Loren Data's SAM Daily™

SAMDAILY.US - ISSUE OF DECEMBER 30, 2021 SAM #7334
SOURCES SOUGHT

68 -- 595-22-2-040-0006 | Liquid Oxygen

Notice Date

12/28/2021 10:06:38 AM
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

NAICS

325120 — Industrial Gas Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

244-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 4 (36C244) PITTSBURGH PA 15215 USA
 

ZIP Code

15215
 

Solicitation Number

36C24422Q0237
 

Response Due

1/10/2022 6:00:00 AM
 

Archive Date

03/11/2022
 

Point of Contact

Edward Ferkel, Contract Specialist
 

E-Mail Address

edward.ferkel@va.gov
(edward.ferkel@va.gov)
 

Awardee

null
 

Description

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. This Request for Information (RFI) is intended for information and planning purposes only at this time; and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Because this is a Request for Information announcement, no evaluation letters and/or results will be issued to the respondents. No solicitation exists. Therefore, do not request a copy of a solicitation. The Lebanon VA Medical Center is seeking a contractor to provide an on-station medical gas fill site. The requirement shall be provided at the Lebanon VA Medical Center, located in Lebanon, PA. Description of work: Vendor shall provide the following: 1. GENERAL 1.a. The Lebanon VA Medical Center is seeking a contractor to provide an on-station medical gas fill site (Contractor-provided 40 liter or 48 liter liquid stationary tanks located in Building 1). These stationary units must accommodate approximately 4,000 to 8,000 pounds of usage per month, depending on need of hospital. The VA intends to utilize approximately over 100 Contractor provided liquid portable canisters, 10 need to be high flow tanks, to be placed in two (2) or more buildings at the VA Medical Center, Lebanon, PA, 17042. Services included in the price of Medical gas: The bidder s price for the medical gas shall include the furnishing, at no additional cost, all services which are required at each and every filling of a cylinder to comply with the applicable regulations, specifications, and normal good practices. Such services shall include but are not limited to: Tags or gauges (identifying cylinders as full or in use ), inspection, testing, and evacuation. Current breakdown for liquid oxygen stationary tanks is as follows: Building 1 room 15: Nine (9) 40 to 48-liter Penox (Pin index) tanks One (1) 40 to 48-liter Puritan Bennet tanks All equipment provided must be compatible with the equipment used in our home oxygen system. The current system is Penox, Puritan Bennet or comparable. All medical gas shall be clearly labeled with the contents of the cylinder. All contractor-furnished equipment must be visibly marked with its own serial number for tracking purposes. The VA and vendor share responsibility in tracking all liquid portable units. 1.b. The usage shown in the solicitation schedule is an estimate for the facility s annual requirements. There is no express or implied guarantee that the usage will be purchased. The base contract period for contract awarded under this solicitation will be date of award, through January 1, 2023. Unless otherwise directed by the using activity, contractor owned equipment shall be provided by the first day of the contract period and shall be filled and ready for use on that date, provided that the contractor is allowed a minimum of thirty (30) days after receipt of notice of award to begin performance. If Contractor s equipment replaces equipment already in use, the exchange of equipment shall be accomplished without interruption of medical gas supply to the using activity. Contract awarded under the solicitation will include four (4) one-year option periods which may be exercised by the Government if required. 1.c. A Contracting Officer Representative (COR) will be designated after award. The COR is responsible for contract administration issues such as ordering and providing specific delivery instructions. A letter of delegation that outlines the COR s specific responsibilities will be provided to the contractor and COR at the time of contract award. Within 15 days after contract award, the contractor shall contact the COR to finalize the ordering method and clarify the specific details of any delivery instructions that are included in the solicitation schedule. If agreement cannot be reached between the contractor and COR regarding any issue, the matter shall be referred to the Contracting Officer for resolution. 1.d. Prior to first filling, contractor must perform in-service training if required to include the following facets for contractor owned and government owned systems: the refill procedure, any preventive maintenance support requirements that may be needed from the medical center systems, and an explanation of precautionary and emergency measures as well as low pressure set points if required. The Contractor will perform a visual inspection of valves and regulators for periodic maintenance and repair on contractor and government owned cylinders. A visual inspection should be performed before each usage to detect any damage, cracks, corrosion, or other defects. Due to long term maintenance or replacement periods vary with the types of gases used, the length of use and conditions of usage, recommended valve and regulator maintenance schedules will be conducted in accordance with OSHA and NFPA 99. 1.e. The contractor will provide written procedures and training for VA staff for protocols to accomplish emergency shutdowns or other sudden, unplanned termination of the on-site refilling process. Contractor will provide 24/7 emergency contact name(s) and telephone number(s). 