THIS IS A SMALL BUSINESS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE REPRESENTING A MARKET SURVEY AND IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, PROPOSAL ABSTRACTS, QUOTATIONS OR INVITATION FOR BIDS The Department of Veterans Affairs is conducting a MARKET SURVEY to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Veteran-Owned, Small Business, HUB Zone 8(a), Women-Owned, or small disadvantaged business concerns; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. Small business concerns should be capable of furnishing all labor, supervision, and parts, to include all test equipment necessary to maintain the listed equipment in proper operational condition according to manufacturer's specifications. The NAICS code is 423450 DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUIREMENT: This sources sought is for the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center (CNVAMC) to identify and demonstrate (without patient use), a hospital bed (special purpose), frame and surface, post operative pressure ulcer revision recovery. Reference the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) guidelines regarding pressure ulcer prevention and treatment. Vendors and devices accepted as meeting the specifications below will address the following in their responses: " Redistribution, immersion and envelopment " Microclimate management; where heat is a significant risk factor " Mobility, i.e. change in the above when transition or static in other than prone position " Patient safety management while on this type of special surface Responding contractors shall respond ONLY if capable of providing both a frame and surface that meets ALL of the following specifications: 1. Provides best clinical outcome of tissue perfusion following post operative revision of pressure ulcer or similar clinical dermatological diagnosis 2. Solid particle or air fluidized low air loss surface through the full surface area supporting recovery through intermittent or constant pressure redistribution 3. Bed frame and surface with patient should be movable by two staff without motorized aid 4. Bed frame dimensions may not exceed the door width (44") to facilitate movement between rooms 5. Bed frame must include support for ALL of the following a. Integrated nurse call and television control b. Oxygen cylinder storage c. Falls alarm 6. Bed surface must support up to 500 pounds patient weight in addition to other support devices, i.e. oxygen, patient monitors, etc. 7. Bed surface must include transitional inflation to support patient and/or staff assisted turning of the patient, as well as maximum surface inflation 8. Bed surface must fit within the bed frame dimensions safely with the side rails fully raised without interference or entanglement, and without damage to either frame or surface when any part is in transition/motion 9. Surface must be able to be reprocessed locally by Environment or Nursing staff with common hospital approved cleaning solutions QUALIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTORS: A. Contractors shall have a track record of working experience (preferably with VHA) in government sales and maintenance of specialty hospital bed frames and surfaces, and their components for a minimum of two (2) continuous years. B. If no training certifications are available, the contractor shall submit written documentation that certifies that he/she has met these requirements, including other government references, and supported with past performance references, and submit it to the VA Contracting Officer for evaluation and prior to work. C. Contractors shall ONLY respond if they currently have a product that meets all of the specifications for both frame and surface listed above. D. A statement indicating the type of business, i.e. other than small business or small business (by type), if product identified as meeting all specifications is currently listed on a GSA Schedule (FSS Contract) and provide reference data if yes. POTENTIAL SOURCES SHALL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IN THEIR RESPONSE: 1) Company name, address, phone number, primary contact(s), e-mail address, NAICS code(s), business size (i.e., small/large) and DUNS Number. 2) Potential sources shall provide (during demonstration if accepted) documentation of successful clinical outcomes by trial or case study; preferably VA based. If VA based information is provided, also provide VA reference contact information. 3) Provide a Statement of Capability that demonstrates the offeror's past performance in providing this type of product/service. Please include the following: (a) staff expertise including their availability, clinical and industry experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and large project planning capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts and references (preferably VA), and other related information. 4) Submit Capability Statements by 2:00 pm Eastern Time Zone, Monday, December 3, 2012 to: Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Southeast Network - VISN 7 ATTN: Juan A. Jusino, Augusta, GA 30901. Responses should be received no later than 2:00 PM EST. Submissions must be made via email to:
contact@example.gov or FAX:
+1 (555) 000-0000. NO CAPABILITY STATEMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED AFTER DECEMBER 3, 2012. AT THIS TIME NO SOLICITATION EXISTS. (DO NOT REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION). A FUTURE NOTICE WILL BE POSTED IF, OR WHEN, A SOLICITATION WILL BE RELEASED. 5) Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. 6) No Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s.) 7) Planned next step is to hold a bed demonstration fair ONLY for those frames and surfaces that meet ALL of the specifications listed above. If selected the bed fair will consist of the following: " Single bed frame and surface delivery to CNVAMC, Downtown Division, Hospital Beds, on Monday, December 10, 2012 by 11:00 am Eastern " Setup demonstration display in room 1H-116 (Spinal Cord Injury Unit) by 11:00 am for Engineering inspection " Begin demonstration for Physician, Nursing, other clinical and Engineering staff from noon Monday, December 10, 2012 through 3:00 pm Tuesday, December 11, 2012 " Qualifying bed frames and surfaces will be provided for this demonstration at no charge to the government " Bed frames and surfaces will be removed no later than 6:00 pm Tuesday, December 11, 2012. " Vendors MAY NOT ask demonstration attendees to complete vendor owned evaluation forms 8) The purpose of this bed frame and surface inquiry is to determine the current technology for this post surgical recovery medical device.
