PWS -Leabnon PA- Pest Control Services Draft.docx

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES

LEBANON VETERAN AFFAIRS (VA) MEDICAL CENTER

1. BACKGROUND

1.1 The Lebanon VA Medical Center (LVAMC) and its VA Community Clinics (VACC) have an obligation to provide a safe and hazard free environment to patients, visitors, staff, and stakeholders which involves an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for rodent, wildlife, and pest control. Integrated Pest Management Services involve the implementation of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan which will achieve long term environmental sound pest suppression using a wide variety of technological mechanisms and management practices. The IPM must properly mitigate and address the pest infestations that are occurring (or that are expected to occur) at the facility.

2. OBJECTIVES

2.1 The primary objective is to deliver and provide the necessary material as well as render the necessary service to accomplish the vision of this acquisition by:

2.1.1 Providing qualified Pest Control Professionals and implementing a plan for the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for rodents, wildlife, and pest control.

2.1.2 Complying with VHA DIRECTIVE 1850.02, all federal, state, and local regulations set forth by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

3. GENERAL INFORMATION

3.1 PERFORMANCE PERIOD: The expected Period of Performance for this contract is a base year (of 12 months) and (4) option years (that are 12 months each). Option year renewals may or may not be exercised (based on needs of and at the discretion of) the U.S. Government.

· Base: December 21, 2025 through December 20, 2026

· Option 1: December 21, 2026 through December 20, 2027

· Option 2: December 21, 2027 through December 20, 2028

· Option 3: December 21, 2028 through December 20, 2029

· Option 4: December 21, 2029 through December 20, 2030

3.2 TYPE OF CONTRACT: The Government contemplates the award of a Firm Fixed Price contract for this requirement.

3.3 WORK HOURS (FOR EXECUTION OF SERVICES): Services are performed onsite daily, Monday through Friday, and the contracted personnel are required to be on station at the Lebanon VA Medical Center for the full duration of 9:00am, EST., to 12:00pm, EST. While on site, it is required that the contractor checks in with facility representatives to discuss the status/progress of the IPM and other pest management issues if needed. Services at the VACCs are limited to emergency bed bug treatments only. The Contractor shall not provide services on Federal Holidays, weekends, or after hours without written authorization from the Technical Point of Contact (TPC) prior to the commencement of work.

3.4 The Contractor must be located within 50 miles of the Lebanon VA Medical Center.

3.5 In the event of an emergency call, the Contractor must provide service within 2 hours of the call for bed bug treatment. For any other emergency call, the Contractor’s response must be within 24 hours.

3.6 Any changes to the service schedule shall be coordinated with the TPC at the Lebanon VA Medical Center. At least one (1) day advanced notice is required for work that is to be performed outside of normal business hours. Schedule modifications which would improve operations and turn-around time, without major interruption to either the Contractor or the Government, shall be negotiated between the Contractor and the TPC and shall not be implemented without authorization from the Contracting Officer (CO).

3.7 FEDERAL HOLIDAYS: As stated in Section 3.3 the Federal Holidays which are observed by the federal government are annotated below.

3.8 INTERFERENCE TO NORMAL FUNCTION: The Contractor may be required to interrupt their work at any time so as not to interfere with the normal functioning of the facility, including utility services, fire protection systems, and passage of facility patients, personnel, equipment and carts. In the event of an emergency, contractor services may be stopped and rescheduled at no additional cost to the government.

4. SCOPE OF WORK

4.1 The Contractor must possess qualified, experienced, and dependable pest control qualities that can provide a management team, current licenses, quick laboratory testing, tools of the trade, supplies, new equipment, reliable transportation, trained work force, and expertise to implement an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for rodents, wildlife and pest control. All pest control services must be performed in a manner that will ensure the health and general well-being of all VA staff, patients and visitors at our facilities. The terms, conditions, provisions, specifications and schedules for this Pest Control Contract are listed in this Performance Work Statement (PWS).

4.2 The Contractor must provide all resources necessary to accomplish the deliverables described in this Performance Work Statement, except as may otherwise be specified be a Contracting Officer (CO).

4.3 The Contractor must provide all supervision, management, laboratory testing, tools, supplies, equipment, transportation, and labor to develop and implement an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan for interior and exterior pest control (insects, rodents, wildlife, etc.) services at the Lebanon VA Medical Center and its associated VACCs. All infestations will be addressed until complete elimination of pests and in compliance of this PWS.

