F108--Environmental testing Testing for Radon and Lead

The Great Lakes Acquisition Center, on behalf of the VA Illiana Health Care System, is seeking to acquire Environmental Radon Testing services for multiple buildings on the VA Campus. This RFI is to determine the availability of small businesses, especially Service-Disabled Veteran Owned and Veteran Owned small businesses. If your company can fulfill the requested services in the Statement of Work below, please respond accordingly to contact@example.gov by 16:30 central time on 12/31/2020. STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) 1. Contract specialist contact@example.gov 2. Contract Title. Radon and Lead-Based Paint Survey 3. Background. Radon is a radioactive gas that is produced in the ground by the radioactive decay of 226Ra. Radon is present at various concentrations in most rocks and soils as it is part of the natural breakdown of uranium. It is continuously released into outdoor air, where it is quickly diluted to harmless concentrations. However, when radon enters an enclosed space such as a building, it can accumulate to elevated concentrations and can represent a possible health risk. When uranium releases radon, it is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas and is a contributor to lung cancer according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Lung Association (ALA), and the American Medical Association (AMA). Indoor radon concentrations are often associated with geological formations. However, the only way to accurately determine the concentration of radon in a building is to measure it. Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth s crust. While it has some beneficial uses, it can be toxic to humans and animals, causing health effects. Lead can be found in all parts of our environment the air, the soil, the water, and even inside our homes. Much of our exposure comes from human activities including the use of fossil fuels including past use of leaded gasoline, some types of industrial facilities and past use of lead-based paint in homes. Lead and lead compounds have been used in a wide variety of products found in and around our homes, including paint, ceramics, pipes and plumbing materials, solders, gasoline, batteries, ammunition and cosmetics. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics monitors blood lead levels in the United States. Per OSHA 1910.1096(d)(1), the VA Illiana Health Care Service (VAIHCS) shall make such surveys to comply with the provisions in this section by evaluating radiation hazards related to the production, use, release, disposal, or presence of radioactive materials or other sources of radiation under a specific set of conditions. When appropriate, such evaluation includes a physical survey of the location of materials and equipment, and measurements of levels of radiation or concentrations of radioactive material present. To comply with OSHA 3142 and in accordance with Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1926.62, VAIHCS shall implement a worker protection program and ensure that its facilities are compliant to the lead standards by conducting such surveys to determine the levels of lead in painted structures and document it for the record. Significant lead exposures can occur when paint is removed from surfaces previously covered with lead-based paint. 4. Scope. This contract applies to all VAIHCS areas to include the Danville, IL. 5. Specific Tasks. The specific objective for the Contractor is to determine the radon gas levels in the interior of select VAIHCS buildings to determine if the levels are above the permitted threshold and create a summary report for all of the properties, as well as complete lab analysis and tests for the presence of lead in painted structures. The Contractor will be responsible to distribute, collect and send out for analysis to further report the results of the radon gas measurements. The Contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, tools, equipment, and applicable licenses and permits necessary to perform services at VAIHCS in a manner that will ensure an orderly and professional appearance while maintaining compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations. Specific roles and responsibilities are described herein: 5.1 Task 1 - General Requirements. 5.1.1 Subtask 1 Compliance. Familiarize with all Federal, State, and local polices for environmental compliance and conformance, especially those related to Radon for Indoor Air Quality as well as Lead-Based Paint. 5.1.2 Subtask 2 Overview. Attend a kick-off meeting VAIHCS to review roles and responsibilities. 5.1.3 Subtask 3 Documentation. Submit project specific Health and Safety Plan and a Quality Assurance Plan in compliance with Federal, State, and local polices and requirements. 5.2 Task 2 Facility Operations. 5.2.1 Subtask 1 Security and Access. Coordinate with VAIHCS Environmental and Safety Office to access areas to conduct radon and lead-based paint surveys. 5.2.2 Subtask 2 Site Management. Effectively conduct radon and lead-based paint surveys throughout designated areas of VAIHCS in accordance to Federal, State, and local requirements. Provide copies of the chain of custodies to the VAIHCS Environmental and Safety Office. If necessary, meet with the VAIHCS Facilities Management Service Director when the radon gas measurement devices are placed or prior to lead-based paint sampling. Reschedule with VAIHCS Environmental and Safety Office for a time to retrieve radon gas measuring devices as per the manufacturer s instructions. Package and send out the radon gas measurement devices. The cost for analysis is included in the original purchase cost of the devices. Send lead-based paint samples to a certified laboratory for analysis. The Contractor is responsible for any other costs (i.e. shipping). The Contractor shall obtain results and provide a report the results to VAIHCS Environmental and Safety, including the laboratory certificate of analysis. The Contractor shall Provide written status updates on work completed, concerns / issues, budget and schedule to VAIHCS. The Contractor will meet with VAIHCS to provide status updates. When necessary, the Contractor will be responsible for organizing meetings, creating agendas, taking the minutes of the meeting and distributing them to all participants. The Contractor shall include in their scheduling and cost estimates an allowance for review and resubmission of some documents. The Contractor shall implement quality control/assurance measures to ensure accuracy of the data. Spot checks will be completed by VAIHCS Environmental and Safety Office. Deliverables: Health and Safety Plan; Records of Status Updates 5.2.3 Subtask 3 Training. Ensure appropriate personnel are trained and certified as required by Federal, State, interstate, and local regulations. Provide copies of certifications and training records to VAIHCS for the record. Be responsible for maintaining training requirements as necessary. Deliverables: Training Certificates 5.2.4 Subtask 4 Quality Assurance/Quality Control. The Contractor shall identify and adhere to acceptable quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures throughout the project. The Contractor shall submit a QA/QC plan with the proposal. QA/QC measures must be explicitly identified in the Contractor s plan and include subjects such as organization, qualification and training, verification, document control, record control, change control, interfaces, control of processes, assessment of data, etc. The Contractor must demonstrate that the individuals assigned to this project have been trained and are qualified to do the work. The Contractor must ensure all reports and databases are appropriately reviewed by senior staff for QA/AC purposes. Deliverables: Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan 5.3 Task 3 Reports and Record Keeping. 