P09 - DRAFT - Pest Control Service - Performance Work Statement.docx

VA Iowa City Health Care System | Integrated Pest Management

B.2 – DRAFT - PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

1. Background The Iowa City VA Health Care System (VACIHCS), located at 601 Highway 6 West, Iowa City, Iowa 52246, requires comprehensive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) services for the medical center campus, associated buildings, tunnels, and grounds. The purpose of this requirement is to maintain a safe, sanitary, and compliant health-care environment through a proactive, inspection-driven program that prevents, identifies, suppresses, and eliminates pest activity while minimizing pesticide use and disruption to patient care and facility operations.

2. Scope of Work The Contractor shall furnish all management, supervision, trained personnel, labor, materials, tools, supplies, equipment, transportation, and documentation necessary to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive IPM program for the premises identified in the exhibits.

IPM is a process for achieving long-term, environmentally sound pest suppression through coordinated inspection, monitoring, trapping, exclusion, sanitation recommendations, targeted pesticide application, and pest removal. The Contractor shall provide complete service for the buildings and grounds identified in Exhibits 1 and 2 and shall provide detailed, site-specific recommendations for structural and procedural modifications that aid pest prevention.

Services shall protect the health and general well-being of patients, staff, and visitors. The Contractor shall continue appropriate control and follow-up efforts until identified infestations are eliminated or brought under control to the Government's satisfaction.

3. Type of Contract The contract type, line-item structure, ordering procedures, and any option periods shall be established in the solicitation and resulting contract. All quantities and frequencies stated in this PWS are estimates unless expressly identified as minimum requirements; the Government will pay only for services ordered, received, and accepted.

4. Site Visit and Questions Site-visit instructions, if applicable, and the deadline and method for submitting questions will be provided in the solicitation. Prospective contractors shall direct solicitation questions only to the Contracting Officer. Government technical personnel are not authorized to modify the solicitation or bind the Government.

5. Place and Period of Performance

5.1 Place of Performance

Iowa City VA Health Care System 601 Highway 6 West Iowa City, Iowa 52246

5.2 Period of Performance

The period of performance and any option periods shall be stated in the solicitation and resulting contract.

6. Government Point of Contact The Government will appoint a Point of Contact (POC), also referred to in this PWS as the Iowa City Technical Representative, at or after award. The POC will provide routine technical coordination, monitor performance, coordinate access, inspect services, and verify receipt and acceptance. The POC is not authorized to change the contract's scope, price, terms, or conditions. Only the Contracting Officer may make contractual changes.

Government POC: See award documentation for the appointed representative and contact information.

7. Contractor Point of Contact The Contractor shall designate a primary POC and an alternate POC with authority to act on all matters relating to daily contract performance. The Contractor shall provide their names, telephone numbers, email addresses, and the office contact information used for routine and emergency service calls. At least one Contractor POC shall be available during normal business hours and for required callbacks.

8. Scheduling and Post-Award Walkthrough The Contractor shall submit a proposed service schedule to the Government POC no later than the contract start date. Routine visits should occur on consistent days and times agreed upon by both parties. Additional visits shall be coordinated with the Government POC. Work outside agreed-upon hours requires advance approval.

Upon award, VACIHCS will provide the Contractor's supervisor a campus walkthrough and orientation concerning the facility's IPM regimen. The Contractor is responsible for training its primary, backup, replacement, and temporary technicians. VACIHCS is not responsible for repeatedly training Contractor personnel.

When weather or site conditions make scheduled exterior work unsafe or environmentally unsuitable, the Contractor shall coordinate a replacement date and time with the Government POC at no additional cost to the Government.

9. Applicable Standards and Regulatory Requirements The Contractor shall perform all services in accordance with applicable Federal, State of Iowa, and local laws and regulations; VA policies; pesticide labels; and recognized pest-management good practices. Requirements include, as applicable, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, the VA Green Environmental Management System (GEMS), and current VHA environmental and facilities-management guidance.

The Contractor shall comply with all requirements governing licensing and certification of pest-control personnel, use of approved pesticides and equipment, protection of building occupants, and lawful disposal of pesticide products, containers, carcasses, and contaminated materials.

10. Integrated Pest Management Plan and Specifications The Contractor shall submit a site-specific IPM plan for Government POC review and approval before implementation. The plan shall address the interior and exterior of all covered buildings, tunnels, and grounds and shall integrate the following activities:

Inspect covered areas to determine pest activity, contributing conditions, and appropriate control measures.

