S209--618-24-3-6133-0081 - Laundry Services Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System

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Contract Opportunity

This is a Pre-Solicitation notice for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 23, for supplemental laundry services in the form of continuous laundry chemical processes for achieving long term, environmentally sound laundry cleaning process at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MVAHCS) Laundry Plant.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this requirement is 812320, Drycleaning and Laundry Services (except Coin Operated) - with a SBA Small Business Size Standard of $8.0M. PSC is S209, Housekeeping-Laundry/Drycleaning.

Potential offerors are responsible for monitoring this site for the release of the solicitation package and any other pertinent information and for downloading their own copy of the solicitation package. Any amendments issued to this solicitation will ONLY be available on this site. Offerors are advised that they are responsible for obtaining all amendments. All questions must be submitted in writing to the Contracting Specialist at mark.chase1@va.gov. No telephone inquiries will be accepted.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract neither does it obligate the Government to pay for any quotes or proposal preparation costs. The Government is not obligated to issue a solicitation as a result of this notice. No other information is available until issuance of the solicitation. All interested parties must be registered in System for Award Management (SAM) to be eligible for award. Registration information can be found at www.sam.gov.

DRAFT PWS ONLY (PARTIAL)

Laundry Services at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System
1. GENERAL: This is a non-personnel services contract for continuous laundry chemical processes for achieving long term, environmentally sound laundry cleaning process at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MVAMC). The Veterans Affairs shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn, is responsible to the Veterans Affairs.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction: The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, and supervision necessary to perform supplemental laundry services, continuous laundry chemical processes as defined in this Performance Work Statement (PWS). The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract.

1.2 Background: The Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (MVAHCS) has a continued need for supplemental laundry services in the form of continuous laundry chemical processes for achieving long term, environmentally sound laundry cleaning process. Historically, this supplemental service has been performed with contractor assistance working in concert with the Government (MVAHCS Laundry Plant).

1.3 Scope: The contractor shall install and maintain Contractor furnished items; perform continuous checks and corrections, as necessary, of quality of supported laundry services; upon order, and provide required chemicals/solutions to the laundry.

1.4 Period of Performance: The Period of Performance shall be for one (1) 12 months Base Year and four (4) 12-months Option Years. The Period of Performance reads as follows:

Base Year 04/1/2024 02/31/2025
Option Year 01 04/1/2025 02/31/2026
Option Year 02 04/1/2026 02/31/2027
Option Year 03 04/1/2027 02/31/2028
Option Year 04 04/1/2028 02/31/2029

1.5 General Information

1.5.1 Federal Government Holidays:

New Year s Day Labor Day
Martin Luther King Jr. s Birthday Columbus Day
Washington s Birthday Veterans Day
Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day
Juneteenth National Independence Day Christmas Day
Independence Day

1.5.2 Hours of Operation: The contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of 5:00 am 3:30 pm Central Time (CT), Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings. For other than firm fixed price contracts, the contractor will not be reimbursed when the government facility is closed for the above reasons. The Contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential.

1.5.2.1 Installation and replacement of any major Contractor Provided Equipment, that would cause a disruption of the VA s laundry services, shall be conducted by the Contractor on weekends. Coordination with the Laundry Plant Manager is required 30 days prior to work on weekends.

1.5.3 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MVAMC), One Veterans Drive, Building 70, Minneapolis, MN 55417.

1.5.4 Type of Contract: Firm Fixed-Price Contract.

4. SPECIFIC TASKS:
The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, and supervision necessary to perform supplemental laundry services, continuous laundry chemical processes. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract.

4.1. Delivery and Installation of Equipment

4.1.1 Equipment referenced in paragraph 4.1.1.1 of this PWS, while located at the MVAMC Laundry Plant and operated by Government personnel, remains the sole property of the Contractor who retains maintenance responsibility for maintenance of the same.

4.1.1.1 Required Equipment

5 each Pump cabinets to push the chemicals from the pump room to machines (found in subparagraph 2.4 of this PWS) in the wash room
User interface, interface modules, and all connecters and cables
Probes to pull the chemicals from their respective drums/barrels
Half inch nylon braid hoses (approx. 400 feet)

4.1.1.2 The Contractor shall furnish all labor and materials necessary for storage and installation of new equipment.

4.1.1.2.1 The Contractor shall supply and mount equipment mounting brackets.

4.1.1.2.2 The Contractor shall mount the equipment found at paragraph 4.1.1.1 of this PWS.

4.1.1.2.3 The Contractor shall run all chemical hoses from the chemical storage area to the washers using approved braided hoses housed in a leak proof trough.

