SOW Telephone Operator Services Final.docx

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE (SSN) ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION.

DISCLAIMER

This SSN is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this SSN that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. IAW FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this SSN.

SOURCES SOUGHT DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this notice is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 561421 – Telephone Answering Services for On-site Switchboard Services. The small business size standard is $16.5M. Responses to this notice will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this notice, a solicitation announcement may be published. Responses to this notice are not considered adequate responses for a solicitation announcement.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VISN 22 Network Contracting Office 22, is seeking sources that can provide on-site Switchboard Services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including all City, State, and Federal Holidays. The anticipated period of performance is a 12-months Base Period and four 12-months Option Periods.

The information identified above is intended to be descriptive, not restrictive and to indicate the quality of the supplies/services that will be satisfactory. It is the responsibility of the interested source to demonstrate to the government that the interested parties can provide the supplies/services that fulfill the required specifications.

Interested and capable businesses of providing the services described in this notice, shall provide the information indicated below. Response to this notice should include business name, address, point of contact, size of business pursuant to the following questions:

(1) Identification of business size status, Cage Code, and SAM ID.

(2) Please indicate the size standard and representation of your business, such as but not limited to: Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Hubzone, Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), Large Business, etc.).

(3) Indication of which NAICS code(s) your business usually performs under Government contracts.

(4) Proof of experience and capability to provide the service indicated on this notice.

(5) If you intend to sub-contract any work, what portion of the total cost will be self-performed/will be performed by your organization? Please provide estimated detailed percentage breakdowns related to sub-contracted work and completion of job.

(6) Does your business have an FSS contract with GSA or the VA or are you a contract holder with NASA SEWP or any other federal contract? If so, please provide the contract number.

(7) If you are an FSS GSA/VA or NASA SEWP contract holder or other federal contract holder, are the services you are providing information for available on your schedule/contract?

(8) General pricing of your service is encouraged. Pricing will be used for the purpose of market research only. It will not be used to evaluate for any type of award.

(9) Please review the attached Performance Work Statement (PWS) and provide feedback or suggestions. If none, please reply as N/A.

Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to Ms. Tammy Perrine, Contracting Specialist, tammy.perrine@va.gov. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. AZ time on 25 May 2022. If a solicitation is issued it shall be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this notice. Responses to this notice are not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation.

STATEMENT OF WORK

Onsite Switchboard Services San Diego VA Health Care System San Diego, CA 92161

1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a requirement for onsite Switchboard Services at the Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego, CA 92161. The Contractor shall be required to provide on-site Switchboard Services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including all City, State and Federal holidays, as specified herein.

The Contractor shall provide and perform to the standards as required by the Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center. The work includes, but is not limited to, the following: receive all incoming calls, answer all emergency calls and alarms, operate audio, radio, and digital paging systems, maintain appropriate records and conduct necessary training. In addition, the Contractor shall provide required administration and management control over their employees work and training.

The work required by this specification consists of providing Switchboard Services for the effective operations of this facility. Telephone operators will use M2550 Nortel electronic telephone attendant consoles to process incoming and outgoing telephone calls. All calls will be recorded for quality assurance to ensure they are completed in a timely, courteous and efficient manner. Abandonment rate and average speed to answer are monitored with Cisco Finesse or Jabber software. Contractor employees are required to assist in placing outgoing local and long-distance calls, using the commercial system, to include U.S. Sprint, AT&T, MCI and any other commercial phone service providers as necessary to conduct the daily activity at Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center.

The work required by this specification consists of providing 24-hour coverage for telephone Switchboard Services, 7 days a week, including all holidays. A sighted operator or sighted PM (Project Manager) must be on duty at all times.

Information Services will be provided. Operators will use the public Address, Radio Paging and Motorola two-way radio systems to relay messages, make announcements, and implement various procedures as dictated by Telecommunications Directives in place at the hospital. A computerized file shall be kept of all inpatients and can be accessed by using equipment supplied by the facility. Supporting rosters of patients and employees are available as locator information sources as well. The work required by this specification consists of providing 24-hour coverage for telephone switchboard, seven days a week, including all holidays.

All references to locations of rooms, building, or functions are for informational purposes only.

Such references do not necessarily indicate that functional designations or locations, which may affect this contract, and which may require permanent changes in staffing requirements, and/or revenues will be coordinated by the Contracting Officers Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer (CO) prior to initiation of such change to assure adequate Contractual coverage. The COR is defined as a government employee who will serve as the Contracting Officer’s Representative to ensure the Contractor performs services in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract.