Recommend environmental sanitation and operational practices that restrict or eliminate pest food, water, harborage, and access.

Select and use non-chemical control methods that eliminate, exclude, or repel pests, including traps, insect light traps, caulking, screening, and other exclusion methods.

Use the least-toxic and most environmentally sound effective pesticide when chemical control is necessary and authorized.

Control general structural arthropod pests, including cockroaches, ants, carpet beetles, spiders, carpenter ants, and carpenter bees.

Control flying insect pests, including house flies, stable flies, blow flies, and similar pests.

Control lice, bed bugs, fleas, mites, ticks, bees, wasps, mosquitoes, and similar pests.

Control stored-product pests, including grain beetles, flour beetles, Trogoderma beetles, and grain moths. Fumigation is excluded unless separately authorized.

Control mice and rats using the trapping and bait-station requirements in this PWS.

Control pest birds and other vertebrate pests, including bats, squirrels, raccoons, gophers, moles, skunks, snakes, and rabbits, using lawful and humane methods.

Evaluate control measures through documented follow-up inspections and take corrective action when results are inadequate.

Install and maintain insect light traps (ILTs), including replacement of sticky traps. Locations shall be determined during the initial walkthrough and documented in Exhibit 4.

Treat facility drains with appropriate liquid bacteria and enzymes to digest organic buildup.

Treat the exterior perimeter of all covered buildings at least annually, and more often as needed, using an appropriate application extending approximately three feet up and three feet out from the base of the buildings, consistent with product labeling and site conditions.

10.1 Bed Bug Detection and Treatment

The Contractor shall provide certified bed bug detection dog(s) and qualified handler(s) to inspect the specified areas once each month, plus up to six additional on-demand dog inspections per year. Before service, the Contractor shall provide the Government POC copies of current certifications for each dog and handler.

The Contractor shall treat areas identified through inspection using appropriate methods, including heat treatment and pesticide treatment when appropriate and approved. Heat treatment shall be provided on demand up to two times per year, as reflected in Exhibit 3.

10.2 Indoor Trapping and Rodent Control

As a general rule, rodent control inside occupied buildings shall be accomplished with trapping devices. Traps shall be routinely cleaned, maintained, and checked on a schedule approved by the Government POC. The Contractor shall remove and dispose of trapped rodents and carcasses off-site in an appropriate and lawful manner.

Interior rodenticides may be used only in exceptional circumstances when essential for adequate control and only with prior approval from the Government POC. Rodenticides shall be inaccessible to children, patients, pets, wildlife, and other non-target organisms or placed in EPA-compliant tamper-resistant bait boxes. Exterior applications should emphasize direct treatment of rodent burrows when feasible.

10.3 Bait Boxes and Trap Log

Bait-box service frequency shall reflect the level of infestation. All bait boxes shall be maintained in accordance with EPA requirements and the following controls:

Place boxes out of general view where routine operations will not disturb them.

Securely lock or fasten all lids.

Anchor each box to the floor, ground, wall, or another immovable surface.

Place bait only in the baffle-protected feeding chamber, never in the runway.

Label the inside of each box with the Contractor's business name and address and date it at installation and each servicing.

The Contractor shall maintain an electronic system, preferred, or paper log of all bait stations and traps showing location, placement date, service date, and activity. The Government shall have access to this log upon request.

11. Initial Building Inspection The Contractor shall complete a thorough initial inspection of each covered building and site at least five working days before the contract start date, unless the Contracting Officer approves another schedule. The inspection shall evaluate pest-control needs and identify problem areas, equipment, structural features, sanitation conditions, and management practices that contribute to infestations. Access shall be coordinated with the Government POC, who will identify restricted areas and special scheduling requirements.

12. Contractor Personnel and Applicator Qualifications Throughout contract performance, all Contractor personnel performing on-site pesticide application shall maintain current certification as Commercial Pesticide Applicators in the category or categories required by the State of Iowa for industrial, institutional, structural, and health-related pest control. Uncertified individuals shall not apply pesticides under this contract.

The Contractor shall provide copies of required applicator certifications to the Government POC before personnel begin work. The Contractor shall assign a primary technician to promote continuity of service and maintain qualified supervisory coverage for backup, replacement, and temporary personnel.

Contractor personnel are employees of the Contractor and shall not be considered Government employees. The Contractor is solely responsible for supervision, compensation, benefits, insurance, employee protection, and compliance with applicable labor and safety requirements.

