Fire Department Connection

Combined Synopsis-Solicitation for Commercial Products and Commercial Services Revision 01 Effective: 05/30/2023 Description This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products and services prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Products and Services, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes only solicitation; quotes are being requested, and a written solicitation document will not be issued. This solicitation is issued as RFQ 36C24125Q0686. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2025-04. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is NAICS 238220 (Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors) SBA size standard $19 Million. VA Connecticut Healthcare Systems (VACHS), West Haven Campus, requires the permeant repair of the Fire Department Connection (FDC), located on the exterior of Bldg. 1, next to the morgue loading dock. The FDC is currently leaking and, VACHS is seeking a contractor with the appropriate material, skills and licensing to properly replace the check valve that has failed. The full SOW will be attached; any technical questions will be directed at Melissa Metevelis 203-932-5711 x4199. A mandatory pre-bid site visit is required. Bidders shall perform a pre-bid walkthrough at 8:30 a.m. on July 29, 2025 at VA Medical Center West Haven located at 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT 06516. Meet at Building 15 and obtain a temporary day badge and complete a sign-in sheet. All interested companies shall provide quotations for the following: STATEMENT OF WORK Fire Department Connection (FDC) BACKGROUND VA Connecticut Healthcare Systems (VACHS), West Haven Campus, requires the permeant repair of the Fire Department Connection (FDC), located on the exterior of Bldg. 1, next to the morgue loading dock. The FDC is currently leaking and, VACHS is seeking a contractor with the appropriate material, skills and licensing to properly replace the check valve that has failed. JUSTIFICATION The FDC s are a vital part of the hospitals fire suppression system and can provide an additional source of water in the event of a failure or blockage. The repair of the FDC is required to meet the NFPA redundancy requirements for fire suppression systems. LOCATION OF SERVICES VA Medical Center West Haven 950 Campbell Ave West Haven, CT 06516 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The Contract Time Period of Performance will be 90 calendar days from Notice to Proceed (NTP) and includes contractor closeout. QUALIFICATIONS Contractor shall have knowledge of Fire Department Connections, their mechanical components and how they work on fire sprinkler systems. The contractor shall possess an F-1 license for maintenance and repair of fire protection systems. A mandatory pre-bid site visit is required. Bidders shall perform a pre-bid walkthrough at 8:30 a.m. on July 29, 2025 at VA Medical Center West Haven located at 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT 06516. Meet at Building 15 and obtain a temporary day badge and complete a sign-in sheet. The contractor shall have staff located within 200 miles of West Haven Campus. SCOPE OF WORK The scope of this work includes coordination, site prep, transportation of personnel and equipment, inspection and the replacement of a 4 check valve. The vendor shall acquire services for the abatement of 2 gaskets and cleaning of the flanges. The bolts currently in place on the check valve have a square head which is typically indicative of a TSI flange. Vendor shall only be responsible for abatement services and the VA will acquire 3rd party services for VPIH. The contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, equipment, tools, supervision, and all incidentals to investigate and repair the FDC as outlined in the objectives. Work shall occur during regular business hours between 7:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. or as coordinated with the COR and/or appropriate FMS POC. OBJECTIVES The requirements for the FDC and fire sprinkler system repairs shall be in conformance with the following standards/codes/specifications/regulations to include but not limited to: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13, 25, 101, & 170. Department of Veterans Affairs, Master Construction Specification Division 21 Specification 21 13 13 Department of Veterans Affairs, Master Construction Specification Division 22 Specification 22 05 23 The contractor will be responsible for coordinating, scheduling, and reporting all work-related activities. The responsibilities shall include but are not limited to: Vendor shall submit the required abatement paperwork to the State of CT IAW all applicable laws and regulations prior to planning and coordinating the removal of the check valve. Coordinate isolation and drain down of the fire sprinkler riser in Bldg. 1, Stairwell #2. This includes coordination for shutdown of flow alarms with the safety office. LOTO IAW applicable contractor and VA policy MCP 138-075. Setup containment in data center room SG 105, to protect all servers in place. This will include a plan to catch all standing water in pipes during the removal of the inoperable check valve. Remove the failed, 4 check valve, and properly abate the gaskets IAW state of CT and EPA requirements. Vendor shall not remove the valve or flanges without a IH present to observe and verify the process. Replace and install the 4 check valve with a new class 125, iron swing check valve with lever and weight closure control. The valve shall have a CWP rating of 200 psig, with a bolted bonnet and flanged ends. Removal of LOTO devices IAW contractor and VA policies. Recharging the system to verify the leak was properly addressed. Additional items in need of rework/repair that are identified during the scope of the work outlined above shall be reported via email and by