1.f. Any code deficiencies in the Medical Center s existing system must be identified by the contractor if required. A detailed explanation of these deficiencies must be presented in writing to the COR. Receipt of this written explanation must be signed for by the COR. 1.g. Prior to first filling, and annually thereafter, the contractor must verify, in writing, the accuracy of all gauges on contractor owned tanks. If the gauge(s) are government owned, contractor will provide verification that pressure gauges on regulators are correct for the pressure of the gas cylinder used. 2. Government-Furnished Property 2.a. The Lebanon VA Medical Center and VA Community Clinic s (VACC) may require contractor owned equipment and will provide a suitable location for the contractor owned tank(s). The VA owns, and requires medical gas for the following: Approximately 1- 40 to 48-liter Stationary Tanks (Penox, Pin Index) Approximately 9- 40 Liter Stationary Tanks (Puritan Bennett) Approximately 100 Helios Liquid Portable Units, 10 need to be high flow tanks. 2.b. Individual Agency Ownership of Cylinders: Government owned cylinders shall remain the property of the individual ordering (owning) agency and shall not be exchanged for other cylinders, either government-owned or contractor-owned, without authorization of the Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COR) at the ordering agency. 3. Contractor-Furnished Equipment 3.a. The contractor shall provide and maintain over 100 Helios liquid portable canisters, and liquid stationary tanks. Through the duration of the contract, the contractor shall be liable for the integrity, suitability, and safety of contractor owned tank(s) that will insure compliance with applicable regulations, standards, and normal good practices. The tank capacities shown in the schedule are minimum capacities required by the using facilities. The manifold or liquid converter shall deliver gas at a pressure and rate of flow adequate to supply the system. Each container shall have an outlet that allows access for testing the purity of the medical gas. 3.b. All equipment and materials required to perform on the contract (other than what is specifically listed in section 3, Government-Furnished Property) shall be provided by the contractor. Contractor owned equipment shall be installed, inspected, and maintained by the contractor without additional cost to the Government. (i.e., all installation, inspection and maintenance costs shall be included in the contract s monthly equipment rental fee for the applicable facility.) Contractor owned equipment shall be kept in good operating condition and appearance, in accordance with applicable regulations, standards and normal good practices. The contractor shall be provided reasonable access to the tanks for this purpose. 3.c. Contractor provided equipment shall remain the property of the contractor and shall be removed upon termination of the contract, when directed by the ordering activity. Contractor provided equipment shall be maintained by the contractor and shall be removed by the contractor when directed by the ordering activity and shall remain in full cooperation with the succeeding contractor to avoid interruption of medical gas supply. 4. Provision of Contractor-Owned Equipment 4.a. Unless otherwise directed by the using activity, contractor owned equipment shall be installed/delivered and ready for use by the first day of the contract period provided that the contractor shall be allowed notice of time to complete the installation. If Contractor s equipment replaces equipment already in use, the exchange of equipment shall be accomplished without interruption of gas supply to the using activity. Contractor installed equipment shall remain the property of the contractor and shall be removed upon termination of the contract, when directed by the ordering activity. Contractor installed equipment shall be maintained by the contractor and removed by the contractor when directed by the ordering activity and in full cooperation with the succeeding contractor to avoid interruption of gas supply. 4.b. To permit orderly transition from one contractor to another, the contractor shall continue to honor the contract s monthly equipment rental fee and gases/oxygen contract price for a maximum of ninety days beyond the scheduled expiration of the contract period, unless transition from one contractor to another is completed prior to the ninety-day transition period. For any partial month, the contractor shall prorate the monthly equipment rental fee accordingly. The contractor shall continue to provide and maintain its equipment during this transition period. 4.c. No guarantee is given or implied that data included in the schedule regarding contractor owned equipment currently located at the facilities is complete and accurate as to the factors affecting the cost of furnishing and installing required contractor owned tanks and appurtenances. 4.d. All contractors owned equipment shall be installed in accordance with OSHA, NFPA 99 Standard for Health Care Facilities, 2002 Edition, and FDA s Safe Device Act Regulations. The contractor shall comply with all OSHA standards and applicable safety requirements, including proper signage and use of personal protective equipment. 