High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) Staff Training

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

High Consequence Infectious Disease Staff Training

Notice ID: 36C24827Q0097
Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs
Sub-tier: Veterans Health Administration
Contracting Office: NCO8
Notice Type: Sources Sought
Proposed Set-Aside: To Be Determined
NAICS Code: 611430
Product Service Code: U009
Response Deadline: 11/16/2026, 2:00 P.M. EST
Place of Performance: Orlando VA Medical Center, 13800 Veterans Way, Orlando, Florida 32827

1. Purpose

This Sources Sought Notice is issued solely for market research and acquisition-planning purposes. The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking information from qualified business concerns capable of providing High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) training to staff of the Orlando VA Healthcare System.

The information received may be used to determine the availability and capability of prospective contractors, the commercial availability of the required services, and the appropriate acquisition strategy, including whether a socioeconomic set-aside is supportable. Federal market research is used to determine whether capable sources and commercial services exist.

For VA acquisitions, market research also supports the determination of whether capable certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses or Veteran-Owned Small Businesses are likely to submit offers at fair and reasonable prices.

2. Disclaimer

This notice is not a solicitation. It is not a Request for Proposal, Request for Quotation, Invitation for Bid, or commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract.

Responses will not be considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Submission of information is voluntary, and the Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparing or submitting a response. The Government is not obligated to provide respondents with the results of this market research.

Respondents should not submit pricing proposals unless specifically requested below. Proprietary information should be clearly marked. The Government may use information received to refine its requirements and acquisition strategy.

3. Background

The Orlando VA Healthcare System Emergency Management Service supports incident response and recovery operations involving natural and human-caused emergencies. Its mission includes coordination with Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial organizations during significant incidents and emergencies.

The contemplated requirement would strengthen staff readiness to identify, manage, and respond safely to HCIDs while maintaining appropriate infection-prevention, occupational-safety, and patient-care practices.

4. Anticipated Scope

The contractor would provide instructor-led virtual training and onsite practical training. The anticipated requirement includes the following components.

4.1 Virtual Interactive Training

The contractor would conduct up to six virtual interactive classes, with no more than 50 participants per class, to train as many as 300 staff members.

Anticipated subject areas include:

• HCID definitions, examples, epidemiology, and modes of transmission;
• Recognition, signs and symptoms, case definitions, and clinical presentation;
• Standard, contact, droplet, and airborne precautions;
• PPE selection and general donning and doffing procedures;
• Hand hygiene;
• Environmental cleaning and disinfection;
• Waste management;
• Patient isolation and transportation within the facility;
• Coordination with infection-prevention and public-health organizations;
• Safe specimen collection, packaging, and transportation;
• Post-exposure decontamination, reporting, prophylaxis, and monitoring;
• Occupational Health responsibilities;
• Risk communication, patient and family education, and reporting;
• Support for staff and patient emotional care; and
• Other related HCID preparedness topics identified by the Government.

4.2 Onsite Practical Training

The contractor would conduct five onsite classes providing hands-on PPE donning and doffing instruction. Each class would contain no more than 15 participants, with practical training provided to a maximum of 60 staff members. The unused slots are designed to allow some flexibility to accommodate staffing schedles.

Instruction would use a checklist-based method under which participants rotate between reading the procedure and demonstrating correct donning and doffing until competency is achieved.

The Government anticipates providing the training PPE, including:

• 3M TR-600 powered air-purifying respirators;
• Tyvek 800 coveralls;
• Inner gloves;
• Extended-cuff outer gloves;
• Knee-high shoe covers; and
• Hospital scrubs.

The contractor would also instruct participants on PPE-waste management and applicable post-exposure procedures.

4.3 Standards

Training must be based on current authoritative guidance and comply with applicable requirements, including:

• Current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance;
• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030;
• OSHA Personal Protective Equipment requirements, 29 CFR 1910.132; and
• OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134.

4.4 Schedule

All courses are anticipated to be completed within 60 calendar days after contract award.

Onsite training may occur outside normal business hours to accommodate staff schedules and may be scheduled over multiple consecutive days. Exact dates and times would be coordinated between the contractor and the designated VA point of contact.

