R602– Courier Services for the North Texas Health Care System

Contract Opportunities

Notice Type: Combine Solicitation

Posted Date: 09-APR-20

Office Address: Veterans Affairs, Department of; VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF; 257-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 17 (36C257); ARLINGTON, TX 76006

Subject: R602-- Courier Services for the North Texas Health Care System

Classification Code: R - Professional, administrative, and management support services

Solicitation Number: 36C25720Q0517

Contact: Victoria [email protected]

Setaside: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside (FAR 19.14)Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside (FAR 19.14)

Place of Performance (address): Department of Veterans Affairs;North Texas Health Care System;7916 S Broadway, Tyler Texas 75703;4500 S. Lancaster Rd, Dallas, Texas 75216

Place of Performance (zipcode): 75703

Place of Performance Country: USA

Description: Veterans Affairs, Department of

VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF

257-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 17 (36C257)

This is a Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 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.Solicitation number 36C25720Q0517 is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular.SET-ASIDE: This requirement is a 100% Total Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set aside under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 8127(d). In order to be eligible for award an offeror must be certified/verified in Vetbiz (www.vip.vetbiz.gov), and small for the applicable NAICS code at the time of the quote submission and at the time of award. Status as a qualified SDVOSB concern is under the authority of 38 CFR Part 74 in accordance with the VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Part 819. Eligibility determination is performed by the Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE). Only qualified offerors may submit bids.NAICS Code: 492110 and Size Standard is 1,500 (Number of Employees)Introduction: The Government intends to award a firm fixed price base with four option year renewal contract based on this solicitation.Description of Services: Network Contracting Office (NCO 17) RPO West is seeking to purchase courier services to provide regularly scheduled pick-ups of laboratory specimens, laboratory supplies, supplies, inter-office mail, and small equipment from various locations and deliver to the P&LMS and other locations within the North Texas Health Care System. Type of Contract: A Firm Fixed PricePeriod of Performance:Base Period: June 1, 2020 May 31, 2021 Option Period One: June 1, 2021 May 31, 2022 Option Period Two: June 1, 2022 May 31, 2023 Option Period Three: June 1, 2023 May 31, 2024 Option Period Four: June 1, 2024 May 31, 2025 The following clauses and provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.209-5, Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders-Commercial Items52.217-8, Option to Extend ServicesThe Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 60 days.(End of Clause)Except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government s best interests, the Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. This includes options under FAR 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, which applies to this solicitation.-- Evaluation of options under FAR 52.217-8 will be accomplished by using the prices offered for the last option period to determine the price for a 6-month option period, which will be added to the base and other option years to arrive at the total price.-- Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).(End of Addendum)52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights and Requirements to Inform Employees of Whistleblower Right52.203-99 Prohibition of Contracting with Entities That Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (OCT 2014) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(2) and (3).52.222-3, Convict Labor52.222-41, Service Contract Labor Standards (MAY 2014) (41 U.S.C. chapter 67)52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (MAY 2014) (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. chapter 67)52.222-43, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts) (MAY 2014) (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. chapter 67)52.222-55, Minimum Wages Under Executive Order 13658 (DEC 2015)52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving52.232-19, Availability of Funds for the Next Fiscal Year52.228-5 Insurance-Work on a Government Installation (JAN 1997)52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management52.237-3 Continuity of Services (JAN 1991)52.232-39, Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations (In the FAR https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_232.html#wp1160005)52.233-3, Protest after Award (In the FAR https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_233_240.html)852.203-70, Commercial Advertising (JAN 2008)852.232-72, Electronic Submission of Payment Requests852.237-70, Contractor Responsibilities52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference:This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es).52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference: This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address (es). Full text can be obtained at http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.htmlVAAR 852.219-10 VA NOTICE OF TOTAL SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE (JUL 2016) (DEVIATION) (a) Definition. For the Department of Veterans Affairs, Service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern or SDVSOB : (1) Means a small business concern: (i) Not less than 51 percent of which is owned by one or more service-disabled veterans or, in the case of any publicly owned business, not less than 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more service-disabled veterans or eligible surviving spouses (see VAAR 802.201 Surviving Spouse definition); (ii) The