P09_PWS_LOTO.doc

Performance Work Statement

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) VISN 1 Lockout-Tagout Standardization

1. General: The contracted firm shall provide all tools, supplies, materials, equipment, labor, supervision, transportation and management to develop and implement several elements of a comprehensive and standardized Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) program for the VA New England Healthcare System (VISN 1) consisting of eleven (11) VA Medical Center campuses. See attachment 1. Elements shall include identify and inventory all equipment requiring a LOTO procedure; write LOTO procedures to comply with OSHA regulations; provide standardized lockout equipment; provide training to applicable supervisors and employees; and provide a sustainable program for future changes, upgrades, additions, and deletions of equipment.

2. Background: All VA Medical Centers are required to comply with the same standards, directives, and regulations for LOTO, but program standardization within VHA or VISN 1 has never been required. Each Medical Center therefore developed their own individual LOTO program. These programs vary greatly in application and effectiveness which resulted in programmatic gaps and challenges for management and oversight.

3. Objectives: Standardize a single LOTO program for all Medical Centers in the VA New England Healthcare System.

4. Tasks: For each Medical Center and associated facilities listed in attachment 1, the contracted firm shall provide the following:

A. Definitions:

(1) Pieces of Equipment shall mean any and all equipment, machines, devices, utilities and assemblies.

(2) Discreet Procedures means one fully written LOTO procedure.

B. Coordination:

(1) The contracted firm’s employees shall communicate and coordinate activities, requirements, requests and support with the assigned Contractor Officer’s Representative (COR) and Technical Coordinators appointed from each facility. A list of Technical Coordinators and their respective contact information will be provided when the notice-to-proceed is issued.

(2) If requested by the contracted firm, the Technical Coordinator will provide the most current and available inventories of equipment requiring LOTO procedures and individual written procedures within five business days. For the purposes of this service, existing facility LOTO inventories and procedures provided by the facilities are not to be considered current, accurate, or compliant or constitute endorsement of any format, style, structure, or standards. They shall be provided only for reference and to assist the contractor during the assessment.

C. Equipment Assessment and Inventory:

(1) Identify all pieces of equipment which are required to be deenergized and locked-out or tagged-out in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.147, 29 CFR 1910.333 and 29 CFR 1926.417.

(2) List all pieces of equipment identified as per paragraph 4.C (1) above on an electronic inventory. See paragraph 4.H. for inventory format development. The electronic inventory shall include information required by the referenced regulations and the following as appropriate: equipment type, manufacturer, model number, series or modification, installed location (building, floor and room number or description), serial number, energy source type(s) and magnitude(s), and stored energy source type and magnitude.

(3) Assess, identify, and document as necessary the controls, lockout or tag out points, power sources, valves, magnitude of energy, and other elements of each piece of equipment on the inventory in order to write a full LOTO procedure in the approved format.

D. Lockout-Tagout Procedures:

(1) Write procedures to comply with 29 CFR 1910.147, 29 CFR 1910.333, 29 CFR 1926.417, NFPA 70E (most recent edition), and manufacturer’s guidance (if available) for each individual item identified in paragraph 4.A above but not to exceed the maximum number of discreet procedures listed in attachment 1.

(2) All procedures shall be written in the same format, font, colors, style and layout using Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel or other format or method approved by the Contracting Officer or COR.

(3) In addition to the minimum requirements for LOTO procedures, the vendor shall include the following:

a. A clear picture and/or accurate diagram of the equipment annotating the positions of all the switches, valves, buttons, etc. which were referenced in the text of the procedure.

b. List all the PPE an authorized employee is required to don as part of the test-before-touch step of the lockout procedure, 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(D).

c. Regarding equipment which contains steam, ensure the LOTO procedure includes the closure and lockout the first two upstream valves if reasonable. For example, if the second valve upstream is the pressure reducing valve (PRV) for an entire building then determine if removing steam pressure from the building is reasonable. This would most likely not be reasonable for a hospital building but may be acceptable in a small utility building without a critical need for steam.

d. Include a lockout procedure to shutoff and lockout steam to each building. Include the two-upstream-valve requirement as required in paragraph 4.B.(3) c.

(4) If allowed by the referenced regulations, one discreet procedure shall be written for several items on the LOTO inventory. However, that will count as one discreet procedure toward the maximum number of discreet procedures listed in attachment 1.

(5) Link each piece of equipment on the LOTO inventory with the associated LOTO procedure.

(6) All discrete isolation points on equipment, machines or in a system shall be assigned a unique number and identification (name, nomenclature or descriptive term). Individual isolation points used in multiple LOTO procedures shall solely be referred to by their respective unique number/identification.

