Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF JULY 04, 2014 FBO #4605
DOCUMENT

H -- CERTIFICATION, TESTING, AND CLEANING SERVICES OF BIOLOGICAL SAFETY CABINETS AND A PHARMACY CLEAN ROOM - Attachment

Notice Date

7/2/2014
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541380 — Testing Laboratories
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Network Contracting Office 9;1639 Medical Center Parkway;Suite 400;Murfreesboro TN 37129
 

ZIP Code

37129
 

Solicitation Number

VA24914Q0668
 

Response Due

7/11/2014
 

Archive Date

8/10/2014
 

Point of Contact

Victoria Rone
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Total Small Business
 

Description

This is a Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only Solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written Solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation number VA249-14-Q-0668 is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular. This is a Total Small Business Set-Aside requirement only qualified offerors may submit bids. The NAICS is 541380 and the small business size standard is $14.0 Million. Description of Services: Contract Type: The government anticipates awarding a Firm Fixed Price award. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation requirements and will provide the best value to the government. The Memphis VA Medical Center is seeking certification, testing, and cleaning Services for Biological Safety Cabinets and a Pharmacy Clean Room for a base period (time of award), plus four (4), twelve (12) month option year contract. The contractor shall provide certifying, cleaning, and testing services for 16 Biological Safety Cabinets (8 cabinets to be inspected twice a year and 8 cabinets inspected once a year) and 1 Pharmacy Clean room to be inspected twice a year along with the collection of 5 air sample Blood Agar plates (VA furnished and tested). In addition, the contractor shall provide all maintenance, labor, materials, travel, and expertise necessary for or incidental to the performance of services for contract. See Statement of Work for complete details. Solicitation document and incorporated FAR and VAAR provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.204-9, Personnel Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel (Jan 2011) 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Items 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items 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 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services (Nov 1999) 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000) 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (Nov 2011) 52.232-40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (Dec 2013) 52.237-2, Protection of Government Buildings, Equipment, and Vegetation 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside 52.228-5, Insurance - Work on a Government Installation (Jan 1997) 852.203-70, Commercial Advertising (Jan 2008) 852.203-71, Display of Department of Veterans Affairs Hotline Poster (Dec 1992) 852.232-72, Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (Nov 2012) 852.237-70 Contractor Responsibilities (Apr 1984) SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS In accordance with FAR 28.307-2 and FAR 52.228-5, the following minimum coverage shall apply to this contract: (a) Workers' compensation and employer's liability: Contractors are required to comply with applicable Federal and State workers' compensation and occupational disease statutes. If occupational diseases are not compensable under those statutes, they shall be covered under the employer's liability section of the insurance policy, except when contract operations are so commingled with a Contractor's commercial operations that it would not be practical to require this coverage. Employer's liability coverage of at least $100,000 is required, except in States with exclusive or monopolistic funds that do not permit workers' compensation to be written by private carriers. (b) General Liability: per occurrences. (c) Automobile liability: per person; per occurrence and property damage. (d) The successful bidder must present to the Contracting Officer, prior to award, evidence of general liability insurance without any exclusionary clauses for asbestos that would void the general liability coverage. VAAR 852.233-70 PROTEST CONTENT/ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (JAN 2008) (a) Any protest filed by an interested party shall: (1) Include the name, address, fax number, and telephone number of the protester; (2) Identify the solicitation and/or contract number; (3) Include an original signed by the protester or the protester's representative and at least one copy; (4) Set forth a detailed statement of the legal and factual grounds of the protest, including a description of resulting prejudice to the protester, and provide copies of relevant documents; (5) Specifically request a ruling of the individual upon whom the protest is served; (6) State the form of relief requested; and (7) Provide all information establishing the timeliness of the protest. (b) Failure to comply with the above may result in dismissal of the protest without further consideration. (c) Bidders/offerors and contracting officers are encouraged to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures to resolve protests at any stage in the protest process. If ADR is used, the Department of Veterans Affairs will not furnish any documentation in an ADR proceeding beyond what is allowed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation. 