S222--Bio-Hazardous and Medical Waste Chillicothe VAMC and Columbus VAACC (OHIO)

The purpose of this solicitation amendment is to re-open the solicitation, extend the deadline of the solicitation, and to update the Performance Work Statement.

The deadline of the solicitation is hereby changed to 1:30 PM EST on 12/5/2024 via email to Joshua.Kovar@VA.gov.

There was a missing statement that did not translate to the Performance Work Statement when posted to contract opportunities. It is highlighted below. Current Schedule is posted in the table below. All pickups during the new contract period are on an on-call basis.

The following statement was added to the Performance Work Statement: Any changes to the time window must be coordinated with the Station POC to ensure coverage.

Any vendor who wishes to revise their quote must send a new complete quote package (Administrative, Technical, Price) prior to the solicitation deadline. If you do not wish to revise your quote package an acknowledgement of this amendment must be transmitted to the Contracting Officer by the deadline. If the Government receives no updated quotes then any quotes received prior to this amendment will be evaluated as-is.

?.## PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Biohazardous / Regulated Medical Waste / Infectious Waste Removal and Destruction

Updated 10/28/2024

DESCRIPTION: Contractor provide all labor, equipment, and material necessary to provide for removal and disposal of Bio-Hazardous Waste, Regulated Medical Waste, and Infectious Waste, from the Chillicothe VA Medical Center and Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center and all associated Community Based Outreach Clinics (CBOCs) as listed in this Performance Work Statement.

***NOTE: The Government reserves the right to add or remove any additional Medical Centers, CBOC s or other facilities to the contract as they become available. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to add, increase, or decrease types of collected materials, frequencies of collections, or quantities to allow for fluctuations of client demand that are otherwise unknown at time of solicitation. The total contract value may increase up to 20% of the base award.

The estimated base term of the contract will be for 12 Months with 4 possible option years, exercisable at the Governments discretion.

Base: 1/01/2025 12/31/2025

OY1: 1/01/2026 12/31/2026

OY2: 1/01/2027 12/31/2027

OY3: 1/01/2028 12/31/2028

OY4: 1/01/2029 12/31/2029

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

PICK-UP SCHEDULE: The contractor is fully responsible for the pickup and transport of all infectious waste to include chemotherapy waste. The current schedule is indicated in the table below.

PICKUP DESIRED FOR CONTRACT:

Chillicothe and Chalmers P. Wylie main facilities shall be picked up weekly. The estimated weight of all pickups for the main facilities is listed in the Price-Cost Schedule.

CBOCs shall be picked up an on-call basis and can be requested by Facility POC s and onsite Nurse Managers or initiated by the vendor through calls and/or emails. The estimated number of containers is listed in the Price-Cost Schedule.

A complete list of Facility POC and Nurse Managers shall be provided to the contractor during the requirement kick-off meeting.

Any changes to any of the pickup day shall be coordinated with the facility POC with sufficient time to allow for adequate staffing coverage and/or dock status at the facility. The contractor shall monitor pickups at the CBOCs and make recommendations to increase or decrease frequency based upon actual usage. Any changes to pick-up frequencies shall be coordinated/approved with the facility POC prior to any changes in performance. Any changes to the time window must be coordinated with the Station POC to ensure coverage.

Current Schedule is posted in the table below. All pickups during the new contract period are on an on-call basis.

Facility

Address

Pickup

Day

Time Window

CHILLICOTHE VA MEDICAL CENTER and SUPPORTED CBOCs

Chillicothe VAMC

17273 St Rt. 104., Chillicothe, OH 45601

Weekly

*Thursday

8AM 2:30 PM

Athens CBOC

88 N. Plains Rd., The Plains, OH 45780

Bi-Weekly*

*Wednesday

8AM - 1:30 PM

Wilmington CBOC**

448 West Main St., Wilmington, OH 45177

Bi-Weekly*

*Monday

8AM - 1:30 PM

Southgate CBOC

2146 Southgate Pkwy., Cambridge, OH 43725

Bi-Weekly*

*Fridays

8AM - 1:30 PM

Lancaster CBOC

1703 N. Memorial Dr., Lancaster, OH 43130

Bi-Weekly*

*Monday

8AM - 1:30 PM

Portsmouth CBOC

4038 Rhodes Ave., New Boston, OH 45662

Bi-Weekly*

*Tuesdays

8AM - 1:30 PM

Marietta CBOC

27842 St. Rt. 7, Marietta, OH 45750

Bi-Weekly*

*Fridays

8AM - 1:30 PM

CHALMERS P. WYLIE VA AMBULATORY CARE CENTER AND SUPPORTED CBOCS

Chalmers P. Wylie VAACC

420 North James Rd. Columbus, OH 43219

Weekly

TBD

8AM - 1:30 PM

Zanesville CBOC

2800 Maple Ave., Zanesville, OH 43071

Bi-Weekly*

TBD

8AM - 1:30 PM

Newark CBOC

1855 W. Main St., Newark, OH 43035

Bi-Weekly*

TBD

8AM - 1:30 PM

Marion CBOC***

1203 Delaware Ave., Marion, OH 43302

Bi-Weekly*

TBD

8AM - 1:30 PM

Grove City CBOC

1955 Ohio Ave., Grove City, OH 43123

Bi-Weekly*

TBD

8AM - 1:30 PM

*Bi-Weekly pickups are every other week to a maximum quantity of 26 per year.

