This is a Sources Sought only. As part of its Market Research, NCO 21 is issuing this RFI to determine if there exists an adequate number of qualified interested contractors capable of providing fuel tank cleaning services as further described in the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS). The Government may use the responses to this RFI for information and planning purposes. The draft PWS describes only the currently contemplated possible scope of work and may vary from the work scope in a final PWS included in any Request for Quote (RFQ). The contractor will be providing fuel tank cleaning services for the Las Vegas VA Medical Center, 6900 N Pecos Rd, North Las Vegas NV, 89086. There is no solicitation document as this time. The NAICS is 213112 Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations, with Small Business size of $47.0M. NOTE: Please ensure that System For Award Management (SAM) (www.sam.gov) indicates this NAICS code if you are interested in the requirement. Only firms seriously interested and truly capable should send their information and/or capability statement and any questions by email to brandy.gastinell@va.gov no later than 10AM Pacific Time, September 11, 2023. If interested, please provide the following information. Failure to provide the following information completely and accurately may result in a determination that your company is not a viable source: Name of Company Point of Contact Name, phone number, and email address DUNS number Socio-economic status such as Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, VOSB, Women-Owned Small Business, etc. should be included. SDVOSB/VOSB status will be verified using VetBiz. Capability statements that include the following: Identify geographical areas your company currently services? Approximately how many current employees do you have in the service area(s)? Indicate prior experience for same/similar service in these geographical areas. If the experience is through government contract, please identify the contract number. Are you a certified and authorized vendor to perform fuel tank cleaning services? If you will rely on a subcontractor to assist with performance, please clearly identify what functions your company will perform versus those of the subcontractor(s). When responding to the preceding questions, avoid using teaming language, e.g. Team ABC has 20 years of experience or Team ABC has placed 15,000 staff. Clearly identify what functions/experience/resources your company has and will be able to perform independently of a subcontractor. Ambiguous responses that lack clarity will affect the Contracting Officer s ability to determine if your company is a viable source for this requirement. Before responding please carefully read and consider the following: As this is a service acquisition, the Small Business Administration and the Federal Acquisition Regulation have a Limitations on Subcontracting requirement. For all small businesses, to include SDVOSB and VOSB, At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern. See FAR 52.219-14 and FAR 52.219-27 available in full text at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_217_221.html The Service Contract Act will apply. Please see the DRAFT Performance Work Statement attached for further details. DISCLAIMER This Sources Sought notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this request that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. The Government will not compensate an offeror for providing information in response to this sources sought. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to cancel this requirement at its discretion. This is simply a sources sought notice. Performance Work Statement I. SCOPE OF WORK. The contractor will perform a comprehensive cleaning and fuel oil testing of 9 Xerxes fiber glass tanks as well as cleaning of our fuel oil filtering systems. Each tank will be systematically emptied to the other 8 tanks as well as having an extra portable tank to be used for emptying the tank being cleaned. This Contract for Fuel Storage Tank Cleaning Services will cover the requirements of the VAMC for complete fuel tank cleaning and fuel purification processes. It is the Supplier s responsibility to ensure the cleaning process complies with all applicable federal safety standards, OSHA requirements, environmental regulations, and state regulations, including proper disposal of extracted waste materials. The facility that is requiring this service is located at Central Energy Plant Building #2, 6900 North Pecos Road, North Las Vegas, Nevada 89086. II. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: A total of 9 fuel oil storage tanks with a maximum capacity of 19000 each time 9. Contractor will provide a turn-key service to completely service and clean all (9) underground storage tank at the Energy Plant. The Underground Storage Tanks will be serviced one at a time to prevent service interruption to the medical center. Each fuel tank will be emptied to distribute fuel oil to the other 8 fuel tanks and whatever fuel is left will be emptied to a portable fuel tank. Contractor is to make sure all spill prevention and cleanup is done in a manner that will not damage the environment. Contractor will clean all sludge and debris from each fuel tank that is emptied, and all contaminants will be disposed of in a manner that suits all environmental proper disposal procedures. Contractor is to check the liquids stored in it assess the physical and chemical properties of the tank s contents and all its associated deposits for understanding the expected behavior under tank cleaning conditions. Pay attention to lash point, electrical conductivity, lead content, toxic additives, and hydrogen sulfide. Before taking the tank out for service, ensure to minimize any sludge or sediment by either diluting the contents or adding the requisite chemicals. Estimate the amount of the sludge and empty the tank to the maximum possible extent using the normal operational piping system. If the tanks cannot be unloaded using the conventional system, adopt special measures such as connecting it to low drains and adding water to raise the product level. Vacuum pumping also serves the same purpose. After the tanks are vacant, empty all the connecting pipes and flush it with water. Then, collect all water used for clearance and flushing for separate treatment or disposal unless its quality is acceptable for the standard interception system. Schedule and coordinate work with plant supervisor or designee should there be a complete loss of water service. The completion of the UST tank services must meet the function and operation per manufacturer s specifications. Contractor must be familiar with working on industrial capacity fuel oil storage/UST tanks. Contractor will provide necessary materials, equipment, labor, and supervision to accomplish this project and service. Any modifications or additional requirements not included in this service contract must have approval from the Energy Plant supervisor or designee. Site visits will be allowed to view specified equipment, requirements, and surrounding details. SPECIFICS CONTINUED: The VAMC also has (3) 700 HP Boilers and (6) Diesel generators that uses the same fuel system that will be cleaned. Contractor is to keep in mind that at no time will the system be incapacitated from having emergency use if needed. Attached schematics shows (2) filter pumps, (2) FOTP/Fuel Oil Transfer Pumps and (2) Boiler Fuel Oil Pumps that must be always ready for instant use if needed. FUEL TESTING: Contractor will test each tank for water and visual, fuel degradation, and microbial/microorganism culture, particle contamination, sediment and water and all trace metals for parts per million (PPM). Contractor is also to do a Quality Assurance testing as well, this will cover cetane index, cloud point, density, distillation, flash point sediment and water and sulfur content. All testing documentation will be given as a hard copy as well as emailed to the COR. FUEL TOP OFF: Contractor will top off all underground fuel tanks to 19500 gallons in each tank. After all tank cleaning has been done by the contractor, each fuel tank will top off to the requested amount. Each tank will be tested of any contaminants after fuel and tank cleaning before any new fuel is added to all 9 tanks. When fuel is added, contractor is to give separate invoice of fuel delivered which should include pricing excluding all taxes. This contract will and should cover the cost of additional fuel that is needed to top off all fuel tanks. REPORTS AND DOCUMENTATION: Paperwork All documentation and paperwork are to be given to COR/Contracting Officer Representative. All fuel that is stored, removed, and filtered will be documented and tracked for the VAMC records. All fuel readings will be taken before each tank is emptied, cleaned, or filled by printing Veeder FboNotice tape and then recorded on a separate form as well as giving Veeder FboNotice to plant personnel. All fuel filtering results will be documented and given to the COR of this request. SPILL PREVENTION: NDEP/Nevada Department of Environmental Prevention A spill can be described as any pollutant, hazardous waste or contaminant that has been spilled, leaked, pumped, poured, emitted, emptied, discharged, injected, escaped, leached, dumped, or disposed into the environment. This would then be deemed a spill. Spills in excess the Reportable Quantities must be reported to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. The reportable quantity for petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, and hydraulic fluid is 25 gallons or 3 cubic yards of contaminated material, or the presence in groundwater. A spill of any quantity that affects a water way within the State of Nevada must be reported, regardless of the quantity (e.g., oil sheen). The reportable quantity for hazardous waste is based on the Federal EPA guidelines established under Title III List of Lists (40 C.F.R. Part 302). A spill of any quantity that affects a water way within the State of Nevada must be reported, regardless of the quantity. Spills must be reported to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection as soon as possible, but no later than the end of the first working day of the release. NAC 445A.3475 has been amended as follows: NAC 445A.3475 Provision of notice. Any notice of a release of a hazardous substance required to be provided to the Director: 1. Pursuant to NAC 445A.347 may be: (a) Provided via the online reporting system available at www.ndep.nv.gov (b) Faxed to (775) 687-8335; or (c) Provided by telephone at (888) 331-6337, for in-state telephone calls, or (775) 687-9485, for in-state or out-of-state telephone calls. 2. Pursuant to NAC 445A.3473, notification must be provided by telephone at (888) 331-6337, for in-state telephone calls, or (775) 687-9485, for in-state or out of-state telephone calls. Pursuant to NAC 445A.3473, the NDEP must be notified by telephone as soon as practicable within 24 hours for the following types of releases: ¡ A) Is in a quantity equal to or greater than that which is to be reported to the National Response Center pursuant to 40 CFR Part 302; ¡ B) Involves any amount of a hazardous substance that is released to surface water; ¡ C) Threatens a vulnerable resource* ¨ *vulnerable resource is defined as: 1)any building or structure that is used primarily to house or provide services to children, elderly persons or sick persons including without limitation, a school, daycare center, senior citizen center or hospital. 2) An area located within 150 feet of a public water system wellhead. 3) a storm drain (NAC 445A.3459).