4.4 The implementation of an IPM must be done in a manner that ensures the health and general well-being of patients, staff, and visitors at the Lebanon VA Medical Center and its associated VACCs. Such a plan must also include structural and procedural variations that reduce the food, water, harborage, and access used by pests. The Contractor’s IPM must also offer surveillance, trapping, pesticide application, pest removal components, and applicable reporting along with detailed, site-specific recommendations for structural and technical alterations, for pest control indoor and outdoor, within the property boundaries of the buildings. An IPM is not just routine application of pesticides, but rather a process of initializing a program that determines the best method of application after a thorough inspection, monitoring, and reviewing of the data collected regarding the pest and putting in place control measures for environmentally safe treatment. Therefore, it is the government’s expectation that a contractor has knowledge and expertise regarding the methodologies of an IPM and how to best execute such an IPM in a medical center/hospital environment.

4.5 The Contractor must conduct regular inspections, respond promptly to pest complaints, and address various types of pests using environmentally sound practices. All pest control services must be provided in a manner which ensures the health and general well-being of patients, staff, and visitors is not affected and safely provide a hazard-free environment.

4.6 All applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations and rules must be followed while remaining in compliance with all local, state, and federal environmental regulations. The contract must emphasize quality control measures, adherence to safety protocols, and compliance with security requirements, including necessary background checks and security clearances for all contracted employees servicing the Lebanon VA Medical Center and the VACCs.

5. LOCATIONS FOR SERVICES

Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 South Lincoln Avenue Lebanon, PA 17042

Emergency Bed Bug Services Only for the following VACCs:

Cumberland VACC 5070 Ritter Road Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Lancaster VACC 212 Willow Valley Lakes Drive Willow Street, PA 17584

York VACC 2251 Eastern Blvd.

York, PA 17402

Berks VACC 2762 Century Blvd.

Wyomissing, PA 19610

6. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) PLAN

6.1 The Contractor must provide a comprehensive IPM service plan for the interior, exterior, and grounds of the Lebanon VA Medical Center and interior of the VACCs (for bed bug extermination) in accordance with VHA Directive 1850.02. This service must promote safe, efficient, and environmentally preferred strategies to prevent or control disease vectors and other pests that may affect health, hinder operations, or damage property. The IPM service plan must include inspection, prevention, monitoring, and control of various pests using environmentally sound practices (non-chemical methods) with an emphasis on long-term prevention and management of pests rather than solely relying on chemical treatments.

6.2 The Contractor shall assume full responsibility for compliance with the Lebanon VA Medical Center’s Green Environment Management System (GEMS); Federal Insecticide Fungicide Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance; Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations; and VHA Directive 1850.02, as they apply to the IPM service plan.

6.3 The Contractor shall never store or dispose of pest control materials or equipment on Government Property.

6.4 The IPM service plan must include, but is not limited to the following:

· Thorough inspections throughout the Lebanon VA Medical Center.

· Visual Inspection: meticulously examine both interior and exterior areas for signs of pest activity, such as droppings, nests, damage, or visible pests. This would include long hallways, corridors, and entrance locations/doors, etc.

· Identify Vulnerable Areas: look for potential entry points, cracks, gaps, or areas where pests might be attracted, such as near food sources or water sources and report findings to the TPC for the potential issues to be addressed.

· Deploying Monitoring Tools:

· Traps: use of various types of traps, including sticky traps, bait stations, and insect light traps, to monitor pest activity and identify the types and locations of pests.

· Pheromone Traps: use of specific insect scents to attract certain pests, helping to pinpoint the presence and location of specific pest species.

· Other Monitoring Tools: use of sweep nets, pitfall traps, or other specialized tools depending on the type of pest and the environment.

· Analyzing Data and Developing Strategies:

· Data Interpretation: analyze the data collected from traps and inspections to determine the extent of the infestation, the types of pests involved, and their activity patterns.

· Developing Control Plans: based on the data, develop targeted control plans, which may include sanitation measures, structural repairs, and the use of appropriate pest control methods.

· Prevention Measures: advise on preventative measures to avoid future infestations, such as sealing entry points, proper storage of food, and maintaining a clean environment. All infestations shall be addressed until pests are eliminated.

· Technology Integration: utilize technology, such as pest monitoring systems/mapping and data analysis tools and provide access for viewing to the TPC.

· Data Analysis Tools: use of IPM software to help manage pest data, track pest populations, and generate reports.

· Statistical Analysis: use statistical methods to analyze pest data and identify trends and patterns.

· Predictive Modeling: develop models to predict pest outbreaks based on historical data and environmental factors.