**Wilmington CBOC is slated to move to a new location in CY 2025.

***Marion CBOC is slated to move to a new location in CY2025

No pick-up service is to be performed on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays except with prior arrangement.

The Eleven (11) holidays observed by the Federal Government are:

New Year s Day January 1

Martin Luther King s Birthday 3rd Monday in January

Washington s Birthday 3rd Monday in February

Memorial Day last Monday in May

Juneteenth National Independence Day June 19

Independence Day July 4

Labor Day 1st Monday in September

Columbus Day 2nd Monday in October

Veterans Day November 11

Thanksgiving Day 4th Thursday in November

Christmas Day December 25

Or any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday.

Pickups scheduled on National holidays will be made on the next workday (business day) after the holiday.

A full calendar year schedule for each location will be provided to Station POCs and the Contracting Officer at the start of every year, and changes will be provided with in the week of the changes. Excluding any facilities that are on a as needed basis. No changes shall be implemented without concurrence from the Station POC and Contracting Officer.

DEFINITIONS: Each facility shall provide to the contractor and contractor shall collect and remove from each facility premises, treat and dispose of all Bio-Medical Waste generated by each facility in accordance with the terms of this agreement. Each facility is responsible for ensuring the Bio-Medical Waste is transferred to the designated and secured collection and pick up site for the contractor. The term Bio-Medical Waste: as used herein, shall include only those wastes defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as infectious waste in its Guide for Infectious Waste Management #EPA/530-SW-86-014, or defined by the USEPA as medical waste in 40CFR259.30 and any other wastes identified as infectious waste in any other applicable federal, state, county or municipal laws, regulations and guidelines.

Categories of Hazardous Waste(s) are identified in compliance with 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 261.

INFECTIOUS WASTE: consists of seven classes with these specifications included in all seven classes:

CULTURES AND STOCKS: Cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associate biological including: Cultures from medical and pathological laboratories, cultures and stock of infectious agents from research and industrial laboratories; waste from the production of biologicals; discarded live and attenuated vaccines and culture dishes and devices used to transfer, inoculate and mix cultures.

PATHOLOGICAL WASTES: Human pathological waste including tissues, organs body parts and body fluids that are removed during surgery or autopsy, or other medical procedures and specimens of body fluids and their containers.

SHARPS WASTE: Needles, Syringes, Lancets, Infusion Needles, Connection Needles, glass or hardened plastic that can puncture the skin.

HUMAN BLOOD AND BLOOD PRODUCTS: Liquid waste human blood items saturated and/or dripping with human blood, including serum, plasma and other blood components and their containers which were used or extended for use in patient care, testing and laboratory analysis, the development of pharmaceuticals and intravenous bags.

ANIMAL WASTE: Contaminated animal carcasses, body parts and bedding of animals that were known to have been exposed to infectious agents during research (including research in veterinary hospitals) or research production of biologicals or testing of pharmaceuticals.

ISOLATION WASTE: Biological waste and discarded materials contaminated with blood, excretion, exudes or secretions from humans who are isolated to protect others from certain highly communicable diseases or isolated animals known to be infected with highly communicable diseases.

CYTOTOXIC WASTE, AND ANTINEOPLASTIC DRUGS: Trace quantities of cytotoxic medications are contained in such things as empty, used intravenous tubes, bags, or syringes or possibly in bandages or bedding materials used in patient care. These trace quantities shall be treated as regulated medical waste and placed in red bag containers by VA personnel. It is the responsibility of VA personnel to ensure that all bulk chemotoxic materials and other hazardous wastes are separated from biomedical waste and disposed of in accordance established procedures for such wastes. Any and all Chemotherapy waste is held onsite until it can be properly disposed of in accordance with Federal guidelines.

PROVISIONS OF STORAGE CONTAINERS: The Contractor shall provide clean, disinfected, rigid plastic containers to the Government at each pickup of stored regulated waste. The Contractor will provide an adequate number of barrels/containers, (RED for Bio and YELLOW for Chemo) with chemotherapy and sharps labels. The Contractor may provide neutral (Grey/Black) containers as long as they provide labels that identify contents of the container. They will also provide cardboard boxes for bio that will not fit in the containers.

The containers will be labeled with bio-hazardous logo or chemo symbol and have lockable/secured snug fitting lids. These containers are to be stackable. The Contractor shall provide the quality of containers as needed and will exchange a clean disinfected container for each filled container picked up. Whenever full containers are picked up at the hospital, a sufficient number of disinfected empty containers will be left in exchange. All containers shall be prominently labeled with the word BIOHAZARD and the international biohazard symbol. Hazardous waste will be packed, coded, labeled and manifested per USEPA, USDOT, and State of Ohio regulations, statutes, and codes.