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference: This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address (es). 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference: This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address (es). Full text can be obtained at www.arnnet.gov. Submission of Quote: The Offeror shall submit their quote on company letterhead and shall include unit price, total, unit quantity, terms of any express warranty, unit price, overall total price, applicable shipping charges and item description as specified above, as offered discounts, proposed delivery time, name, address, and telephone number of the offeror, firm's DUNS# and ORCA document in SAM at www.sam.gov. Complete copy of 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications- Commercial Items, and ORCA document. All questions should be emailed to Victoria.Rone3@va.gov, by July 7, 2014 at 12:00pm CST. Quotes must be received by July 11, 2014 at 8:00am CST. Email your quote to Victoria.Rone3@va.gov. The solicitation package will be posted on FedBizOpps, which can be accessed at www.fedbizopps.gov. The Government will not provide paper copies of the solicitation. Telephone, written, or facsimile, requests, for the solicitation package will not be honored. All interested parties MUST be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) Database and have completed On-Line Representation and Certifications Application (ORCA) in order to receive a contract award. If you are not registered with SAM, you may request an application via phone at 866-606-8220 or register on-line at https://www.sam.gov. There will be no automated email notification of amendments. To keep informed of changes: Check www.fedbizopps.gov frequently. The quote/proposal should be broken down as follows: Base YearTime of Award - 09-30-2014$ Option Year 1: 10-01-2014 - 09-30-2015$ Option Year 2: 10-01-2015 - 09-30-2016$ Option Year 3: 10-01-2016 - 09-30-2017$ Option Year 4: 10-01-2017 - 09-30-2018$ Total For Base & Option Years$ DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES: The government is in no way obligated to do business with or enter into the award a contract to any firm or its affiliates or otherwise pay for the information provided in this synopsis. STATEMENT OF WORK 1.INTRODUCTION: The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Memphis located at 1030 Jefferson Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38104 has a requirement for certification, testing, and cleaning of Biological Safety Cabinets and a Pharmacy Clean Room. 2.SCOPE: The contractor shall provide certifying, cleaning, and testing services for 16 Biological Safety Cabinets (8 cabinets to be inspected twice a year and 8 cabinets inspected once a year) and 1 Pharmacy Clean room to be inspected twice a year along with the collection of 5 air sample Blood Agar plates (VA furnished and tested). The contractor shall provide all maintenance, labor, materials, travel, and expertise necessary for or incidental to the performance of services for the contract. 3.REQUIREMENTS: "The contractor shall provide testing and certification on the Biological Safety Cabinets twice a year (every 6 months). "Only fully trained and qualified personnel/technicians shall be employed in the performance of any and all work performed under this contract. "Upon request, the contractor shall provide training certificates (or notarized copies) to the Biomedical Engineering Department for verification. "The highest standard of professional capability and workmanship is to be maintained throughout the life of this contract. "All testing equipment must be in current calibration meeting traceable standards. "All units shall be certified to comply with the NSF/ANSI Standard 49 Class II (laminar flow) biosafety cabinetry certification standards. "The contractor shall perform the five containment tests recommended for field certification for each of the Safety Cabinets. 4.OTHER REQUIREMENTS: A.Down flow velocity profile test B.Inflow velocity test C.Airflow smoke patterns D.HEPA filter leak test E.Cabinet leak test (when a cabinet is newly installed, relocated, or after panels were removed during maintenance procedures) F.Site installation assessment testing including alarm calibration, as applicable G.Cabinet integrity testing, A1 cabinets only, as applicable H.The contractor shall complete the five worker comfort and safety tests recommended by NSF International I.Electrical leakage test J.Ground circuit resistance and polarity test 5.PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The period of performance is base (time of award) plus four (4) option years. Contractor must be available to carry out work as soon as possible after time of award. 6.DOCUMENTATION/FIELD SERVICE REPORT: The contractor or the contractor representative shall furnish to the VAMC Biomedical Engineering Department legible hard copies of test results, certification certificates, and field service reports upon completion of all work. 7.HOURS OF OPERATION: The contractor will perform services required during the hours of 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday or as directed by the designated VAMC Memphis Point of Contact or Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) 8.U.S LEGAL HOLIDAYS: The following is a list of U.S. Government holidays. If the holiday falls on a Saturday, the proceeding Friday is observed as the holiday; if the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the holiday. HOLIDAYDATE New Year's Day Jan 1 Martin Luther King's Birthday3rd Monday in Jan President's Day3rd Monday in Feb Memorial DayLast