HPC Dental Unit Water Line Analysis

Added: Jun 11, 2015 4:59 pm This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY. It is neither a solicitation announcement nor a request for proposals or quotes and does not obligate the Government to award a contract. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. Responses to this sources sought must be in writing. The purpose of this sources sought announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potential qualified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, Veteran Owned Small Businesses, 8(a), HubZone and other Small Businesses interested and capable of providing the services described below. Documentation of technical expertise must be presented in sufficient detail for the Government to determine that your company possesses the necessary functional area expertise and experience to compete for this acquisition. Responses to this notice shall include the following: (a) company name (b) address (c) point of contact (d) phone, fax, and email (e) DUNS number (f) Cage Code (g) Tax ID Number (h) Type of small business, e.g. Services Disabled Veteran Owned small Business, Veteran-owned small business, 8(a), HUBZone, Women Owned Small Business, Small disadvantaged business, or Small Business HUBZone business and (i) must provide a capability statement that addresses the organizations qualifications and ability to perform as a contractor for the work described below.



Network Contract Office (NCO) 18 is seeking a qualified Environmental Protection Agency or State certified microbiology laboratory to provide HPC Dental Unit Water Line testing for the Phoenix VA Health Care System's (PVAHCS) main hospital and two satellite clinics for a base plus four (4), one (1) year option periods. The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, supplies, materials as required in this solicitation and resulting contract. Prospective contractors must be authorized/certified to provide the required service and must show proof with any provided documents at the time of responding to this Sources Sought announcement.



Draft Performance Work Statement



Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) HPC Dental Water Testing



Contents:



I. Background

II. Objectives

III. Statement of Work / Requirements

V. Special and Technical Requirements



NOTE: Security accreditation package is not required and Contractor will not have access to any VA sensitive information. This project does not require acquisition of a service that involves storage, transmitting or exchanging VA sensitive information as this requirement is strictly a construction activity per the SOW below.



1.0 Background:



a. Waterlines: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Public Health Association, and the American Water Works Association have defined the standard for US potable water - not to exceed 500 colony forming units (CFU) per milliliter of water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Dental Association (ADA) have recommended dental unit water line (DUWL) delivered water should meet the U.S. potable water standard - not to exceed 500 CFU/mL of water. Dental Services should routinely test water coming out of the DUWL to meet this standard, have an action plan to meet this standard, and to address a DUWL that exceeds this standard. Waterline testing is preferred to be accomplished by an EPA or state certified laboratory to perform environmental testing. VA Microbiology Laboratories perform clinical tests, and have not been approved for environmental testing.



2.0 Scope of Work / Technical Requirements:

a. Assess dental unit water line contamination for all Phoenix VA Dental Clinics. Contamination should not exceed 500 colony forming units per milliliter of water.

b. Water samples will be obtained from all functioning dental unit water lines in each dental operatory (air/water syringe, hand pieces, ultrasonic scalar), and placed in a sterile container.

c. Sampling will take place quarterly (October, December, April, and July). If a sample fails to meet standards (equal or less than 500 CFU/mL), PVAHCS will take appropriate action to correct the deficiency and have the affected dental unit water line retested within one week.

d. Contractor shall provide bottles, boxes, and shipping labels for collecting water samples for all Phoenix VA Dental locations. Contractor is to provide testing protocol (i.e., instructions regarding proper collection, to include constraints that may affect samples such as time, temperature, etc.) and water quality sample testing. There are 110 sites at the main Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) and 50 sites each at our 2 satellite clinics located in Gilbert and Surprise Arizona. We estimate 210 samples per month will be required.

3.0 Special and Technical Requirements:

a. The collection and delivery of samples will be the responsibility of the main PVAHCS facility, the Southeast, and Northwest Dental Clinics staff. The contracted Laboratory will provide collection protocol to these functions.



Important information: The Government is not obligated to nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this sources sought synopsis request. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. The VA is mandated by Public Law 109-461 to consider a total set-aside for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business set aside. However, if response by Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business firms proves inadequate, an alternate set-aside or full and open competition may be determined. No sub-contracting opportunity is anticipated. The North American Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541380 ($15.0).

Notice to potential offerors: All offerors who provide goods or services to the United States Federal Government must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov and complete Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA). Additionally, all Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses or Veteran Owned Businesses who respond to a solicitation on this project must be registered with the Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Veterans Enterprise VetBiz Registry located at http://vip.vetbiz.gov. All interested Offerors should submit information by e-mail, mail or ground carrier to: Southern AZ VA HealthCare System, 3601 S. 6th Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85723 or by e-mail to Michael.williams48@va.gov. All information submissions to be marked Attn: Michael Williams, Contracting Specialist (9-90C) and should be received no later than 3:30 pm Mountain Time on June 11, 2015. After review of the responses to this announcement, the Government intends to proceed with the acquisition and a subsequent solicitation will be published.