The Contractor shall provide the necessary storage containers and other equipment (e.g., pallets) when needed for use in the designated storage area(s) sufficient for the Medical Center. Contractor shall provide replacement containers on an as needed/required basis at no cost.

Current Plastic containers are 28 Gallon size (24 H x 17 W) with integral folding lids. Substitutions can be requested by the vendor as long as they are deemed acceptable by the station POC. Containers shall have the following key characteristics at a minimum.

HEAVY-DUTY: Storage bin is a heavy-duty storage container used for storing and transporting items

INTEGRAL LID: Preferable to mitigate lost or misplaced lids.

SECURE LID: Lid snaps tight, keeping contents secure within

STACKABLE STORAGE: Containers stack securely for efficient use of space

HIGH STRENGTH RESIN: Constructed for high-density polyethylene resin for commercial grade strength

Cardboard containers sized 24 H x 18 W are used for SHARPS program at many facilities. If the vendor wishes to substitute an alternative, reusable, solution they may indicate in their response and shall be approved by the station POC. In addition, some CBOCs where space is extremely limited may use other sizes of cardboard containers. Any plans to solely utilize cardboard containers must be approved by Station POC before setting up as a routine process.

Contractor shall provide red BIO bags for all of the storage containers at no additional cost to the Government.

The required par levels (See table below PAR Levels ) of bio bins may vary based on hospital demand. Anticipate fluctuations in par levels up to 20% of the existing par levels. In the event of increased demand, the Station POC will promptly notify the vendor to adjust supply accordingly.

The Contractor will be responsible for delivery of the containers and any necessary equipment at the start of the contract and as required during the term of the contract and for removal of same at the conclusion of the contract. All storage containers and other necessary equipment remain the Contractor s property.

Containers designated for bio waste transport must comply with both state and federal regulations. These containers are required to sustain their own weight, accommodate the bio waste within them, and allow stacking without posing safety concerns. Furthermore, they must be equipped with lids that securely latch shut.

Containers must be maintained and kept in good condition, free from holes, vermin, or other foreign matter. The Contractor shall clean and remove any refuse debris, or leakage, which is deposited from the container, serviced under this contract into any area of the Medical Center s grounds. The VA shall approve germicidal solutions used to clean and sanitize containers. EPA registration information, copies of germicidal cleaner and pesticide labels, and material safety data sheets for all products used by the Contractor shall be provided to the Station POC or designee for approval. If, during the contract period, the Contractor changes products, the Contractor for all new products shall provide the same information.

If, during the contract period, the VA determines that the condition of any equipment supplied by the Contractor constitutes a hazard to the health, safety or welfare of VA employees, patients, or the general community, the Contractor shall immediately upon receiving notice of such determination, remove the equipment from the VA and replace it with equipment which is approved by the VA.

TABLE OF PAR LEVELS:

Location

Par Level

BIO BINS

Par Level

CHEMO (YELLOW BINS)

PAR Level

Cardboard*

*If required

Chillicothe VA Medical Center - Main Facility

50

*On call

20

Chillicothe CBOCs - (Athens, Wilmington, Southgate, Portsmouth, Marietta)

2 Each Location

0

2 Each Location

Chillicothe CBOCs - (Lancaster only)

3

0

2

Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center - Main Facility

50

*On Call

30

Chalmers P. Wylie CBOCs - (Zanesville, Newark, Marion, Grove City)

0

0

4 Each Location

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS: In the performance of this contract, the Contractor shall take such safety precautions as the Contracting Officer, or his/her designee may determine to be reasonably necessary to protect the lives and health of occupants of the buildings. The Contracting Officer or his/her designee will notify the Contractor of any non-compliance with the foregoing provisions and the action to be taken. The Contractor shall, after receipt of such notice, immediately correct the conditions to which attention has been directed. Such notice, when services on the Contractor or his/her representative at the site of the work, shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose aforesaid. If the Contractor fails or refuses to comply promptly, with Contracting Officer may issue an order stopping all or any part of the work and hold the Contractor in default.

PICKUP REQUIREMENTS: The Contractor shall provide all operators and the vehicle required to disconnect, remove, transport, replace and reconnect the container. VA employees shall, under no circumstances, provide assistance to Contractor personnel in any manner during the container exchange process.

At the conclusion of each pick up visit, the Contractor shall provide to the Point of Contact, completed and dated documentation of how many filled storage containers were located for transport. This documentation will comply with all rules and regulations as set forth in EPA Resources Conservation and Recovery Act, Department of Transportation, and Ohio Department of Environmental Protection regulations, statutes, and codes. A completed USEPA/DOT Manifest shall be provided for each pick up from each site and shall be followed by a Certificate of Disposal (CD) stating total poundage destroyed, due at the end of the month. The certificate of destruction shall match weight destroyed to the volumes of medical waste for destruction documented upon pick up and transport of the waste. By the fifth (5th) workday of each month, the Contractor will provide to the Point of Contact at the site, weight tickets for all medical waste removed and destroyed for the previous month and a written certificate validating the destruction. These will be emailed or faxed to the respective station POC s indicated below in REPORTING section.

The VA reserves the right to randomly inspect, or weigh completed collections on scales. This can include the accomplishment to VA employees with the contractor during pickup, in route to, and at the destruction site.

