or Equal Hillrom Voalte Nurse Call System

Date: April 9, 2026 PD Version Number: .01

Contents

PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Birmingham VA Health Care System (BVHCS) with a brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte nurse call system with code blue communication system, staging services, installation services, termination/testing/labeling of cables, warranty, and installation. The Contractor shall also provide server/switch implementation in the BVHCS main server room. The system shall integrate with the 107 Hillrom beds that are in use at the BVHCS. The contractor shall provide an installation plan for implementation of the new system and removal of the existing system.

Upon completion of installation, the Contractor shall provide an inventory of what was installed to include equipment type, location, manufacturer, model, and serial number.

The Contractor shall provide the following brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte products/services for each of the BVHCS locations:

SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS

The following are salient characteristics of a brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte nurse call system:

The brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte nurse call system shall not use middleware to interface bed data.

A brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte nurse call system shall be approved on the Medical Device Risk Assessment (MDERA).

A brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte nurse call systems with code blue communication system shall provide all information required below in a visual dashboard accessed via the workstations located at the nurse stations. The dashboard shall list the following required information:

· Patient room number

· Patient name or corresponding Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) compliant naming convention.

· Patient notes (ex. Hard of hearing, NPO (nothing by mouth), etc.)

· Risk Status: based on electronic medical records assessment (Fall Risk, Skin, Pulmonary) or manual entry

· Assigned staff

· Active calls

· Call wait times

· Rounding reminders that automatically reset based on caregiver presence

· Caregiver presence displays on Status Board, Dome Light illumination to signal staff for patient assistance according to the hospital’s pre-determined code comprised of lights and sounds, graphical stations

· Patient presence in bed

· Bed exit armed

· Brakes set

· Bed in low position

· Individual Side rails status, i.e., up/down

· Head of bed angle

· Patient weight

The brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte Nurse Call system shall include Room Control Boards (RCB) that can function in a standalone mode while experiencing loss-of-system communication and homerun or equivalent wiring topology.

PROJECT COORDINATION

The Contractor shall provide a Contractor Project Manager (CPM) who shall act as a liaison between the Contractor and the Government. The CPM shall be authorized by the Contractor to represent the Contractor in all activities.

The CPM shall ensure that the Contractor deliverables as set forth in this document meet the requirements of the PD and are delivered and installed. The CPM shall schedule ongoing meetings with the Government POCs as listed in Section 4 of this PD as needed throughout this effort. The CPM shall coordinate and hold a kick-off meeting for the effort no later than 60 days after award. The Contractor shall work with the Government POCs listed in Section 4 of this PD to ensure that the following are invited to the kickoff meeting: Delivery Date Coordinator, Implementation Manager, and Facility CIOs (or designee) to discuss delivery schedule requirements and facilitate delivery of equipment.

At the kick-off meeting, the Contractor shall provide a draft implementation project plan to the Government POC as listed in Section 4 of this PD no later than 30 days after award. The document will be used at the kick-off meeting as a basis for discussion. The CPM shall work with the Government to assure a common understanding of work to be performed and responsibilities. The Contractor shall maintain the implementation plan and update it based on environmental changes. The Government will review and approve the implementation plan. At the kick-off meeting the Government Delivery Date Coordinator, Implementation Manager, and Facility CIOs (or designee) will discuss delivery schedule requirements and facilitate delivery of equipment.

At a minimum, the implementation plan shall include:

· A list of Government and Contractor POCs and roles.

· System Documentation and low-level system design and high-level system design documentation. An initial draft shall be presented at the kick-off meeting to the Government POCs listed in PD Section 4 for review and approval.

· Project Management Schedule. The Implementation plan shall identify specific deployment tasks, milestones, and timelines.

· The project management schedule shall identify significant milestones to accomplish the requirements of this PWS. The requirements, including delivery schedule, shall be listed by conference room.

· Master Delivery Schedule. The Master Delivery Schedule shall identify all products/items to be delivered and the status. All products/items shipped shall include the date shipped and the serial number associated with each product/item, and the anticipated date for the Government to receive the product/item. The Master Delivery Schedule shall reference Shipment Reports. Shipment reports shall be submitted to the Government POCs listed in Section 4 of this PD. Shipment Reports shall be in Microsoft Excel Format and shall clearly identify each serial number of the equipment being delivered, i.e., only one serial number per cell.

· The contractor shall provide and maintain an accurate detailed Inventory List of the Contractor installed equipment and firmware including serial numbers, Equipment Entry (EE) Tag numbers, version release, and licenses.

· Risks or Issues: The implementation plan shall identify and document all risks or issues that are anticipated or arise during performance and recommend strategies to mitigate the identified risks.

· The contractor shall provide a Final Report to include a compilation all installation reports.

· The contractor shall provide Electronic PDF copy of “As built” drawings.

· The contractor shall provide a copy of final uncompiled Crestron Code and audio processor file.

The CPM shall work with the Government POCs identified in Section 4 of this PD to ensure that all installations are scheduled and performed with minimal interruption to patient care. The VA will make every effort to schedule installation during normal business hours, however there may be instances where night and weekend hours may be necessary to complete the installation to ensure that patient care is minimally impacted.