Monday in May Independence DayJuly 4 Labor Day1st Monday in Sep Columbus Day 2nd Monday in Oct Veterans Day Nov 11 Thanksgiving Day 4th Thursday in Nov Christmas DayDec 25 9.SECURITY/ IDENTIFICATION: The contractor's employees shall check in and out with the VA Police obtain visitor identification each day. Employees must have a valid state or government identification. All contractor/vendor personnel shall display a VAMC Memphis issued identification badge while performing work on any VAMC property. Smoking is not prohibited on property except in designated areas. Possession of weapons is prohibited (in vehicle or on person). Enclosed containers, including tool kits, shall be subject to search. Violations of the VA regulations may result in citation answerable in the United States (Federal) District Court. Contractor employees (crew) when on VAMC Memphis grounds; shall not bring visitors into the facility; shall not bring into the facility, any form of weapons or contraband; shall not bring in any alcohol or drugs or be under the influence of alcohol/drugs; shall conduct themselves in a professional and polite manner at all times; shall not cause any disturbances in the facility, are subject to all the rules and regulations of the VAMC Memphis. Contractor personnel shall present a neat appearance and be easily recognized. Contractor shall furnish and require every on-site company employee to wear a company shirt and safety shoes. All company workers while on duty shall be identified by uniform shirt or blouse indicating the company logo. The print should be large enough to be easily read. In addition all company staff assigned to work at the VAMC Memphis. 10.SITE REGULATIONS: All work shall be performed in accordance with VAMC Memphis rules & regulations. 11.TRAVEL: The Contractor is responsible for all of their travel, accommodations, meals, rental cars, etc. 12.INFORMATION SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS: "GENERAL Contractors, contractor personnel, subcontractors, and subcontractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA Directives and Handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information and information system security. "ACCESS TO VA INFORMATION AND VA INFORMATION SYSTEMS a. A contractor/subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order. b. All contractors, subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for contractors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures. c. Contract personnel who require access to national security programs must have a valid security clearance. National Industrial Security Program (NISP) was established by Executive Order 12829 to ensure that cleared U.S. defense industry contract personnel safeguard the classified information in their possession while performing work on contracts, programs, bids, or research and development efforts. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not have a Memorandum of Agreement with Defense Security Service (DSS). Verification of a Security Clearance must be processed through the Special Security Officer located in the Planning and National Security Service within the Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness. d. Custom software development and outsourced operations must be located in the U.S. to the maximum extent practical. If such services are proposed to be performed abroad and are not disallowed by other VA policy or mandates, the contractor/subcontractor must state where all non-U.S. services are provided and detail a security plan, deemed to be acceptable by VA, specifically to address mitigation of the resulting problems of communication, control, data protection, and so forth. Location within the U.S. may be an evaluation factor. e. The contractor or subcontractor must notify the Contracting Officer immediately when an employee working on a VA system or with access to VA information is reassigned or leaves the contractor or subcontractor's employ. The Contracting Officer must also be notified immediately by the contractor or subcontractor prior to an unfriendly termination. "VA INFORMATION CUSTODIAL LANGUAGE a. 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). b. VA information should not be co-mingled, if possible, with any other data on the contractors/subcontractor's information systems or media storage systems in order to ensure VA requirements related to data protection and media sanitization can be met. If co-mingling must be allowed to meet the requirements of the business need, the contractor must ensure that VA's information is returned to the VA or destroyed in accordance with VA's sanitization requirements. VA reserves the right to conduct on-site inspections of contractor and subcontractor IT resources to ensure data security controls, separation of data and job duties, and destruction/media sanitization procedures are in compliance with VA directive requirements. c. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, contractor/ subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/ created by the contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by the VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a contractor/subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA Contracting Officer within 30 days of termination of the contract. d. The contractor/subcontractor must receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with the terms of the contract and applicable Federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies. If Federal or VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies become applicable to the VA information or information systems after execution of the contract, or if NIST issues or updates applicable FIPS or Special Publications (SP) after execution of this contract, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to implement the information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies in this contract. e. The contractor/subcontractor shall not make copies of VA information except as authorized and necessary to perform the terms of the agreement or to preserve electronic information stored on contractor/subcontractor electronic storage media for restoration in case any electronic equipment or data used by the contractor/subcontractor needs to be restored to an operating state. If copies are made for restoration purposes, after the restoration is complete, the copies must be appropriately destroyed. f. If VA determines that the contractor has violated any of the information confidentiality, privacy, and security provisions of the contract, it shall be sufficient grounds for VA to withhold payment to the contractor or third party or terminate the contract for default or terminate for cause under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 12. g. If a VHA contract is terminated for cause, the associated BAA must also be terminated and appropriate actions taken in accordance with VHA Handbook 1600.01, Business Associate Agreements. Absent an agreement to use or disclose protected health information, there is no business associate relationship. h. The contractor/subcontractor must store, transport, or transmit VA sensitive information in an encrypted form, using VA-approved encryption tools that are, at a minimum, FIPS 140-2 validated. i. The contractor/subcontractor's firewall and Web services security controls, if applicable, shall meet or exceed VA's minimum requirements. VA Configuration Guidelines are available upon request. j. Except for uses and disclosures of VA information authorized by this contract for performance of the contract, the contractor/subcontractor may use and disclose VA information only in two other situations: (i) in response to a qualifying order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) with VA's prior written approval. The contractor/subcontractor must refer all requests for, demands for production of, or inquiries about, VA information and information systems to the VA contracting officer for response. k. Notwithstanding the provision above, the contractor/subcontractor shall not release VA records protected by Title 38 U.S.C. 5705, confidentiality of medical quality assurance records and/or Title 38 U.S.C. 7332, confidentiality of certain health records pertaining to drug addiction, sickle cell anemia, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, or infection with human immunodeficiency virus. If the contractor/subcontractor is in receipt of a court order or other requests for the above mentioned information, that contractor/subcontractor shall immediately refer such court orders or other requests to the VA contracting officer for response. l. For service that involves the storage, generating, transmitting, or exchanging of VA sensitive information but does not require C&A or an MOU-ISA for system interconnection, the contractor/subcontractor must complete a Contractor Security Control Assessment (CSCA) on a yearly basis and provide it to the COR. "INFORMATION SYSTEM DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT a. Information systems that are designed or developed for or on behalf of VA at non-VA facilities shall comply with all VA directives developed in accordance with FISMA, HIPAA, NIST, and related VA security and privacy control requirements for Federal information systems. This includes standards for the protection of electronic PHI, outlined in 45 C.F.R. Part 164, Subpart C, information and system security categorization level designations in accordance with FIPS 199 and FIPS 200 with implementation of all baseline security controls commensurate with the FIPS 199 system security categorization (reference Appendix D of VA Handbook 6500, VA Information Security Program). During the development cycle a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) must be completed, provided to the COR, and approved by the VA Privacy Service in accordance with Directive 6507, VA Privacy Impact Assessment. b. The contractor/subcontractor shall certify to the COR that applications are fully functional and operate correctly as intended on systems using the VA Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC), and the common security configuration guidelines provided by NIST or the VA. This includes Internet Explorer 7 configured to operate on Windows XP and Vista (in Protected Mode on Vista) and future versions, as required. c. The standard installation, operation, maintenance, updating, and patching of software shall not alter the configuration settings from the VA approved and FDCC configuration. Information technology staff must also use the Windows Installer Service for installation to the default "program files" directory and silently install and uninstall. d. Applications designed for normal end users shall run in the standard user context without elevated system administration privileges. e. The security controls must be designed, developed, approved by VA, and implemented in accordance with the provisions of VA security system development life cycle as outlined in NIST Special Publication 800-37, Guide for Applying the Risk Management Framework to Federal Information Systems, VA Handbook 6500, Information Security Program and VA Handbook 6500.5, Incorporating Security and Privacy