5. Deliveries 5.a. Delivery is to be made on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on weeks without a federal holiday. Three deliveries are required on weeks with a federal holiday. All delivery tickets will be signed by the Oxygen Technicians or Respiratory Staff and then forwarded to the COR for processing. Off-schedule, (Not regularly scheduled Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) emergency deliveries will be made by the contractor in accordance with paragraph 5d below. If for any reason the contractor is unable to deliver at the agreed upon day or time, the contractor will provide 24-hour notice to the COR, so that the facility can initiate an alternate backup action. In accordance with VHA Patient Safety Alert dated April 5, 2004, all deliveries must be monitored by a qualified and trained technical representative that will be designated by each facility. Contractor will be provided with names and contact information of primary and back-up facility representatives. This applies to all deliveries regardless of time or day of execution. 5.b. Tanks(s) will be filled to maximum functional capacity at each refilling procedure unless otherwise specified in the facility requirements or as agreed upon in a written document signed and dated by the COR. 5.c. At the time of each delivery, contractor must provide a legible signed and dated written document that identifies the tank level prior to fill, the level after fill, and the quantity delivered. This document must be counter-signed by the facility representative supervising the delivery. 5.d. Emergency delivery will be provided within 24 hours after receipt of Government notification. Contractor must respond to the facility by either telephone or email within one hour to confirm receipt of emergency notification to ascertain the nature of the emergency. Emergency status is determined by the Government when conditions warrant, such as an actuated main bulk tank low level alarm (not part of this contract), imminent alarm condition, or system leak. Failure of the contractor to remain current with agreed delivery schedule and requirements does not constitute an emergency for purposes of charging an emergency delivery fee. 6. Quality Assurance Specifications and Requirements 6.a. All medical gas manufacturers and fillers of medical gases must be registered with FDA as drug manufacturers. All gases/ oxygen shall be manufactured, processed, packed, transported, and stored according to FDA s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) regulations, and all labeling shall comply with FDA s labeling regulations (21 CFR Part 201). 6.b. All gases/oxygen delivered under the contract shall be medical-grade and shall meet or exceed the standards cited in the current edition of the United States Pharmacopoeia/National Formulary (U.S.P.). 6.c. A valid certificate of analysis shall be provided with each delivery of gases/oxygen. The certificate shall include, at a minimum if required: Supplier s name and complete address Name of the Product (i.e., Oxygen U.S.P.) An Air Liquefaction Statement where appropriate Lot number or other unique identification number Actual analytical results for full U.S.P. monograph testing. (A statement that only states that the product meets the minimum purity of 99.5%, etc. is not acceptable.) Test method used to perform the analysis. (A statement such as Meets U.S.P. specifications is not acceptable; nor would Tested via Servomex be acceptable since the specific model number is not provided.) Signature of authorized supplier representative and date. 6.d. Material Safety Data Sheets shall be provided to the facility COR at first fill and upon request. 6.e. A copy of all inspection reports shall be provided to the facility COR upon the completion of any contractor owned or government owned gases/oxygen system inspections that are required by regulation. 7. Applicable Regulations & Standards 7.a. Additional Laws and Regulations: Cylinders and other containers for gaseous and liquid forms of gasses shall comply with Department of Transportation specifications and shall be maintained, filled, marked, labeled, and shipped to comply with current DOT Regulations (Title 49 Transportation, Code of Federal Regulations). Packaging, labeling, etc., for medical gases shall also comply with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. 7.b. The following is a list of some of the regulations and standards that are applicable to this contract. The list is not comprehensive, and the contractor is responsible for ensuring that all products, equipment, and services provided under the contract are in compliance with applicable Federal, state, and local regulations. If applicable, the editions in effect as of the date of this solicitation are listed. Contractor is responsible for remaining compliant with any future revisions that are effective at the time of contract performance. Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 210 & 211 - CGMP regulations for supplying medical grade oxygen. 49 CFR Transportation Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act NFPA 55: Compressed Gases and Cryogenic Fluids Code NFPA 99: Standard for Health Care Facilities, 2002 Edition U.S.P. 23 ANSI/CGA M-1 2018 Standard for Medical Gas Supply Systems at Health Care Facilities 7.c. Density data and volume measurement equivalents published in Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet No. P-6, titled ""Standard Density Data, Atmospheric Gases and Hydrogen,"" shall be used when necessary to convert measurement of gases from one form to another. For example, the following conversion factor shall apply for conversion from gallons to cubic feet. Calculation based on data in CGA P-6 1 ft³ liquid O2 = 860.6 ft³ gas (Table 1) 1 ft³ liquid O2 = 7.48052 gal (Table 2) Therefore EXAMPLE: 995-gal (1 ft³) liquid O2 multiplied by the conversion factor of 1115.1 ft³ gas Total: 114,524.5 ft³ gas divide by 100, and that is what is to be billed. Gal liquid O2 = 115.05 ft³ gas or more commonly quoted as 1 gal liquid O2 = 115.1 ft³ gas multiplied by 100 to get the CCF. 8. Contractor Owned Cylinders 8.a. Laws and Regulations: Cylinders and other containers for gaseous and liquid forms of gases shall comply with the Department of Transportation specifications and shall be maintained, filled, marked, labeled, and shipped to comply with current and subsequent updates to DOT regulations (Title 49-Transportation, Code of Federal Regulations). Packaging, labeling, etc., for medical gases shall also comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 8.b. Marking: In addition to marking required by the aforementioned laws and regulations, marking shall comply with American National Standards Z48.1-1954 (R 1971), ""Method of Marking Portable Compressed Gas Containers to Identify the Material Contained."" 