INSTALLATION AND CONFIGURATION

The Contractor shall remove and replace all components of the nurse call System including but not limited to the headend amplifier system, speakers, components, conductors, conduit, etc. located throughout the facilities.

The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, etc. necessary to replace the Nurse Call with Code Blue System in accordance with the PD, the contract documents, National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), local building codes, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1069 Standard for safety for hospital signaling and nurse call equipment, and VA and American Society of Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) facility standards.

Wiring infrastructure shall be installed by the contractor. The contractor shall then work with the Government to test system functionality prior to activating the rooms/areas. The Contractor shall obtain written notice from the Government’s Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) to proceed with activation of the room(s)/areas. Activation of room(s)/areas should only impact operations with a partial-day outage. The Contractor shall obtain written acceptance from the COR for each area/ward after activation.

In accordance with VA Handbook 6513, the brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte Nurse Call system shall have a VA approved Memorandum of Understand/Interconnection Security Agreement (MOU/ISA) E-5326 in place with VA that allows remote access to the Virtual Servers planned to be installed.

All materials and/or equipment necessary for complete and proper operation of the brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte Nurse Call system, even if not specifically mentioned in this document, shall be deemed part of the contract.

All equipment shall be installed and connected in strict accordance with the Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (OEM) recommended instructions.

The Contractor shall ensure all hallways and walkways are clear of construction materials and debris upon departure, including packing materials.

The Contractor shall be responsible for disposal of all packing materials and shall remove them from the facility. Dumpsters on campus may be used with prior approval to dispose of debris and packaging materials.

The Contractor shall adhere to standards of good cable management, including bundling and labeling all cables.

The contractor shall provide installation of all products for the brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte Nurse Call system with code blue system to function as intended.

The Contractor shall travel to the installation sites, as listed in Section 1.X of this PD, to complete the tasks in this PD. Any necessary travel shall be included in the installation price.

The contractor shall connect the brand name or equal Nurse Call system to the VA network on Medical Device-Legacy Information Technology Environment (MD-LITE).

The Contractor shall deliver and install all components of the brand name or equal Nurse Call system and complete connections to the servers provided for this system. The Contractor shall configure all hardware and software, update any embedded firmware required for activation or network connection. The Contractor shall test/inspect the system after installation to ensure the brand name or equal Nurse Call system functions as intended and ensure proper operation. The Contractor shall ensure the installation and configuration align with the Original Equipment Manufacturer specifications. The Contractor shall provide the manufacturer’s standard warranty for the system installed.

No work at the Government site shall take place on Federal holidays, weekends, or outside of normal business hours unless directed by the Contracting Officer (CO).

Tasks under this PD shall be performed at the following VA facility:

Birmingham VA Healthcare System

TRAINING

The Contractor shall coordinate and provide training sessions to ensure VA staff have the product knowledge and skills necessary to both use and keep the brand name or equal Nurse Call system functioning as intended to ensure reliable communication and patient safety.

The Contractor shall provide on-site clinical training for end users and technical training for HTM/Biomed staff who are responsible for maintaining the system.

Clinical training shall use a “train the trainer” approach and include the following:

· Product overview

· Alarm prioritization

· Patient education

· Call types

· Integrated system functionality

· Workflow and protocols

· Reporting and data analytics

· How to operate the system.

Technical training shall include the following:

· Product overview

· Specific equipment installed

· General system operation

· How to troubleshoot common issues

· How to perform required maintenance

The Contractor shall provide quick reference sheets for the training sessions that the Government can use in the future to train new clinical staff.

WARRANTY, MAINTENANCE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT

The Contractor shall provide the brand name or equal Hillrom Voalte manufacturer’s warranty at no additional cost to the Government for a period of 12 months, commencing upon Government acceptance of all products/services herein. The Contractor shall ensure all installation and services provided comply with the OEM’s warranty requirements.

The Contractor shall be certified by the OEM to perform all installation, configuration, warranty, and maintenance and technical support services.

The warranty shall include maintenance and technical support for the brand name or equal Nurse Call system 24 hours a day x 7 days a week x 365 days a year, including:

· Unlimited phone support.

· On-site service if the contractor cannot resolve the issue during phone support.

Maintenance and technical support shall include:

· All firmware major and minor releases, patches, bug fixes, to ensure the firmware, firmware (if included) and equipment function as intended.