13. Badging, Security, Identification, and Parking Before beginning work, the Contractor shall provide the Government POC a list of personnel expected to enter VA facilities. Contractor personnel shall comply with all VA security policies, screening requirements, rules, regulations, and procedures. Personnel who cannot satisfy applicable access or clearance requirements shall not perform work under this contract.

Contractor personnel shall check in as directed and obtain required access badges from VA Police or the designated issuing office. Badges shall be safeguarded, displayed facing forward at or above the waist, and returned as directed. Lost, stolen, or damaged badges shall be reported immediately.

Contractor personnel shall wear visible company identification, park only in designated areas, and coordinate parking questions with the Government POC. The Government does not validate or reimburse parking violations. Tobacco use and possession of weapons are prohibited except as permitted by VA policy. Containers, including tool kits, may be subject to inspection. Violations may result in removal from the facility or other enforcement action.

14. Hours of Operation and Federal Holidays Normal business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. Some tasks may require performance outside normal hours as shown in Exhibit 3 or as coordinated with the Government POC. Treatment of food-service, patient-care, research, surgical, and other specialized areas shall be scheduled in advance with the Government POC.

The following Federal holidays are observed:

New Year's Day Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday Washington's Birthday (Presidents Day) Memorial Day Juneteenth National Independence Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day Any other day specifically declared a Federal holiday by the President of the United States will also be observed. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is normally observed; when it falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is normally observed.

15. Callback Requirements Emergent Calls. Within two hours after notification by the Contracting Officer or authorized designee, the Contractor shall return the call, coordinate the response, and schedule IPM services needed to correct the emergent condition. Callback service shall be provided at no additional charge to the Government.

Non-Emergent Calls. The Contractor shall respond and report within the timeframe mutually agreed upon with the Government POC for unscheduled, non-emergent services, at no additional charge to the Government.

Retreatment. When a previously treated area demonstrates inadequate control, the Contractor shall promptly submit a corrective plan and retreat the area as directed, at no additional charge to the Government.

16. Restrictions on Pest-Control Materials Use only products registered and labeled for the intended application and permitted by applicable law and VA requirements.

Obtain Government POC approval before using rodenticides, traps, or pesticides in restricted or sensitive locations.

Provide current product labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS), including trade name, chemical name, active ingredients, application strength, EPA registration information, and emergency/antidote information, before initial use and whenever products change.

Do not mix or prepare pesticides inside VA buildings unless specifically approved and permitted by product labeling and applicable requirements.

Keep Contractor vehicles containing pesticides, traps, or application equipment locked and secured while on VA grounds.

Do not dispose of pesticides, containers, carcasses, or pesticide-contaminated materials on VA property except as expressly directed by the Government POC or GEMS representative.

17. Removal of Dead Animals and Droppings The Contractor shall recover and lawfully dispose of trapped, dead, or dying pests and animals, including rodents, birds, bats, and other vertebrates, during each service visit and whenever reported and directed by the Government POC. Removal shall include appropriate cleanup of associated droppings or contaminated material when within the scope of pest-control response and shall be performed using suitable personal protective equipment and infection-control precautions.

18. Storage and Disposal No pest-control materials or equipment shall be stored at a VA facility while the operator is absent unless the Government POC provides express written approval. The Contractor shall not dispose of excess pesticides, pesticide containers, or contaminated materials on medical-center premises except as specifically authorized by the Government POC or GEMS representative. The Contractor remains responsible for all lawful off-site transportation and disposal.

19. Contractor Reporting Contractor personnel shall sign in at the beginning of each work period and sign out at completion at the location designated by the Government POC. Upon sign-in, the Contractor shall provide a tentative itinerary for approval.

After each scheduled or unscheduled service, the Contractor shall submit a service report that includes, at a minimum:

Name and business address of the individual who performed the inspection or service.

Date and time of service and each location inspected, identified by building, area, and room number when applicable.

Condition and evaluation of each inspected area and observed pest activity.

Areas treated, target pest(s), and treatment method.

Pesticide brand name, manufacturer, EPA registration number, application rate or amount, and total area treated.

Trap, bait-station, ILT, drain-treatment, and bed-bug inspection activity, as applicable.

Recommendations for sanitation, exclusion, structural repair, or operational changes.

Follow-up actions required, responsible party when known, and proposed completion date.

The Contractor shall supply, complete, and submit all other reports required by Federal, State, or local law and all contract-related reports reasonably requested by the Government.

20. Special Provisions for Sensitive Areas

20.1 Food-Handling Areas

Treat food-handling areas only when food is not being held, processed, prepared, or served and when the area is not occupied by facility employees. Contractor personnel shall not enter an elevator occupied by food-service equipment while carrying pesticides or application equipment.