8.c. All unauthorized or inapplicable markings, tags, and labels shall be removed. When shipment is by commercial carrier, shipping tags complying with Federal Standard 123F dated 5/15/91 shall be attached to each cylinder to be protected by the valve protection cap. The contract data markings required by the applicable standard shall be applied to one side of the tag and the identification markings on the reverse side. Consignee markings may be omitted when shipment is by contractor's truck. 8.d. Agencies may order gases under stock numbers differing from those in the List under Section B; containers shall be marked with the number used on the purchase order. 8.e. Valves: Valves shall comply with Compressed Gas Associates Standard CGA-V-1 (11th Edition, 2003), ""Standard for Compressed Gas Cylinder Valve Outlet and Inlet Connections."" Valve protection caps for cylinders designed to receive such caps shall be securely attached to the cylinders in a manner to protect the valves from injury during transit and delivery to the purchaser's receiving area. Refer to 49 CFR 173.301(g)). 8.f. Color Coding: All cylinders shall be color coded in accordance with the Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet CGA C-9-1988, Standard Color Marking of Compressed Gas Containers Intended for Medical Use. Anesthesia gases: Cylinder for use on anesthesia machines shall be color coded in accordance with US Department of Commerce, Simplified Practice Recommendations R175-14 of the Bureau of Standards will be acceptable on Contractor owned cylinders. 8.g. The contractor shall be responsible for all testing required by regulation of contractor owned cylinders at no additional cost to the Government. 8.h. Transportation: Transportation of empty cylinders will be made at the expense of the contractor. Pickup will be made within five (5) days after notification by the Government. 8.i. All products, equipment, and services provided under the contract awarded under this solicitation shall be in compliance with all applicable Federal, state, and local regulations. 8.j. The bidder's price shall include the furnishing of, at no additional cost, all services which are required at each and every filling of a cylinder to comply with applicable regulations, specifications, and normal good practices. Such services are of the type normally provided in the supply of medical cylinder gases, and shall include, but not be limited to: tags indicating cylinder is ""Full,"" In Use,"" or ""Empty""; inspection, testing, evaluation, and cleaning services required at each and every filling; pin-indexing safety system, and attachment of Government-furnished warning tags, when required. Attaching of oxygen cylinders to manifold systems, when required, shall also be performed by the contractor at no additional cost. In addition to services listed in this paragraph, the contractor is responsible for all maintenance and testing of contractor-owned cylinders. Cylinder condition must be at or above good condition. All cylinders must be painted with no loose chips, where contact with other cylinders will cause paint flakes to fall off. Cylinder must be clean of any debris (i.e., Dirt or Mud) to include bottom. Identification of Distributor must be visible on all cylinders. 9. Term of Contract The contract is effective from date of award through January 31, 2022 plus four (4) additional one-year option periods ending January 31, 2027. Service/Supplies shall not be performed by the Contractor after January 31 of any year until the Contracting Officer authorizes such services by exercise of option year(s). Performance Period: The Government is requesting one base period of one year and four option periods of one year. Base Period: Date of Award thru 31 January 2023 Option Period 1: 1 February 2023 thru 31 January 2024 Option Period 2: 1 February 2024 thru 31 January 2025 Option Period 3: 1 February 2025 thru 31 January 2026 Option Period 4: 1 February 2026 thru 31 January 2027 10. Payment 10.a. The VAMC agrees to reimburse the Contractor for resources furnished at the price listed in the schedule of contract. The Contractor will be paid monthly, upon receipt of invoice. The invoice shall contain at a minimum: The Contractor s name, address, items, price, and Purchase order number. 10.b. INVOICING PROCEDURES: The method of payment is certified invoice. 10.c. The Contractor shall submit all invoices to the following address: Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Service Center PO Box 149971 Austin, Texas 78714-8971 11. Administration The contractor shall contact the Contracting Officer on all matters pertaining to the administration of this contract. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make changes that will affect the price, quantity, quality, or delivery terms of this contract. 12. Use of Cell Phones 12.a. A sign posted in every entryway and lobby will state the following, Cell phone usage is permitted except for posted areas. 