Established services, functions, programs staffing patterns, and hours and days of operation should not be altered without prior written approval of the CO.

2. PERSONNEL:

Project Manager

a) The Contractor shall assign an off-site Project Manager (PM) for the purposes of supervising and training the Contractor personnel and ensuring the supervision and training of the Contractor personnel. The PM shall be available by telephone, and Contractor shall provide digital pagers to operators during regular working hours and after regular working hours for any problems, which may occur. The PM shall respond within one hour after receipt of call.

b) When the PM plans to be absent for more than one 8-hour shift, the Contractor shall notify the COR in writing or by Electronic Mail of who will be the stand-in representative during his/her absence. The stand-in shall be fully qualified to assume the PM duties as prescribed in this contract.

c) When the PM is absent for more than three consecutive working days, the Contractor shall provide replacement PM during the absence. The COR shall be notified in advance, and in writing, of this substitution.

Employees

a) The selection, assignment, reassignment, transfer, supervision, management, and control of Contractor employees in the performance of this statement of work will be the responsibility and prerogative of the Contractor. However, the Contractor shall comply with the general intent and specific policies set forth in the statement of work concerning conduct of employees as referenced herein. The Contractor shall remove from the performance on the contract, any person who is identified a potential threat to the health, safety, security, general well-being, or operational mission of the activity and its population.

b) The Contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the United States Government, if the employment of that person would create a conflict of interest.

c) Contractor’s personnel shall wear VA-provided identification badges, which shall include employee’s name and company name, throughout their tour of duty.

d) Drinking and eating will be permitted in designated areas as indicated by the COR. Smoking will not be permitted in the building, but designated smoking areas will be identified to the PM by the Government COR.

Personnel Roster

a) Current written rosters of all regular and alternate personnel will be provided to the COR. This will include the primary PM and his/her alternate(s). Personnel not listed will not be allowed to work in the medical facility.

Training:

a) No Contractor personnel shall be assigned to work under the contract until orientation and training are completed as specified in Contractor’s procedures manual.

b) The Government shall provide the following orientation to the Contractor personnel: A one hour orientation will be provided to familiarize Contractor personnel with the attendant’s console. The Government will provide a one-day general orientation to Contractor personnel to familiarize them with the different services in the medical center. VA personnel will be available to answer questions of Contractor personnel following general orientation. At the end of the first and second weeks of the phase-in period, the COR will be available, as scheduled in advance, to meet with the PM to discuss problems encountered and offer assistance and recommendations for the solution of such problems.

3. PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS:

a) Project Manager Qualifications: Project Manager must have at least two years telephone operating experience, of which one year involved substantial responsibility for placing a variety of special calls (e.g., conference calls, collect calls, appointment calls) over varied circuits or routings or performing information operator work which required a knowledge of organization.

The Project Manager must have one or more year of experience in the supervision, organization, and training of staff. The Project Manager must be experienced in maintaining discipline, devising work methods and assignments, establishing performance requirements, and in arranging work schedules to conform to peak telephone requirements for adequate service.

b) Telephone Operator Qualifications: Telephone operator must be able to assume the responsibility for placing a variety of special long-distance calls (e.g. conference calls, collect calls, appointment calls) over varied circuits or routings, or performing information operator work, which requires a knowledge of the organizational units and major functions of a large multi-division organization. Operators must have the ability to meet and deal with people from a variety of backgrounds with varying levels of understanding, work under pressure and stressful conditions, and adapt to changing work conditions. PM must not allow new personnel to perform duties alone until he/she has received at least two full, 7-days a week, On-The-Job Training (OJT) on each tour of duty.

4. RECEIVING INCOMING CALLS:

Operators must answer within five (5) rings. The operator shall query the caller in detail to determine the nature of the inquiry and connect the call to the appropriate extension. Operators will screen calls only to the extent necessary to ensure caller satisfaction. Operators will process all calls in a most courteous and professional manner, giving a favorable impression of the Department of Veterans Affairs at all times, assuring compliance of Federal and VA Medical Center policy on Release of Information, safeguarding any and all patient information in compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974. Collect calls are only to be accepted in the event of an emergency. During the day tour, the call shall be forwarded to the area requested. During all other tours (weekends and holidays), the call shall be forwarded to the area requested if available or questions can be referred to the Administrative Officer of the Day (AOD) if needed.

5. GENERAL INFORMATION:

Operators will provide general information, e.g., visiting hours and other information requested.

6. SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

a) Patient Locator Information: Contractor will be provided a daily listing to respond to calls requesting inpatient location information.

b) Employee Locator Calls: Operators will use the Medical Center Directory to complete calls to employees. Under no circumstances will operators take personal messages for employees.

c) Parties requesting verification of employment will be transferred to Human Resources Management Service (HRMS) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

d) Calls for specific wards: Psychiatry Service Wards: Calls for patients on Psychiatric Wards, as identified by the operator, will be connected to the main ward number. In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the caller shall not be informed of what type of ward the patient is in.

e) Handling Operator assisted calls:

1) Employees within the hospital requesting directory assistance will be referred to the hospital directory. In the rare instance that the calling employee does not have access to a directory, the operator will assist in giving the employee the information requested.

2) The operator will record all foreign/international calls in the Long-Distance Log, including the name of employee, time, number called, and Service.

3) Operators are not authorized to place personal calls for employees, visitors, or patients.

Operators will assist patients calling from lobby areas of the hospital who need a taxi for transportation. Operators will also assist ward patients if they need help using their credit cards to make long distance calls.

4) Operators are not authorized to place external call requests received from restricted phones in the hospital, or local (dial 9) calls for VAMC staff.

5) Visitors and employees shall be advised to use public telephone facilities located on each floor for placing personal and credit card calls.

7. ADDITIONAL SPECIAL PROCEDURES:

It must be noted that Standard Operations Procedures, emergency procedures, and VA Directives are constantly being added, changed, or rewritten. The included articles should in no way be considered the totality of procedures that need to be followed by the Contractor. As new procedures are implemented, the COR will give the PM copies and instructions to pass on to contract operators to aid performance of their duties.

8. FACILITIES:

Facilities have been inspected for compliance with the Occupations Safety and Health Act (OSHA).

No hazards have been identified in the work areas that will be utilized. The fact that no hazards have been identified by the Government does not relieve the offeror from responsibility to identify potential hazards for non-sighted persons. Compliance with the OSHA and other applicable laws and regulations for the protection of contractor employees are exclusively the obligation of the Contractor, and the Government will assume no liability or responsibility of the Contractor’s compliance or noncompliance with such responsibilities, with the following exception: If OSHA hazards are found in the Government-furnished facility, the Government will develop and approve plans of abatement, taking into account safety and health priorities. Prior to any modification of the facilities performed by the Contractor, the Contractor must notify the Contracting Officer and provide documentation describing in detail the modification requested. No alterations to the facilities shall be made without specific written permission from the Contracting Officer; however, in the case of alterations necessary for OSHA compliance, such permission shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Contractor shall return the facility to the Government in the same condition as received, fair wear and tear and approved modifications excepted. These facilities shall be used for performance of this contract only.

9. EQUIPMENT:

The Government shall provide all telephone equipment.

10. EQUIPMENT INVENTORY:

a) Not later than 5 days prior to start of the basic contract period, the Contractor and a Government representative shall conduct a joint inventory of all Government furnished equipment, and the Contractor shall provide receipt for all equipment issued by the Government. The Contractor and a Government representative shall jointly determine the work order and condition of all equipment. Items of equipment missing or not in working order shall be recorded.

b) The Government will replace missing items and repair all items not in working order, the Contracting Officer will direct the Contractor to replace the missing item(s) or accomplish the repair and the Contractor will be reimbursed. The Government representative will provide disposal instructions for items beyond repair. The Contractor and the Government representative shall certify their agreement as to the working order of the equipment. If the Contractor does not participate in the inventory, the Contractor must accept, as accurate, the listing and stated condition of equipment provided by the Government. If the Contractor participated in the inventory but does not agree with the Government representative’s determination of the working order of the equipment, the Government and the Contractor shall utilize the “Disputes” clause of this contract.

11. OBTAINING ADDITIONAL OR REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT:

The Contractor shall submit request for additional or replacement Government furnished equipment required in the performance of the contract. The Contractor shall submit such requests through the COR for approval and any appropriate contract modifications. Upon approval and submission of funding documents, procurement will be initiated by the Acquisition Activity.

12. EQUIPMENT ACCOUNTABILITY:

All equipment in need of repairs or maintenance shall be repaired or maintained by the Contractor within 30 days of discovery, but before the joint inventory is made. All repairs or maintenance not performed by the Contractor shall be made at the Government’s option and at the Contractor’s expense. In the case of damaged property, the amount of compensation due to the Government by the Contractor shall be the actual cost of repair, provided such amount does not exceed the economical repair value.