management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans (or eligible surviving spouses) or, in the case of a service-disabled veteran with permanent and severe disability, the spouse or permanent caregiver of such veteran; (iii) The business meets Federal small business size standards for the applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code identified in the solicitation document; (iv) The business has been verified for ownership and control pursuant to 38 CFR 74 and is so listed in the Vendor Information Pages database, (https://www.vip.vetbiz.gov); and (v) The business will comply with subcontracting limitations in 13 CFR 125.6, as applicable (2) Service-disabled veteran means a veteran, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(2), with a disability that is service-connected, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(16). (b) General. (1) Offers are solicited only from verified service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns. Offers received from concerns that are not verified service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns shall not be considered. (2) Any award resulting from this solicitation shall be made to a verified service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern. (c) Agreement. A service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern agrees that in the performance of the contract, the concern will comply with the limitation on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR --125.6. (d) A joint venture may be considered a service-disabled veteran owned small business concern if the joint venture complies with the requirements in 13 CFR 125.15, provided that any reference therein to SDVO SBC is to be construed to apply to a VA verified SDVOSB as appropriate. (e) Any service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern (non-manufacturer) must meet the requirements in FAR 19.102(f) of the Federal Acquisition Regulation to receive a benefit under this program.(End of Clause)852.219-74 LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE (JUL 2018)LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE(a) This solicitation includes VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 852.219-10, VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside.(b) Accordingly, any contract resulting from this solicitation is subject to the limitation on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR 125.6, or the limitations on subcontracting requirements in the FAR clause, as applicable. The Contractor is advised that in performing contract administration functions, the Contracting Officer may use the services of a support contractor(s) retained by VA to assist in assessing the Contractor's compliance with the limitations on subcontracting or percentage of work performance requirements specified in the clause. To that end, the support contractor(s) may require access to Contractor's offices where the Contractor's business records or other proprietary data are retained and to review such business records regarding the Contractor's compliance with this requirement.(c) All support contractors conducting this review on behalf of VA will be required to sign an Information Protection and Non-Disclosure and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest Agreement to ensure the Contractor's business records or other proprietary data reviewed or obtained in the course of assisting the Contracting Officer in assessing the Contractor for compliance are protected to ensure information or data is not improperly disclosed or other impropriety occurs.(d) Furthermore, if VA determines any services the support contractor(s) will perform in assessing compliance are advisory and assistance services as defined in FAR 2.101, Definitions, the support contractor(s) must also enter into an agreement with the Contractor to protect proprietary information as required by FAR 9.505-4, Obtaining access to proprietary information, paragraph (b). The Contractor is required to cooperate fully and make available any records as may be required to enable the Contracting Officer to assess the Contractor's compliance with the limitations on subcontracting or percentage of work performance requirement.(End of clause)852.219-75 SUBCONTRACTING COMMITMENTS MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE (JUL 2018)SUBCONTRACTING COMMITMENTS MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE(a) This solicitation includes the clause: 852.215-70 Service-disabled veteran-owned and veteran-owned small business evaluation factors. Accordingly, any contract resulting from this solicitation will include the clause 852.215-71 Evaluation factor commitments.(b) The Contractor is advised that in performing contract administration functions, the Contracting Officer may use the services of a support contractor(s) to assist in assessing Contractor compliance with the subcontracting commitments incorporated into the contract. To that end, the support contractor(s) may require access to the Contractor's business records or other proprietary data to review such business records regarding contract compliance with this requirement.(c) All support contractors conducting this review on behalf of VA will be required to sign an Information Protection and Non-Disclosure and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest Agreement to ensure the Contractor's business records or other proprietary data reviewed or obtained in the course of assisting the Contracting Officer in assessing the Contractor for compliance are protected to ensure information or data is not improperly disclosed or other impropriety occurs.(d) Furthermore, if VA determines any services the support contractor(s) will perform in assessing compliance are advisory and assistance services as defined in FAR 2.101, Definitions, the support contractor(s) must also enter into an agreement with the Contractor to protect proprietary information as required by FAR 9.505-4, Obtaining access to proprietary information, paragraph (b). The Contractor is required to cooperate fully and make available any records as may be required to enable the Contracting Officer to assess the Contractor compliance with the subcontracting commitments.