Contractor/Employee Security and Identification:

Contractor employees shall wear either name tags identifying the company and employee, or company provided uniforms containing the same information and must be able to communicate in English.

TRANSPORTATION:

An appropriate transport vehicle will be used to transport waste to the site of treatment. Safety standards will be implemented to protect patients, Medical Center Staff and the private sector. Contractor shall acquire and maintain all appropriate DOT hazardous waste transportation permits.

Vehicles must be in compliance with all Federal and State requirements and be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.

Vehicles will be equipped with Federal and State mandated spill kits.

Vehicles will be equipped with U.L. Scales, which will be used to weigh all medical regulated waste prior to being removed from the VA Medical Center.

Driver/Technicians must be properly trained in the operations of handling and hauling regulated medical waste and OSHA requirements for Universal Precautions.

Contractor will be responsible from pick-up site to treatment site. Contractor will be responsible for spills on or off VA Medical property once containers are placed in Contractor s possession.

Contractor will provide 96-hour sustainability back up contingency plan.

Contractor will provide a desktop drill once a year at the site for the contingency plan.

The Contractor shall have in place an approved Operation and Safety Plan with documentation of employee training and a copy in every transport vehicle.

The proper and safe operation of the regulated (infectious) waste collection vehicle.

The standards and safety precautions for collecting.

The approval means of transport.

A description of the characteristics and hazards of infectious waste.

The procedures to follow in the event a person is contaminated by infectious waste.

The procedures to follow in the event of a spillage or release of infectious waste including but not limited to clean up and disinfection of contaminated surfaces.

The procedures to follow in the event that a load of infectious waste becomes hot, burning and/or reactive.

The procedures to follow in the event of unauthorized waste material are deposited in the collection containers for infectious waste.

The procedures to follow to complete the manifest and to maintain other records requires under any ordinance or under federal regulation and

The procedure to follow to properly disinfect the infectious waste collection vehicle.

Procedures to mitigate releases of hazardous materials/waste and notifications to authorities as required under federal, state, and local laws, statutes, and codes.

WEIGHING SYSTEM: Contractor will provide a certificate weighing system to enable proper billing for waste poundage disposed, i.e. if the disposal container weighs 14 pounds and Contractor is to dispose/haul 10 containers would be weighed and container total weight (140 pounds) is subtracted from the gross weight to determine NET total waste poundage to be paid.

PERMITS: Contractor must obtain all necessary permits and/or licenses regarding the pickup and disposal of contaminated medical waste and storage as regulated by state and federal EPA guidelines for bio-hazardous medical waste. Contractor must obtain all necessary permits and/or licenses regarding the packaging, pick up, transport, storage, and disposal of RCRA Listed hazardous waste regulated by USEPA, USDOT, State of Ohio, other states, and local governments. The contractor/transporter agrees to hold the Government faultless for any negligence of contractor/transporter or his/her employees who may wholly or individually be liable for improper disposal during the performance of this contract.

TREATMENT OF REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE: The Contractor is fully responsible for destruction and disposal of all regulated medical (bio-hazardous) and chemotherapy waste generated by the Chillicothe VA. All regulated medical waste (bio-hazardous), Chemotherapy, waste residues, absorbents, and PPE, etc. waste is to be destroyed in accordance with all local, state, federal and EPA laws and regulations. The Contractor is individually and solely responsible for complying with all government regulation regarding regulated medical waste. The Contractor is fully responsible for transport, storage, and disposal (TSD) of all regulated hazardous waste. These wastes are to be destroyed at only approved sites and in accordance with all USEPA, state, and local regulations, statutes, and codes.

Disposal of destroyed regulated medical waste (bio-hazardous), chemotherapy waste shall be only at an approved disposal site as required by the local and state government authority having jurisdiction.

Waste must be treated by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) approved methods within the time frame allotted by OEPA.

Contractor will provide daily trip tickets which will include the date, poundage (in U.S. Pounds) and type of waste and number of containers treated.

Contractor shall keep and supply records of all of regulated waste per the Reporting section below. Contractor shall provide copies to each Medical Center or Ambulatory Care Center on a Monthly Basis. All Reporting shall be received by the fifth business day of the following month of performance.

Treatment site will be inspected by Medical Center personnel to ensure Contractor is complying with the contract and standards established by the EPA.

5. Contractor shall disinfect and destroy all regulated medical waste in one of two methods:

a. Autoclave and shred/compact all regulated medical waste. The autoclave process must be proven sufficient to make all waste safe to dispose in a licensed landfill. The shredding/compacting process must be sufficient to destroy any potential identifiable information in order to ensure adequate security of patient information in accordance with industry standards.

OR (Please see Note 5.1 Below).

b. Incinerate all regulated medical waste in an incinerator that is EPA approved for infectious waste. Contractor must possess a permit to operate incinerator from the proper authority in the areas of jurisdiction where the incinerator is located.

5.1. Autoclave and shred/compact is the preferred method for any Hazardous Waste Destruction. If there are any items that cannot be destroyed via Autoclave/shred/compact the vendor must reach out to the station POC for further guidance.

