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 561710, (Exterminating and Pest Control Services) with a size standard $17.5 Million. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 1 (NCO 1) is seeking to identify any vendor capable of providing the Pest Management Services per the requirements below. Refer to the Statement of Work below for the requested requirement description. The standard shall be of quality; meeting or exceeding those outlined in the Performance Work Statement. 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 Perform Pest management services are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by 08-15-2024. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be emailed to carissa.sarazin@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 Installation of Stairwell Egress Barriers as listed in Attachment 2 Statement of Work 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 SOW. 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 PEST CONTROL SERVICES VA BEDFORD HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 1. General: This is a non-personnel services contract to provide a rodent and pest-free environment at the Bedford VAMC through scheduled preventive pest treatment/management and emergency call pest control of all building interior and exterior perimeters. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government. 1.1 Description of Services/Introduction: The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, lodging, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) method of treatment, maintenance, and management of pest control throughout the VA Bedford HCS campus buildings and perimeter areas that pose risks to personnel health and safety as defined in this Performance Work Statement except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract. 1.2 Background: The VA Bedford HCS has had Massachusetts State Applicators Licensed pest control/management personnel perform IPM treatment, maintenance, and management of all campus building interiors and exteriors as necessary. Campus pest management has not included the use of herbicides. 1.3 Objectives: Contractor shall maintain a scheduled and emergency on-call rodent and pest free environment through IPM standards per the pertinent Federal, State (including Massachusetts State Applicators Licensing), Local pest management regulations, relevant VHA Directive 1850.02(1) Pest Management Operations Amended October 30, 2018, and the VA Bedford HCS Integrated Pest Management plan. 1.4 Scope: 1. Contractor shall provide the Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) manager, Environmental Service (EVS) - Pest Management Officer, and Contracting Officer s Representative (COR) with a written Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP) that aligns with the VA Bedford HCS IPMP. 2. Contractors IPMP requires but is not limited to address the following tasks: a. Inspect to determine pest management measures are appropriate. b. Recommend and communicate to the COR the environmental sanitation practices that restrict or eliminate food, water or harborage for pests and recommend engineering practices that limit entry of pests. c. Selection and utilization of non-chemical control methods, which eliminate, exclude, or repel pests, i.e., traps, caulking, air screens, etc. d. Selection and utilization of the most environmentally sound pesticides(s) and application methods that present the lowest potential hazard to human health and non-target animals. All products shall be approved by the COR prior to use. e. Collection and disposal of all pests. f. Control general structural arthropod pests (i.e., cockroaches, ants, beetles, spiders, carpenter ants, bees, silver fish etc..). g. Control flying insect pests (i.e., flies, fruit flies, etc..). h. Control predatory pests (i.e., lice, bedbugs, fleas, mites, ticks, bees, wasps, mosquitoes, scorpions, etc..). i. Control stored product pests (i.e., saw tooth grain beetle, red confused flour beetle, moths, etc..). j. Control mice and rates (i.e., house mouse, field mouse, rats, etc..). k. Control pest bird (i.e., pigeons, sparrows, etc.). l. Control other vertebrate pests (i.e., dogs, cats, bats, squirrels, gophers, moles, skunks, snakes, rabbits, racoons, opossums, etc.). m. Control wood destroying organisms (i.e., subterranean termites, dry wood termites, fungi, wood boring beetles, etc.). n. Control aquatic pests (i.e., mosquito larvae/pupae, etc.). 3. Contractor must ensure the safety, health, and wellbeing of all affected personnel, to include service animals during all pesticide activities. 4. Contractor shall provide a list of all potential pesticide/repellant/bait products to be used throughout the campus, an SDS sheet of each product, and if not listed in the SDS, a list of any required PPE and antidotes for each pesticide/repellant/bait products being handled/used. 5. Contractor shall not mix any pesticides on the VA Bedford HCS property. All products must be prepared prior to delivering them to the campus. 6. Pest control technician shall thoroughly inspect the campus twice weekly (typically Tuesdays and Thursdays) to address pest control /pest management issues. 7. Contractor shall provide scheduled and emergency IPMP pest control/management tasks as necessary. 8. Emergency IPMP pest control/management tasks require prior approval from the COR only and shall not exceed 10 hours (Emergency pest control/management) annually; if subsequent emergencies are required, they are determined to be within the scope of this contract and a bilateral modification shall be established PRIOR to any work. 9. Contractor shall be responsible for the trapping and removal of pest wildlife/birds that interfere with the function of the facility; control (elimination/treatment) of all infestations of bedbugs*** (cimex lectularias) and prevent the spread of this organism; the elimination/treatment of flies, wasps, bees, and hornets; and eliminating/treating for structurally damaging ants and termites. The contractor must receive prior approval from the COR only and shall not exceed 10 hours (Trapping) annually; if subsequent emergencies are required, they are determined to be within the scope of this contract and a bilateral modification shall be established PRIOR to any work. NOTE: A bedbug infestation that encompasses multiple rooms may require a modification to the contract for additional treatment. 10. All rodenticides, regardless of packaging, shall be placed either in locations that are not accessible to children, pets, wildlife, service animals, and domestic animals or in U.S. EPA-approved tamper-resistant bait boxes. Frequency of other bait box servicing will depend upon the level of rodent infestation, and at a minimum, must be in accordance with U.S. EPA regulations with emphasis on the safety of non-target organisms. 11. Contractor shall provide/maintain a digital method and record of communications (i.e., email, database, etc.) between pest control service personnel and VA Bedford HCS contract POC(s). 