12.b. Use of cell phones and personal electronics is not allowed within six feet of any active medical device for any reason, even if signs are not posted. 13. Delivery Commitment Time of delivery specified or mutually agreed to at the time of receipt of telephone order shall become mandatory upon the Contractor. Failure to perform in accordance with the delivery commitment may be grounds for termination of contract in accordance with the provisions for default. PERSON S AUTHORIZED TO PLACE ORDERS: In addition to the Contracting Officer s Technical Representative (COR), VA may submit names of authorized government personnel to request requirement to fill cylinders after award. Only these named personnel have the authority to request requirement of medical gases. The services/supplies specified herein may be changed by written modification when contract is awarded. The modification will only be prepared by the VA Contracting Officer prior to becoming effective and approved. 14. SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS: Qualification of Offerors: The offeror shall be licensed by the city in which they are located. 15. Acronyms This section lists acronyms that are used in this Statement of Work and other parts of the solicitation. CCF 100 cubic feet CF Cubic feet CGA Compressed Gas Association CGMP Current Good Manufacturing Practices COR - Contracting Officer Representative DOD Department of Defense DOT Department of Transportation FDA U.S. Food & Drug Administration GO Government owned IHS Indian Health Service NFPA National Fire Protection Association OGA Other Government Agency (Other than VA) OSHA U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration USP United States Pharmacopeia VA Department of Veterans Affairs Responses to this RFI should include company name, address, point of contact, phone number, and point of contact e-mail, DUNS Number, Cage Code, size of business pursuant to North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) 325120 (size standard of 1000 employees). Please answer the following questions: Please indicate the size status and representations of your business, such as but not limited to: Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Hubzone, Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), Large Business, etc.)? Is your company considered small under the NAICS code identified under this RFI? Is the product you are providing information about manufactured in the United States? If not, please provide the country where the unit is manufactured. If you are a large business, do you have any designated distributors? If so, please provide their company name, telephone, point of Contact and size status (if available). If you re a small business and you are an authorized distributor/reseller for the items identified above do you alter; assemble; modify; the items requested in any way? If you do, state how and what is altered; assembled; modified? If you intend to subcontract any work on this contract, what portion of the total cost will be self-performed/will be performed by your organization? Please provide estimated detailed percentage breakdowns related to subcontracted work and completion of job. Does your company have an FSS contract with GSA or the NAC or are you a contract holder with any other federal contract? If so, please provide the contract number. If you are an FSS GSA/NAC contract holder or other federal contract holder, are the items/solution you are providing information for available on your schedule/contract? General pricing of your products/solution is encouraged. Pricing will be used for the purpose of market research only. It will not be used to evaluate for any type of award. Please submit your capabilities regarding the salient characteristics detailed above to establish capabilities for planning purposes. Please review salient characteristics/statement of work (if applicable) and provide feedback or suggestions. If none, please reply as N/A. Please provide your DUNS number. This RFI will be conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received via e-mail to edward.ferkel@va.gov no later than, 9:00 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on January 10, 2022. This notice will help the VA in determining available potential sources only. Do not contact VA Medical Center staff regarding this requirement, as they are not authorized to discuss this matter related to this procurement action. All questions will be addressed by the Contracting Specialist, Edward Ferkel. All firms responding to this Request for Information are advised that their response is not a request for proposal, therefore will not be considered for a contract award. If a solicitation is issued, information will be posted on the Contract Opportunities website for all qualified interested parties at a later date and interested parties must respond to the solicitation to be considered for award. This notice does not commit the government to contract for any supplies or services. The government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this Request for Information. Information will only be accepted in writing by e-mail to Contracting Specialist, Edward Ferkel at Edward.ferkel@va.gov DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.
 

Web Link

SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/18a27e4a25294ae0af44823b5f30697e/view)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Avenue, Lebanon 17042, USA

Zip Code: 17042

Country: USA
 

Record

SN06206120-F 20211230/211228230113 (samdaily.us)
 

Source

SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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