In the event a contractor chooses the autoclave/shred/compact approach there must be a contingency plan for dealing with ball joints, body parts, and other infectious wastes which cannot be autoclaved and shred. Specifically, a contractor shall provide a detailed plan to address this issue as part of their proposal. Contractor shall maintain all updates with any approved coordinated changes with EMS personnel.

REPORTING: Contractor shall provide legible, accurate, and compliant certificates of treatment and destruction of all regular medical waste, sharps, and chemo to the Station POCs listed below. Contractor shall provide USEPA/DOT approved Manifests and ultimately Certificates of Destructions (CD) for each and all shipments of RCRA Listed hazardous waste. Legible, accurate, and compliant copies with be submitted to Chief, EMS, and a copy to the CO.

Contractor is responsible for providing all documentation for waste stream analysis, proof of insurance, copies of applicable permits, licenses as required by local, state and federal EPA and DOT guidelines or hazardous waste regulations.

Chillicothe VA Reports shall be sent to: Provided at time of contract award.

Chalmers P. Wylie VA Reports shall be sent to: Provided at time of contract award.

All reports for this requirement shall be separated I.e., Chillicothe VAMC and supported CBOCs shall be separate from Chalmers P. Wylie VAACC and supported CBOCs.

Reporting shall include the following information for ALL items at a minimum. Reports shall be sent to the Site POC s monthly and shall be delivered by the 5th business day of performance (i.e., January 2025 reporting shall be submitted to Site POC s no later than 2/7/2025).

Date of Pickup

Pickup Location (Main Facility, Clinic, or CBOC (Must be identified))

Waste Stream / Contract CLIN/SLIN

(BIO/RMW or PATH) these must be separated or identified by type.

Number of Containers Picked up.

NET-Weight of waste from Containers

Date of Destruction

Method of Destruction

CONTINGENCY PLAN: Contractor shall provide a detailed contingency plan to take effect during any disaster which interrupts service as outlined above.

RATES: Contractor will provide firm-fixed price rates for each designated period. No pass-through costs due to disposal, fuel, or host site increases will be passed on to the Government. All Pickup, Delivery, or container rental fees for this contract shall be included in either the Per Container rate or the per pound rate charged to the Government. Main Facilities are to be charged for actual weights of collected material(s). CBOCs shall be invoiced at the per container rate.

INVOICES:

INVOICING:

Payment shall be made monthly in arrears upon receipt of a properly prepared detailed invoice and validated by the Station POC. Invoices must be sent electronically through VA Tungsten Network Portal. https://www.tungsten-network.com/customer-campaigns/veteransaffairs/

ALL Invoices shall be delivered to Tungsten Network by the 5th business day of the next period of performance (i.e., January 2025 invoice shall be submitted to Tungsten Network no later than 2/7/2025).

A PROPERLY PREPARED INVOICE SHALL CONTAIN:

Invoice Number and Date services were provided

Contract Number

Contractor s Name and Address

Accurate Purchase Order Number

CLIN & Date of service/period of supply

Description of Supply or Service provided Broken Down by waste stream either RMW or BIO/PATH

Total amount due

PAYMENTS: Payments will be made monthly in arrears in accordance with FAR Clause 52.232.25, Prompt Payment Act. Payments will be based on the rates established during the solicitation phase, provided the requirements listed in the price-cost schedule are fully met. Contractor must include contract number, purchase order number, applicable CLIN/SLINs, and period of service on each invoice.

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION: The Contractor shall contact the Contracting Officer on all matters pertaining to administration. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make commitments or issue changes, which will affect the price, quantity or delivery terms of this contract.

LIST OF VA FACILITIES AND VA SUPERVISED FACILITIES:

CHILLICOTHE VA MEDICAL CENTER and SUPPORTED CBOCs

Chillicothe VAMC

17273 St Rt. 104., Chillicothe, OH 45601

Athens CBOC

88 N. Plains Rd., The Plains, OH 45780

Wilmington CBOC**

448 West Main St., Wilmington, OH 45177

Southgate CBOC

2146 Southgate Pkwy., Cambridge, OH 43725

Lancaster CBOC

1703 N. Memorial Dr., Lancaster, OH 43130

Portsmouth CBOC

4038 Rhodes Ave., New Boston, OH 45662

Marietta CBOC

27842 St. Rt. 7, Marietta, OH 45750

CHALMERS P. WYLIE VA AMBULATORY CARE CENTER AND SUPPORTED CBOCS

Chalmers P. Wylie VAACC

420 North James Rd. Columbus, OH 43219

Zanesville CBOC

2800 Maple Ave., Zanesville, OH 43071

Newark CBOC

1855 W. Main St., Newark, OH 43035

Marion CBOC***

1203 Delaware Ave., Marion, OH 43302

Grove City CBOC

1955 Ohio Ave., Grove City, OH 43123

**Wilmington CBOC is slated to move to a new location in CY 2025.

***Marion CBOC is slated to move to a new location in CY2025

QUALITY CONTROL AND QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR CONTRACT SERVICE:

The contractor shall be responsible for effective implementation of their Quality Control Program, and shall be responsive to the requirements of the Government s Quality Assurance Plan conducted by the Station POC.

