SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- LOTO System Evaluation BPA
- Notice Date
- 11/2/2023 5:20:23 AM
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- 241-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 01 (36C241) TOGUS ME 04330 USA
- ZIP Code
- 04330
- Solicitation Number
- 36C24124Q0065
- Response Due
- 11/14/2023 2:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 02/12/2024
- Point of Contact
- Kenya Mitchell, Contract Specialist, Phone: 781-687-2000
- E-Mail Address
-
kenya.mitchell1@va.gov
(kenya.mitchell1@va.gov)
- Awardee
- null
- Description
- This is a Sources Sought notice only. This is not a request for quotes and no contract will be awarded from this announcement. The Government will not provide any reimbursement for responses submitted in response to this Source Sought notice. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. The purpose of this announcement is to perform market research to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 541330, (Engineering Services) with a size standard $25.5M. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 1 (NCO 1) is seeking to identify any vendor capable of providing Periodic Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) system evaluations, LOTO system training, develop written LOTO procedures, and identify and report effective techniques and procedures per the requirements below. Refer to the Performance Work Statement PWS below for the requested requirement description. The standard shall be of quality; meeting or exceeding those outlined in the PWS. This Sources Sought notice provides an opportunity for respondents to submit their capability and availability to provide the requirement described below. Vendors are being invited to submit information relative to their potential to fulfill this requirement, in the form of a capability response that addresses the specific requirement identified in this Sources Sought. Information received from this Sources Sought shall be utilized to facilitate the Contracting Officer s review of the market base, for acquisition planning, size determination, and procurement strategy. Submission Instructions: Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to provide these services are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by 5:00 PM EST, 14 November 2023. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be emailed to Kenya Mitchell at kenya.mitchell1@va.gov and David Valenzuela at david.valenzuela2@va.gov. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. Interested parties should complete the attached Sources Sought Worksheet. Parties may submit additional information related to their capabilities, provided it contains all the requirements contained in the Sources Sought Worksheet. Responses to this Sources Sought shall not exceed 8 pages. In addition, all submissions should be provided electronically in a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. SAM: Interested parties shall be register in the System for Award Management (SAM) as prescribed in FAR Clause 52.232-33. SAM information can be obtained by accessing the internet at www.sam.gov or by calling 1-866-606-8220. Interested parties not registered in SAM will be ineligible to receive a government contract, should a solicitation be issued resulting from this Sources Sought. VISTA: The VA utilizes VISTA to issue a purchase order and liquidate invoices. Failure to register in VISTA may result in exclusion from the issuance of a VA contract, should a solicitation be issued resulting from this Sources Sought. Attachment 1 Sources Sought Worksheet QUALIFICATION INFORMATION: Company / Institute Name: _______________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________________ Phone Number: ________________________________________________________________ Point of Contact: _______________________________________________________________ E-mail Address: ________________________________________________________________ Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) #: ___________________________________________________ CAGE Code: __________________________________________________________________ Other available contract vehicles (GSA/FSS/NASA SEWP/ETC): ________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS: VIP Verified SDVOSB: (Y / N) VIP Verified VOSB: (Y / N) 8(a): (Y / N) HUBZone: (Y / N) Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business: (Y / N) Women-Owned Small Business: (Y / N) Small Business: (Y / N) NOTE: Respondent claiming SDVOSB and VOSB status shall be registered and Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) verified in VetBiz Registry www.vetbiz.gov. BASED ON THE RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE/MARKET RESEARCH, THIS REQUIREMENT MAY BE SET-ASIDE FOR SDVOSB, VOSB, SMALL BUSINESSES OR PROCURED THROUGH FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION. CAPABILITY STATEMENT: Provide a brief capability and interest in providing the service as listed in Attachment 2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT with enough information to determine if your company can meet the requirement. The capabilities statement for this Sources Sought is not a Request for Quotation, Request for Proposal or Invitation for Bid, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach, but rather the Government is requesting a short statement regarding the company s ability to provide the services outlined in the PWS. Any commercial brochures or currently existing marketing material may also be submitted with the capabilities statement. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government will not pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Attachment 2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT VISN 1 Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) System Support Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Section I. General Information Summary of Tasks: The firm shall provide all tools, supplies, materials, labor, supervision, transportation, and project management to perform: Periodic LOTO system evaluations to each VISN 1 medical center listed in Section V paragraph E of this document either biennially or annually which will be determined by each medical center at the task order level. The evaluation will consist of 5 parts: a review of the medical center policy (MCP) and standard operating procedures (SOP), a review of the inventory of written LOTO procedures, an evaluation of a sampling of the facility s LOTO system, an assessment of the authorized employees LOTO system knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA). an audit LOTO system training program. LOTO system training for VA medical centers on an as-needed basis. Training frequency will be determined at the Task Order level. Develop written LOTO procedures as needed for designated equipment at each medical center. The frequency will be determined at the Task Order level. Additionally, the firm is requested to identify and report effective techniques and procedures which are not standardized in the SOP or Policy and identify and report non-compliant patterns which are not specifically covered by this BPA. Background: In FY21 and FY22, VISN 1 executed a contract to inventory equipment requiring Lockout or Tagout, write LOTO procedures for approximately 3500 pieces of equipment, provided training, and supply all necessary LOTO devices. In FY23, VISN 1 wrote a LOTO Policy and produced a Network SOP. The VISN Policy, SOP, and written procedures defined a LOTO system with which each medical center will comply. Objectives: this BPA provides for periodic evaluations of each facility s LOTO system based on the VISN LOTO SOP and Policy, and applicable sections of 29 CFR 1910 and 1926; compliant LOTO training to each medical center listed in Section V paragraph E of this document; and LOTO procedures writing services. Definitions: The firm: refers to the company which performs the tasks within this BPA. Technical coordinator: a VA employee designated by the medical center to order and coordinate the services as listed in this BPA. SECTION II. LOTO System Evaluation Tasks Medical Center LOTO Policy (MCP) and SOP Review: Examine the most current MCP and SOP and make note of: deficiencies from or omissions of regulatory and standards requirements. recently published changes to regulations or standards which have not been incorporated. LOTO Written Procedures and Inventory Management: Review the LOTO procedures inventory spreadsheet and the network folder which contains all the LOTO procedure documents. Identify and not deviations from the following: There should be only one protected and current master LOTO procedure for each piece of equipment. Superseded (expired) written procedure files should be deleted or overwritten with updated procedures. Written LOTO procedure files should be linked to the digital inventory spreadsheet. Note: In order to accomplish this task, the firm s employee(s) must use a VA employee as a proxy to access the LOTO files located in the VA network. The firm s employees shall never have direct, unsupervised access to any information in the VA s network. Throughout the evaluation, identify any unauthorized or superseded copies of the LOTO procedures. Note: Copies will exist but those must be copies of the protected and current master LOTO procedure. Procedures Evaluation: Determine if written procedures meet the minimum requirements by evaluating a sampling of the written procedures. Request assistance from applicable Shop Supervisors to assign authorized employees for the following tasks. Select the following written Lockout/Tagout procedures: All high-pressure boilers as defined by VHA DIRECTIVE 1810. Two (2) different types of steam powered devices (heater) or steam control devices (PRV, isolation valves, steam traps). Two (2) different types of equipment using 480 VAC or more. One (1) piece of equipment using 50 VDC or more. Two (2) different types of air handlers. Two (2) heavy equipment vehicles which use hydraulics. One (1) overhead power rolling vehicle bay door. One (1) vehicle lift (motor pool). Two biomedical engineering Lockout procedures. All Tagout procedures. Any equipment which has had a near miss over the past 12-months. Two (2) random Lockout procedures from each of the following shops: electrical, HVAC, plumbing, carpentry, masons, and the motor pool. Note: If a shop has no procedures assigned to them, simply skip those shops. Note: if the facility