(7) Mount a durable copy of LOTO procedures in the vicinity of each respective piece of equipment. Durable shall mean that they are capable of withstanding the expected environment without being damaged beyond the point of use for five years.

(8) Provide four binders containing paper copies of the respective inventories and all LOTO procedures to each facility. Provide electronic cloud copy to prevent data loss and editing of the master documents.

E. Lockout Devices:

(1) Provide 10 sets of standardized lockout devices to each Medical Center campus. Each set shall include one representative device for each of the different types of lockout devices required for each Medical Center. Each set shall include the necessary types of group lockout devices.

The standard for VISN lockout deceives shall be a predominantly red device with black and/or white trim colors and black, white, and/or red lettering if needed. The colors selected for the trim and lettering should be a combination to provide the best contrast to make any writing easy to read. Devices made from metal may contain exposed metal provided a significant portion of the device is red and the metal is not subject to destructive corrosion.

(2) Provide 40 lockout padlocks to each Medical Center campus. Each padlock is to be predominantly red in color, compatible with the provided lockout devices, and be keyed differently. At least three keys shall be provided with each padlock.

(3) Provide 100 standardized lockout tags to each Medical Center Campus. Lockout tags must be resistant to environmental elements which could damage them or render them illegible. The tags should be predominantly red or white and state “Danger” and “Do Not Operate”. The tags should have a section for the authorized person to write their name such that it won’t smudge, fade or wipe off during its use.

(4) All lockout devices, padlocks, and lockout tags shall be readily and commercially available from various vendors for easy reordering.

F. Tagout:

(1) Tagout procedures shall be prohibited unless there is no reasonable method to attach Lockout devices on specified pieces of equipment. In such cases, those pieces of equipment shall be highlighted and clearly annotated on the inventory.

(2) If Tagout procedures are necessary, then the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.147 shall strictly apply.

(3) If Tagout procedures are necessary, the same requirements as listed in paragraphs 4.B and 4.C shall be applied to the maximum extent possible. In addition, provide fifty Tagout devices to each Medical Center with Tagout procedures.

(4) Tagout devices shall meet same uniformity standards as delineated in paragraph 4.C above.

G. Training:

(1) Following the completion of the inventory and procedure writing for each Medical Center, provide training to appropriate supervisors and authorized employees at each Medical Center. The training shall meet the requirements of 1910.147(c)(7) and consist of:

(a) LOTO program requirements and procedures delineated in 29 CFR 1910.147, 29 CFR 1910.333, 29 CFR 1926.417, NFPA 70E (most recent edition).

(b) Electrical safety procedures and PPE as they pertain to LOTO operations. This shall include appropriate elements of 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I, 29 CFR 1910.339, and the listed references.

(c) Supervisory responsibilities with respect to LOTO program and operations.

(d) Employee responsibilities with respect to LOTO program and operations.

(e) Description and review of new LOTO procedures, devices, and inventory management.

(f) Training on the chosen LOTO management program or app for facility safety office staff, authorized employees, and their supervisors. The training shall be designed to make the students proficient daily users and administrators for every aspect of the program or app.

(g) Provide a LOTO train-the-trainer session for supervisors and VISN1 staff during the same day and not to interfere with other training events.

(2) Training shall consist of no more than 50 employees at each Medical Center campus. Classroom space will be provided by the Medical Centers and classroom requirements shall be coordinated between the facility’s Technical Coordinator, the COR and the contracted firm following the award of the contract.

(3) All training documents, hand-outs and devices shall be provided by the contracted firm.

(4) Training shall consist of one day at each campus.

(5) The training schedule shall be coordinated between the facility’s Technical Coordinator, the COR and the contracted firm following the award of the contract.

H. Deliverable Submissions:

(1) The contracted firm shall provide the samples, approved items, drafts and final copies listed in attachment 3 within the timeframes specified.

(2) All deliverable documents shall be submitted to the VISN COR and respective Technical Coordinator in draft form for review, comment and editing prior to final approval. See attachment 3.

(3) Proposed physical samples of each deliverable item shall be submitted to the VISN COR and respective Technical Coordinator for inspection, comment and final approval.

(4) The government shall have 10 business days after receipt to inspect and review each draft document and inspect physical sample.

(5) The Technical Coordinator and contractor’s employees assigned to the service may communicate directly to request clarifications on the draft documents. Ensure the VISN COR is copied on all correspondences.

(6) The VISN COR shall be contacted to address any unresolved issues between the Technical Coordinator and contractor’s employees with any draft documents prior to approval.

(7) Communications between the contracted firm’s employees and government employees shall not be construed as changes in the terms of this contract. Only the assigned VA Contracting Officer can authorize changes.