Quality Control. The contractor shall have a Quality Control program to assure that the requirements of the contract are provided as specified. One copy of the Contractor s basic Quality Control Program shall be submitted for approval by the Station POC. Subsequent changes to the approved Quality Control Program must also be reviewed and approved by the Station POC. with final approval by the Contracting officer. The program shall include, but not be limited to the following.

An inspection system covering the performance indicators given in the Quality Assurance/Performance Requirements table below.

A method for identifying deficiencies in the quality of services performed before the level of performance becomes unacceptable.

A file of all quality control inspections inspection results, and any corrective action required shall be maintained by the Contractor throughout the duration of this contract. This file shall be the property of the Government and shall be available to the Station POC. during normal working hours. The file shall be turned over to the Government within 14 days of completion of termination of the contract.

QASP: A (Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) has been developed for in-house operations or to implement a service contract. It is designed to aid the Government in providing effective and systematic surveillance of all aspects of document and media destruction. This plan provides for monitoring all contract requirements through a combination of methods. These are:

Check in at all locations using hospital tracking system were applicable.

Furnishing reports including pick up data.

Random observation

Client/Customer Complaints

Surveillance Activity Checklist

The contractor is required to conduct a check-in process upon arrival at all designated locations. This procedure shall be executed using the hospital tracking system, where applicable. QR Codes, accessible at entry points and front desks or can be provided by point of contact (POC). This must be utilized by the contractor to gain access to the app. The App will capture and record details such as time, date, and location upon check-in. Additionally, the contractor is obligated to input details regarding the services provided into the available slots within the app.

The contractor shall be responsible for furnishing comprehensive details regarding waste pick-up including but not limited to schedules, types of waste accepted, and quantities in the form of a monthly reports. This information will be delivered via email to identified Government officials in the role of Station POC., and the GEMs coordinator. Alternate POC or To BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF CONTRACT AWARD if Station POC is not available. This data is required to be submitted simultaneously with the invoicing for the preceding month.

The QASP is a living document and the Government may review and revise it on a regular basis. However, the Government shall coordinate changes with the contractor. Updates shall ensure that the QASP remains a valid, useful, and enforceable document. Copies of the original QASP and revisions shall be provided to the contractor and Government officials implementing surveillance activities.

The objective of this surveillance plan is to evaluate how the Government or contractor is performing in key areas.

We are primarily interested in the final product or service being provided and not the details of the accomplishment.

QUALITY ASSURANCE / PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS STANDARDS

ID

Performance Objective

Performance

Threshold

Acceptable Quality Level

Method of Surveillance

Incentive/Disincentive

1

The Contractor shall adhere to Work Schedule and check in at pick up locations using the REP TRACK app where applicable or station POC/designee.

The Contractor successfully performs the required services throughout the period of performance

95%

Station POC/CO Monthly after completion at VAMC/Facility

incentive: favorable performance review and use option years; disincentive: A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) will be issued on the first instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service and lead to possible termination of contract

2

The Contractor Shall adhere to the reporting requirements and furnish all reports to identified Government Personnel.

Contractor successfully provides the required the daily trip tickets and Monthly reports per the Performance Work Statement

95%

Station POC to collect all tickets and monthly reports and report any discrepancies to the CO

incentive: favorable performance review and use option years; disincentive: A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) will be issued on the first instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service and lead to possible termination of contract

3

All Waste is disposed of in accordance with OEPA & EPA Guidelines

Contractor successfully certifies that all waste is disposed of in accordance with OEPA and EPA Guidelines

100%

Station POC shall collect and validate all monthly reports. Station POC to inspect waste facility to ensure all requirements are met annually.

incentive: favorable performance review and use option years; disincentive: A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) will be issued on the first instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service and lead to possible termination of contract

4

The contractor shall furnish Monthly invoices in arrears and indicate any/all CLINS/SLINS used from the price/cost schedule

Contractor successfully provides timely and complete invoices in accordance with the Performance Work Statement

95%

Station POC will review and report any discrepancies to the CO

incentive: favorable performance review and use option years; disincentive: A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) will be issued on the first instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service and lead to possible termination of contract

5

Department of Labor - Wage Determination Compliance

Shall submit confirmation of compliance with the current Department of Labor Wage Determination (WD) hourly rate if requested by the CO in writing within four (4) hours of request which may include an itemized list of the hourly rate being paid for employees performing services under this contract

100%

The Contracting Officer (CO) will conduct random compliance checks with the contractor as necessary.

Satisfactory or better CPARS / Past Performance rating & Option Period Renewal

6

Compliance with FAR 52.219-14 and 15 U.S.C. § 657s Limitations on Subcontracting

The contractor shall submit confirmation of compliance with the FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting requirement that at least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern as specified by the Contracting Officer (CO) in writing within four (4) hours of request.

100%

The Contracting Officer (CO) will conduct random compliance checks with the contractor as necessary

Satisfactory or better CPARS / Past Performance rating & Option Period Renewal

***Report of Non-Compliance shall be directed to SBA for remediation by the CO.***

Possible fines and debarment may be imposed. Please see Note 6.1 under this table.