in System Development Lifecycle. f. The contractor/subcontractor is required to design, develop, or operate a System of Records Notice (SOR) on individuals to accomplish an agency function subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, (as amended), Public Law 93-579, December 31, 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) and applicable agency regulations. Violation of the Privacy Act may involve the imposition of criminal and civil penalties. g. The contractor/subcontractor agrees to: (1) Comply with the Privacy Act of 1974 (the Act) and the agency rules and regulations issued under the Act in the design, development, or operation of any system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function when the contract specifically identifies: (a) The Systems of Records (SOR); and (b) The design, development, or operation work that the contractor/ subcontractor is to perform; (1) Include the Privacy Act notification contained in this contract in every solicitation and resulting subcontract and in every subcontract awarded without a solicitation, when the work statement in the proposed subcontract requires the redesign, development, or operation of a SOR on individuals that is subject to the Privacy Act; and (2) Include this Privacy Act clause, including this subparagraph (3), in all subcontracts awarded under this contract which requires the design, development, or operation of such a SOR. h. In the event of violations of the Act, a civil action may be brought against the agency involved when the violation concerns the design, development, or operation of a SOR on individuals to accomplish an agency function, and criminal penalties may be imposed upon the officers or employees of the agency when the violation concerns the operation of a SOR on individuals to accomplish an agency function. For purposes of the Act, when the contract is for the operation of a SOR on individuals to accomplish an agency function, the contractor/subcontractor is considered to be an employee of the agency. (1) "Operation of a System of Records" means performance of any of the activities associated with maintaining the SOR, including the collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of records. (2) "Record" means any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by an agency, including, but not limited to, education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and contains the person's name, or identifying number, symbol, or any other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a fingerprint or voiceprint, or a photograph. (3) "System of Records" means a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual. i. The vendor shall ensure the security of all procured or developed systems and technologies, including their subcomponents (hereinafter referred to as "Systems"), throughout the life of this contract and any extension, warranty, or maintenance periods. This includes, but is not limited to workarounds, patches, hotfixes, upgrades, and any physical components (hereafter referred to as Security Fixes) which may be necessary to fix all security vulnerabilities published or known to the vendor anywhere in the Systems, including Operating Systems and firmware. The vendor shall ensure that Security Fixes shall not negatively impact the Systems. j. The vendor shall notify VA within 24 hours of the discovery or disclosure of successful exploits of the vulnerability which can compromise the security of the Systems (including the confidentiality or integrity of its data and operations, or the availability of the system). Such issues shall be remediated as quickly as is practical, but in no event longer than 5 days. k. When the Security Fixes involve installing third party patches (such as Microsoft OS patches or Adobe Acrobat), the vendor will provide written notice to the VA that the patch has been validated as not affecting the Systems within 10 working days. When the vendor is responsible for operations or maintenance of the Systems, they shall apply the Security Fixes within 15 days. l. All other vulnerabilities shall be remediated as specified in this paragraph in a timely manner based on risk, but within 60 days of discovery or disclosure. Exceptions to this paragraph (e.g. for the convenience of VA) shall only be granted with approval of the contracting officer and the VA Assistant Secretary for Office of Information and Technology. "INFORMATION SYSTEM HOSTING, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, OR USE a. For information systems that are hosted, operated, maintained, or used on behalf of VA at non-VA facilities, contractors/subcontractors are fully responsible and accountable for ensuring compliance with all HIPAA, Privacy Act, FISMA, NIST, FIPS, and VA security and privacy directives and handbooks. This includes conducting compliant risk assessments, routine vulnerability scanning, system patching and change management procedures, and the completion of an acceptable contingency plan for each system. The contractor's security control procedures must be equivalent, to those procedures used to secure VA systems. A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) must also be provided to the COR and approved by VA Privacy Service prior to operational approval. All external Internet connections to VA's network involving VA information must be reviewed and approved by VA prior to implementation. b. Adequate security controls for collecting, processing, transmitting, and storing of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), as determined by the VA Privacy Service, must be in place, tested, and