66 -- CAGE AND RACK WASHER

Notice Date

July 27, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs, Stratton VA Medical Center, 113 Holland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208-3410

ZIP Code

12208-3410

Solicitation Number

RFQ 500-44-01

Response Due

August 10, 2001

Point of Contact

Karen Comiskey (518)626-6844

Description

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 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. Reference number: RFQ 500-44-01. This announcement incorporates provisions and clauses in effect through FAR FAC 97-27 . NAICS Code 421490 applies and the small business size is 500 employees. The Stratton VA Medical Center , Albany, NY has a requirement for a cage and cart washer for our animal research facility. The cage and rack washer is a heavy duty, automatic, single chamber, floor loading, hydro-spray washer. The unit shall be configured with a single door and shall be floor mounted, no pit required. Washer base shall be no higher than 10 1/2". Transition from finished floor to washer shall be by a tapered stainless steel ramp. Ramp width shall match door width, length shall be determined by space available. The service access and control panel shall be positioned on the left side of the load door; no components requiring service shall be placed on the right side of the washer cabinet. Washer door shall be hinged on the right side. Purpose: Washer shall clean, sanitize and dry cages, racks, utensils, mobile equipment and feeder bottles used in the care and housing of research animals. CHAMBER SIZE: Unit Shall have an interior chamber clearance of 42" wide x 84" high x 80" long. The unit shall include the following features: (1) Automatic Multi-phase treatment cycle: The unit shall have up to eight pre-set cycles available in memory. Each cycle shall include up to five chemical wash steps and four rinse steps as well as vapor removal/exhaust. All cycle phases will be adjustable from 0-999 minutes, in increments of one second. All wash and rinse treatments are re-circulated under pump pressure The cycle,. once activated, is completely automatic. (2) Multi cycle microprocessor control system: A solid state OMRON microprocessor will control system monitors and automatically control all process operations and functions. Cycle phase times and temperatures, and other key process parameters will be programmable and may be locked in by supervisors or facility managers. The eight cycle menu of treatment processes may be programmed and retained to permit operating personnel to accommodate a wide variety of load and processing requirements. Cycle programming can be modified only by pass code to insure process integrity. The main control panel shall be located on the left side of the load door. Times and temperature to be expressed in minutes/seconds and tenth of a degree increments respectively. An internal battery backs up all cycle memory and permits completion of a cycle upon restoration of power after a power disruption. A highly visible touch panel screen displays cycle program data on demand and real time in process cycle performance. A standard RS 232 port and an RS 422 port shall provided the capability to down load cycle real time performance data to a remote computer terminal, or to a printer.. Custom software may be required to accommodate specific applications.. Personnel safety system: Emergency push/pull stop buttons to be provided at each door to immediately halt processing functions when activated. An emergency, color coded, stainless steel cable to be provided inside the full length of. the chamber. to immediately stop all processing functions by activating a mechanical safety switch system which will signal all visual and/or audible alarms. Visual and/or audible alarms are to be provided at each door(s) control panel. If an emergency has occurred, all alarms must be acknowledged, the controls. must be reset and the start button must be re-activated to resume normal operation. The unit will re-start from the stage of the process that was active before the emergency stop button was activated. If the SOP for that facility requires that the unit be re-started at the beginning of the cycle, the operator simply turns the unit OFF then ON to return to the cycle start mode. The door must be fully closed before a cycle can begin. The door can be manually opened from within the chamber. Opening of the door after activation of the cycle start button immediately terminates all process functions and activates all emergency alarms. Stainless steel grating to be provided to completely cover the solution sump. Grating is easily lifted for access to the four basket filters located above the sump. Wash and Rinse Treatment Temperature Guarantee: The wash and rinse solution temperature shall be controlled by a minimum of two thermocouples. One checking inlet water temp, the other checking sump water temp. Supervisors to insure security of desired treatment temperatures may lock in Wash and/or rinse phase temperature guarantee selection and temperature set points. A security code must be used to access all set points. Water Saver: The operator has the option to either save the final rinse water for the next pre-wash phase or to automatically discharge the rinse water to drain after completion of the cycle. Stainless Steel Sump Heating Coil: The washer is to be equipped with a stainless steel steam coil heater in the sump to heat the re-circulated treatment solution. The system will include a steam coil, condensate return, and steam trap. The surface area of the steam coil should be sized to maintain a sump temperature of 1900F at an average steam pressure of 50 PSI. The steam coil should have union connections to permit easy removal for cleaning and maintenance. Rotary Arm, Overlapping spray system: The wash/rinse chamber shall be equipped with eleven sets of rotary arms, issuing an overlapping spray pattern throughout the cabinet interior. The overlapping circular wash pattern is designed to reach all soiled surfaces including the underside of items being processed. Rotary spray arms provide wash/rinse coverage from both sides, from the ceiling and from below the floor grating of each unit. Rotary spray arms are driven by pump pressure from the main wash/rinse pump. No additional drive motors, clutch or alignment apparatus shall be permitted. The main wash pump has been sized to issue maximum coverage and water pressure to effectively clean and sanitize all soiled surfaces. Adjustable Spray Pattern: During the washing and rinsing periods, the wash/rinse solution may be directed in a modulating action from the rotary spray arms on the bottom and one side, then from the rotors on the top and the other side. This modulating action helps to forcefully clear soil particles from the items