13. TELEPHONE SERVICE:

Telephone service will be provided for conducting VA business only.

14. CUSTODIAL SERVICE:

Custodial service will be provided by the Government in accordance with local policies and regulations.

15. INSECT AND RODENT CONTROL:

The Government will provide this service as required per local policies and practices.

16. SECURITY POLICE:

The Government shall provide Security Police services for on-station facilities. The station Security Police phone number is (858) 552-8585 ext. 3931.

17. REFERENCED AND TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION:

The Government will furnish standard publications and forms to be utilized in performance of switchboard activities as required.

18. HOURS OF OPERATION:

Business hours for switchboard operation are 24 hours per day, seven days a week, including all weekends and all holidays and will remain unchanged unless the CO determines otherwise.

Hours of work are as follows:

Supervisor 40 hours Monday – Friday:

Morning Shift (7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.) 3 – Operators plus supervisor Overlap Shift (3:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.) 1 – Operator Evening Shift (4:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.) 1– Operator Midnight Shift (12:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.) 1 – Operator Lunch 30 minutes

Saturday & Sunday:

Saturday - Morning Shift (7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) 2 – Operators, Saturday only Evening Shift (3:30 p.m. – Midnight) 1 – Operator Night Shift (11:30 – 8:00 a.m.) 1 – Operator Lunch 30 minutes Sunday - Morning Shift (7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) 1 – Operator Evening Shift (3:30 p.m. – Midnight) 1 – Operator Night Shift (11:30 – 8:00 a.m.) 1 – Operator Lunch 30 minutes

19. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL POLICY:

a) The Contractor shall assume full responsibility for the protection of its personnel furnishing services under the resulting Contract. To carry out this responsibility, the Contractor shall provide the following to the personnel:

1) Worker’s compensation

2) Professional liability insurance

3) Health examinations

4) Income tax withholdings

5) Social Security withholdings

b) Payment for any leave, including sick leave or vacation time, is considered to be the sole responsibility of the Contractor. The Contractor shall comply with all existing local, state, federal and/or union laws, regulations relevant to fringe benefits, and premium pay for their employees. Such personnel shall not be considered VASDHS employees for any purpose and shall be considered employees of the Contractor. There is no employer-employee relationship between the VA and the Contractor or the Contractor’s employee(s).

20. OVERTIME AND HOLIDAY PAY:

Any overtime and/or holiday pay that may be entitled to the Contractor’s employees shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor and shall not be billed to nor reimbursed by the Government.

21. NATIONAL HOLIDAYS:

Listed below are the eleven (11) national holidays.

When one of the holidays falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as a national holiday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as a national holiday by U.S. Government Agencies. Also included would be any day specifically declared by the President of the United States of America as a national holiday.

22. QUALITY ASSURANCE:

a) The Government will monitor the Contractor’s performance under this contract using the methods of surveillance specified in the Performance Requirements Summary, Exhibit 1.

b) Performance Evaluation Meetings: The PM shall meet with the COR on a monthly basis. A specific time and place will be established by the Contractor and the COR for this meeting.

c) The issuance of a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) may be the cause for scheduling a meeting between the PM, CO, and the COR. A mutual effort will be made to resolve all problems identified. The Government will prepare written minutes of this meeting. Minutes of this meeting will be signed by the PM, CO, and COR. Should the PM not concur with the minutes and action(s) taken at the meeting, he/she will state in writing to the CO any areas wherein he/she does not occur and explain the reason(s) for non-concurrence. The CO will notify the PM in writing of his final decision. A dispute over the CO’s decision will be handled in accordance with the “Disputes” clause.

I. METHODS OF SURVEILLANCE

Various methods exist to monitor performance. The COR shall use the surveillance methods listed below in the administration of this Quality Assurance surveillance Plan (QASP).

EXHIBIT 1

METHOD OF SURVEILLANCE

II. RATINGS

Metrics and methods are designed to determine if performance exceeds, meets, or does not meet a given standard and Acceptable quality Level (AQL). A rating scale shall be used to determine a positive, neutral, or negative outcome. The following ratings shall be used:

Excellent = Exceeds Standards Satisfactory = Meets Standards Unsatisfactory = Fails to Meet Standards

III. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

i. Acceptable Performance: The Government shall document positive performance. Any report may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action.

ii. Unacceptable Performance: When unacceptable performance occurs, the COR shall inform the Contractor and the CO. This will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. In any case, the COR shall document the discussion and place it in the COR file.