approved by VA prior to hosting, operation, maintenance, or use of the information system, or systems by or on behalf of VA. These security controls are to be assessed and stated within the PIA and if these controls are determined not to be in place, or inadequate, a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) must be submitted and approved prior to the collection of PII. c. Outsourcing (contractor facility, contractor equipment or contractor staff) of systems or network operations, telecommunications services, or other managed services requires certification and accreditation (authorization) (C&A) of the contractor's systems in accordance with VA Handbook 6500.3, Certification and Accreditation and/or the VA OCS Certification Program Office. Government- owned (government facility or government equipment) contractor-operated systems, third party or business partner networks require memorandums of understanding and interconnection agreements (MOU-ISA) which detail what data types are shared, who has access, and the appropriate level of security controls for all systems connected to VA networks. d. The contractor/subcontractor's system must adhere to all FISMA, FIPS, and NIST standards related to the annual FISMA security controls assessment and review and update the PIA. Any deficiencies noted during this assessment must be provided to the VA contracting officer and the ISO for entry into VA's POA&M management process. The contractor/subcontractor must use VA's POA&M process to document planned remedial actions to address any deficiencies in information security policies, procedures, and practices, and the completion of those activities. Security deficiencies must be corrected within the timeframes approved by the government. Contractor/subcontractor procedures are subject to periodic, unannounced assessments by VA officials, including the VA Office of Inspector General. The physical security aspects associated with contractor/ subcontractor activities must also be subject to such assessments. If major changes to the system occur that may affect the privacy or security of the data or the system, the C&A of the system may need to be reviewed, retested and re- authorized per VA Handbook 6500.3. This may require reviewing and updating all of the documentation (PIA, System Security Plan, and Contingency Plan). The Certification Program Office can provide guidance on whether a new C&A would be necessary. e. The contractor/subcontractor must conduct an annual self-assessment on all systems and outsourced services as required. Both hard copy and electronic copies of the assessment must be provided to the COR. The government reserves the right to conduct such an assessment using government personnel or another contractor/subcontractor. The contractor/subcontractor must take appropriate and timely action (this can be specified in the contract) to correct or mitigate any weaknesses discovered during such testing, generally at no additional cost. f. VA prohibits the installation and use of personally-owned or contractor/ subcontractor-owned equipment or software on VA's network. If non-VA owned equipment must be used to fulfill the requirements of a contract, it must be stated in the service agreement, SOW or contract. All of the security controls required for government furnished equipment (GFE) must be utilized in approved other equipment (OE) and must be funded by the owner of the equipment. All remote systems must be equipped with, and use, a VA-approved antivirus (AV) software and a personal (host-based or enclave based) firewall that is configured with a VA-approved configuration. Software must be kept current, including all critical updates and patches. Owners of approved OE are responsible for providing and maintaining the anti-viral software and the firewall on the non-VA owned OE. g. All electronic storage media used on non-VA leased or non-VA owned IT equipment that is used to store, process, or access VA information must be handled in adherence with VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization upon: (i) completion or termination of the contract or (ii) disposal or return of the IT equipment by the contractor/subcontractor or any person acting on behalf of the contractor/subcontractor, whichever is earlier. Media (hard drives, optical disks, CDs, back-up tapes, etc.) used by the contractors/ subcontractors that contain VA information must be returned to the VA for sanitization or destruction or the contractor/subcontractor must self-certify that the media has been disposed of per 6500.1 requirements. This must be completed within 30 days of termination of the contract. h. Bio-Medical devices and other equipment or systems containing media (hard drives, optical disks, etc.) with VA sensitive information must not be returned to the vendor at the end of lease, for trade-in, or other purposes. The options are: (1) Vendor must accept the system without the drive; (2) VA's initial medical device purchase includes a spare drive which must be installed in place of the original drive at time of turn-in; or (3) VA must reimburse the company for media at a reasonable open market replacement cost at time of purchase. (4) Due to the highly specialized and sometimes proprietary hardware and software associated with medical equipment/systems, if it is not possible for the VA to retain the hard drive, then; (a) The equipment vendor must have an existing BAA if the device being traded in has sensitive information stored on it and hard drive(s) from the system are being returned physically intact; and (b) Any fixed hard drive on the device must be non-destructively sanitized to the greatest extent possible without negatively impacting system operation. Selective clearing down to patient data folder level is recommended using VA approved and validated overwriting technologies/methods/tools. Applicable media sanitization specifications need to be pre-approved and described in the purchase order or contract. (c) A statement needs to be signed by the Director (System Owner) that states that the drive could not be removed and that (a) and (b) controls above are in place and completed. The ISO needs to maintain the documentation. "SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION a. 