4.1.2 Delivery and installation shall be complete within 90 calendar days after award. Delivery dates specified may be adjusted by the Contracting Office to coincide with the date the hospital will be ready to receive installation. The Contracting Office will advise the contractor of the new delivery date at least 45 days prior to the original or adjusted delivery dates.

4.1.2.1 The Contractor shall furnish a delivery schedule and designated mode of delivery. This schedule is to be provided to the COR and the Contracting Officer within 15 days of award.

4.1.3 Installation Responsibilities

4.1.3.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for determination of, and compliance with, federal and state or local code requirements, design data, and other factors necessary to design and install the system at each location.

4.1.3.2 The Contractor shall verify the location of extant utilities and shall specify any additional utilities required or any utilities which require relocation or removal. The Contractor shall connect to designated utilities in a manner conforming to a nationally recognized code and at a time satisfactory to minimize or preclude disruption to existing functions or clinical services. Contractor shall provide at least five (5) business days notice to the government's on-site representative prior to installation or modification of or connection to utilities. Cables and connections to the hospital-furnished telephone system, if required, are the responsibility of the Government.

4.1.3.3 The Contractor is responsible for rigging and special handling costs, if required to move the equipment from dock area to the installation site within the Government s premises.

4.1.3.4 The Contractor is responsible for uncrating of the equipment and removal of associated refuse. The Contractor shall remove rubbish and debris from the site daily, unless otherwise directed. Burning is not acceptable. The Contractor shall store all materials which cannot be removed daily in an area to be specified by the Contracting Officer s Representative.

4.1.3.5 The Contractor shall be responsible for installation, which consists of assembling, positioning, and mounting of all equipment found at paragraph 4.1.1.1 of this PWS and connections of all cables. The Contractor is responsible for furnishing the mounting brackets, peripherals and required software.

4.1.3.6 The Contractor shall provide qualified field engineers or technicians to install and conduct all necessary tests which shall begin within 10 days after receipt of order from the Contracting Officer.

4.1.3.7 The Contractor shall inform the Contracting Officer and Contracting Officer s Representative of any problems as they occur in connection with installation, or which shall affect optimum performance once installation is completed. Such matters as inadequacy of power supply, limitations of site or inadequate preparation of site shall be reported prior to start of installation. In such instances, installation shall not proceed under such circumstances until authorized by the Contracting Officer.

4.1.3.8 Once installation has begun, it shall be continuous, until complete coinciding with the hours specified. Compliance with this requirement shall be manifest by the continuous presence of the engineers or technicians on the job site during the daily working period. Installation shall be continuous, without interruption, until all installation and testing work has been completed. The contractor must provide the physical movement of the equipment from the storage point at final destination, to the area of installation, and the uncrating of the equipment.

4.1.3.9 In the event that progress of the installation is interrupted through no fault of the Contractor, the continuous installation referenced in the preceding paragraphs may be terminated until such time as the cause of delay has been eliminated, and then shall be resumed within twenty-four (24) hours after the contractor has been notified that work may again proceed. Such suspension of continuous installation shall be made only after notice has been given to the Contracting Officer. Contractor must notify the Contracting Officer within 48 hours of suspension of installation.

4.1.3.10 Electrical Installation.

4.1.3.10.1 The Contractor shall conduct installation in accordance with the National Electrical Code (NEC).

4.1.3.10.2 Existing utilities shall be utilized to meet the performance requirements of this specification when possible. Additional connection points for equipment shall be the Contractor s responsibility.

4.1.3.10.3 Electrical Identification. Nameplates - center on device, cover plate, or enclosure. Installation shall be in accordance with the National Electrical Code (NEC).

4.1.3.10.3.1 All low voltage communication wiring shall be identified.

4.1.3.10.3.2 Does not use the VA Network.

4.1.3.10.4 The Contractor shall provide any protective methodology or devices necessary to protect Government and Contractor equipment from:

Damage due to electrical power problems, including brownouts, emergency power interruptions, electrical surges, sags and electrical storms; and
Data loss due to electrical power problems.

4.1.3.11 Training of Operation Personnel

4.1.3.11.1 The Contractor shall provide on-site orientation and training of using personnel in operation and care of the equipment furnished. This training shall include actual demonstration and operation of the equipment, preventive maintenance, and any adjustments or other actions which may be undertaken by operating personnel in the event of failure of equipment, provided that such adjustment or action shall in no way jeopardize the Government's rights under contract guarantee. Upon completion of installation, this training shall be given by qualified Contractor representatives on a date to be determined by the Contracting Officer s Representative.

4.2 Continuous Laundry Chemical Process

4.2.1 Maintenance of all Contractor dispensing equipment.

4.2.1.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for all equipment maintenance and any PM schedule maintaining all Contractor dispensing equipment to assure continuous laundry chemical processes to the MVAMC Laundry Plant remains uninterrupted due to equipment failure.

