Water Testing and Water Treatment Services for SGHC _OCMP-26-25405, BPM#053076_ Questions and Answers.pdf
PDF 315 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- BPM053076
- Issued by
- Baltimore County, Maryland
About this file
This Questions and Answers document pertains to the Office of Contract Management and Procurement (OCMP) for the State of Maryland Department of Health's procurement of water testing and water treatment services for Spring Grove Hospital Center in Catonsville, Maryland. The solicitation (OCMP-26-25405, eMMA Number BPM053076) requests water sampling, sample analysis, and treatment services across twenty-four buildings on the hospital's campus. Services must include at least one hot water sample from a representative distal outlet location and one cold water sample from a representative tap or point-of-entry location at each facility. Testing shall focus exclusively on Legionella using culture-based methodology (ISO 11731 or CDC ELITE method), with results typically reported within 7-10 days. The solicitation is structured as a one-year base period with no option periods and represents a new contract for which no incumbent contractor currently performs these services. The bid closing date was revised to Friday, August 21st, 2026 at 2:00 PM Local Time, as noted in Addendum #2.
Bidders must comply with CDC, ASHRAE 188, state DGS-type guidelines, and Spring Grove Hospital Center's Water Management Program Policy & Procedure (SGHC12292022). All vendors are required to hold current certification from the Maryland Rural Water Association for water sampling, testing, laboratory analysis, and treatment as mandated by the Maryland Department of the Environment. The contract is designated as a Small Business Reserve (SBR) procurement, and pricing shall be submitted on a firm fixed price basis with one price per test, as retesting quantities are unknown. Secondary disinfection treatments are not included in this procurement and will be solicited separately if needed. The contractor must provide a two-year warranty on all labor, testing, sampling, and treatment services performed. No federal funding is associated with this procurement, and vendors are permitted to team with subcontractors, though all work must be coordinated under a single proposal submission.
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OFFICE OF CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND PROCUREMENT
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
OCMP
Number: 26-25405 eMMA Number: BPM053076
Solicitation Title:
Water Testing and Water Treatment Services for Spring Grove Hospital Center
Closing Date:
See Addendum #2 (Friday, August 21st, 2026)
Closing Time: 2:00 PM Local Time
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
Q.1. Are you following a specific water management plan that is currently in place?
A.1. Yes - See Water Management Program Policy & Procedure SGHC12292022 (Exhibit 3. Water Management Program)
Q.2. Can you provide a list of sample locations and the total number of samples you want taken?
A.2. Healthcare, assisted living, and public facilities are required to follow CDC, ASHRAE 188, and state DGS-type guidelines. At least one hot water sample from a representative location (often a distal outlet like a sink or shower). At least one cold water sample from a representative tap or point-of-entry location.
Q.3. For fixtures with shower heads, can you identify whether they want swab samples, bulk water samples or both so vendors know exactly how many total samples are part of the bid?
A.3. At least one hot water sample from a representative location (often a distal outlet like a sink or shower). At least one cold water sample from a representative tap or point-of-entry location. Vendor should determine the type of sample taken as they are the experts.
Q.4. Are you not doing any testing of domestic hot water heaters, sinks or showers at all as a part of this bid?
A.4. At least one hot water sample from a representative location (often a distal outlet like a sink or shower). At least one cold water sample from a representative tap or point-of-entry location.
Q.5. Do you want us to specify a certain quantity for retests? And, if it were to go over that, do you want us to quote as they happen?
A.5. There is no stated retesting quantity in the solicitation. The retesting cost/bid should be one price per test since the number of retests that will be needed is unknown. the vendor should quote on items and/ or services asked of them.This information will be documented and uploaded to eMMA, see updated Attachment B. Bid-Price Form. Revised.
Q.6. Question regarding Legionella and other pathogens, Is it going to specify which specific pathogen or do you want a bacteria test instead?
A.6. Testing shall be for Legionella.
See Addendum #2, posted to eMMA (Item#6, 2.3.1 Description of work to be performed).
Q.7. Do you want testing for drinkable water and PH testing?
A.7. This solicitation is not requesting testing for drinkable water or PH water testing.