5. Anticipated Contractor Responsibilities

The contractor would be expected to:

1. Provide qualified instructors with demonstrated HCID, infection-prevention, PPE, and adult-training experience.
2. Conduct all virtual and onsite classes.
3. Provide its own laptop and presentation equipment for onsite instruction because access to the VA computer network may not be available.
4. Provide professionally prepared workbooks, handouts, manuals, and related instructional materials.
5. Make virtual-training materials available electronically in PDF format.
6. Maintain accurate attendance records.
7. Provide completion certificates to participants.
8. Assess each practical-training participant’s competency.
9. Provide completed competency documentation to the participant and designated VA personnel.
10. Administer participant feedback assessments at the end of each session.
11. Summarize assessment results and provide the supporting feedback records to designated VA personnel.
12. Monitor practical-training participants for signs of heat stress or other safety concerns while PPE is worn.
13. Comply with applicable VA security, privacy, records-management, facility-access, and safety requirements.

6. Government-Furnished Support

The Government anticipates:

• Coordinating mutually acceptable training dates and times;
• Providing suitable space for onsite classroom and practical instruction;
• Providing training PPE and related supplies; and
• Confirming that onsite participants are medically cleared before participating in PPE exercises.

7. Information Requested

Interested organizations should submit a capability statement containing, at minimum:

1. Business information
   
   • Legal business name;
   • Physical and mailing addresses;
   • Website;
   • Primary point of contact;
   • Telephone number and email address;
   • Unique Entity Identifier;
   • Commercial and Government Entity code; and
   • Current SAM.gov registration status.
2. Business size and socioeconomic status
   • Large or small business under the proposed NAICS code;
   • Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business;
   • Veteran-Owned Small Business;
   • Women-Owned Small Business;
   • Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business;
   • 8(a) participant;
   • HUBZone small business; or
   • Other applicable socioeconomic category.
3. Technical capability
   • A concise explanation of the firm’s ability to perform all virtual and onsite training requirements;
   • Qualifications and relevant experience of proposed instructors;
   • Experience delivering HCID, infection-prevention, respiratory-protection, and  PPE competency training to healthcare professionals;
   • Experience developing and conducting interactive virtual instruction for large audiences;
   • Ability to conduct onsite practical instruction in Orlando, Florida;
   • Ability to provide the required training within 60 days after award based on a mutually agreeable schedule; and
   • Ability to support sessions outside normal business hours, which may include overnight.

• Relevant experience
  
  • Up to three contracts or projects of similar size, scope, and complexity completed or substantially performed within the last five years for healthcare professionals;
  • Customer or agency name;
  • Contract number, if applicable;
  • Period of performance;
  • Brief description of services;
  • Approximate contract value; and
  • Customer Point of Contact, if releasable.
• Contract vehicles
  • Applicable GSA Multiple Award Schedule contracts;
  • VA Federal Supply Schedule contracts;
  • Government-wide acquisition contracts;
  • Indefinite-delivery vehicles; or
  • Other contracts through which these services may be ordered.
• Subcontracting
  • Identification of any portion of the requirement expected to be subcontracted;
  • Approximate percentage of work to be subcontracted; and
  • Description of the respondent’s ability to comply with applicable limitations on subcontracting.
• Commercial practices
  • Whether the services are customarily offered in the commercial marketplace;
  • Typical pricing structure, such as per class, per participant, or fixed-price package;
  • Customary lead time and cancellation terms; and
  • Recommended contract type.
• Requirement feedback
  • Recommended NAICS code and PSC;
  • Any requirements that may unnecessarily restrict competition;
  • Suggested changes that would improve performance, scheduling, safety, or value;
  • Minimum information or Government support needed to prepare a future quotation or proposal; and
  • Any other relevant recommendations.

8. Response Format

Capability statements should:

• Be submitted in Microsoft Word or searchable PDF format;
• Use a readable font of at least 11 points;
• Clearly identify proprietary information; and
• Include the notice ID and company name in the filename.

Marketing material alone is not sufficient. Responses should be tailored to the specific requirement described in this notice.

9. Submission Instructions

Submit responses electronically to:

Contracting Officer: Stephen Mancuso
Email: contact@example.gov
Subject Line: Sources Sought Response – HCID Staff Training

Notice ID: 36C24827Q0097

Responses must be received no later than 2:00 P.M. EST on 11/16/2026.

Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.

10. Additional Information

The Government may contact respondents for clarification or additional market-research information. Participation in this notice is not a prerequisite for responding to any future solicitation and will not provide a competitive advantage.

Interested parties are responsible for monitoring SAM.gov Contract Opportunities for amendments, updates, or any subsequent solicitation.