F103--HVAC Cooling Towers Testing and Maintenance for VA Palo Alto Health Care System

The contract is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside award for HVAC cooling tower testing and maintenance services at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System facilities in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Livermore, California. It is issued under solicitation number 36C26126Q0576 by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 21, with a total estimated value of $19 million for the base period from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027. Four optional one-year periods may be exercised sequentially, extending the contract through August 31, 2031, with the total duration capped at five years. The work requires comprehensive preventative maintenance, emergency response, performance monitoring, and compliance with OSHA, EPA, NFPA, VHA DIRECTIVE 1061.4, and CDC ELITE standards for Legionella testing. All repairs must use OEM-only parts, and contractors must submit standardized field service and reporting documentation on a weekly, monthly, and annual basis. Personnel must undergo VA vetting and credentialing per Clause 852.204-72, including background investigations compliant with VA Directive 0710, and obtain facility ID badges with immediate removal required for those deemed unfit. The evaluation for award is based on a trade-off process weighing technical expertise, past performance, and price, with no use of LPTA. Technical proposals must demonstrate at least five years of relevant HVAC cooling tower experience and include 24/7 emergency contact information. Past performance submissions must reflect recent, relevant contracts with no adverse actions in FAPIIS, while pricing must be fully compliant on SF 1449 with all line items completed and no alterations permitted. Invoicing is mandatory via electronic submission through the Tungsten Network in monthly arrears, with no paper invoices allowed, and payments processed via EFT through SAM. All proposals must be submitted as four separate PDF volumes—Technical, Past Performance, SDVOSB Status, and Price—with a combined file size under 5 MB per email sent to the designated Contract Specialist. The contract includes multiple FAR and VA-specific clauses with deviations, including restrictions on subcontracting, whistleblower protections, personal identity verification, electronic record maintenance, and security prohibitions tied to foreign affiliations, particularly under the American Security Drone Act. Contract administration requires coordination with the Tungsten