does not service, maintain, or repair any items in (a) to (k) above then skip those items, e.g. if all vehicle lifts are serviced by a contractor then skip those procedures. For each of the selected Lockout/Tagout procedures, perform the following: Verify that it substantially meets the VISN format. Verify that the procedure contains all required information per regulations, standards, and policies. Validate information about each of the energy sources to include: stored energy, energy magnitudes, lockout/isolation points, required lockout devices for each, methods to verify it is completely deenergized. Determine if the facility conducts periodic inspections of the procedures: If the procedure requires Tagout, then determine the modifications needed to allow Lockout, e.g. equipment replacement, a manufacturer s retrofit device, an approved aftermarket retrofit device, a new and/or different lockout device. Assessment of Authorized Employees LOTO KSAs: Request assistance from the facility s technical coordinator to assign an authorized employee from each shop/section for the following tasks. Observe authorized employees perform each of the written procedures on equipment listed in Section II C. The authorized employees may perform an actual shutdown and reenergization of the equipment or simulate it by walking around the equipment, pointing out actual devices, stating the action(s) they would perform. If simulation is chosen, have the authorized person verbalize how they would accomplish a requirement which is not associated with the equipment, e.g. how will they notify affected employees, how to check for procedure expiration, or who to notify if errors in the procedure need to be corrected. Evaluate the abilities of the authorized employees to perform the required tasks to include: Obtaining a valid and current copy of the written procedure. Making required notifications using effective communication modes. Obtaining the correct LOTO devices and locks. Obtaining the correct PPE and energy verification equipment. Following the procedural steps to shut down, completely deenergize, lockout the equipment, and properly verify a zero-energy state as written LOTO procedure. Verbally demonstrating an understanding of maintaining effective and positive control of the padlock keys. Removing the LOTO devices and reenergizing the equipment. Making the correct notifications and replacing the LOTO devices to the proper storage area. Completing required documentation. Verbally describing how to perform a ganged Lockout. Verbally describing who is allowed to forcibly remove a Lockout padlock. Verbally describing how to turn over a locked-out device during a shift change. Verbally confirming that all authorized employees working on a piece of equipment must all install Lockout devices, padlocks, and ID tags on each Lockout point, including work conducted by VA employees and all contractors employees. Document items that the authorized employee performed exceptionally well (best practices), errors made, and deficiencies in the written procedure. LOTO Training Audit: Obtain lists of all authorized employees and affected employees and their LOTO training records. Examine training records along with other LOTO program records to determine compliance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.147(e)(7). Written Report: Prepare a written report which: identifies all deficiencies and gaps along with clarifying information. describes errors made by employees. For each error listed, state if corrective recommendations were provided and if the error is expected to be made again by any facility employees. provides recommendations to improve the facility s LOTO system. documents techniques the facility performed exceptionally well (best practices). Provide copies of the written report to the facility s technical representative, and VISN 1 Safety Manager or Capital Assets Manager. Timeline: It is required that the LOTO evaluation: will begin no more than 30 calendar days from the date the firm was awarded a task order. onsite portion will take no more than five business days. onsite portion will be conducted on consecutive business days. the final evaluation report will be provided to the facility s technical representative and the VISN 1 Safety Manager or Capital Assets Manager within 14 calendar days of the completion of the on-site portion. Section III. Training The firm will provide LOTO training compliant with OSHA requirements in general and focus on the requirements of the VISN 1 LOTO policy and SOP. Training will be provided for authorized employees (initial and refresher) and affected employees: Initial authorized employee (new or reassigned) training which will consist of a classroom instruction period and a practical, hands-on guided learning period which will require the instructors to be onsite at the designated learning facility. Refresher authorized employee training which will consist of a classroom instruction period and may be provided onsite or via a live and interactive virtual venue such as Teams or Zoom. Initial and refresher affected employee training will consist of a classroom instruction period and may be provided onsite or via a live and interactive virtual venue such as Teams or Zoom. The