I. Program Management and Sustainability:

(1) Provide a LOTO management system which includes the following features at a minimum:

a. Unlimited editing and updating by VA employees.

b. Ability to correlate each piece of equipment on the LOTO equipment inventory with each respective procedure.

c. Provides awareness to each respective supervisors and program manager of upcoming required procedure reviews and maintain records of completed reviews.

d. Tracking, notifications and completion records for LOTO training and annual reviews of all authorized and affected employees.

e. A program auditing capability.

f. Simple and intuitive functions for users, managers and administrators.

g. LOTO program-specific electronic equipment shall not be required by the facilities, e.g. hand scanners, stand-alone tablets, special printers. Users, managers, and administrators must be able to access and use all program features with commonly available equipment.

(2) Proposed LOTO management systems, programs, apps and technological features such as QR codes, cloud storage, etc, shall be presented as part of the contract quote to determine compatibility with VA information technology network requirements. If proposed programs, apps, and other IT-related systems or hardware have not been previously approved by VA OIT then alternative solutions must be provided in the contract quote submission in order to remain viable and competitive. See paragraphs G(3), G(4), I(7), I(8) below.

(3) Unless otherwise approved by the COR or Contracting Officer, all draft and final documents shall be provided to the VISN 1 Capital Assets Manager, COR, and each respective Medical Center Technical Coordinator in a fully editable electronic format with unlimited access. VA employees shall have an unrestricted ability to edit documents in PDF format, MS Word, Excel, Power Point or other method, app, or program with prior approval by the COR or Contracting Officer.

(4) The LOTO management method, app, program, cloud, etc. shall not have any future fees for use or costs for updates; use shall be unrestricted for all VISN 1 employees.

J. Regulations, Standards and References: All final documents, equipment and procedures developed or provided by the contracted firm shall meet the requirements of applicable sections of the following references:

· 29 CFR 1910.147

· 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I

· 29 CFR 1910.333

· 29 CFR 1910.335

· 29 CFR 1926.417

· Relevant sections of 29 CFR 1910 related to the safe handling of hazardous machinery and equipment.

· NFPA 70

· NFPA 70E

· NFPA 99

· ANSI/ASSE Z244.1

· ANSI/ASSE Z117.1

· Respective manufacturers’ directions and instructions Note: For any conflicts between references, the Federal Regulations shall take precedence.

5. General Information:

A. Period of Performance: Service to be completed within one year of the notice-to-proceed date.

B. Hours of Operation: Contracted firm’s employees’ access to the facility shall be coordinated through the facility Technical Coordinator. The contracted firm is responsible for conducting business between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings.

C. Recognized Holidays: The contractor shall not have access to the facility on weekends or the following federal holidays:

New Year’s Day

Labor Day

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday

Columbus Day

President’s Day

Veteran’s Day

Memorial Day

Thanksgiving Day

Independence Day

Christmas Day

D. Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract shall be in engineering, boiler plant, utility, healthcare areas, administrative areas and meeting rooms located at the facilities listed in attachment 1.

E. Schedule: A full schedule based on attachment 3 shall be provided to the COR within 14 calendar days after the notice-to-proceed is issued. It is understood that many factors will affect the schedule throughout the period of performance, so the schedule shall be considered a working document and the need for changes will be anticipated. All proposed changes shall be coordinated and agreed upon by the Technical Coordinator, COR, and contracted firm.

F. On-site Visit Duration: Based on the not-to-exceed number of written procedures, estimated number of pieces of equipment requiring LOTO procedures, indoor floor area and number of buildings listed in attachment 1, the contracted firm shall provide a sufficient number of qualified employees to complete the assessment and inventory, as required by paragraph 4.B, of 45 pieces of equipment per day. Should the need arise for extra on-site days, the contracted firm shall submit a written or electronic mail request to the COR or Contracting Officer as soon as possible but no later than three business days prior to the scheduled completion of the on-site activities. Approval will be at the discretion of the Contracting Officer and will be based on factors such as availability of Technical Coordinators, additional costs incurred, concurrence of the affected facility, and other relevant information.

G. Security Requirements: The contracted firm’s employees shall report to the Medical Center VA Police Department, provide appropriate identification and documents, and clearly wear the issued badge while on site. They shall be accompanied by an authorized employee while in any VA facility to ensure safety, protection of sensitive data, and provide access into restricted and locked areas. Medical Centers will be responsible for providing the authorized employee with the appropriate access to the facilities and to coordinate the initial arrival of the firm’s employees at the VA Police Department.

H. Physical Security: The contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all government equipment, information and property provided for contractor use. At the close of each work period, government facilities, equipment, and materials shall be secured.