5.3.1 Subtask 1 Reports. The Contractor shall complete a project summary report at the end of the project. This report shall summarize the activities completed, the results of the site surveys, the results of the radon gas measurement for all properties, the results of the lead-based paint sampling and analysis and must include a section on lessons learned. Deliverables: Project Summary Report 5.3.2 Subtask 2 Records. The Contractor shall provide records of all laboratory results and analysis to the VAIHCS Environmental and Safety Office, including the laboratory certificate of analysis. Deliverables: Records of Laboratory Results and Analysis 6. Performance Monitoring. The Contracting Officer Representative (COR) shall meet with the Contractor during the Contract commencement and at the Contract closeout. Upon receipt, the COR shall review documents and records for its accuracy and appropriateness. The COR shall conduct interviews with VAIHCS customers for feedback to evaluate the performance of the Contractor. COR shall monitor Contract Performance through Performance Assessment based off professionalism, execution of facility operations, and timeliness of deliverables. 7. Security Requirements. The Contractor shall comply with VAIHCS security requirements while at VAIHCS. Unless otherwise authorized, the Contractor shall not remove and/or possess any confidential data, materials, supplies, or equipment which are the property of VAIHCS. The Contractor shall treat and maintain information, data, materials, etc. gathered as part of this study as confidential and shall only be discussed with VAIHCS unless otherwise directed. The Contractor shall coordinate with VAIHCS Environmental and Safety Office to access areas required for radon and lead-based paint testing. The Contractor shall ensure that, under no circumstances, any of his employees shall enter an area not authorized for access by the Contractor. The contractor/subcontractor shall request logical (technical) or physical access to VA information and VA information systems for their employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in the contract, agreement, or task order. All contractors, subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for contractors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures. 8. Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE)/Government-Furnished Information (GFI). Information made available to the contractor or subcontractor by VA for the performance or administration of this contract or information developed by the contractor/subcontractor in performance or administration of the contract shall be used only for those purposes and shall not be used in any other way without the prior written agreement of the VA. This clause expressly limits the contractor/subcontractor's rights to use data as described in Rights in Data - General, FAR 52.227-14(d) (1). VA information should not be co-mingled, if possible, with any other data on the contractors/ subcontractor s information systems or media storage systems in order to ensure VA requirements related to data protection and media sanitization can be met. If co-mingling must be allowed to meet the requirements of the business need, the contractor must ensure that VA s information is returned to the VA or destroyed in accordance with VA s sanitization requirements. VA reserves the right to conduct on-site inspections of contractor and subcontractor IT resources to ensure data security controls, separation of data and job duties, and destruction/ media sanitization procedures are in compliance with VA directive requirements. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, contractor/subcontractor must not destroy information received from VA, or gathered/created by the contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by the VA. Any data destruction done on behalf of VA by a contractor/subcontractor must be done in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements as outlined in VA Directive 6300, Records and Information Management and its Handbook 6300.1 Records Management Procedures, applicable VA Records Control Schedules, and VA Handbook 6500.1, Electronic Media Sanitization. Self-certification by the contractor that the data destruction requirements above have been met must be sent to the VA Contracting Officer within 30 days of termination of the contract. The contractor/subcontractor must receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with the terms of the contract and applicable Federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies. If Federal or VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies become applicable to the VA information or information systems after execution of the contract, or if NIST issues or updates applicable FIPS or Special Publications (SP) after execution of this contract, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to implement the information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies in this contract. The contractor/subcontractor shall not make copies of VA information except as authorized and necessary to perform the terms of the agreement or to preserve electronic information stored on contractor/subcontractor electronic storage media for restoration in case any electronic equipment or data used by the contractor/subcontractor needs to be restored to an operating state. If copies are made for restoration purposes, after the restoration is complete, the copies must be appropriately destroyed. 9. Identification of Potential Conflicts of Interest (COI). Contractor and subcontractor personnel performing work under this contract may receive, have access to or participate in the development of proprietary or source selection information (e.g., cost or pricing information, budget information or analyses, specifications or work statements, etc.) or perform evaluation services which may create a current or subsequent Organizational Conflict of Interests (OCI) as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5. The Contractor shall notify the CO immediately whenever it becomes aware that such access or participation may result in any actual or potential OCI and shall promptly submit a plan to the CO to avoid or mitigate any such OCI. The Contractor s mitigation plan shall be determined to be acceptable solely at the discretion of the CO, and in the event the CO unilaterally determines that any such OCI cannot be satisfactorily avoided or mitigated, the CO may affect other remedies as he or she deems necessary, including prohibiting the Contractor from participation in subsequent contracted requirements which may be affected by the OCI. 10. Risk Control The Contractor shall ensure that all its personnel while at VAIHCS comply with all applicable Federal, State and local regulatory requirements, including OSHA and EPA. 11. Period of Performance The period of performance is 01DEC2020-31JAN2021.