firm will: develop training objectives and syllabi for the different training courses, ensuring they meet OSHA and VISN 1 SOP requirements. provide a syllabus for each type of training session to the facility s technical coordinator for review, communicate and coordinate activities, requirements, equipment, and support with the technical coordinator. The technical coordinator will ensure the following tasks are accomplished: Organize lists of employees who need LOTO training and specify which training they need (provided by applicable supervisors). Schedule the training sessions which meet the firm s and employees availability (coordinate with supervisors). Review and approve the firm s training syllabi (refer to the VISN1 LOTO SOP and 1910.147). Coordinate training venues and associated items including classrooms, practical training sites and equipment, and virtual sessions, Provide a list of trainee names and associated jobs/specialties to the firm, Ensure attendance is taken, Provide training completion verification to each trainee s supervisor, Timeline It is required that: Virtual training will start no more than 30 calendar days after the task order is provided to the firm, Onsite evaluations will start within 45 days after the task order is provided to the firm, This timeline may be extended if the firm and the VA Contracting Officer mutually agree in writing on an alternative timeline. Changes in timelines will not commit the VA to additional charges for the service. Section IV. Develop Written LOTO Procedures Evaluate equipment for which any medical center within VISN 1 requests newly developed written procedures. Complicated equipment or procedures will require onsite evaluation. The requesting medical center s technical coordinator and the firm will determine if an onsite evaluation is required. Otherwise, a virtual evaluation may be performed. Ensure the procedures conform to the current VISN 1 LOTO procedures format and comply with the VISN 1 SOP and OSHA requirements. Provide draft written procedures to the medical center s technical coordinator for verification. Final versions of the written procedures will be provided electronically to the technical coordinator for inclusion into the medical center s LOTO procedures inventory. Timeline It is required that: virtual evaluations will start no more than 21 calendar days after the task order is provided to the firm, and onsite evaluations will start within 30 days. Draft written procedures will be provided to the technical coordinator no more than 14 calendar days after the conclusion of the evaluation. Final written procedures will be provided to the technical coordinator no more than seven calendar days after the medical center returns the draft copy with comments and corrections. This timeline may be extended if a medical center orders more than 10 new written procedures or if the firm and the VA Contracting Officer mutually agree in writing on an alternative timeline. Changes in timelines will not commit the VA to additional charges for the service. Section V. General BPA Information Regulations and Standards: 29 CFR 1910.147 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I 29 CFR 1910.333 29 CFR 1910.335 29 CFR 1926.417 29 CFR 1926.417 29 CFR 1926.600(a)(3)(i), 29 CFR 1926.702(j), NFPA 70E (most recent edition), VISN 1 Control of Hazardous Energy (LOTO) Policy VISN 1 Control of Hazardous Energy (LOTO) SOP NFPA 70 (most recent edition) NFPA 70E (most recent edition) NFPA 99 (most recent edition) ANSI/ASSE Z244.1 ANSI/ASSE Z117.1 ANSI A10.44-2006 Respective manufacturers directions and instructions Period of Performance: The BPA will begin after the VA and the firm sign the agreement. This BPA will be in effect for five years. Hours of Operation. The firm is responsible for conducting business between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm 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. Work required during other than these hours (example: provide training to nightshift workers) may be amended by a documented mutual agreement between the firm and the VA Contracting Officer. Any amendment of this section will not result in additional charges to the VA. Recognized Holidays: The contractor shall not have access to the facility on weekends or the following federal holidays: New Year s Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Jr. s Birthday Columbus Day President s Day Veteran s Day Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day June 19th Christmas Day Independence Day Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract shall be in engineering, boiler plant, utility areas, healthcare areas, administrative areas and meeting rooms located at the following facilities: VA Boston Healthcare System Brockton Campus 940 Belmont Street Brockton MA 02401 VA Connecticut Healthcare System Newington Campus 555 Willard Ave Newington CT 06111 VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus 150 S. Huntington Ave Boston MA 02130 VA Boston Healthcare System West Roxbury Campus 1400 VFK Parkway West Roxbury MA 02132 Bedford VA Medical Center 200 Springs Road Bedford MA 01730 VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus 950 Campbell Ave West Haven CT 06516 Providence VA Medical Center 