I. Information Security: At no time will the contracted firm or their employees have access to or connect any devices to the VA information network. Sensitive information shall not be recorded, obtained, or otherwise released by the contracted firm or their employees without express written consent of the Contracting Officer.

J. Data Rights: The Government has unlimited rights to all documents/material produced under this contract. All documents and materials, to include the source codes of any software, produced under this contract shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the Government. These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the contractor without written permission from the Contracting Officer. All materials supplied to the Government shall be the sole property of the Government and may not be used for any other purpose. This right does not abrogate any other Government rights.

K. Special Qualifications: The contractor shall demonstrate that all lead employees assigned to this service possess expert knowledge of 29 CFR 1910.147, 29 CFR 1910.333, 29 CFR 1926.417 and NFPA 70E requirements regarding energy control safety, a.k.a. Lockout Tag Out (LOTO). Demonstration of expert knowledge shall contain two or more of the following:

(a) Certified Safety Professional (CSP),

(b) Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH),

(c) Five or more years of documented experience instructing safety courses based on NFPA 70E and/or LOTO portions of 29 CFR 1910 and 1926 for accredited institutions,

(d) A Master Tradesperson (or equivalent) with experience working in industrial or healthcare facilities and using LOTO procedures.

(e) Five or more years as a Journeyman Tradesperson (or equivalent) working in industrial healthcare facilities and using LOTO procedures.

(f) Documented experience, training, or certifications which demonstrate equivalent levels of professionalism and aptitude.

The contractor shall ensure all employees possess working knowledge of utility systems on large, multi-building campuses and healthcare-related machinery and equipment that may require LOTO.

L. Special Precautions for COVID-19: Members of the contracted survey team shall be required to meet each facility’s precautionary requirements prior to entering. Requirements may include, but are not limited to, COVID testing, quarantine, vaccination, daily screening questionnaires, and wearing of face coverings. As the COVID-19 emergency continues to evolve, requirements for accessing VA healthcare facilities are expected to change. There is no reasonable method to predict future changes to requirements and therefore the contractor shall contact each facility prior to arrival to determine the current COVID protocols. If contracted employees are traveling from another State, it is strongly advised to verify the State’s travel requirements regarding COVID precautions such as testing and quarantine.

M. Precautions for hazardous substances: The abatement or remediation of hazardous chemicals/materials (e.g., asbestos containing materials (ACM), formaldehyde, fuels, lead-based paint (LBP), mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), solvents) are beyond the scope of this PWS, some of which are the subject of specific Federal, State and local regulations and require the use of VA Office of specific Construction and Facilities Management Service (CFM) Technical Information Library (TIL) specifications. Areas of suspected hazardous substances which may cause injurious exposures if disturbed shall be immediately vacated and reported to the facility’s point of contact, Safety Office, or COR.

N. Other Costs: The Proposed Price of this service is to be fully inclusive. Upon award of the contract, change orders and additional costs may only be committed and approved by a VA Contracting Officer. Statements made by any other VA employee shall not be considered change orders or commitments to additional costs by the VA.

O. Quality Control: Establish a quality control plan specifying standard for both performance and quality. The quality control plan shall be provided to the CO and COR. The CO and COR will conduct surveillance of the contractor’s performance to ensure products delivered achieve the standard or mitigation plans are put into place early to avoid corrective measures later in the contract period.

Order of completion priority and approximate scope of work required:

Medical Center campuses and associated addresses:

VA Boston Healthcare System

Brockton Campus

940 Belmont Street

Brockton MA 02401

VA Boston Healthcare System

Jamaica Plain Campus

150 South Huntington Ave

Boston MA 02130

VA Boston Healthcare System

West Roxbury Campus

1400 VFK Parkway

West Roxbury MA 02132

Bedford VA Medical Center

200 Springs Road

Bedford MA 01730

VA Connecticut Healthcare System

West Haven Campus

950 Campbell Ave

West Haven CT 06516

VA Connecticut Healthcare System

Newington Campus

555 Willard Ave

Newington CT 06111

Providence VA Medical Center

830 Chalkstone Ave

Providence RI 02908

VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System

421 North Main Street

Northampton MA 01053

Manchester VA Medical Center

718 Smyth Road

Manchester NH 03104

White River Junction VA Medical Center

215 North Main St

White River Junction VT 05009

VA Maine Healthcare System

1 VA Center

Augusta, ME 04330

DELIVERABLES SCHEDULE

NTP = Notice to Proceed “Days” refers to calendar days.

Example LOTO Management System demonstrating:

- equipment inventory document

- links correlating inventory line items to the proper LOTO procedures

- an ability to track and record annual procedures reviews an auditing capability

Provide once to COR