Note 6.1: IAW 13 CFR § 125.6(g), Whoever violates the requirements set forth in paragraph (a) of this section shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in 15 U.S.C. 645(d), except that the fine shall be treated as the greater of $500,000 or the dollar amount spent, in excess of permitted levels, by the entity on subcontractors. A party's failure to comply with the spirit and intent of a subcontract with a similarly situated entity may be considered a basis for debarment on the grounds, including but not limited to, that the parties have violated the terms of a government contract or subcontract pursuant to far 9.406-2(b)(1)(i) (48 CFR 9.406-2(b)(1)(i)).

PERFORMANCE MONITORING: The government will periodically evaluate the contractor's performance by appointing representative(s) from serviced facilities to monitor performance to ensure services are received.

The government representative will evaluate the contractor's performance through intermittent observation and on-site inspections of the contractor's quality control program and receipt of complaints from facility personnel.

Routine collections and container movements will be observed by a government representative at random intervals no less than once per month.

The government representative will perform on-site inspections of the contractor's facility(s) no less than once annually. The government may increase the number of quality control inspections if deemed appropriate because of repeated failures discovered during quality control inspections or because of repeated customer complaints. The government will also receive and investigate complaints from various customers located on the installation.

The contractor shall be responsible for initially validating customer complaints. However, the government representative shall make final determination of the validity of customer complaint(s) in cases of disagreement with customer(s).

ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE

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

UNACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE

When unacceptable performance occurs, the Station POC shall inform the contractor. This will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. In any case the Station POC shall document the discussion and send to the CO who places it in the contract file.

When the Station POC determines formal written communication is required, the Station POC 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 CDR will also state how long after receipt the contractor has to present this corrective action plan to the Station POC. 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.

The Contractor shall appoint a point of contact that will have the responsibility to respond to customer needs in accordance with this contract. He/she will ensure emergent needs are appropriately addressed within 24 hours and non-emergent needs addressed within the normal delivery period specified by the contract. Facility POC s are listed above.

SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS:

PER REVIEW OF VA HANDBOOK 6500.6, CONTRACT SECURITY, APPENDIX A- INFORMATION SECURITY AND PRIVACY CHECKLIST:

The C&A requirements do not apply, and a Security Accreditation Package is not required.

Acquisition of this service does not involve the storage, generating, transmitting, or exchanging of VA sensitive information to the vendor

There may exist exposure to VA sensitive information, to sensitive personal information (SPI) while implementing contractual services

MINIMUM STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS:

Prohibition on unauthorized disclosure: Information made available to the contractor or subcontractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the contractor/subcontractor in performance or administration of the contract shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the prior written agreement of the VA. This clause expressly limits the contractor/subcontractor's rights to use data as described in Rights in Data - General, FAR 52.227-14(d) (1). See VA Handbook 6500.6, Appendix C, paragraph 3.a.

Requirement for data breach notification: Upon discovery 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, the contractor/subcontractor shall immediately and simultaneously notify the Station POC., the designated ISO, and Privacy Officer for the contract. 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. See VA Handbook 6500.6, Appendix C, paragraph 6.a.

Requirement to pay liquidated damages in the event of a data breach: Consistent with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. §5725, a contract may require access to sensitive personal information. If so, the contractor is liable to VA for liquidated damages in the event of a data breach or privacy incident involving any SPI the contractor/subcontractor processes or maintains under this contract.

The contractor/subcontractor shall provide notice to VA of a security incident as set forth in the Security Incident Investigation section above. Upon such notification, VA must secure from a non-Department entity or the VA Office of Inspector General an independent risk analysis of the data breach to determine the level of risk associated with the data breach for the potential misuse of any sensitive personal information involved in the data breach. The term 'data breach' means the loss, theft, or other unauthorized access, or any access other than that incidental to the scope of employment, to data containing sensitive personal information, in electronic or printed form, that results in the potential compromise of the confidentiality or integrity of the data. Contractor shall fully cooperate with the entity performing the risk analysis. Failure to cooperate may be deemed a material breach and grounds for contract termination.

Each risk analysis shall address all relevant information concerning the data breach, including the following:

(1) Nature of the event (loss, theft, unauthorized access);

(2) Description of the event, including:

(a) date of occurrence;

(b) data elements involved, including any PII, such as full name, social security number, date of birth, home address, account number, disability code.

(3) Number of individuals affected or potentially affected;

(4) Names of individuals or groups affected or potentially affected.

(5) Ease of logical data access to the lost, stolen or improperly accessed data in light of the degree of protection for the data, e.g., unencrypted, plain text.

(6) Amount of time the data has been out of VA control.

(7) The likelihood that the sensitive personal information will or has been compromised (made accessible to and usable by unauthorized persons).

(8) Known misuses of data containing sensitive personal information, if any.

(9) Assessment of the potential harm to the affected individuals.

