SOW Aquarium Maintenance Services 5-3-23.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

AQUARIUM MAINTENANCE SERVICES

1. SCOPE OF WORK: The contractor shall provide bi-weekly Aquarium Maintenance Services to the St. Cloud VA Health Care System, 4801 Veterans Drive, St. Cloud, MN for the sole purpose of healthy and aesthetically pleasing environment for the Community Living Center fish and residents.

2. PERFORMANCE PERIOD: This is a firm-fixed priced contract. The period of performance will be a base year plus four (4) option years.

3. SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS:

1. Aquariums: Bi-weekly (every other week) cleaning and maintenance of five (5) 90-gallon tanks as well as caring for the freshwater fish in the aquarium.

a. Contractor shall provide labor, tools and equipment to conduct aquarium care, cleaning and maintenance services.

b. Provide appropriate number and type of fish and other living aquarium inhabitants for the current structures.

c. Provide appropriate light sources for current structures including bulb and ballast replacement.

d. Provide appropriate filters and replacement items for adequate water circulation system.

e. Aquarium water exchanges must be a least 50% per cleaning.

f. Provide cleaning of tank decorations and plants.

g. Provide cleaning, maintenance and replacement of pumps.

h. Provide cleaning the sides (inside/outside) and bottom of tanks.

i. Provide cleaning the gravel.

j. Provide all fish food and other nutrients appropriate to fish/living inhabitants.

k. Provide replacement fish/living inhabitants as needed.

l. Provide replacement auto fish feeders as needed.

m. Contractor shall remove all trash and debris from service call.

n. Contractor shall adhere to the VHA smoke-free campus policy.

o. Contractor shall provide and wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when necessary as required by VA guidelines.

p. Contractor shall provide a set schedule to the Point of Contact (POC) at the beginning of the base year and option years. If a scheduled day lands on a federal holiday, an alternate day should be provided and accepted by the POC.

q. If the contractor cannot provide services on the scheduled day due to unforeseen circumstances, such as inclement weather, illness etc. the contractor shall contact the POC and/or Alternate POC to reschedule.

2. Documentation:

a. Contractor shall provide a statement of completed services for each visit on the day of service. This statement shall be signed by the contractor performing the service and a VA staff member from each floor of where the fish tanks reside. There will be five (5) separate signatures, one for each tank. This document will be given to a VA staff member after completion of the fifth tank.

b. Provide itemized invoice to include the following:

i. Date of when cleaning and maintenance services were performed.

ii. Itemized list of food and nutrients.

iii. Itemized list of incidentals: to include, but not limited to medication, replacement “fish/living inhabitants”, supplies such as filters, bulbs, plants, gravel, pumps or any items required to maintain the serviceability of the aquariums.

iv. Vendor will invoice monthly.

v. Invoices shall be submitted electronically per the contract.

3. If incidentals are needed outside the scope of the contract, e.g. cracked tank:

a. Contractor shall provide an itemized estimate and justification to the POC.

b. POC will verify required funding and purchase order (PO) procedures prior to contractor completing any incidentals (e.g. modification to contract or credit card).

4. HOURS OF WORK:

Services shall be performed during regular business hours, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays. Any service performed outside of regular working hours shall be approved in advance by the Point of Contact (POC).

5. IDENTIFICATION/PARKING

The contractor’s employee(s) shall wear visible identification at all times while on the premises of the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. It is the responsibility of the contractor to park in the appropriate designated parking areas.

12. POINT OF CONTACT (POC)

The point of contact reserves the right to designate representatives to act for him/her in furnishing technical guidance and advice or generally monitor the work to be performed under this contract. Such designation will be in writing and will define the scope and limitation of the designee’s authority. A copy of the designation shall be furnished to the contractor.

13. CONDUCT OF PERSONNEL

The Contractor shall be responsible for the performance and conduct of its employees. Personnel employed by the Contractor in the performance of this SOW or any representative of the Contractor entering the VA premises shall be subject to inspections by the Government as deemed necessary. The Contractor shall not employ for performance under this SOW any person whose employment would result in a conflict of interest with the Government’s standards of conduct.

