Contract Veterinarian Medical Consultant

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial service prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and quotes are being requested. A written solicitation will not be issued.



The solicitation number is VA248-14-Q-2130 and is issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ), unless otherwise indicated herein. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541940 with a small business size standard of $7.5M. This solicitation starts 09/19/2014 and will end 09/23/2013 at 12:00 pm EST. This solicitation is a set aside for woman owned small business as a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable.



The Department of Veterans Affairs Bay Pines Healthcare system, hereafter referred to as CWYVAMC, 10,000 Bay Pines Blvd. St. Petersburg, FL requires technical and professional services for a veterinarian with specialty in laboratory animal medicine, requiring special training and experience in providing oversight of animal care. This is a Firm Fixed Price, Base Year with (2) one year options requirement. Period of Performance Base Year: 1 Oct 2014 - 30 Oct 2015.



SCOPE OF WORK: CWYVAMC at Bay Pines Florida requires technical and professional services for a veterinarian with specialty in laboratory animal medicine, requiring special training and experience in providing oversight of animal care. The position requires an approval of the Chief Veterinarian Medical Officer (CVMO), Washington, D.C. and in-depth knowledge of and experience in VHA Handbooks governing animal welfare and protection.



General: Preventative medical aspects of this program are in accordance with good veterinary practices and include consideration of potential zoonotic disease prevention measures, and consists of a program in accordance with the "Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals", the Animal Welfare Regulations Title 9 CFR Subchapter A "Animal Welfare", the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and VHA Handbook 1200.07. This written program for veterinarian care is reviewed annually and updated when necessary.



Primary duties of the VMC include, but are not limited to:

a) Direct the operation of the animal research facility to ensure compliance with current animal welfare laws, regulations, and policies, and to support Research and Development (R&D) programs using animal subjects.

b) Provide professional guidance and technical support to the health care facility's investigators in planning, executing, and directing R&D activity using animals.

c) Ensuring adequate caretaker staffing and proper support of animal research projects at the facility.

d) Initiating and/or reviewing requests for equipment used in the animal research facility and plans for animal research facility construction and renovation.

e) Serving as a member of the local Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

f) Performing mandatory veterinary consultations with investigators prior to the submission of their animal protocol forms to the IACUC.

g) Participating in mandated semi-annual IACUC inspections of animal facilities and the animal care and research use program.

h) Guiding the facility in preparations for AAALAC, international accreditation site visits, and compliance visits by regulatory agencies.

i) Drafting or reviewing regulatory documents required for compliance with applicable regulations, guidelines, and policies. This include AAALAC program Descriptions, PHS Assurance documents, USDA Annual Reports (to be signed by the Institutional Official (10), and annual VA VMU reports.

j) Serving as a source of guidance on animal research regulations guidelines, and prevailing standards.

k) Serving as a member of the blosafety Committee as a liaison to the IACUC, if required by the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for R&D.

l) Contributing to the promotion of favorable community and affiliate relations with increased public appreciation of the importance of animal studies in improving patient care.

m) Participating in VA initiatives that contribute to improved animal research support of R&D programs throughout the VA health care system.

n) Assisting the Chief, Veterinary Medical Officer with special projects of system-wide importance.





CLIN Description Qty Unit Unit Price Total Price

Base Year: 1 Oct 2014 - 30 Sep 2015

1 Contract for services of a Veterinary Medical Consultant (VMC), a veterinarian with specialty in laboratory animal medicine. This professional will provide animal healthcare training to R&D staff, serve as a member of the local Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, draft and review regulatory documents for submission to applicable agencies, and provide consultative services to the Veterinary Medical Unit Supervisor on an as needed basis. 12 Mo $_________ $________

Option Year 1:1 Oct 2015 - 30 Sep 2016

2 Contract for services of a Veterinary Medical Consultant (VMC), a veterinarian with specialty in laboratory animal medicine. This professional will provide animal healthcare training to R&D staff, serve as a member of the local Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, draft and review regulatory documents for submission to applicable agencies, and provide consultative services to the Veterinary Medical Unit Supervisor on an as needed basis. 12 Mo $_________ $________

Option Year 1:1 Oct 2016 - 30 Sep 2017

3 Contract for services of a Veterinary Medical Consultant (VMC), a veterinarian with specialty in laboratory animal medicine. This professional will provide animal healthcare training to R&D staff, serve as a member of the local Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, draft and review regulatory documents for submission to applicable agencies, and provide consultative services to the Veterinary Medical Unit Supervisor on an as needed basis. 12 Mo $_________ $________

Remarks:

TOTAL BASE YEAR $__________________







The following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) provisions and clauses are applicable to this acquisition and are available for view at: http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html http://www.va.gov/oamm/oa/ars/policyreg/vaar/index.cfm