(End of clause)52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006) Protests, as defined in section 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgment of receipt from: Hand-Carried Address: Department of Veterans Affairs VAMC (688) Chief, Contracting (90C) 50 Irving Street NW Washington DC 20422 Mailing Address: Department of Veterans Affairs VAMC (688) Chief, Contracting (90C) 50 Irving Street NW Washington DC 20422 (b) The copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO.(End of Provision)VAAR 852.233-70 PROTEST CONTENT/ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (OCT 2018) (a) Any protest filed by an interested party shall (1) Include the name, address, fax number, email and telephone number of the protester; (2) Identify the solicitation and/or contract number; (3) Include an original signed by the protester or the protester s representative and at least one copy; (4) Set forth a detailed statement of the legal and factual grounds of the protest, including a description of resulting prejudice to the protester, and provide copies of relevant documents; (5) Specifically request a ruling of the individual upon whom the protest is served; (6) State the form of relief requested; and (7) Provide all information establishing the timeliness of the protest. (b) Failure to comply with the above may result in dismissal of the protest without further consideration. (c) Bidders/offerors and Contracting Officers are encouraged to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures to resolve protests at any stage in the protest process. If ADR is used, the Department of Veterans Affairs will not furnish any documentation in an ADR proceeding beyond what is allowed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation.(End of Provision)VAAR 852.233-71 ALTERNATE PROTEST PROCEDURE (OCT 2018) (a) As an alternative to filing a protest with the Contracting Officer, an interested party may file a protest by mail or electronically with: Executive Director, Office of Acquisition and Logistics, Risk Management and Compliance Service (003A2C), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420 or Email: [email protected]. (b) The protest will not be considered if the interested party has a protest on the same or similar issue(s) pending with the Contracting Officer.(End of Provision) PLEASE NOTE: The correct mailing information for filing alternate protests is as follows: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Logistics, Risk Management Team, Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20420 Or for solicitations issued by the Office of Construction and Facilities Management: Director, Office of Construction and Facilities Management 811 Vermont Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20420REQUIRED REGISTRATION WITH CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE SYSTEM (CPARS):As prescribed in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 42.15, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) evaluates contractor past performance on all contracts that exceed $100,000 and shares those evaluations with other Federal Government contract specialists and procurement officials. The FAR requires that the contractor be provided an opportunity to comment on past performance evaluations prior to each report closing. To fulfill this requirement VA uses an online database, the Contractor Performance System (CPARS), which is maintained by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The CPS database information is shared with the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) database, which is available to all Federal agencies. Each contractor whose contract award is estimated to exceed $100,000.00 is required to register with the NIH CPS database at the following web address: http://www.cpars.gov/Training and help in registering can be obtained by contacting the point of contact information listed at this website and the hyper-link for training or by phone at 207-438-1690.For contracts with a period of one year or less, the contracting officer will perform a single evaluation when the contract is complete. For contracts exceeding one year, the contracting officer will evaluate the contractor s performance annually. Interim reports will be filed each year until the last year of the contract, when the final report will be completed. The report shall be assigned in CPS to the contractor s designated representative for comment. The contractor representative will have thirty days to submit any comments and re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer.The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of 2009 (Public Law 110-417) was enacted on October 14, 2008. Section 872 of this Act required the development and maintenance of an information system that contains specific information on the integrity and performance of covered Federal agency contractors and grantees. The Federal Awardees Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) were developed to address these requirements. FAPIIS is a distinct application that is accessed through the Past Performance Information System (PPIRS) and is available to federal acquisition professionals for their use in award and responsibility determinations. FAPIIS provides users access to integrity and performance information from the FAPIIS reporting module in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), proceedings information from the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database, and suspension/disbarment information from the Excluded Parties List system (EPLS).SUBMISSION OF QUOTE (FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS COMMERCIAL ITEMS): The Offeror shall submit their quote on company letterhead and shall include unit price, overall total price, name, address, and telephone number of the offeror, firm's DUNS# and ORCA document in SAM at www.sam.gov. Complete copy of 52.212-3 Offerors Representations and