14. PERSONNEL REMOVAL

Government rules, regulations, laws, directives, and requirements that are issued during the Contract term relating to law and order, and security shall be applicable to all employees or representatives who enter the VA premises. Violation of such rules, regulations, laws, directives, or requirements shall be grounds for removal (permanently or temporarily as the Government determines) from the work site. Removal of employee does not relieve the Contractor from the responsibility for the work defined in this SOW.

The Point of Contact or designated representative (POC) may require the Contractor to remove any employee performing requirements under this SOW for reasons of misconduct, safety, or security risk posed. Contractor employees shall be subject to immediate dismissal from the premises upon determination by the POC that such action(s) is in the best interest of the Government.

15. PERSONNEL APPEARANCE

Contractor employees shall be well-groomed, clean, and neat in appearance; clothes properly fitted, uniform appearance with nametags, and appropriately dressed for the work to be done. Contractor employees shall not wear clothing with slogans, drawings, or language which could be construed as being lewd, obscene, profane, racially offensive, sexually suggestive, and anti-American or which advocates the use of illegal drugs or other unlawful conduct.

16. PERSONNEL COURTESY

Contractor employees shall not exhibit rude behavior. Loudness, vulgarity, rudeness, or other similar offensive conduct by an employee of the Contractor will be ground for denying the employee further access to the VA premises.

17. ALCOHOL AND ILLEGAL DRUG USE

Contractor employees shall not consume alcohol or illegal drugs during working hours or at any other time the employees are performing work under this contract. The contractor shall not allow any employee to perform work if the employee is under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. Contractor employees found to be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs during working hours will be immediately removed from duty. For the purpose of this provision, the threshold for being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs is the same as that established by current laws for vehicle operations. The Contractor is responsible for establishing the method(s) by which employees will be determined to be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.

18. CONFIDENTIALITY

The Contractor's personnel shall agree to comply with the Privacy Act of 1974 (the Act) and other applicable federal laws, rules, regulations and policies issued under the Act during and after the execution of this contract. Because confidential medical record information may be accessible and/or visible to Contractor employees during performance of their daily duties, the Contractor shall obtain a signed "confidentiality certificate" from each employee prior to allowing them to start work under this contract. Any information about an individual that is maintained by the VA, including, but not limited to, education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history or any record that contains the person's name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, shall be kept CONFIDENTIAL. A copy of this certification shall be provided to the POC upon request.

19. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

The Contractor is completely responsible for all actions of their employees. All contractor personnel employed in the performance of this contract shall comply with all VA building regulations, policies, and guidelines while on the premises. Contractor personnel shall be free of body odor and wear clean clothing (uniforms as appropriate) while performing duties under this contract. The Contractor shall consider the clinical environment and instruct/train their personnel in applicable safety precautions and special requirements. These requirements may include but are not limited to such conditions as human secretions, blood, barium, etc. Contractor personnel shall take appropriate precautions while performing duties applicable to this contract.

20. INSURANCE

The Contractor shall procure and maintain for the entire contract period, Workmen's Compensation and employers Public Liability Insurance in accordance with laws of the State of Minnesota. Before commencing work under this contract, the contractor shall certify to the Contracting Officer in writing that the required insurance has been obtained. See FAR 52.228-5, Clauses Section. Contractor shall provide the CO with an original signed copy of Insurance Certification with appropriate coverage, no later than ten (10) calendar days after notice of award. The contractor will notify the VA immediately of any changes in insurance coverage. Failure to submit documentation regarding the above insurance requirement shall be grounds to terminate the contract for default.

21. CHANGES TO CONTRACT: The contracting officer is the only person authorized to modify this order.

Point of Contact:

Peter Jordt Rehabilitation & Extended Care (REC) Administrative Officer/COR II VA Health Care System 4801 Veterans Drive St. Cloud, MN 56303 Ph: (320) 252-6480 Ext. 7778

Alternate Point of Contact:

Ashley Jarnot Rehabilitation & Extended Care (REC) Supervisory Medical Support Assistant VA Health Care System 4801 Veterans Drive St. Cloud, MN 56303 Ph: (320) 252-6480 Ext. 5650