FAR Provisions:



52.204-7 System for Award Management (JUL 2013)

52.209-5 Representation by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Tax liability or a Felony Conviction under any Federal Law (Deviation)

52.209-7 Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (JUL 2013)

52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors- Commercial Items (JUL 2013)

52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items (JAN 1999)



The Government will award a firm fixed priced contract to the responsible offeror who is the lowest priced technically acceptable. In order to be rated Technically Acceptable all technical factors shall be rated as pass. Offeror shall demonstrate their ability to meet these factors with their offer in accordance with Paragraphs 1-4 below, and offers shall meet the minimum qualifications below in order to be evaluated. Technical acceptability is rated as pass or fail based on the following:



1) Credentials approved by the Chief Veterinarian Medical Officer (CVMO), Washington, D.C.



2) In-depth knowledge of and experience in the VHA Handbooks (i.e. 1200.07) governing animal welfare and protection.



3) In-depth knowledge of and experience in the operations of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, a subcommittee of the Research and Development Committee.



4) Past Performance



a. Offerors must provide a minimum of three (3) identified references when submitting their quote. Emphasis will be on recent, relevant past performance. Recent is defined as work performed within the last three years. Relevant is defined as work similar in size and scope of the work described in the Statement of Work (SOW). Since the Government may not necessarily interview all of the sources provided by the offerors, offeror shall explain the relevance of the data provided for each reference. Offerors are reminded that the Government may elect to consider data obtained from other sources.



b. Offerors are also required to show proof that they submitted a minimum of three (3) past performance surveys to identified references, to be provided to the Contracting Office by the solicitation closing date. This is based on recent and relevant work as described in the previous paragraph (4a). Evaluators may validate the information on past performance surveys, by contacting the points of contact directly via email or by phone. POC information should be documented and be available upon request.



c. Offerors with no relevant past performance or whom information is not available, shall not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance.



52.212-3 Certifications and & Representations (NOV 2013)

52.216-1 Type of Contract (APR 1984)

The Government contemplates award of a Firm-Fixed Priced contract resulting from this solicitation.



52.217-5 Evaluation of Options (JUL 1990)

52.225-25 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities Engaging in Certain Activities or Transactions Relating to Iran-Representation and certification

52.233-2 Service of Protest (SEP 2006)



VAAR Provisions:

852.233-70 Protest Content/Alternative Dispute Resolution (JAN 2008)

852.233-71 Alternative Protest Procedure (JAN 1998)

852.252-70 Solicitation Provisions or Clauses Incorporated by Reference (JAN 2008)

852.270-1 Representatives of Contracting Officers (JAN 2008)

852.273-74 Award Without Exchanges (JAN 2003)



FAR Clauses:

52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights and Requirements to Inform

Employees of Whistleblower Rights (SEP 2013)

52.204-4 Printed or Copied Double-Sided on Postconsumer Fiber Content Paper (MAY 2011)

52.204-9 Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel

52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions- Commercial Items (SEP 2013)

52.212-4 Addendum to FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions- Commercial Items

52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (SEP 2013)

o 52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (JUL 2013)

o 52.209-6 Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment (AUG 2013)

o 52.222-3 Convict Labor (JUN 2003)

o 52.222-19 Child Labor - Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (MAR 2012)

o 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (FEB 1999)

o 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (MAR 2007)

o 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans (SEP 2010)

o 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (OCT 2010)

o 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer- System for Award Management (JUL 2013)



52.217-8 Option to Extend Services (NOV 1999)



The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 30 days of contract expiration.









52.217-9 Option to Extend Term of the Contract (MAR 2000)



(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within no later than 30 days before contract expiration; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 60 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.



(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.



(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 2 years six months.



52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payment to Small Business Subcontractors

(DEC 2013)

52.237-3 Indemnification and Medical Liability Insurance (JAN 2008)

52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998)





VAAR Clauses:

852.203-70 Commercial Advertising (JAN 2008)

852.203-71 Display of Department of Veterans Affairs hotline poster

852.215-71 Evaluation Factor Commitments (Nov 2012)

852.216-70 Estimated quantities

852.219-10 VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set- Aside

852.228-71 Indemnification and Insurance (JAN 2008)

852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (NOV 2012)

852.237-70 Contractor Responsibilities (APR 1984)





Offeror shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database before an award can be made to them. If the offeror is not registered in the SAM, it may do so through the SAM website at http://www.sam.gov



Please direct all questions regarding this procurement to Reginald L. Nettles, Contracting Specialist by phone at 727-399-3302 or fax 727-399-3346 or via email Reginald.Nettles2@va.gov.