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. The contractor/ subcontractor shall immediately notify the COR and simultaneously, the designated ISO and Privacy Officer for the contract 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. b. To the extent known by the contractor/subcontractor, the contractor/ subcontractor's notice to VA shall identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and where the VA information or assets were placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the contractor/subcontractor considers relevant. c. With respect to unsecured protected health information, the business associate is deemed to have discovered a data breach when the business associate knew or should have known of a breach of such information. Upon discovery, the business associate must notify the covered entity of the breach. Notifications need to be made in accordance with the executed business associate agreement. d. In instances of theft or break-in or other criminal activity, the contractor/subcontractor must concurrently report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement entity (or entities) of jurisdiction, including the VA OIG and Security and Law Enforcement. The contractor, its employees, and its subcontractors and their employees shall cooperate with VA and any law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any possible criminal law violation(s) associated with any incident. The contractor/subcontractor shall cooperate with VA in any civil litigation to recover VA information, obtain monetary or other compensation from a third party for damages arising from any incident, or obtain injunctive relief against any third party arising from, or related to, the incident. "LIQUIDATED DAMAGES FOR DATA BREACH a. 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. b. 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. c. 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. d. 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. "SECURITY CONTROLS COMPLIANCE TESTING On a periodic basis, VA, including the Office of Inspector General, reserves the right to evaluate any or all of the security controls and privacy practices implemented by the contractor under the clauses contained within the contract. With 10 working-days' notice, at the request of the government, the contractor must fully cooperate and assist in a government-sponsored security controls assessment at each location wherein VA information is processed or stored, or information systems are developed, operated, maintained, or used on behalf of VA, including those initiated by the Office of Inspector General. The government may conduct a security control assessment on shorter notice (to include unannounced assessments) as determined by VA in the event of a security incident or at any other time. "TRAINING a. All contractor employees and subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems: (1) Sign and acknowledge (either manually or electronically) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Contractor Rules of Behavior, Appendix E relating to access to VA information and information systems; (2) Successfully complete the VA Cyber Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training and annually complete required security training; (3) Successfully complete the appropriate VA privacy training and annually complete required privacy training; and (4) Successfully complete any additional cyber security or privacy training, as required for VA personnel with equivalent information system access [to be defined by the VA program official and provided to the contracting officer for inclusion in the solicitation document - e.g., any role-based information security training required in accordance with NIST Special Publication 800-16, Information Technology Security Training Requirements. b. The contractor shall provide to the contracting officer and/or the COR a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Contractor Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required. c. Failure to complete the mandatory annual training and sign the Rules of Behavior annually, within the timeframe required, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and documents are complete.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/NaVAMC/VAMCCO80220/VA24914Q0668/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA249-14-Q-0668 VA249-14-Q-0668.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=1472963&FileName=VA249-14-Q-0668-000.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=1472963&FileName=VA249-14-Q-0668-000.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Place of Performance

Address: Department of Veterans Affairs;Medical Center Memphis;1030 Jefferson Avenue;Memphis, Tennesee

Zip Code: 38104
 

Record

SN03412911-W 20140704/140703001714-d387ca73b2e2930300149ebf624ecd88 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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