Healthcare, assisted living, and public facilities are required to follow CDC, ASHRAE 188, and state DGS-type guidelines. At least one hot water sample from a representative location (often a distal outlet like a sink or shower). At least one cold water sample from a representative tap or point-of-entry location.
Q.8. Regarding the type of sampling, will the specific type of testing for legionella be differentiated/stated since there are many types of testing? For example there are quick 24 hour tests or tests you can grow in a culture (7-10 days time period to grown cultures) which is what most water management plans want you to do.
A.8. Culture-based testing (ISO 11731 or CDC ELITE) as the primary and preferred method.
This is the 7–10 day test.
Q.9. Do you want us to also provide a price for the disinfection process if it is needed? Will the disinfection time be overnight and if so do you want that price included?
A.9. See Addendum #2 posted to eMMA and updated Attachment B. Bid-Price Form. Revised.
Q.10. The Bid Price form states Annual Water Sampling, are we just to do it once a year whatever the quantity is?
Reference was made to Exhibit 3.
Water Management Program stating the routine testing is conducted every six months.
A.10 This solicitation will be an annual testing. Future solicitations may be done every six months
Q.11. Will secondary disinfection treatments (for example chlorine treatments to help fight bacteria) be a part the treatment process?
A.11. No, secondary disinfection is not a part of this procurement.. The program has looked into and if it were to be requested it would be solicited in a totally separate procurement.
Q.12. Will the sampling points/entry points of where you want the samples to come from be identified?
A.12. Healthcare, assisted living, and public facilities are required to follow CDC, ASHRAE 188, and state DGS-type guidelines. At least one hot water sample from a representative location (often a distal outlet like a sink or shower). At least one cold water sample from a representative tap or point-of-entry location.
Q.13. Was a treatment contract awarded from last summer's process? Were the results unsatisfactory?
A.13. There was no treatment solicitation issued by SGHC last summer. Please review eMMA.
Per Section 2. Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work -
This is a new contract with new requirements.
Q.14. We only do remediation treatment and in the proposal it looks like you want sampling/testing & treatment from one company. Is that the case or can we team up with a water sampling company and provide one proposal?
A.14. Please refer to the IFB Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work, Section 2.1.and, Section 2.1.2 and Section 4.21 Bid Evaluation Criteria and Award Basis.
Q.15. Review Warranty information A.15. Please refer to IFB Section 2.3.2 Provision of Warranty for information on the Contractor guarantee of work performed that includes a two (2) year warranty and the parameters that should be included.
Q.16. IFB pg. 10.Per IFB Section 2.3.1.A.1.
iii. 2.b, Are you looking for a rapid field test such as PCR, or "Gold standard" for Legionella isolation, which is the ISO 11731 culture method and will detect all species of Legionella, results typically reported in 7-14 days, laboratory will subculturing suspect colonies s early as day 3 of incubation. Please advise which method you are looking for?
A.16. Culture-based testing (ISO 11731 or CDC ELITE) as the primary and preferred method.
This is the 7–10 day test.
Q.17. IFB pg. 11. Per IFB Section 2.3.1. B.
How many samples are needed for each building?
A.17. At least one hot water sample from a representative location (often a distal outlet like a sink or shower). At least one cold water sample from a representative tap or point-of-entry location. Two at each location.
Q.18. IFB pg. 11. Per IFB Section 2.3.1. C. 1.
Could you please specify what other pathogens you are looking for other than Legionella? Are you looking for waterborne pathogen testing (Total Colifomrs, e. coli, pseudomonas and notuberculous mycobacteris (NTM)?
A.18. See Addendum #2 posted to eMMA. Testing for Legionella.
Q.19. Are there incumbent contractor details or historical monthly reports available for reference?
A.19. No, this informaton is not available.
Q.20. Is there a current incumbent performing this service? May we have the contract and the total contract award amount?
A.20. No, the services are not currently being performed, hence the purpose of this IFB
Q.21. Would as ASSE 12080 Legionella Water Safety and Management Certification be acceptable, it is the National Standard for Legionella Water Safety?
A.21. Per Section 1. Minimum Qualifications of the IFB. Section 1.1.B.1 of the IFB, Required Documentation: The Bidder shall provide with it's Bid, current certification issued by Maryland Rural Water Association (MRWA) Water Sampler Certification as stated by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for water sampling, testing, laboratory analysis and treatment.
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