830 Chalkstone Ave Providence RI 02908 VA Central Western Mass. Medical Center 421 North Main Street Northampton MA 01053 Manchester VA Medical Center 718 Smyth Road Manchester NH 03104 White River Junction VA Medical Center 215 North Main St White River Junction VT 05009 VA Maine Healthcare System 1 VA Center Augusta, ME 04330 Security Requirements: The firm s employees shall report to the Medical Center VA Police Department, provide appropriate identification and documents, and clearly wear the issued badge while on site. An authorized employee shall accompany them while in any VA facility to ensure safety, protection of sensitive data, and provide access into restricted and locked areas. Medical Centers will be responsible for providing the authorized employee with the appropriate access to the facilities and to coordinate the initial arrival of the firm s employees at the VA Police Department. Physical Security: The firm shall be responsible for safeguarding all government equipment, information and property provided for contractor use. At the close of each work period, government facilities, equipment, and materials shall be secured. Information Security: At no time will the firm or their employees have access to or connect any devices to the VA information network. Sensitive information shall not be recorded, obtained, or otherwise released by the contracted firm or their employees without express written consent of the Contracting Officer. Data Rights: The Government has unlimited rights to all documents/material produced under this BPA. All documents and materials, to include the source codes of any software, produced under this contract shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership and copyright belonging exclusively to the Government. These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the contractor without written permission from the Contracting Officer. All materials supplied to the Government shall be the sole property of the Government and may not be used for any other purpose. This right does not abrogate any other Government rights. Special Qualifications: The firm shall demonstrate that all lead employees assigned to this project possess expert knowledge of federal regulations, ANSI standards, and NFPA 70E as listed in section L of this document regarding control of hazardous energy, a.k.a. Lockout Tag Out (LOTO). Demonstration of expert knowledge shall contain two or more of the following: Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Five or more years of documented experience instructing safety courses based on NFPA 70E and/or LOTO portions of 29 CFR 1910 and 1926 for accredited institutions, A Master Tradesperson (or equivalent) with experience working in industrial or healthcare facilities and using LOTO procedures. Five or more years as a Journeyman Tradesperson (or equivalent) working in industrial healthcare facilities and using LOTO procedures. Documented experience, training, or certifications which demonstrate equivalent levels of knowledge, skills, professionalism, and aptitude. The firm shall ensure all employees possess working knowledge of: utility systems on large, multi-building campuses, healthcare-related machinery, and equipment that may require LOTO, and applying OSHA safety regulations in facilities as described. Precautions for hazardous conditions: A VA medical center is a complex and dynamic workplace and hazards may go unrecognized or evolve very quickly. The VA will not knowingly allow any people into hazardous areas without the proper controls in place. The firm will be responsible to ensure that their employees can recognize and subsequently do not expose themselves to known or potentially hazardous conditions without the proper hazard controls in place. Special Precautions for COVID-19: The firm s employees who perform the on-site evaluations shall be required to meet each facility s precautionary disease prevention requirements prior to entering. Requirements may include, but are not limited to, COVID testing, quarantine, vaccination, daily screening questionnaires, and wearing of face coverings. Requirements for accessing VA healthcare facilities may change without notification. Therefore, the firm shall contact each facility within 2 days prior to arrival to determine the current Infection Prevention protocols. Quality Control: The firm shall establish a quality control plan specifying standards of performance. The quality control plan shall be provided to the technical representative who will the firm s performance achieves the standards. Other Costs: None. Prices shall be inclusive of all labor, equipment, supplies, and travel expenses. Network technical contacts: David Ivezic Network Safety Program Manager VA New England Healthcare System VISN1 Business: 207-522-4495 david.ivezic@va.gov Cynthia Rosa Network Industrial Hygienist VA New England Healthcare System VISN1 Business: 617-939-7865 cynthia.rosa@va.gov
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/2d6ff900f93d4053b0a6d15717caa07f/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: VISN 1 Medical Centers
- Record
- SN06875171-F 20231104/231102230052 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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