12. Contractor shall receive pest control complaints from the VA Bedford HCS staff upon arrival and document the specific complaints in their digital reporting system showing what work was completed towards each complaint. This information will be stored in their digital reporting system that allows the VA Environmental Service (EVS) to see metrics (i.e., number of calls, work orders submitted, when calls are addressed and/or when work orders are closed out) In addition, the report shall provide the following information: It should include at the minimum, the following information: a. The name and address of the individual who applied the pesticide. b. The location, by building, room number, and physical description of where each pesticide was applied. c. The pest or pests against which the pesticide was applied. d. The date and time of application. e. The brand name of the pesticide applied. f. The name of the pesticide manufacturer, or the federal environmental protection agency registration number of the pesticide. g. The rate of application or amount of the pesticide applied. h. Total area treated. 13. Contractor shall provide the VA Bedford HCS: GEMS Office, EVS Office (Pest Management Officer), and the COR with an electronic copy of the activity report of all pest management activities performed after each visit. The previous activity report is due to the POC s within 2 days following the service. The activity report may be submitted through email. 14. Contractor shall dispose of all generated wastes, to include unused pesticide/repellant/bait products, rodents, large insects, and any activity-related materials off-site and according to all applicable local, state, and federal laws. 15. Contractor shall respond to all routine calls within twenty-four (24) hours and emergency calls and situations within three hours of notification by the COR to provide service. 16. Contractor primarily treating the facility must obtain and maintain a current VA PIV Contractor Badge. The contractor badge will be kept at the COR s Office and given to the contractor treating the facility at the start of the pest control treatment when the assignments (work orders) are given. The badge should then be returned upon completion of the treatment when the out briefing for the assignments is given by the pest management contractor to the COR. 1.5 Period of Performance: The period of performance shall be for one (1) Base Year of 12 months and four (4) 12-month option years. Base year period of performance: 09/16/2024 09/15/2025 1.6 General Information 1.6.1 Quality Control: The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with the PWS. Contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrences of defective services as determined by the contract s COR. 1.6.2 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QUASP). This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s). 1.6.3 Recognized Holidays: The potential contractor could be required to perform services on 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 Independence Day Christmas Day 1.6.4 Hours of Operation: The contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. 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. For other than firm fixed price contracts, the contractor shall not be reimbursed when the government facility is closed for the above reasons. The Contractor shall, always, maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce is essential along with the ability to obtain and maintain a federally issued PIV Badge. 1.6.5 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital (VA Bedford Healthcare System) located at 200 Springs Road, Bedford, MA 01730. During the weekly scheduled two visits, pest control technician shall check-in at the EVS Office of building 8 with the COR prior to proceeding to any requested activity location. They will obtain their contractor badge and any pest complaints since the previous pest control visit or any areas that were previously requested but unable to treat at prior visits. 1.6.6 Type of Contract: The government will award a firm fixed priced contract for a base year and four additional option years. 1.6.7 Security Requirements: Contractor personnel performing work under this contract must have a VA Bedford HCS issued PIV Contractor badge prior to the start of the contract and must maintain the level of security required for the life of the contract. If the primary assigned pest control technician is unable to service this facility on the scheduled day, another technician can use their company issued ID on a temporary basis. NOTE: Temporary is considered less than 6 weeks, about the amount of time required to obtain a PIV Contractor Badge. 1.6.7.1 Physical Security: The contractor 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. 1.6.7.2 Key Control: The contractor shall not be issued any keys by the government to perform any of the services entailed within this Performance Work Statement. When access is needed the contractor will be escorted by local staff. 1.6.8 Special Qualifications: Any/All contracted Pest Control Technicians shall always possess a Massachusetts State Applicator s License throughout the execution of this contract. 1.6.9 Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor agrees to attend any post award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 42.5. The Contracting Officer, EVS Pest Management Officer, GEMS Program Manager, COR, and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the contractor's performance. At these meetings the contracting officer will apprise the contractor of how the government views the contractor's performance and the contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the government. 1.6.10 Key Personnel: The following personnel are considered key personnel by the government and will be named in a separate document: Contracting Officer (CO); Contracting Officers Representative (COR); GEMS Program Manager (Technical Expert): Pest Management Officer (EVS). The contractor shall provide a contract manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. The name of this person and an alternate who shall act for the contractor when the manager is absent shall be designated in writing to the contracting officer. The contract manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The contract manager or alternate shall be available between 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays. 1.6.11 Identification of Contractor Employees: All contract personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. They must also ensure that all documents or reports produced by contractors are suitably marked as contractor products or that contractor participation is appropriately disclosed. 1.6.12 Contractor Travel : Contractor shall be responsible for their own travel and lodging if necessary. Contractor must be able to report within 3 hours of an emergency call. 2.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 2.1 Explained: The Performance Standards define the desired services. The Government performs surveillance to determine if the contractor exceeds, meets, or does not meet these standards. 2.2 Performance Requirements Summary Matrix: Table provided below indicating performance standards. The Government shall use these standards to determine contractor performance and shall compare contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL). Required Services (Tasks) Performance Standards Acceptable Quality Levels Methods of Surveillance Maintain Current Certifications Massachusetts State Applicator s License 100% COR Review of receipt of document annually Emergency Call-Backs --And-- Call-Back Timeliness Three-hour response time for emergency calls 95% Customer complaint, COR Review Service Activity Report (Digital) Emailed by end of 2nd day after service 100% COR Review Reporting Provide/Maintain a physical logbook of all activities performed 95% Customer complaint, Periodic Surveillance