6.5 The Contractor must inspect, prevent, monitor, and implement the proper procedures, using environmentally sound practices, to eradicate the following pests such as but not limited to:

· Insects: cockroaches, ants, various flies, bed bugs, mosquitoes, beetles, gnats, ticks

· Rodents: mice, rats, skunks, racoons, groundhogs, stray cats

· Other Common Pests: spiders, silverfish, moths, fleas, mites, lice

· Seasonal Pests: stink bugs, centipedes, earwigs, wasps/bees, termites

· Pest birds: pigeons, sparrows, blackbirds

6.6 Pesticides must be applied according to the methods, rates, and precautions printed on the manufacturer's label; no deviations allowed. If a pesticide is necessary to eliminate a pest control incident, the least hazardous product must be applied.

6.7 Under no circumstances must the product selective herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4-D) be used as this is restricted by the VA Health Administration.

6.8 Applications of pesticides to exposed surfaces with a spray (fogging) must be restricted to exceptional circumstances where no alternative measures are available. No surface application or space spray must be completed near patients, visitors, and/or staff. The Contractor must take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of all personnel and guarantee containment to the site of application.

6.9 The following pest control measures must be followed:

· Bait stations and sticky traps must be the standard practice to guide and evaluate indoor pest control issues.

· Rodent control for interior spaces must be accomplished with trapping devices only; snap traps are not acceptable. All trapping devices should be labeled on the inside with the Contractor’s business name and date of service, kept out of general view, and placed in strategic areas as not to be affected by routine cleaning and other operations. The Contractor must monitor and check all trapping devices for trapped rodents and dispose of rodents in an appropriate manner.

· Rodenticides are only used in circumstances deemed essential. For adequate rodent control inside buildings, all rodenticides must be placed in locations not accessible to any patients, visitors, or staff. The Contractor must dispose of rodents in an appropriate manner.

· The lids of all rodent bait stations must be securely locked or fastened shut with bait always secured in the feeding chamber of the box and never placed in the runways or entryways.

· Fly lights must be monitored to ensure continual and uninterrupted operation (i.e. replacing bulbs and other accessories). The Contractor must clean/empty catch basins and tray areas of the units as well as dispose of any replaced bulbs offsite.

7. CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

7.1 The Contractor must have an experienced and license Pest Control Manager assigned to support and manage this contract. The Pest Control operator/service employee applying pesticides must possess and maintain the current Pennsylvania Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certificate/License and proof of insurance when conducting pest control services.

7.2 The Contractor must be responsible to ensure that all licenses, training certificates, and proof of insurance are kept current, and employees are well trained and aware of new innovative technology.

7.3 The Contractor must provide names of all their employees assigned to work at the Lebanon VA Medical Center to the TPC prior to start of the contract. In addition, a hard copy of all certificates, licenses, and insurance will be filed in Building 23, Room 125. At a minimum, the contractor must submit certificates of two individuals, one acting as a regular/primary and the other acting as a secondary/alternate.

7.4 The Contractor must be responsible for ensuring all provided personnel are properly licensed to operate a motor vehicle if operating a motor vehicle on VA property is required.

7.5 All Pest Control operator/service employees must check in with the TPC before starting and after all work/service has been completed. The Pest Control operator or manager is also responsible for attending meetings to discuss pest control issues and the performance of work under this contract at no additional cost to the Government. Communication should be readily available via person, phone or email.

7.6 The Contractor personnel must always display their identification badge and contractor supplied uniform while at the Lebanon VA Medical Center and its associated VACCs property. Their name and company must be easily seen.

7.7 The Contractor must install and maintain rodent bait stations at various locations located inside and on the grounds of the Lebanon VA Medical Center. Bait stations must be no more than 50 feet apart.

7.8 The Contractor must at no time enter elevators that are occupied by food service equipment while in possession of pesticides or equipment.

7.9 Prior to the start of the contract, the Contractor must complete and maintain a Pesticide Logbook containing Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all pesticides used in conformance with this contract.

7.10 The Contractor must submit a list of pesticides for intended use in areas listed in this PWS for approval by the Lebanon VA Facility Pest Management Officer (PMO). No substitutions can be made at any time without prior approval. Pesticides should be used with as low volatility and odor free as possible.

7.11 The Contractor is required to maintain records, including but not limited to inspection reports, pest sightings, pesticide application, and follow-up activities. The Contractor must provide the TPC a document summarizing the daily service. This document can be provided via email after service is completed.

7.12 The Contractor may be required to interrupt their work at any time so as not to interfere with the normal functioning of the facility, e.g., utility services, servicing of fire protection systems, and the passage of facility patients/personnel, etc.

7.13 In the event of an emergency, contractor services may be stopped and rescheduled at no additional cost to the government.

7.14 The Environmental Management Service (EMS), Safety, and the VA Police Department reserve the right to request the removal from the facility of any supplies and equipment it deems does not meet the codes or regulations above, to include being required to halt any unsafe practices observed in carrying out the contracted service. This will in no way relieve the Contractor of complying with the PWS.