(10) Data breach analysis as outlined in 6500.2 Handbook, Management of Security and Privacy Incidents, as appropriate: and

(11) Whether credit protection services may assist record subjects in avoiding or mitigating the results of identity theft based on the sensitive personal information that may have been compromised.

Based on the determinations of the independent risk analysis, the contractor shall be responsible for paying to the VA liquidated damages in the amount of $37.50 per affected individual to cover the cost of providing credit protection services to affected individuals consisting of the following:

(1) Notification.

(2) One year of credit monitoring services consisting of automatic daily monitoring of at least 3 relevant credit bureau reports.

(3) Data breach analysis.

(4) Fraud resolution services, including writing dispute letters, initiating fraud alerts and credit freezes, to assist affected individuals to bring matters to resolution.

(5) One year of identity theft insurance with $20,000.00 coverage at $0 deductible; and

(6) Necessary legal expenses the subjects may incur to repair falsified or damaged credit records, histories, or financial affairs (see VA handbook 6500.6, appendix c, paragraph 7.a, 7.d)

Service Contract Labor Standards are applicable to this contract. Please reference SAM.gov for all locations below. All applicable Wage Determinations can be found at www.SAM.gov.

Facility

Address

Wage Determination No

Revision No.

Date of Last Revision

Chillicothe VAMC

17273 St Rt. 104., Chillicothe, OH 45601

2015-4771

27

7/22/2024

Athens CBOC

88 N. Plains Rd., The Plains, OH 45780

2015-4771

27

7/22/2024

Wilmington CBOC**

448 West Main St., Wilmington, OH 45177

2015-4769

27

7/22/2024

Southgate CBOC

2146 Southgate Pkwy., Cambridge, OH 43725

2015-4761

27

7/22/2024

Lancaster CBOC

1703 N. Memorial Dr., Lancaster, OH 43130

2015-4729

27

7/22/2024

Portsmouth CBOC

4038 Rhodes Ave., New Boston, OH 45662

2015-4771

27

7/22/2024

Marietta CBOC

27842 St. Rt. 7, Marietta, OH 45750

2015-4765

27

7/22/2024

Chalmers P. Wylie VAACC

420 North James Rd. Columbus, OH 43219

2015-4729

27

7/22/2024

Zanesville CBOC

2800 Maple Ave., Zanesville, OH 43071

2015-4761

27

7/22/2024

Newark CBOC

1855 W. Main St., Newark, OH 43035

2015-4729

27

7/22/2024

Marion CBOC***

1203 Delaware Ave., Marion, OH 43302

2015-4753

28

7/22/2024

Grove City CBOC

1955 Ohio Ave., Grove City, OH 43123

2015-4729

27

7/22/2024

The purpose of this solicitation amendment is to answer questions from industry.

Question and Answers: (Answers are indicated in RED).

I have a question regarding the solicitation Notice ID 36C25025Q0078. What is the duration of the Contract?

The duration of this contract is in the PWS. The proposed Period of Performance is 1/1/2025 12/31/2025 with (4) option years exercisable at the Governments discretion.

We would like to know if this is a brand-new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services.

There is an incumbent to this requirement. ADVANT-EDGE SOLUTIONS OF MIDDLE ATLANTIC, INC.

If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number?

Contract Number: 36C25020P0370

I was reviewing the Solicitation released for S222--Bio-Hazardous and Medical Waste Chillicothe VAMC and Columbus VAACC (OHIO) on November 12, 2024. I was hoping you might be able to inform me if this is a new effort or if there was a previous contractor that performed these requirements? If the latter, would you be able to inform me of the Contract # used for these services?Â

Please see response #2 above.

The solicitation states below (page 47)

General liability insurance coverage document(s) that meet or exceed limits on page 39 (CL-

120), from the prime contractor AND any sub-contractor that will be used for this requirement (if applicable).

As the offeror does this mean that we would also need this insurance coverage if our sub-contractor has it and they are the ones proving the work for the project?

Yes, The Prime and any subcontractor will need the insurance coverage sufficient to perform this contract.

Who is doing the service right now? What is the old contact number?

Please see Response #2 above.

Regarding the Biohazard and Medical Waste solicitation, are subcontractors allowed?

Subcontracting is allowed as long as the Limitations on Subcontracting rules are followed, please reference 52.219-14 and 15 U.S.C. § 657s. The contracting office has the right to request confirmation of Limitations on Subcontracting compliance during performance. Violations of these rules may result in termination of the contract and/or fines and/or debarment.

If so, is liability insurance information needed for both the primary, and the sub. individually or as one?

Insurance information is required for both PRIME as well as SUB if the vendor is subcontracting.

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products and commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Products and Commercial Services, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested, and a written solicitation document will not be issued.

This solicitation is issued as an RFQ. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2024-06.

This solicitation is set-aside for Small Businesses (SBA), and will be competed in accordance with FAR 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures.

The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 562112 Hazardous Waste Collection, with a small business size standard of $ 47.0 Million Dollars. The FSC/PSC is S222 Housekeeping / Waste Treatment and Storage.

The Network Contracting Office (NCO-10) is seeking to purchase Biohazardous Waste Removal and Disposal Services.

All interested companies shall provide quotations for the following: