SOW - NFSG Water Sampling.docx

Statement of Work Background:

The North Florida/South Georgia Veteran Health System (NF/SG VHS) currently has potable water drinking systems that distribute both hot and cold water to two (2) hospitals for use by both the patients and the employees. Emergency wells and water towers and water plants are also on site to provide water to the hospitals in the event of an emergency. Also each facility has cooling towers used to remove heat from the chillers for the HVAC Systems. A Water Sampling Service Contract to detect the presence of Legionella is needed to ensure that safe drinking water is provided to the Medical Centers.

Objective:

The service contract is for both quarterly sampling of water for legionella and drinking water parameters in the hospital at designated sample points. Water must be collected by a qualified water sampler and analyzed by a laboratory that is a Center for Disease Control (CDC) Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) lab.

SCOPE OF WORK

Legionella Testing – Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida A minimum total of 412 samples for Legionella will be taken annually at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center. Quarterly testing for Legionella will be performed, and documentation of the testing and results will be provided to the Contracting Officers Representative (COR) in the excel spreadsheet supplied by the COR. 20 samples for Legionella will be taken and analyzed for each of the above listed buildings per quarter. Water sample locations are the Bed Tower, Building 12, Building 1, Fisher House, Cooling Towers, and the Domiciliary. The contractor will sample ten (10) cold and ten (10) hot water points at each of the buildings listed above. Sample points will be designated by the Contacting Officers Representative.

· At the location of sampling, temperature, pH and disinfectant residual will be tested and recorded.

· Samples will be properly taken, handled, stored, transported and identified in accordance with the proper procedures for sampling water for Legionella testing.

· Samples shall be analyzed by a Laboratory certified by the CDC ELITE program.

Legionella – Lake City VA Medical Center, Lake City, Florida A minimum total of 336 samples for Legionella will be taken annually. Quarterly testing for Legionella will be performed, and documentation of the testing and results will be provided to the COR in the excel spreadsheet supplied by the COR. A minimum of 84 samples for Legionella will be taken and analyzed per quarter. The Water Sample locations are Building 38, Building 64 (Hospital), Building 82 (Community Living Center), Cooling Towers, and Building 62 (Wisteria). Sample points will be designated by the COR.

· The contractor will sample ten (10) cold and ten (10) hot water points at each of these locations. Sample points will be designated by the COR.

· At the location of sampling, temperature, pH and disinfectant residual will be tested and recorded.

· Samples will be properly taken, handled, stored, transported and identified in accordance with the proper procedures for sampling water for Legionella testing.

· Samples shall be analyzed by a Laboratory certified by the CDC ELITE.

Cooling Tower Testing - Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida Quarterly testing for Legionella and Heterotrophic Bacteria will be performed, and documentation of the testing and results will be provided to the COR. One sample for each of the three Cooling Towers every quarter.

Cooling Tower Testing - Lake City VA Medical Center, Lake City, Florida Quarterly testing for Legionella and Heterotrophic Bacteria will be performed, and documentation of the testing and results will be provided to the COR. One sample for each of the four Cooling Towers every quarter.

Drinking Water Testing - Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida Quarterly testing for drinking water quality will be performed, and documentation of the testing and results will be provided to the COR. A total of 3 samples for drinking water quality will be taken and analyzed every quarter. 12 total samples will be taken in a year.

· The contractor will sample the Emergency Well.

· The contractor will sample the Water Tower.

· The contractor will sample the hospital drinking water system at a sample point designated by the VA Staff.

· All drinking water samples will test for the following every quarter, Total Coliform Bacteria, Turbidity, pH, and Free Available Chlorine.

· All drinking water samples will test for the following once every year, Nitrate, Volatile Organic Chemicals, Copper, and Lead.

· Documentation of all sampling and results will be provided to the COR.

Drinking Water Testing - Lake City VA Medical Center, Lake City, Florida Quarterly testing for drinking water quality will be performed, and documentation of the testing and results will be provided to the COR. A total of 3 samples for drinking water quality will be taken and analyzed every quarter. 12 total samples will be taken in a year.

· The contractor will sample the Emergency Well.

· The contractor will sample the Water Tower.

· The contractor will sample the hospital drinking water system at a sample point designated by the VA Staff.

· All drinking water samples will test for the following every quarter, Total Coliform Bacteria, Turbidity, pH, and Free Available Chlorine.

· All drinking water samples will test for the following once every year, Nitrate, Volatile Organic Chemicals, Copper, and Lead.

· Documentation of all sampling and results will be provided to the COR.

A minimum of 772 samples will be taken at both facilities as listed above annually. An additional 128 samples will be set aside to use for resampling/investigative purposes at the discretion of the Contracting Officers Representative. The total amount of sampling to be performed under this contract at the discretion of the Contracting Officers Representative. Is 900 samples.

Qualifications/Certifications

· The contractor and all of the individuals working on the project site must have taken the OSHA Certified 10-hour construction safety course.

· Laboratories that process the water samples for Legionella must be certified by the CDC ELITE program as proficient at performing the culture of Legionella from environmental samples.

· Drinking water samples shall be analyzed by a National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) and Florida Department of Health certified laboratory following approved Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methods for Total Coliform Bacteria, Nitrate, Volatile Organic Chemicals, Copper, Lead, and Chlorine.

Safety Regulations

· All applicable safety regulations shall be observed during all work of this contract.