Certifications- Commercial Items, and ORCA document. The offeror shall provide sufficient evidence that they possess adequate resources, capability, experience, responsibility and integrity to meet the technical capabilities to comply with the requirements of the resulting contract.The offeror shall meet the limitation in subcontracting clause. The subcontract vendor must be similarly situated in the same The offeror shall outline how they will be in agreeance/compliance with the limitations on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR --125.6. Any quotes using subcontractors or teaming partners to perform any part of the work must show the subcontractor or teaming partner to be similarly situated as the prime. A similarly situated subcontractors or teaming partners is a company who has the same size standard and NAICS code as the prime offeror/vendor. Similarly situated entity is a subcontractor that has the same small business program status as the prime contractor. This means that: For a HUBZone requirement, a subcontractor that is a qualified HUBZone small business concern; for a small business set-aside, partial set-aside, or reserve a subcontractor that is a small business concern; for a SDVO small business requirement, a subcontractor that is a self-certified SDVO SBC; for an 8(a) requirement, a subcontractor that is an 8(a) certified Program Participant; for a WOSB or EDWOSB contract, a subcontractor that has complied with the requirements of part 127. In addition to sharing the same small business program status as the prime contractor, a similarly situated entity must also be small for the NAICS code that the prime contractor assigned to the subcontract the subcontractor will perform.QUOTE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS AND EVALUATIONS:Evaluation of quotes will be conducted using Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR 13.106-2 Evaluation of Quotes. The Government intends to award one contract resulting from this solicitation. Please read each section below carefully for the submittals and information required as part of the evaluation. Failure to provide the requested information below shall be considered non-compliant and your quote could be removed from the evaluation process.Offeror quotes shall be evaluated under FAR 13.106-2(b)(3) Comparative Evaluation. Therefore, the Government is not obligated to determine a competitive range, conduct discussions with all contractors, solicit final revised quotes, and use other techniques associated with FAR Part 15. The contracting techniques associated with FAR Part 15 are not mandatory.The Government reserves the right to consider a quotation other than the lowest price that provides additional benefit(s). Quotations may exceed minimum requirements of the solicitation. The Government reserves the right to select a quotation that provides benefit to the Government that exceeds the minimum requirements of the solicitation but is not required to do so. Each response must meet the minimum requirements of the solicitation.The Government shall award a contract resulting from this solicitation. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:--Price (Follow these instructions):Offeror shall complete the Price Schedule, with offerors proposed contract line item prices inserted in appropriate spaces.-- Ensure your representations and certifications are complete in the System for Award Management (SAM)( https://www.sam.gov). Otherwise, you will need to fill out solicitation Clause 52.212-3 "Offeror Representation and Certifications -Commercial Items" and submit with the quote. Federal Acquisition Regulations require that federal contractors register in the SAM database at http://www.sam.gov and enter all mandatory information into the system. Award cannot be made until the contractor has registered. Offerors are encouraged to ensure that they are registered in SAM prior to submitting their quotation.Past or Relevant Performance:Provide references of work, similar in scope and size with the requirement detailed in the Statement of Work. References must include contact information; brief description of the work completed, and contract # (if relevant).-- Please utilize Attachment Past Performance Worksheet for your references and please submit as part of your quote submission. References may be checked by the Contracting Officer to ensure your company is capable of performing the Statement of Work.-- The Government also reserves the right to obtain information for use in the evaluation of past performance from any and all sources. The Contracting Officer may also use information available in the Past Performance Retrieval System (PPIRS) when evaluating contractor past performance. The contracting will review PPIRS for offerors for the last 3 years. If no past performance is available in PPIRS it will be considered acceptable and or neutral. Technical: The offeror s quote shall be evaluated to determine if the organization has the experience and capabilities to provide the requested services IAW the Statement of Work in a timely efficient manner.--The offeror shall provide their relevant experience and approach to meet all requirements stated in the Statement of Work. The offeror shall submit copies of training completion certificates for HAZMAT training (IAW 49 CFR Part 172, Subpart H).The offeror shall submit copies of training completion certificates for Blood Borne Pathogen training.The offeror shall submit copies of training completion certificates for HIPAA training.The offeror shall submit documentation illustrating being licensed, bonded and insured.TECHNICAL QUESTION SUBMISSION: Questions must be received no later than April 23, 2020 at 9:00am CST. Email your questions directly to [email protected]. The subject line must specify: RFQ 36C25720Q0517- Questions. There will be no automated email notification of receipt of questions. An amendment/modification to the Solicitation will be posted to FBO answering all questions submitted. RFQ QUOTE SUBMISSION: Quotes must be received no later than May 13, 2020 11:59pm CST. Email your quote directly to [email protected]. The subject line must specify: RFQ 36C25720Q0517- Quotes/Offers. There will be no automated email notification of receipt of quotes. All quotes received without requested documentation will not be considered.QUOTE SHOULD BE BROKEN DOWN AS FOLLOWS:PRICE/COST SCHEDULEBase Period: June 1, 2020 May 31, 2021CLIN*DESCRIPTION:ESTIMATED TRIPSUNIT:UNIT PRICE:TOTAL PRICE:0001Courier Services for the North Texas Healthcare System (1 Trip is defined as pickup and delivery from Tyler to Dallas and delivery back to the Tyler OPC)261TRIP$______$______ Option Year Total $______Option Period 1 June 1, 2021 May 31, 2022CLIN*DESCRIPTION:ESTIMATED TRIPSUNIT:UNIT PRICE:TOTAL PRICE:0002Courier Services for the North Texas Healthcare System (1 Trip is defined as pickup and delivery from Tyler to Dallas and delivery back to the Tyler OPC)261TRIP$______$______ Option Year Total $______Option Period 2: June 1, 2022 May 31, 2023CLIN*DESCRIPTION:ESTIMATED TRIPSUNIT:UNIT PRICE:TOTAL PRICE:0003Courier Services for the North Texas Healthcare System (1 Trip is defined as pickup and delivery from Tyler to Dallas and delivery back to the Tyler OPC)261TRIP$______$______ Option Year Total $______Option Period 3: June 1, 2023 May 31, 2024CLIN*DESCRIPTION:ESTIMATED TRIPSUNIT:UNIT PRICE:TOTAL PRICE:0004Courier Services for the North Texas Healthcare System (1 Trip is defined as pickup and delivery from Tyler to Dallas and delivery back to the Tyler OPC)261TRIP$______$______ Option Year Total $______Option Period 4: June 1, 2024 May 31, 2025CLIN*DESCRIPTION:ESTIMATED TRIPSUNIT:UNIT PRICE:TOTAL PRICE:0005Courier Services for the North Texas Healthcare System (1 Trip is defined as pickup and delivery from Tyler to Dallas and delivery back to the Tyler OPC)261TRIP$______$______ Option Year Total $______Contract Total Base and all option years$STATEMENT OF WORKOVERVIEW: The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS) VA Primary Care Clinics located in Tyler, Texas, intends to award a contract for the provision of courier services. The Contractor shall provide regularly scheduled pick-ups of laboratory specimens, laboratory supplies, supplies, inter-office mail, and small equipment from various locations noted below and deliver to the P&LMS and other locations within the VA North Texas Dallas facility. The contractor shall sign a Business Associate Agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:Base Period: June 1, 2020 May 31, 2021 Option Period One: June 1, 2021 May 31, 2022 Option Period Two: June 1, 2022 May 31, 2023 Option Period Three: June 1, 2023 May 31, 2024 Option Period Four: June 1, 2024 May 31, 2025 PLACE(S) OF PERFORMANCE:VA North Texas Health Care System VA Tyler Primary Care Clinic 7916 S Broadway Tyler, TX 75703VA North Texas Health Care System Dallas VA Medical Center4500 S. Lancaster Rd.Dallas, Texas 75216DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES: The contractor shall furnish all labor, tools, materials, equipment, and supervision necessary to provide same day courier services for the VA North Texas Health Care System Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC s):VA Tyler Primary Care Clinic Site 2, 7916 S Broadway Tyler, TX 75703 and deliver to the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) laboratories and other locations at:Dallas VA Medical Center, 4500 S. Lancaster Rd., Dallas, Texas 75216Mail Room - Bldg. 2, VA DallasWarehouse Dallas Bldg. 44, Dallas VAAdministrative Officer of the Day (AOD) Clinical Addition (2J), Dallas VAOther sites may be added or deleted as need arise.1 Trip is defined as pickup and delivery from Tyler to Dallas and delivery back to the Tyler OPCItems to be transported will consist primarily of small prepackaged containers/coolers containing lab specimens from each of the clinics. Shipments may also include:EnvelopesSmall boxes containing mailMedical recordsX-ray filmsSuppliesEquipment under 50lbs All shipments will be clearly labeled. The VAMC and the Tyler OPC s will be responsible for proper packaging and labeling.The contractor assumes all liability risks for work performed under this contract. The contractor must assume total liability for all contract employees. All couriers transporting specimens under this contract shall possess a valid driver s license, vehicle insurance, and registration, and have two-way radios, cell phones, or pagers for communication purposes. The contractor shall provide proof that all drivers have had training in the transportation of hazardous materials. The contractor shall provide all vehicles and couriers needed to perform this effort. Each vehicle shall be adequately stocked with at least one up-to-date complete Spill Kit for biohazard cleanup in case of leakage or accidental discharge.The cargo may contain bio-hazard material and dangerous goods. The contractor shall certify that all individuals involved in shipping clinical specimens have been trained and tested as specified in the training requirements of 49 CFR Part 172, Subpart H.The contractor shall maintain proper temperature in vehicles to preserve medical supplies, specimens, and films. The contractor shall provide insulated transport containers for the pickup/delivery of specimens. The transport containers are approx. 15 x12 x10 H, weight variable due to ice packs. Currently one cooler is sufficient, however as volume increases, a 2nd container maybe needed. The contractor shall also furnish various types of puncture proof containers (coolers), which shall be labeled biohazard for test specimens. Vehicles shall not be left in extreme heat or cold while specimens and films are being transported. Occasionally, the contractor shall be required to furnish dry ice for transportation prior to arrival at the pickup site. Dry ice is most often used to transport certain specimens and is not expected on a routine basis.PICKUP/DELIVERY SCHEDULE:Pickup shall be made daily from each Tyler site (Monday-Friday) except on Federal Holidays (as observed) between 2-3pm. Pickup times and days shall be established for each by the COR in accordance with clinic personnel.The contractor shall give prior notification to each clinic at the phone numbers indicated below if the scheduled pick-up time cannot be met for any reason:Dallas VAMC P&LMS Client Services: (214) 857-0666 or (214) 857-0714VA Tyler Primary Care Clinic (903) 266-5900Tyler Exec Leadership (214)734-2993Deliveries shall be made to the following P&LMS and other locations within VA North Texas Health Care System no more the 3.5 hrs. after pickup from the last Tyler site:Dallas VAMC: Deliver all lab specimen containers/coolers to the Client Services Unit located in the main lab on the first floor of the Clinical Addition. Locations Identified in 1.a IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII (if needed).The contractor shall pick up all empty containers/coolers and other items from the delivery site and return them to the Tyler OPC prior to 11:30pm. QUALIFICATIONS - All couriers transporting under this contract must:Be licensed, bonded and insured.Have the ability to maintain (at the contractors' expense) communications with the courier dispatching facility while in transit.Shall present a neat appearance in the performance of their duties and be easily recognized as a contract employee/courier (with identification prominently displayed or readily available).Be able to work under pressure and to expedite special pick-up/delivery jobs on occasion if required (requiring rush service).Contractor shall ensure the confidentiality of all patient information and records being transported and will be held liable in the event of a breach of confidentiality. The Contractor shall comply with the provisions of the Federal Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579).The cargo may contain bio-hazardous material and dangerous goods. The Contractor shall certify that all individuals involved in shipping clinical specimens have been trained and tested as specified in the training requirements of 49 CFR Part 172, Subpart H. The Contractor shall maintain proper temperature in vehicles to preserve specimens and blood products as specified herein. The Contractor shall provide insulated, puncture proof, transport containers for the pickup/delivery of specimens, which shall be labeled biohazard for test specimens. Vehicles shall not be left in extreme heat or cold while specimens are being transported. Successfully complete the required government background investigation at contractor expense.EQUIPMENT: The contractor shall provide the means (i.e., personnel; vehicles; equipment) to travel and transport documents/material between all locations outlined within the Statement of Work.HOLIDAYS: The following is a list of U.S. Government holidays. If the holiday falls on a Saturday, the proceeding Friday is observed as the holiday; if the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the holiday and any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday. HOLIDAY DATE New Year s Day Jan 1 Martin Luther King s Birthday 3rd Monday in Jan President s Day 3rd Monday in Feb Memorial Day Last Monday in May Independence Day July 4 Labor Day 1st Monday in Sep Columbus Day 2nd Monday in Oct Veterans Day Nov 11 Thanksgiving Day 4th Thursday in November Christmas Day December 25 Any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a National Holiday PATIENT PRIVACY/RELEASE OF MEDICAL INFORMATION: The Contractor is responsible, in the management of private health information of patients, to maintain the highest level of patient privacy and confidentiality and shall release medical information obtained during the course of this contract only to hospital staff involved in the care and treatment of that individual patient.CONTINUITY OF SERVICES/REPLACEMENT STAFF: The Contractor point of contact shall ensure that qualified personnel are available to provide coverage during scheduled and unscheduled absences of primary contract providers or when they will be unable to provide services for one (1) or more consecutive days.To prevent unexpected and unanticipated call-ins by Contract couriers that are scheduled to work, the Contractor will counsel Contract Staff, verbally and in writing, if staff members frequently call-in (>2 in a month) or if a pattern occurs (call-in on days attached to a non-work day/holiday, or calling in on weekends exceeding 2 occurrences per year). If the problem persists following counseling, the assignment of the contract employee may be requested to end. The Contractor should be able to provide rationale for contract staff member(s) absence if requested.HIPAA COMPLIANCE/ SECURITY REQUIREMENTS: Contractor must adhere to the provisions of Public Law 104-191, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) of 1998 and the National Standards to Protect the Privacy and Security of Protected Health Information (PHI).The C&A requirements do not apply. A Security Accreditation Package is not required.PHYSICAL SECURITY: The Contractor shall safeguard all government property, including controlled forms provided for contractor use. At the close of each work period, government equipment, facilities, and other valuable materials shall be secured.TRAINING:All contractor employees and subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems:Sign and acknowledge (either manually or electronically) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Contractor Rules of Behavior, Appendix E relating to access to VA information and information systems;Successfully complete the VA Cyber Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training and annually complete required security training;Successfully complete the appropriate VA privacy training and annually complete required privacy training; andSuccessfully complete any additional cyber security or privacy training, as required for VA personnel with equivalent information system access [to be defined by the VA program official and provided to the contracting officer for inclusion in the solicitation document e.g., any role-based information security training required in accordance with NIST Special Publication 800-16, Information Technology Security Training Requirements.]The contractor shall provide to the contracting officer and/or the COR a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Contractor Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required.Failure to complete the mandatory annual training and sign the Rules of Behavior annually, within the timeframe required, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and documents are complete.CONDUCT OF PERSONNEL: Contractor personnel shall conduct themselves in a professional manner (i.e. timeliness, communication; spoken and written etc.). The Contracting Officer may require the Contractor to remove from the job site any employee working under this contract for reasons of suspected misconduct, a suspected security breach, or suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any other incapacitating agent. Contractor employees shall be subject to dismissal from the premises upon determination by the Contracting Officer that such action is necessary in the interests of the Government. The hospital director or designated representative has the authority to bar individuals from the Government facility. The removal from the job site or dismissal from the premises shall not relieve the Contractor of the requirement to provide sufficient personnel to perform the services as required by this performance work statement. The Government shall not reimburse the Contractor for travel and other expenses associated with the removal of personnel. Contractor personnel are not authorized to carry or possess personal weapons to include, but not limited to, firearms and knives with a blade length in excess of three inches, while assigned under this contract. CONTRACTORS ATTIRE AND APPEARANCE: Contractor personnel shall present a professional appearance commensurate with standards delineated for Government civilian personnel acting in similar capacities. The Government reserves the right to review Contractor personnel qualifications. Upon request, resumes shall be provided to the Contracting Officer prior to clearance approval, for review and acceptance by the COR. The intent is verification purpose and not for the Government to become the hiring authority. SECURITY: The material being delivered must be protected from loss and damage due to inclement weather, accidents or other unforeseen circumstances. Failure to deliver timely, and loss or damages to transported materials shall be reported to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) point of contact as soon as possible.SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION:The term security incident means an event that has, or could have, resulted in unauthorized access to, loss or damage to VA assets, or sensitive information, or an action that breaches VA security procedures. The contractor/subcontractor shall immediately notify the COTR and simultaneously, the designated ISO and Privacy Officer for the contract of any known or suspected security/privacy incidents, or any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, including that contained in system(s) to which the contractor/subcontractor has access.To the extent known by the contractor/subcontractor, the contractor/subcontractor snotice to VA shall identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and where the VA information or assets were placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the contractor/subcontractor considers relevant.With respect to unsecured protected health information, the business associate isdeemed to have discovered a data breach when the business associate knew or should have known of a breach of such information. Upon discovery, the business associate must notify the covered entity of the breach. Notifications need to be made in accordance with the executed business associate agreement.In instances of theft or break-in or other criminal activity, the contractor/subcontractormust concurrently report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement entity (or entities) of jurisdiction, including the VA OIG and Security and Law Enforcement. The contractor, its employees, and its subcontractors and their employees shall cooperate with VA and any law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any possible criminal law violation(s) associated with any incident. The contractor/subcontractor shall cooperate with VA in any civil litigation to recover VA information, obtain monetary or other compensation from a third party for damages arising from any incident, or obtain injunctive relief against any third party arising from, or related to, the incident.TRAINING: All contractor employees and subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems:Sign and acknowledge (either manually or electronically) understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the Contractor Rules of Behavior, Appendix E relating to access to VA information and information systems;Successfully complete the VA Cyber Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training and annually complete required security training;Successfully complete the appropriate VA privacy training and annually complete required privacy training; andSuccessfully complete any additional cyber security or privacy training, as required for VA personnel with equivalent information system access [to be defined by the VA program official and provided to the contracting officer for inclusion in the solicitation document e.g., any role-based information security training required in accordance with NIST Special Publication 800-16, Information Technology Security Training Requirements.]The contractor shall provide to the contracting officer and/or the COTR a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Contractor Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required.Failure to complete the mandatory annual training and sign the Rules of Behavior annually, within the timeframe required, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and documents are complete.CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS:Contractor shall ensure the confidentiality of all patient information and records being transported and will be held liable in the event of a breach of confidentiality. The Contractor shall comply with the provisions of the Federal Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579) and Public Law 104-191, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. This includes both the Privacy and Security Rules published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).Contractors, contractor personnel, subcontractors, and subcontractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards and VA Directives and Handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information. Submitting required privacy training documentation is required to the COR annually.REPORTABLE INCIDENTS: Contractor shall furnish a written report should any delivery incidents occur. This report shall be delivered to the CO within 24 hours of the incident. Incidents/actions involving laboratory specimens must be reported immediately to the COR. Incidents/actions involving breach of patient records or patient identifiable information must be reported immediately to either the VA Information Security Officer or the VA Privacy Officer.REPORTING PROCEDURES: The contractor shall have the capability to provide status information on all courier deliveries by tracking number. This information may be provided telephonically or electronically to the North Texas Health Care System staff. The following information shall be available for each delivery: tracking number, time of pickup and delivery, location of pickup and delivery, and signature of acceptance, if required.QUALITY CONTROL AND ASSURANCE: The contractor or designee shall notify the COR or Points of contact within 2 hours by phone if conditions exist which may affect their ability to perform contract requirements. The contractor shall provide a contingency plan for problems which may be experienced in the transport time frame (i.e. break down or accident, inclement weather) which allows for same day pick-up and delivery to and from the designated sites.The Government will periodically evaluate the contractor s performance in accordance with the following Quality Assurance Plan.Surveillance: Any complaints received from VA personnel will be received by the COR and will be forwarded immediately to the Contracting Officer who will notify the company for corrective action.Standard: The standard overall is two or less customer complaints per month in each area. The COR shall notify the contracting officer for appropriate action in accordance with FAR 52.212.4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items or the appropriate Inspection of Services clause, if any of the above service areas exceed two customer complaints per month.INVOICES: The contractor shall electronically invoice the VA on a monthly basis in arrears for delivery services and shall itemize each trip/item by a reference or tracking number, date, time of delivery, and cost as required.DAILY REQUIREMENTS: The contractor shall provide all supervision, labor, employee training, locking containers vehicles, gasoline, insurance and material to provide courier services to pick-up and deliver sensitive and HIPAA confidential information, material, and medical documentation. RECORDS MANAGEMENT STATEMENT All records (administrative and program specific) created during the period of the contract belong to VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTXHCS) and must be returned to VANTXHCS at the end of the contract or destroyed in accordance to the VHA Record Control Schedule (RCS)10-1.Citations to pertinent laws, codes and regulations such as 44 U.S.C Chapter 21, 29, 31 and 33; Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552); Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a); 36 CFR Part 1222 and Part 1228.Contractor shall treat all deliverables under the contract as the property of the U.S. Government for which the Government Agency shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest.Contractor shall not create or maintain any records that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract using Government IT equipment and/or Government records.Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected by the Freedom of Information Act.Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any Government Agency records that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract or identified in the RCS 10-1.The Government Agency owns the rights to all data/records produced as part of this contract.The Government Agency owns the rights to all electronic information (electronic data, electronic information systems, electronic databases, etc.) and all supporting documentation created as part of this contract. Contractor must deliver sufficient technical documentation with all data deliverables to permit the agency to use the data.Contractor agrees to comply with Federal and Agency records management policies, including those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974. These policies include the preservation of all records created or received regardless of format [paper, electronic, etc.] or mode of transmission [e-mail, fax, etc.] or state of completion [draft, final, etc.].No disposition of documents will be allowed without the prior written consent of the Contracting Officer. The Agency and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of the Agency or destroyed without regard to the provisions of the agency records schedules.Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under or relating to this contract. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and Agency guidance for protecting sensitive and proprietary information.WAGE DETERMINATION The DOL Wage Determination for the specific locality applies to this solicitation and anycontract awarded is available at https://wdolhome.sam.gov/. Please note the listing below is not all-inclusive wage determination of each area of performance. It is the contractor s responsibility to obtain and evaluate each wage determination locality.Applicable assignment:31000 - Transportation/Mobile Equipment Operation Occupations31043 - Driver Courier