B533--Legionella and Dental Water Line Sampling

2 THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. This Request for Information (RFI) is intended for information and planning purposes only at this time; and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Because this is a Request for Information announcement, no evaluation letters and/or results will be issued to the respondents. No solicitation exists. Therefore, do not request a copy of a solicitation. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VISN 8, Network Contracting Office 8 (NCO 8), is seeking information and potential qualified sources capable of meeting the following minimum requirements and salient characteristics below. PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT Legionella and Dental Water Line Sampling & Analysis and Water Management Plan Contract PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: James A. Haley Veterans Administration Medical Center (JAHVAMC) main campus at 13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd Tampa FL, Primary Care Annex at 1315 Lake Terrace Ln. Tampa FL and New Port Richey VA Dental Clinic at 7900 Little Road New Port Richey FL. SCOPE OF WORK: The Contractor will provide all management, supervision, labor, materials, supplies and equipment, and will plan, schedule, coordinate and assure effective performance of all services described herein. This agreement will include the collection of water samples and the laboratory analysis of the collected water samples. Sampling will be conducted at the James Haley VA Hospital and its associated Outpatient Clinics. This requirement will be ONLY for the QUARTERLY water sampling and testing for Legionella, Dental Water Line and Ground Water Sampling. Vendors selected for this award will be excluded from all sales of products and equipment required to address issues identified associated with testing results. This is a Base plus four option year requirement. Please note the option years may be exercised after determination that it is in the best interest of the Government and it has been determined that it is the most advantageous method of fulfilling the Government s need for these services. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS: The C&A requirements do not apply, and a Security Accreditation Package is not required. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE/GENERAL INFORMATION Hours of Operation and Scheduling: All work shall be accomplished during normal working hours 8:00AM - 5:00PM, Monday through Friday excluding Federal Holidays. This service is to collect water samples and analyze the collected water samples in a healthcare environment in accordance with current VA standards and directives. The contractor will demonstrate an adequate standard of care when performing the sampling and analysis of water samples by utilizing published or enunciated, peer reviewed industry appropriate standards of practice. Sampling Requirements: The collection of samples will be performed in accordance with the protocol established by the laboratory used to analyze the samples and will be collected by person(s) trained/experienced/certified and knowledgeable of appropriate potable and non-portable water sampling standards of practice and laboratory sampling protocol. Samples will be stored and shipped in accordance with the laboratory sampling protocol. The contractor will develop an annual schedule to include the dates and times planned to perform each quarterly sampling event. The schedule will consider all federally observed holidays. The schedule will be approved by the James Haley VA Hospital point of contact. The contractor will confirm the dates and times of each quarterly sampling event with the James Haley VA Hospital point of contact at least two weeks prior to arrival onsite. The contractor will be accompanied by James Haley VA Hospital staff during the course of the sampling as necessary. The contractor will not deviate from the original provisions of the contract unless specifically. SPECIFIC TASKS Legionella Specific Sampling Hot and Cold Potable Water Distribution System Outlet Sampling The contractor will sample outlets on designated buildings (Main Campus) hot and cold water distribution system(s) for Legionella on a quarterly basis (once per Federal Fiscal Year quarter). The Contractor will develop a routine sampling plan utilizing appropriate standards of practice to accommodate a stratified, random sampling methodology to ensure that samples are representative of all water lines and outlets during each quarterly sampling event. In addition to the protocol to be used for identifying the random sampling locations, the sampling plan will include, but is not limited to the following content: The sampling plan will include a means of easily identifying each sampled location (e.g., drawing, matrix, etc.) The sampling plan will include a means of identifying the distribution system (i.e., hot or cold) from which the sample was collected. Water Samples will be randomly collected from points in the water distribution systems listed in table 1 where the end user comes in contact with the water (e.g., faucets, showers, ice machines, and drinking fountains) and will be inclusive of all water lines and outlets. Samples will be collected in the quantities listed in table 1. The COR shall be notified immediately (within 1 hour) of any hot water temperatures greater than 110 degrees F. Cooling Tower System Sampling The Contractor will sample the cooling tower system(s) for Legionella on a quarterly basis (once per Federal Fiscal Year quarter). The contractor will develop a routine sampling plan utilizing appropriate standards of practice to accommodate an appropriate sampling methodology to ensure that samples are representative of the entire cooling tower system during each annual sampling event. The sampling plan will include, but is not limited to the following content and will be approved by the James Haley VA Hospital point of contact: The sampling plan will include a means of easily identifying each sampled location (e.g., drawing, matrix, etc.). The sampling plan will include a means of identifying the system from which the sample was collected. At a minimum, water samples will be collected from each cooling tower system at the basin or sump of the cooling tower at a location distant from the incoming make-up water. At the time each water sample is taken, the contractor will test and document the following for each sample: Water temperature, level of residual biocide, and pH. These water quality parameters will be tested in the field using appropriate test instruments, properly calibrated and traceable to a NIST standard. Table No. 1 Test Frequencies and Quantities Main Hospital and Primary Care Annex & NPR (Dental) Sampled System/Area Frequency * Legionella Test Bundle Total Heterotrophic Plate Count Oxidant Residual Water Quality Bundle Hot Water Distribution Outlets Quarterly 75 75 Cold Water Distribution Outlets Quarterly 75 75 Potable Water Supply Points of Entry Quarterly 3 3 3 Treadmill & Therapy Pool Quarterly 2 2 Cooling Towers Quarterly 10 10 10 Dental (PCA, TPA, Pasco) Quarterly 200 Sample Analysis Once collected, that contractor will have the samples processed by a testing laboratory with experience in microbial testing of potable and non-potable water. Analysis of water samples will be performed by a laboratory currently certified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) program as proficient at performing the culture of Legionella from environmental samples. Information about ELITE certified laboratories can be found at https://wwwn.cdc.gov/elite/Public/MemberList.aspx . In addition to the requirement for current CDC ELITE certification, the laboratory performing the analysis of water samples will have an environmental microbiology accreditation by a nationally recognized accrediting body (e.g., A2LA, NELAP). The laboratory will analyze each water sample for Legionella by performing the tests listed in the Legionella Test Bundle identified in table 2. The laboratory will have the capabilities of determining if the Legionella pneumophila is serogroup 1. When appropriate, the laboratory will concentrate water samples prior to plating the samples on selective media to increase the sensitivity of the assay. The Limit of Detection (LOD) used by the laboratory shall not be less than 0.4 CFU/ml. Example an LOD of 0.01 CFU/ml is NOT approved at this time. The laboratory will neutralize biocides that have been added to the building s potable water distribution systems prior to analysis. Rapid testing methods, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct fluorescent antibody (DFA), are not permitted for the detection of Legionella in the water samples. The laboratory shall have the capability to store specimens in the event that molecular testing is required to investigate a possible hospital acquired Legionella disease case. Table 2 Legionella Test Bundle…