When the COR determines formal written communication is required, the COR shall prepare a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) and present it to the Contractor's Program Manager. The Contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the CDR in writing. The CDR 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 Government shall review the Contractor's corrective action plan to determine acceptability. Any CDRs may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action deemed necessary by the CO.

IV. FREQUENCY OF MEASUREMENT

During contract performance, the COR will periodically analyze whether the negotiated frequency of surveillance is appropriate for the work being performed.

LINE

ITEM

REQUIRED

TASKS

PERFORMANCE

STANDARDS

ACCEPTABLE

QUALITY

LEVEL

METHOD OF

SURVEILLANCE

PERFORMANCE

onsite Switchboard Service as required in the statement of work.

The Contractor shall perform the standard required by the VASDHS.

validated user/customer complaints All complaints received will be documented and a cure notice will be issued when necessary

23. BUILDING SECURITY:

a) Keys: The Government will provide the Contractor with keys to allow access to rooms in order to perform the work under this contract.

b) The Contractor and COR shall periodically perform an inventory of all keys assigned to the Contractor (at least every three months and at the end of the contract period). Any expenses incurred for lost keys or replacement door locks as a result of Contractor personnel negligence shall be assessed to the Contractor. The Contractor will notify the COR of any lost or suspected lost key(s) within 24 hours. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to prohibit the use of keys issued by the Government by any persons other than the Contractor’s employees.

24. CONSERVATION OF UTILITIES:

a) Mechanical equipment controls for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems may be adjusted by personnel in the switchboard area for personal comfort.

b) Water faucets shall be turned off after use.

25. SAFETY AND FIRE PREVENTION:

a) The Chief, Engineering Service is the designated VA Safety Officer for this contract and is responsible for the enforcement of all safety regulations as they apply to the safety of VA and Contractor employees, visitors, and patients. Violations will be submitted to the Contractor for immediate corrective action. If corrective action is not instituted promptly, a copy of the COR’s report will be forwarded to the Department of Labor. These inspections do not relieve the Contractor from compliance of safety regulations.

b) In the performance of this contract, the Contractor shall take such safety precautions as necessary to protect the lives and health of occupants in the building.

c) Prior to Contractor occupancy, a joint inspection by the VA and the Contractor will be made and documented. The Contractor will not be held responsible for deficiencies, which predate occupancy of the area and are documented in the inspection. The Contracting Officer may hold the Contractor responsible for future deficiencies.

d) The Contractor shall comply with the Federal, State and Local safety and fire regulations and codes as required.

26. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

a) The Office of Security and Law Enforcement provides Department-wide policy on the assignment of appropriate position sensitivity designations associated with Department of Veterans Affairs positions involving national security and public trust responsibilities, and on the level of background investigations required for applicants for, and incumbents of, those positions.

b) IAW VA 0710 Handbook, appointees and Contractor personnel appointed to Low/Moderate/High Risk positions must be subjects of a background investigation conducted by OPM and receive a favorable adjudication from the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement to ensure compliance with such policy. If such investigation has not been completed prior to Contract commencement, the Contractor shall be responsible for the actions of those individuals performing under the contract.

c) Should the Contract require Contractor’s personnel to maintain U.S. citizenship, the Contractor shall be responsible for compliance. Regardless of U.S. citizenship requirements, Contractor’s personnel are required to read, write, speak, and understand the English language, unless otherwise specified in this Contract or agreed to by the Government.

d) The cost for such investigations shall be borne by the Contractor, either in advance or as reimbursement to the Government. The level of sensitivity shall be determined by the Government on the basis of the type of access required. The level of sensitivity will determine the depth of the investigation and the cost thereof. At this time, the current estimated costs for such investigations are as follows:

LEVEL OF

SENSITIVITY

BACKGROUND

INVESTIGATION LEVEL

APPROXIMATE

COST

e) The Contractor shall be required to furnish all applicable employee information required to conduct the investigation, such as, but not limited to, the name, address, and social security number of the Contractor’s personnel. The VA will provide all the necessary instructions and guidance for submission of the documents required to conduct the background investigation. Background investigations shall not be required for Contractor personnel assigned to Low Risk/Non-sensitive positions for 180 days or less under a single contract or series of contracts. However, a Security Access Clearance (SAC) background screening will be required for appropriate preliminary checks IAW VA Directive 0710.

27. SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION

a) The term “security incident” means an event that has, or could have, resulted in unauthorized access to, loss, or damage to VA assets or sensitive information, or an action that breaches VA security procedures. The Contractor/Subcontractor shall immediately notify the COR and simultaneously, the designated Information Security Officer (ISO) and Privacy Officer for the Contract of any known or suspected security/privacy incidents, or any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, including that contained in system(s) to which the Contractor/Subcontractor has access.

b) To the extent known by the Contractor/Subcontractor, the Contractor/ Subcontractor’s notice to VA shall identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and where the VA information or assets were placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the Contractor/Subcontractor considers relevant.

c) In instances of theft or break-in or other criminal activity, the Contractor/Subcontractor must concurrently report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement entity (or entities) of jurisdiction, including the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Security and Law Enforcement. The Contractor, its employees, and its Subcontractors and their employees shall cooperate with VA and any law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any possible criminal law violation(s) associated with any incident. The Contractor/Subcontractor shall cooperate with VA in any civil litigation to recover VA information, obtain monetary or other compensation from a third party for damages arising from any incident, or obtain injunctive relief against any third party arising from, or related to, the incident.

28. GOVERNMENT ORIENTATION AND TRAINING

The VA will provide a briefing to familiarize the Contractor’s personnel on the policies and procedures on the first scheduled duty day or within a period acceptable to the VA. The Contractor shall ensure that all of the Contractor’s personnel attend, participate and complete all VA mandatory training that is required to include but not limited to VA Handbook 6500.6 Appendix C Paragraph 9 – Training listed below:

29. VA HANDBOOK 6500.6 APPENDIX C PARAGRAPH 9 – TRAINING

a) All Contractor employees and Subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems:

1) Sign and acknowledge (either manual or electronically) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Contractor Rules of Behavior, Appendix E relating to access to VA information and information systems.

2) Successfully complete the VA Cyber Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training and annually complete required security training;

3) Successfully complete the appropriate VA privacy training and annually complete required privacy training.

4) Successfully complete any additional cyber security or privacy training, as required for VA personnel with equivalent information system access as defined by the VA program office.

b) The Contractor shall provide to the Contracting Officer and/or the COR a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Contractor Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the Contract and annually thereafter, as required.

c) Failure to complete the mandatory annual training and sign the Rules of Behavior annually, within the timeframe, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and certifications are complete.

30. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

The Contractor shall communicate and coordinate with the Contracting Officer and/or the COR on all matters pertaining to administration of the resulting contract. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make commitments or issue changes that will affect price, quantity, or quality of the resulting contract.

Addendum:

VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for Combatting COVID-19

1. Contractor employees who work in or travel to VHA locations must comply with the following:

a. Documentation requirements:

1) If fully vaccinated, contractors shall show proof of vaccination.

i. NOTE: Acceptable proof of vaccination includes a signed record of immunization from a health care provider or pharmacy, a copy of the COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card (CDC Form MLS-319813_r, published on September 3, 2020), or a copy of medical records documenting the vaccination.

2) If unvaccinated, contractors shall show negative COVID-19 test results dated within three calendar days prior to desired entry date. Test must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use or full approval. This includes tests available by a doctor’s order or an FDA approved over-the-counter test that includes an affiliated telehealth service.

3) Documentation cited in this section shall be digitally or physically maintained on each contractor employee while in a VA facility and is subject to inspection prior to entry to VA facilities and after entry for spot inspections by Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) or other hospital personnel.

4) Documentation will not be collected by the VA; contractors shall, at all times, adhere to and ensure compliance with federal laws designed to protect contractor employee health information and personally identifiable information.

2. Contractor employees are subject to daily screening for COVID-19 and may be denied entry to VA facilities if they fail to pass screening protocols. As part of the screening process contractors may be asked screening questions found on the COVID-19 Screening Tool. Check regularly for updates.

a. Contractor employees who work away from VA locations, but who will have direct contact with VA patients shall self-screen utilizing the COVID-19 Screening Tool, in advance, each day that they will have direct patient contact and in accordance with their person or persons who coordinate COVID-19 workplace safety efforts at covered contractor workplaces. Contractors shall, at all times, adhere to and ensure compliance with federal laws designed to protect contractor employee health information and personally identifiable information.

3. Contractor must immediately notify their COR or Contracting Officer if contract performance is jeopardized due to contractor employees being denied entry into VA Facilities.

1. For indefinite delivery contracts: Contractor agrees to comply with VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for any task or delivery orders issued prior to this modification when performance has already commenced.