Special Notice – Q– Regulated Medical Waste & Sharps Disposal

Notice Type: Special Notice

Posted Date: 13-DEC-11

Office Address: Department of Veterans Affairs;Contracting Section;6010 Amarillo Blvd W;Amarillo TX 79106

Subject: Q-- Regulated Medical Waste & Sharps Disposal

Classification Code: Q - Medical services

Contact: Mark A. BranumContract Specialist 806-354-7841 mailto:[email protected] [Contract Specialist]

Description: Department of Veterans Affairs

VA Amarillo Health Care System

Department of Veterans Affairs Amarillo Health Care System

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:

1. What was the total contracted cost for FY2009

ANSWER: $73,871.02

2. What was the total contracted cost for FY2010

ANSWER: $61,481.60

3. What was the estimated weight, in pounds, for the Regulated Medical Waste for FY2010

ANSWER: 39,578.50 lbs.

4. According to Section B.2 the Price/Cost Schedule, each unit for costing is listed as a month. For the ease of use, and to better help the Veteran's Administration allocate funds, is it possible to list the costing into 2 categories:

1) Regulated Medical Waste, each unit priced as cost per pound

2) Reusable Sharps, each unit priced as a cost per pound or cost per gallon

ANSWER: Price/Cost will be evaluated on total amount, to include option(s).

5. Regarding the reusable sharps program:

It is important to know the cost of the current sharps containers ordered. As this current cost will be absorbed by a reusable sharps container system. What were the total costs of the disposable sharps containers ordered for all locations Per unit Per case Amount per case FY2009 FY2010 Each type: 2-Gal, 3-Gal, 8-Gal Trap Top, 8-Gal Funnel Top

ANSWER: 26" -" Trap Door 8 Gallon Sharp Containers, 9" -" Funnel Top 8 Gallon Sharp Containers, 83" -" 3 Gallon Sharp Containers, 132" -" 2 Gallon Sharp Containers

6. How often are the disposable sharps containers ordered

ANSWER: Any necessary containers are ordered on an as needed basis. The incumbent vendor picks up and drops off containers on a bi-weekly basis.

7. According to Section C, Appendix A, Number 1: the table shows the number of installed sharps containers at each location. Is it possible to determine the turnover for each of those sharps containers (i.e. How often each installed sharps container is taken off the wall and replaced with a new container Each type: 2-Gal, 3-Gal, 8-Gal Trap Top, 8-Gal Funnel Top )

ANSWER: No it is not possible to determine turnover. It depends on the volume of

patient traffic each nurse handles and whether or not they give injections or draw

blood.

8. How many of each type of disposable sharps container were ordered in FY2009 FY2010 (Each type: 2-Gal, 3-Gal, 8-Gal Trap Top, 8-Gal Funnel Top )

ANSWER: Approximations only: 8 gallon trap --" 260

8 gallon funnel --" 260

3 gallon --" 520

2 gallon --" 910

9. It appears in the solicitation that the VA is asking for a yearly '--lump sum--' price (payable in twelve uniform monthly payments); in which the '--lump sum--' price includes the cost for the disposal of all medical waste (including bio, sharps, pathological, trace chemotherapeutic, and unregulated pharmaceutical) and the cost of furnishing a reusable sharps container system for all the various facilities of the Amarillo VA.

a. If this preceding statement (1.) is accurate, is there history available (from current disposal reports) for the various facilities with regards to the types and quantities of each waste type generated by the facilities (pounds or containers); and is there an actual history (from disposal reports or purchasing reports) regarding the quantities of sharps containers used by those facilities (either disposable or reusable containers)

ANSWER: Weights --" Yes.

Amarillo --" 35969.20 lbs

Lubbock --" 2953.80 lbs

Clovis --" 225.80 lbs

Liberal --" 429.70 lbs

b. If the preceding statement (1.) is not accurate, please indicate how a bid for disposal services is to be presented. Most facilities, similar to the size of the Amarillo VA, price services on a per container or per pound basis for each type of waste generated.

ANSWER: Please reference above response.

10. With regards to the aspects of a reusable sharps container system (Section C-2.) for the various facilities of the Amarillo VA:

a. Does the Amarillo VA currently use a reusable sharps container system for the various facilities, or is the VA using a disposable sharps container system

ANSWER: Reusable.

b. Reusable sharps container systems are not all the same; at what point in the contract process is the contractor--'s proposed reusable sharps container system evaluated and implemented Does the new contractor reusable sharps container system commence at the beginning of the contract or is it commenced later after VA approval; with a contractor provided disposable sharps container system used for interim service

ANSWER: Evaluated and implemented up front.

c. Is the contractor responsible for providing '--in facility--' service for wall mounted reusable or disposable sharps containers

ANSWER: If there are any damaged sharps holders or containers, red barrels, tubs etc., the vendor replaces.

11. With regards to the requirement for $5,000,000.00 in General Liability Insurance; is the VA requiring $5,000,000.00 in General Liability Insurance on per occurrence or aggregate basis

ANSWER: Aggregate

12. According to the solicitation synopsis the contract is scheduled to start on or about December 15, 2011. Is this accurate

ANSWER: The start date is strictly an estimate. The date of award/effective date is to be determined.

13. Is the total number of boxes (12) - for all three (3) locations or each location

ANSWER: Please reference Appendix A of the SOW.

14. If the total is 12, then how many from each location --" What was the total number of boxes for the past year

ANSWER: Please reference Appendix A of the SOW.

Link/URL: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/VAAHCS/VAAHCS/VA25812R0003/listing.html