Description This is a sources sought request for information. This is not a request for quote (RFQ). The Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 10, is soliciting quotes for Destruction system for plastic urine specimen and pill bottles. Responses are to be provided Danielle Bowman, Contracting Specialist, via email at
contact@example.gov, no later than November 1, 2023, by 10:00 AM EST. No telephone calls will be accepted. STATEMENT OF WORK Title of project: Plastic pill bottle/urine specimen destruction system Purpose of the project: VA Northeast Ohio Health Care system is looking to purchase a plastic pill bottle/urine specimen destruction system. The system will not only allow the medical center to discard Pill Bottles and Urine Specimens per HIPPA Regulations but will also allow the facility to clean and recover these materials for recycling per Executive order 14008. Background: The Pathology and Lab Service (PALMS) and Pharmacy Service has an increased need to remove and destroy plastic pill bottles and Urine specimen cups. This was previously done with another plastics crusher. Vendor Instructions: Vendors shall provide statements for each required product in adequate detail to evaluate proposals. The use of product brochures should be extremely limited, and when necessary, offeror s responses shall address the brochure by document title and page number. Vendor shall provide cost estimates of the consumables used/required to operate the machine. Vendor will provide proper training of the device to select members of the Environmental Management Service. A draft Competency document will be developed regarding the complete use and operation of the machine, including how to fix/repair the machine, and troubleshooting tips. If travel is required for super user training/repair of the machine, the vendor must include cost of tuition, travel, and room and board per employee. Vendor will provide the government a minimum of a one-year warranty after initial use of the machine. Maintenance during the warranty period will be at the cost of the manufacturer to include parts, labor, and travel. Prior to installation and Delivery, Coordination will be made between vendor and VA Engineering to ensure Power Requirements and Plumbing/Drain requirements are able to be met. These requirements include 3-Phase/60 Hertz/ 208 Volt power receptacle Plumbing requirements for water flush system Drain requirements for water flush system Vendor will provide education to all applicable staff within the Environmental Management Service and Engineering Machine Shop. This will include: Operation of the machine Preventative Maintenance Cleaning requirements Recommended loading and unloading procedures Safety Features Review of manual General housekeeping. Vendor will provide shipment of the product to the facility 60 day after contract award. Training will be provided by vendor via in-service within one week after arrival. Vendor will be required to install all equipment turnkey and ensure function. Shipment, Education and training will be provided at the VA Northeast Ohio Health Care System main campus at 10701 East Blvd; Cleveland, Ohio 44106. Slide Destruction Machine Requirements/Characteristics: General Characteristics Motor will be Totally Enclosed-Fan-Cooled (TEFC) Vapor Exhaust allowing air exchanges at a minimum of 5 times per minute High Torque, Low Speed that will meet or exceed ear protection requirements per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 Loader Loading mechanism will have a basket that are gravity-fed in batches into a feed hopper. To maintain safety of the operator, either a mechanically interlocked safety gate or the loading basket itself will prevent physical contact with the shredding blades Loader will accommodate approximately 50 bottles or more (depending on the size of the bottle) Destruction of each batch of bottles will take 120 seconds or less. Shredder Shredder component will have a minimum of two rotary knife stacks to provide efficient tearing action necessary to open plastic specimen vials with tops of all kinds. Shredder will use low-speed/high-torque engineering principals to minimize aerosol affect created by the cutting action To provide HIPPA Compliance, identification labels applied to the bottles will be effectively destroyed removing any traces of the sample s origin. The Housing, cutters and shafts will be fabricated using stainless steel Vendor will coordinate with VA Engineering electrical shop to determine required power prior to install and delivery of the machine to ensure compliance with required 3-Phase, 60-Hertz circuit operating at 208 volts. Separator Machine will include an internal separator which will ensure that shredded bottles will move to a vibrating screen which will separate liquid and solid waste from the plastic bottles. Once liquid filters through the primary screen, it will then go through a finer secondary screen that will remove and capture smaller pieces to minimize them from getting into the liquid drain system. Plastic after being cleaned using the internal flush system will be discharged into an approximate 55-gallon drum cover and flexible sleeve. Water Flush System A minimum of four spray nozzles are needed to clean the urine residue off the plastic shards to minimize order on the plastic waste and the interior of the machine by rinsing the Primary and Secondary Screens. The system will contain spray jets that will also help propel the incoming aggregate downstream towards the discharge end. The flush system will contain an on-off valve mounted at the front of the machine. The system will have a mounted pressure regulator to control the incoming water source. Vendor will consult with VA Engineering plumbing service to determine required plumbing requirements prior to install and delivery of the machine. Plastic Disposal Upon exiting the system, all plastic will be collected and then recycled per Executive Order 14008 All plastic will have been cleaned by the water flush system prior to discharge. Liquid Disposal Solid Residue and urine will mix with the water from the flush system and will be sent directly to a sewer drain. Vendor will consult with VA Engineering plumbing service to determine required plumbing requirements prior to install and delivery of the machine.