4.2.1.2 The Contractor shall assure equipment will be capable of providing complete and accurate formula summaries, daily totals of formulas processed, total amount of chemical used, total of wash formulas processed, total poundage processed, proof of delivery for all wash formulas and wash steps, automated calibration of each chemical delivered to the wash aisle, no peristaltic pumps, and water flush on each chemical delivery.

4.2.1.3 The Contractor shall provide at least five (5) business days notice to the government's on-site representative prior to installation or modification of or connection to utilities.

4.2.2 The Contractor shall provide the Government with a phone number to access technical support from qualified technical support personnel. Technical support is defined as support provided by the Contractor to the Government to address issues (i.e. chemicals not reaching the washers, linens not being washed to standards, excessive static).

4.2.2.1 Issues regarding washed linen and equipment malfunction. The Contractor shall respond to any call from authorized Government personnel with-in one (1) hour telephonically/email and have someone on site within four (4) hours of that call during normal business hours Monday thru Friday from 5:00 am 3:30 pm CT.

4.2.3 The Contractor shall provide documentation of all chemical formulas for linen classifications in a book to be used to verify formulas on a random basis.

4.2.4 The Contractor shall perform the following testing on a weekly basis providing a copy of the results of this testing to the Laundry Plant manager.

Water softness
Chlorine strength
Wash titrations verifying each formula on each machine
pH testing of washed linens
Water temperature must be maintained at approximately 140 F (+/- 10 )

4.2.5 Upon notice of excess stain rate (>2%) by the Government, the Contractor shall:

Document and report type of stain to COR
Use necessary testing to determine a solution to maintain the linen replacement to at or below 10% per year
Perform chemical formula modification to reduce stain rates to acceptable levels (
4.2.6 Training. The Contractor shall provide one-on-one or one-on-multiple training on an as-needed basis to support the government regular use. Training may include such subjects as water softness, wash formula titration and pH testing, and minor maintenance to minimize down time.

4.2.7 As a partner in the continuous laundry chemical processes, the Contractor is encouraged to use their expertise to make recommendations to improve laundry operations. These recommendations should summitted to the Laundry Plant Manager.

4.3 Required Supplies

4.3.1 Chemicals

4.3.1.1 The Contractor shall supply and maintain a modern chemical delivery system that provides proof of delivery to each washer and can be monitored over the internet by Laundry Plant personnel.

4.3.1.2 The chemicals expected to be provided to include a chemical that can provide a fluid repellency for isolation and surgical gowns.

4.3.1.3 Chemical Supplies. this list is a guide and chemicals may be substituted for higher quality/higher performing chemicals. Any substitutions need to be approved by the Laundry Plant manager prior to delivery. Items offered must also conform to the Government s specifications.

Product
Unit of Issue
Estimated Yearly Quantities
Builder 55 gal
Drum
40
Detergent 55 gal
Drum
22
Bleach 55 gal
Drum
40
Sour VII 15 gal
Drum
30
Neutralizer (turbo tex) 55 gal
Drum
5
Softener 55 gal
Drum
8
Sustain (Fluid Repellent) 55 gal
Drum
4

4.3.1.4 The quantities listed at the PRICE/COST SCHEDULE are estimates only. The Government may require more, or less, of any product. Unit pricing per each period of performance (Base + Option Years) shall remain at the PRICE/COST SCHEDULE price regardless of total quantity ordered by the Government.

4.3.1.5 The Contract shall deliver product to MVAMC Laundry Plant within 24 hours of notice from the Laundry Plant Manager or designated representative.

4.3.1.5.1 The Contractor shall prepare and distribute commercial bills of lading.

4.3.1.6 Due to minimal storage space at the Government facility, the minimum quantities of product per order is one of any unit of issue (ex. One (1) each 55 gallon drum of Detergent). This applies also to empty containers to be returned. Cost for removal of empty containers shall be incorporated in the unit price for each item.

4.3.1.6.1 The Contractor shall devise an adequate storage system to house required chemicals which shall be stored in day tanks in provided cage in the laundry room.

4.3.1.7 The Contractor shall be responsible to ensure the Material Safety Data Sheet for each chemical provided is current at all times.

4.3.1.8 The Contractor shall assure the equipment and chemical formulas will meet or exceed standard ALM and TSRA Hygienically clean linen standards. The Contractor shall perform quarterly USP 62 and Rodac plate testing to ensure that processed goods are free of pathogens and bacteria that could cause Hospital Acquired Infections.

4.3.2 Protection

4.3.2.1 The Contractor shall provide and periodically replace Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect Government employees from injury during chemical transfer.

4.3.2.2 PPE items (to include face shields) are to be stored at the Government s site.

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