7.15 The Contractor must utilize only workers that are skilled in the tasks to which they are assigned. The Lebanon VA Medical Center/TPC retains the right to require the reassignment of an employee for reasons to include, but not limited to:

1. Poor work performance

2. Incompetence

3. Carelessness

4. Disruptive or otherwise objectionable behavior.

The demand for reassignment is in no way a call for dismissal. It is a request for the individual to be reassigned away from the Lebanon VA Medical Center or its VACCs.

8. SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

8.1 The Contractor must provide pest control services for bed bugs only at the VACCs listed in Table 1. Service will be conducted on an emergency basis and must be completed within 2 hours of the call. The task must be fully executed at every visit.

Table 1

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 Pest Control – ONLY bed bug service

York, PA 17402 Pest Control – ONLY bed bug service

Wyomissing, PA 19610 Pest Control – ONLY bed bug service

8.2 The Contractor must provide the following services at the Lebanon VA Medical Center based on Table 2 below:

8.3 The Contractor must perform daily, weekly, and/or monthly services and inspections according to Table 2 below. The Contractor must complete daily work order requests provided by the TPC.

Table 2

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Entire Building

Lebanon, PA 17042

8.4 The Contractor must spray the exterior of all buildings at the Lebanon VA Medical Center during the months of March, April, May, June, July, August, September, and October. This treatment is intended to prevent pests from entering buildings.

8.5 Rodent trapping, including but not limited to groundhogs, skunks, racoons, stray cats, will be set on an as needed basis when requested at the Lebanon VA Medical Center. This is typically completed during the Spring/Summer/Fall months. The appropriate Pennsylvania (PA) Wildlife Permit is necessary. No poison is allowed, live trapping only. Trapped rodents are to be disposed of in accordance with PA state regulations.

8.6 The Contractor must complete a thorough, initial inspection of each building or site at the Lebanon VA Medical Center within the first (10) working days of the start date of the contract. The purpose of the initial inspection is for the Contractor to evaluate the needs of all locations and identify any problem areas and any equipment, structural features, or management practices that are contributing to pest control issues. Access to building space shall be coordinated with the TPC. The TPC will inform the Contractor of any restrictions or areas requiring special scheduling.

9. CPAR Rating Assigned to QASP

9.1 The Contractor will be evaluated in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) shown in Table 3. The TPC or assigned staff will manage the performance to ensure that quality control efforts are timely, effective, and deliver the results specified in the contract.

Table 3

procedures

9.2 Metrics and methods are designed to determine rating for a given standard and acceptable quality level. The following ratings shall be used:

Note: To justify an Exceptional rating, you should identify multiple significant events in each category and state how it was a benefit to the GOVERNMENT. However, a singular event could be of such magnitude that it alone constitutes an Exceptional rating. Also, there should have been NO significant weaknesses identified.

Note: To justify a Very Good rating, you should identify a significant event in each category and state how it was a benefit to the GOVERNMENT. Also, there should have been NO significant weaknesses identified.

Note: To justify a Satisfactory rating, there should have been only minor problems, or major problems the contractor recovered from without impact to the contract. Also, there should have been NO significant weaknesses identified.

Note: To justify Marginal performance, you should identify a significant event in each category that the contractor had trouble overcoming and state how it impacted the GOVERNMENT. A Marginal rating should be supported by referencing the management tool that notified the contractor of the contractual deficiency (e.g. Management, Quality, Safety or Environmental Deficiency Report or letter).

Note: To justify an Unsatisfactory rating, you should identify multiple significant events in each category that the contractor had trouble overcoming and state how it impacted the GOVERNMENT. However, a singular problem could be of such serious magnitude that it alone constitutes an unsatisfactory rating. An Unsatisfactory rating should be supported by referencing the management tools used to notify the contractor of the contractual deficiencies (e.g. Management, Quality, Safety or Environmental Deficiency Reports, or letters).

9.3 DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

a. The Government shall document positive and/or negative performance. Any report may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action and preparing annual past performance using CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT (CPAR).

b. If contractor performance does not meet the Acceptable Quality level, the CO shall inform the contractor. This will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. In any case the CO shall document the discussion and place it in the contract file. When the TPC and the CO determines formal written communication is required, the TPC shall prepare a Contract Report (CR), and present it to CO. The CO will in turn review and will present to the contractor's program manager for corrective action.

The contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the CR in writing. The CR 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 CR will also state how long after receipt the contractor has to present this corrective action plan to the CO. The Government shall review the contractor's corrective action plan to determine acceptability. The CO shall also assure that the contractor receives impartial, fair, and equitable treatment. The CO is ultimately responsible for the final determination of the adequacy of the contractor’s performance and the acceptability of the Contractor’s corrective action plan.