being processed. The user will have the option of changing the spray pattern from an even distribution, 50% left and 50% right to a pattern that offers more wash/rinse action from one side of the cabinet. For example, 80% left and 20% right. Any of the eight wash/rinse cycles in the machine's processor memory can be adjusted in this fashion: This type of custom wash pattern is particularly effective in processing solid sided cages and racks by offering more coverage from the open side of the cage. Fully Draining Treatment Pump: The treatment solutions are re-circulated under pressure by a fully draining vertical immersion type pump.. A 7.5.HP pump is to be provided on the unit . The cage and rack washers should use a three stage draining sequence power drain/gravity drain/flush step to fully evacuate the wash/rinse sump to eliminate debris or chemical carry-over. Automatic self cleaning debris filter: The output of the pump is fitted with a self-cleaning debris filter having perforations smaller than the spray ports on the rotary arms to prevent plugging. The filter is inter-piped to filter the re-circulated solution and to automatically back flush debris to drain upon completion of each wash/rinse phase. The filter screen is accessible from the service side of the unit and can be easily removed for cleaning. Basket type debris filters: Four additional perforated basket screens are to be located above the solution sump, and below the floor grating. These interior basket screens provide additional filtration of debris. Basket screens are accessed easily by removing two sections of floor grating. This allows the screen to be lifted for cleaning. Stainless steel assist handles to be provided. Automatic sump water level & control: The re-circulating sump is to be equipped with an automatic solution level control to ensure proper solution volume in the sump for treatment pump protection. Further adjustments to the water level can be set using the microprocessor. Chemical injection ports with electrical contacts: Three chemical injection ports and dry electrical contacts are to be provided for installation of automatic liquid-chemical injection systems. In addition, two 1" NPT fittings are provided for the connection of chemical monitoring devices. Internal chamber light: An exterior vapor proof port and light to be provided to illuminate the chamber interior. All stainless steel contamination free construction: The base, re-circulating sump, chamber, and doors are to be stainless steel construction. The interior base, sump and interior walls are to be smooth construction without crevices and ledges for the potential build up of debris and contamination. The lower sump is completely drained after each phase preventing cross contamination between treatment phases and cycles. The chamber floor consists of heavy-duty stainless steel grating covering the total load area which is easily removable for cleaning. Insulated chamber construction: The unit chamber is to be insulated on all sides and on the top with two-inch thick fiberglass insulation covered by a protective stainless steel jacket. Modular sectional construction: The unit should be designed for disassembly into modular sections for shipment and field reassembly. Optional knocked down shipment may be provided to permit entry into existing facilities. Unit should also include: House tap water temperature booster: An instantaneous flow through steam to water heat exchanger is to be provided to raise the house tap water supply temperature by 800F. Automatic Damper: An automatic pneumatically operated, stainless steel damper is to be provided in the chamber exhaust and interwired for automatic operation to be open during vapor removal and closed during unit operation and during STANDBY. Drain discharge cool down system -- Non Monitored: Cold tap water is to be automatically injected into the drain discharge to lower the discharge temperature to below 1400F before entering into the building's drainage system. M.O.D.E.M. online diagnostics, evaluation and monitoring system: A 14.4kps baud rate modem to be supplied during the warranty period for online service diagnostics, evaluations, and software upgrades. Floor loading ramp: A stainless steel ramp(s), with a non-skid surface, is to be provided to permit loading and unloading of floor mounted units. Universal cage and pan processing rack: A stainless steel rack with an automatic pivoting counterweight is to be provided to accommodate cages from 5,' to 8" in height and pans with a maximum depth of 3 inches. The rack is 32" wide, 70" high and 72" long and is transported by stainless steel casters and roller bearings. Installation to include: Removal of existing washer, repairs and epoxy coating of floor in wash area, repairs patching and painting of walls in wash area, supply all rough in services to new washer, hot/cold water, steam, air, drains, condensate return, and exhaust. NOTE- ADDITIONAL DUCT WORK WILL BE REQUIRED assembly of new washer, supply and installation of stainless steel capture hood over washer door, final connection to all services. Quote shall include warranty information. Quotes received shall specify FOB: DESTINATION. The following FAR provisions apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items, as well as the following addenda 52.237-1 Site Visit, FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions, as well as the following addenda. 852.211-70 Service Data Manual; 852.211-71 Guarantee -- one (1) year, and 852.211-77 Brand Name or Equal. FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders -Commercial Items. Offerors must include with their quote a completed copy of the provisions at 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items Provisions and clauses that are incorporated by reference may be found in full-text at: http://www.arnet.gov/far/ and/or http://www.va.gov/oa&mm/vaar/. Technical/Descriptive Literature shall include but not be limited to technical specifications, product picture, product features, etc., and shall be submitted with the quote or the quote will be rejected as non-responsive. Technical acceptability will be determined by information submitted by the quoter providing a description in sufficient detail to show that the product meets the governments requirements. The following factors, in descending order of importance, will be used to evaluate quotes: (1) determination of product acceptability, (2) price, and (3) delivery schedule. Quotations and all pertinent information are due by 3:30PM, August 10, 2001 and should be sent to: Stratton VA Medical Center, 113 Holland Avenue, Attn.: Karen Comiskey, Contracting Officer (500/2-90NCA), Albany, NY 12208. Fax Number 518-626-6849.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010731/66SOL014.HTM (W-208 SN50T193)