· Rapid telephone support response time of no longer than two hours

· On-site response time within 24 hours

· Help Desk support

· Expedited freight if replacement is required

· All parts, equipment, labor, and travel required to ensure the brand name or equal Nurse Call system function as intended

NOTICE OF THE FEDERAL ACCESSIBILITY LAW AFFECTING ALL INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) PROCUREMENTS (SECTION 508)

On January 18, 2017, the Access Board issued a final rule that updated accessibility requirements covered by Section 508 and refreshed guidelines for telecommunications equipment subject to Section 255 of the Communications Act. The final rule went into effect on January 18, 2018. The revisions and updates to the Section 508-based standards and Section 255-based guidelines are intended to ensure that information and communication technology (ICT) covered by the respective statutes is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

SECTION 508 – INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) STANDARDS

The Section 508 standards established by the Access Board are incorporated into, and made part of all VA orders, solicitations and purchase orders developed to procure ICT. These standards are found in their entirety at: Revised 508 Standards and 255 Guidelines (access-board.gov). A single PDF file version of the Revised Section 508 Standards and 255 Guidelines will be supplied upon request, or can be obtained from the Access Board website. Federal agencies must comply with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

The Contractor shall comply with “508 Chapter 2: Scoping Requirements” for all electronic ICT and content delivered under this contract. Specifically, as appropriate for the technology and its functionality, the Contractor shall comply with the technical standards marked here:

COMPATABILITY WITH ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

The standards do not require installation of specific accessibility-related SOFTWARE or attachment of an assistive technology device. Section 508 requires that ICT be compatible with such SOFTWARE and devices so that ICT can be accessible to and usable by individuals using assistive technology, including but not limited to screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech recognition SOFTWARE.

ACCEPTANCE AND ACCEPTANCE TESTING

Deliverables resulting from this solicitation will be accepted based in part on satisfaction of the Section 508 Chapter 2: Scoping Requirements standards identified above.

The Government reserves the right to test for Section 508 Compliance before delivery. The Contractor shall be able to demonstrate Section 508 Compliance upon delivery.

SHIPMENT OF HARDWARE OR EQUIPMENT

Inspection: Destination Acceptance: Destination Free on Board (FOB): Destination

Ship To and Mark For: The Government’s Primary Point of Contact (POC) and Alternate POC To Be Provided (TBP) at award.

Government Primary POC:

Name: TBP Address: TBP Telephone: TBP Email: TBP

Government Alternate POC:

Name: TBP Address: TBP Telephone: TBP Email: TBP

SPECIAL SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS

Contractors shall coordinate all deliveries with the COR and POCs in section 4.0 of this PD before sending any shipments to ensure timely receipt and adequate storage space will be available.

Prior to shipping, Contractor shall notify the COR and POCs in section 4.0 by email, of all incoming deliveries.

All shipments, either single or multiple container deliveries, shall bear the VA IFCAP Purchase Order number on external shipping labels and associated manifests or packing lists. In the case of multiple container deliveries, a statement readable near the VA Integrated Funds Distribution, Control Point Activity, Accounting and Procurement (IFCAP) Purchase Order (PO) or Contract number shall indicate total number of containers for the complete shipment (e.g. “Package 1 of 2”), clearly readable on manifests and external shipping labels.

Packing Slips/Labels and Lists shall also include the following:

IFCAP PO #: See block #20 of the Standard Form, SF 1449

Project Description: Brand Name or Equal Hillrom Voalte Nurse Call System

Total number of Containers: Package ___ of ___. (e.g., Package 1 of 3)

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

VA TECHNICAL REFERENCE MODEL

The Contractor shall comply with the VA OIT Technical Reference Model (VA TRM). Compliance with the VA TRM is achieved by using only technologies and standards that are listed as approved for use in the VA TRM. The Contractor shall provide all necessary information requested by VA to ensure TRM approval is obtained prior to use on VA’s network.

ZERO TRUST – VA CRITICAL SECURITY CONTROLS

VA has established minimum mandatory security requirements and requires that any network connected SOFTWARE system or service must meet the VA Critical Security Controls as outlined in the VA Memorandum, “VA Security Controls”, https://www.voa.va.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DocumentID=5010. VA Critical Security Controls identify the minimum mandatory requirements that must be implemented across all VA enterprise infrastructure, cloud computing environments, information systems, networks, and specialized devices (medical devices/systems, special-purpose systems, and research scientific computing devices) that process, store, and/or transmit VA data. Effective July 1, 2025, the Contractor shall implement these VA Critical Security Controls, within any network connected SOFTWARE system or service prior to being authorized for use in the VA. This functional requirement is not negotiable, and Plan of Action & Milestones (POAM) will not be accepted in the event these controls cannot be implemented for new systems. Critical Security Controls are intended to increase VA’s security posture and provide security and privacy risk visibility into the VA network and is not a new requirement. The Contractor’s failure to maintain these VA Critical Controls after implementation will result in VA discontinuing the use of the system.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN) REDUCTION

The Contractor solution shall support the Social Security Number (SSN) Fraud Prevention Act (FPA) of 2017 which prohibits the inclusion of SSNs on any document sent by mail. The Contractor support shall also be performed in accordance with Section 240 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) 2018, enacted March 23, 2018, which mandates VA to discontinue using SSNs to identify individuals in all VA information systems as the Primary Identifier. The Contractor shall ensure that any new IT solution discontinues the use of SSN as the Primary Identifier to replace the SSN with the Integrated Control Number (ICN) in all VA information systems for all individuals. The Contractor shall ensure that all Contractor delivered applications and systems integrate with the VA Master Person Index (MPI) for identity traits to include the use of the ICN as the Primary Identifier.