20.2 Patient-Occupied Areas

Use products and methods with the lowest practical volatility and odor and coordinate treatment to protect patients, visitors, and staff, including individuals with special health needs.

20.3 Critical Areas

Before applying pesticides in critical areas, the Contractor shall submit the proposed products and methods to the Government POC for approval. No substitution shall be made without approval. Critical areas include, as applicable:

Pharmacy Research facilities Operating rooms Intensive care units Respiratory-care areas Sterile Processing Service (SPS) Cardiac catheterization and interventional radiology laboratories When space treatment is authorized in a critical area, the Contractor shall use only an approved method and equipment consistent with the product label, applicable law, infection-control requirements, and the Government-approved treatment plan.

21. Interference with Normal Functions Contractor personnel shall interrupt, postpone, or relocate work whenever necessary to avoid interfering with patient care; facility operations; utility or fire-protection systems; or passage of patients, personnel, equipment, and carts. Work shall resume only when coordinated with the Government POC or responsible facility representative.

22. Structural Modifications and Recommendations Throughout performance, the Contractor shall advise the Government POC of structural, sanitary, and procedural modifications that could reduce pest food, water, harborage, or access. The Contractor remains responsible for adequate pest suppression regardless of whether the Government implements a recommendation. Structural repairs are not included unless separately authorized. Minor caulking or sealing may be performed only with prior Government POC approval.

23. Program Evaluation, Quality Control, and Acceptance

23.1 Government Evaluation and Acceptance

The Government POC will continually evaluate contract progress, effectiveness, safety, reporting, and compliance. The Contractor shall promptly correct identified deficiencies. The Government POC is responsible for technical inspection and acceptance; final contractual authority remains with the Contracting Officer.

23.2 Contractor Quality Control Program

No later than five working days before the contract start date, the Contractor shall submit a complete quality-control plan to the Contracting Officer. At a minimum, the plan shall include:

Inspection System: A system covering every required service and designed to detect and correct deficiencies before performance becomes unacceptable.

Checklist: A quality-control checklist covering each serviced building or site and each required task, for use during scheduled and unscheduled inspections.

Quality-Control File: Records of all Contractor inspections and corrective actions, maintained throughout the contract and available to the Government upon request.

Inspector(s): Names and roles of the individuals responsible for quality-control inspections.

24. Safety Requirements The Contractor shall take all precautions reasonably necessary to protect patients, visitors, VA employees, Contractor personnel, property, and the environment. The Contractor shall comply with product labels, SDS requirements, applicable OSHA standards, facility infection-control and life-safety requirements, and directions issued by the Contracting Officer or authorized designee. The Contractor shall immediately report spills, exposures, injuries, property damage, and unsafe conditions and shall promptly correct any identified noncompliance.

25. Records Management and Privacy Contractor records created, received, maintained, or delivered in performance of this contract may constitute Federal records. The Contractor shall comply with applicable Federal records-management laws and regulations, VA records policies, the Privacy Act of 1974, the Freedom of Information Act, and National Archives and Records Administration requirements.

The Contractor shall protect non-public information; limit disclosure to authorized personnel with a need to know; immediately notify the Contracting Officer of inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure, loss, alteration, or destruction; and shall not remove, retain, sell, disseminate, or destroy Government records except as authorized in writing and permitted by applicable records schedules. These requirements shall flow down to applicable subcontracts.

26. Invoicing Invoices shall be submitted monthly in arrears in accordance with the contract's invoicing instructions. All VACIHCS services performed during the month shall be consolidated on one monthly invoice, with separate contract line items identified as applicable. The Contractor shall not submit separate invoices during the same month for bed bug treatment, detection-dog services, heat treatment, or other covered services unless the Contracting Officer authorizes otherwise.

Payment Remittance: Submit electronic invoices through the system identified in the contract and current VA invoicing instructions. Contractor support information will be provided in the solicitation or award documentation.

EXHIBIT 1 - AREAS TO BE SERVICED

Iowa City VA Health Care System, 601 Highway 6 West, Iowa City, Iowa 52246

EXHIBIT 2 - CAMPUS MAP

EXHIBIT 3 - TASK AND FREQUENCY CHART

EXHIBIT 4 - INSECT LIGHT TRAP LOCATIONS

Spreadsheet information shall be completed during or after the initial walkthrough. Venus ILT locations will be documented below or in an approved electronic attachment.

END OF PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

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