· The VA Safety Officer shall have full authority to see that the contractor obeys all safety rules and regulations relative to the fulfillment of this contract.

· Provide the necessary barricades/signage where required.

Scheduling and Hours of Work

· All work in areas involved shall be scheduled with the COR.

· Work shall be scheduled for proper execution to completion of this contract.

· Hours of work. The contractor may have to perform this work after hours and / or during the weekends if necessary at the discretion of the COR.

· No work shall be scheduled during Federal Holidays.

Information Security Notwithstanding the provision above, the contractor/subcontractor shall not release VA records protected by Title 38 U.S.C. 5705, confidentiality of medical quality assurance records and/or Title 38 U.S.C. 7332, confidentiality of certain health records pertaining to drug addiction, sickle cell anemia, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, or infection with human immunodeficiency virus. If the contractor/subcontractor is in receipt of a court order or other requests for the above mentioned information, that contractor/subcontractor shall immediately refer such court orders or other requests to the VA contracting officer for response.

Examples of VAMC sensitive information include the following:

· Individually-identifiable medical, benefits, and personnel information.

· Financial, budgetary, research, quality assurance, confidential commercial, critical infrastructure, investigatory, and law enforcement information that is confidential.

· Passwords, Passcodes, PIN's, or information that grants access to information or business functions.

· Privileged in litigation such as information protected by deliberative process privilege, attorney work-product privilege, and the attorney-client privilege.

· Other information which, if released, could result in a violation of law or harm or unfairness to any individual or group, or could adversely affect the national interest or the conduct of federal programs.

· RECORDS MANAGEMENT OBLIGATIONS

· A. Applicability

· This clause applies to all Contractors whose employees create, work with, or otherwise handle Federal records, as defined in Section B, regardless of the medium in which the record exists.

· B. Definitions

· “Federal Record” as defined in 44 U.S.C. § 3301, includes all recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, made or received by a Federal agency under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the United States Government or because of the informational value of data in them.

· The term Federal record:

· 1. includes [Agency] records.

· 2. does not include personal materials.

· 3. applies to records created, received, or maintained by Contractors pursuant to their [Agency] contract.

· 4. may include deliverables and documentation associated with deliverables.

· C. Requirements

· The following standard Items relate to records generated in executing this contract and should be included in a typical contract where records could possibly be created, maintained or dispositioned:

· 1. Contractor shall comply with all applicable records management laws and regulations, as well as National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records policies, including but not limited to the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. chs. 21, 29, 31, 33), NARA regulations at 36 CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B, and those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). These policies include the preservation of all records, regardless of form or characteristics, mode of transmission, or state of completion.

· 2. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, all data created for Government use and delivered to, or falling under the legal control of, the Government are Federal records subject to the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended and must be managed and scheduled for disposition only as permitted by statute or regulation.

· 3. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, Contractor shall maintain all records created for Government use or created in the course of performing the contract and/or delivered to, or under the legal control of the Government and must be managed in accordance with Federal law. Electronic records and associated metadata must be accompanied by sufficient technical documentation to permit understanding and use of the records and data.

· 4. [FACILITY] and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of [FACILITY] or destroyed except for in accordance with the provisions of the agency records schedules and with the written concurrence of the Head of the Contracting Activity. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701.

· In the event of any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records, Contractor must report to [FACILITY]. The agency must report promptly to NARA in accordance with 36 CFR 1230.

· 5. The Contractor shall immediately notify the appropriate Contracting Officer upon discovery of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of information, data, documentary materials, records or equipment. Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know as described in the [contract vehicle]. The Contractor shall ensure that the appropriate personnel, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is properly protected. The Contractor shall not remove material from Government facilities or systems, or facilities or systems operated or maintained on the Government’s behalf, without the express written permission of the Head of the Contracting Activity. When information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is no longer required, it shall be returned to [FACILITY] control or the Contractor must hold it until otherwise directed. Items returned to the Government shall be hand carried, mailed, emailed, or securely electronically transmitted to the Contracting Officer or address prescribed in the [contract vehicle]. Destruction of records is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED unless in accordance with Paragraph (4).

· 6. The Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, contracts. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and [FACILITY] guidance for protecting sensitive, proprietary information, classified, and controlled unclassified information.

· 7. The Contractor shall only use Government IT equipment for purposes specifically tied to or authorized by the contract and in accordance with [FACILITY] policy.

· 8. The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public [FACILITY] information that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract.

· 9. The Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected from public disclosure by an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act.

· 10. The [FACILITY] owns the rights to all data and records produced as part of this contract. All deliverables under the contract are the property of the U.S. Government for which [FACILITY] shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest. Any Contractor rights in the data or deliverables must be identified as required by FAR 52.227-11 through FAR 52.227-20.

· 11. Training. All Contractor employees assigned to this contract who create, work with, or otherwise handle records are required to take VHA-provided records management training. The Contractor is responsible for confirming training has been completed according to agency policies, including initial training and any annual or refresher training.

· D. Flowdown of requirements to Subcontractors

· 1. The Contractor shall incorporate the substance of this clause, its terms and requirements including this paragraph, in all subcontracts under this [contract vehicle], and require written subcontractor acknowledgment of same.

· 2. Violation by a subcontractor of any provision set forth in this clause will be attributed to the Contractor.