phone or in person NLT EOD on the day of discovery. Coordinate all placement and removal of Lockout Tagout devices for any energy sources with FMS VA COR, Maintenance & Operations and FMS Safety and Outage Coordinator. Protect all equipment in place during work activities. Remove and dispose of debris and empty containers as a result of the work. Work hours for service and corrective maintenance shall be as follows, unless otherwise requested/approved by the COR or appropriate VA representative: 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. SUBMITTALS/DELIVERABLES Prior to the start of work, the specifications shall require the contractor to develop and submit such plans as required by the VA relating to Safety and Environmental Issues. These may include but are not limited to: A copy of the notification to the state for abatement for the check valve. A copy of the master plumbers F-1 license. Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) / Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) Acknowledgement of VA LOTO requirements (Attachment C) and contractor LOTO policy. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS Subcontracting of any ensuing award of this solicitation shall not be allowed without written permission of the Contracting Officer. Service response on calls from unauthorized personnel could result in non-payment. Contractor Check-in: All employees of the service provider shall comply with VA Security Management Program and obtain permission of the VA Police and restricted from unauthorized access. Upon arrival, the contractor shall sign-in at Building 15, 1st Floor, FMS office and/or receive a temporary identification badge prior to performing services at VA Connecticut Healthcare System. The contractor shall wear visible identification always displaying the name and company ID while on site. All site visits shall be coordinated with the VA COR. The Contracting Officer (CO), Contracting Officer s Representative (COR), and/or Project Manager (PM) specifically reserve the right to reject any of the Contractor s personnel and refuse them permission to work on the equipment outlined herein, based upon credentials provided. Per VA Directive 1805, smoking vaping, and smokeless tobacco are prohibited on the grounds of VA facilities, including in vehicles. This Directive applies to all Service providers and their employees. No photography of VA premises is allowed without written permission of the contracting officer. Patients and staff are not to be photographed at any time. VA reserves the right to close down or shut down the facilities and order Service provider employees off the premises in the event of a national emergency. The Service provider may return to the site only with the written approval of the VA Contracting Officer. Parking for Service provider and its employees shall be in designated areas only. Service provider to coordinate with COR. The Service provider shall confine all operations (including storage of materials) on government premises to areas authorized or approved by the VA Contracting Officer. The Service provider shall hold and save the government, its officers, and agents, free and harmless from liability of any nature occasioned by the Service provider s performance. Working space and space available for storing materials shall be as determined by the COR. Workers are subject to the rules of the Medical Center applicable to their conduct. Execute work in such a manner as to reduce impacts with work being done by others. Billing: Provide COR and/or PM with a report or statement of work completed and include statements with request for payment. Statement should include service completed and the date each service item was completed. Labor charges shall be billed hourly, and any unused labor totals will be credited back to the VA Medical Center on the next billing cycle, upon receipt of the service report. RECORDS MANAGEMENT STATEMENT Contractor shall comply with all applicable records management laws and regulations, as well as National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records policies, including but not limited to the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. chs. 21, 29, 31, 33), NARA regulations at 36 CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B, and those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). These policies include the preservation of all records, regardless of form or characteristics, mode of transmission, or state of completion. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, all data created for Government use and delivered to, or falling under the legal control of, the Government are Federal records subject to the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended and must be managed and scheduled for disposition only as permitted by statute or regulation. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, Contractor shall maintain all records created for Government use or created in the course of performing the contract and/or delivered to, or under the legal control of the Government and must be managed in accordance with Federal law. Electronic records and associated metadata must be accompanied by sufficient technical documentation to permit understanding and use of the records and data. VA Medical Center West Haven and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of the VA Medical Center West Haven or destroyed except for in accordance with the provisions of the agency records schedules and with the written concurrence of the Head of the Contracting Activity. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. In the event of any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records, Contractor must report to VA Medical Center West Haven. The agency must report promptly to NARA in accordance with 36 CFR 1230. The Contractor shall immediately notify the appropriate Contracting Officer upon discovery of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of information, data, documentary materials, records or equipment. Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know as described in the [contract vehicle]. The Contractor shall ensure that the appropriate personnel, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is properly protected. The Contractor shall not remove material from Government facilities or systems, or facilities or systems operated or maintained on the Government s behalf, without the express written permission of the Head of the Contracting Activity. When information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is no longer required, it shall be returned to VA Medical Center West Haven control, or the Contractor must hold it until otherwise directed. Items returned to the Government shall be hand carried, mailed, emailed, or securely electronically transmitted to the Contracting Officer or address prescribed in the [contract vehicle]. Destruction of records is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED unless in accordance with Paragraph (4). The Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, contracts. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and VA Medical Center West Haven guidance for protecting sensitive, proprietary information, classified, and controlled unclassified information. The Contractor shall only use Government IT equipment for purposes specifically tied to or authorized by the contract and in accordance with VA Medical Center West Haven policy. The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public VA Medical Center West Haven information that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract. The Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected from public disclosure by an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act. The VA Medical Center West Haven owns the rights to all data and records produced as part of this contract. All deliverables under the contract are the property of the U.S. Government for which VA Medical Center West Haven shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest. Any Contractor rights in the data or deliverables must be identified as required by FAR 52.227-11 through FAR 52.22720. Training. All Contractor employees assigned to this contract who create, work with, or otherwise handle records are required to take VHA-provided records management training, Talent Management System (TMS) Item #3873736, Records Management for Records Officers and Liaisons. The Contractor is responsible for confirming training has been completed according to agency policies, including initial training and any annual or refresher training. SAFETY CODES / CERTIFICATION / LICENSING The Contractor shall comply with all codes as described above, as well as codes customarily applied in VA repair such as NFPA fire code, OSHA, VA Design Guides, etc. Labs used by the contractor shall be licensed as required by any applicable governing agencies, and their certifications and licenses shall be included in the reports. TRAVEL Contractor will travel from their place of business to the West Haven VAMC of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. TERMS AND CONDITIONS User Responsibility: The contractor shall not be held responsible under the terms of this contract for repairs to equipment necessitated by user abuse and/or misuse of equipment. All work is subject to inspection, review and approval by the Plumbing Shop Supervisor, Utility System Supervisor, Chief M&O, Chief Engineer, and/or their designees. Evaluation Process Award will be made to the best price, as determined to be the most beneficial to the Government. Please read each section below carefully for the submittals and information required as part of the evaluation. Failure to provide the requested information below shall be considered non-compliant and your quote could be removed from the evaluation process. Vendors quotes shall be evaluated under FAR Part 13.106-2(b) -- Evaluation of Quotations or Offers. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible vendor whose quote conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price, past performance, and capabilities. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Price (Follow these instructions): Offeror shall complete pricing for the scope of work provided. Ensure your representations and certifications are complete in the System for Award Management (SAM)( https://www.sam.gov). Otherwise, you will need to fill out solicitation Clause 52.212-3 "Offeror Representation and Certifications -Commercial Items and submit with the quote. Federal Acquisition Regulations require that federal contractors register in the SAM database at http://www.sam.gov and enter all mandatory information into the system. Award cannot be made until the contractor has registered. Offerors are encouraged to ensure that they are registered in SAM prior to submitting their quotation. 2. Past Performance: a. Provide (3) references of work, similar in scope and size with the requirement detailed in the Statement of Work. References must include contact information; brief description of the work completed, and contract # (if relevant). Please utilize Attachment 1 Past Performance Worksheet for your references and please submit as part of your quote submission. References may be checked by the Contracting Officer to ensure your company can perform the Statement of Work. The Government also reserves the right to obtain information for use in the evaluation of past performance from all sources. 3. Technical: The offeror s quote shall be evaluated to determine if the organization has the experience and capabilities to provide the requested services IAW the Statement of Work in a timely efficient manner. a. Contractor shall demonstrate their corporate experience and approach to meet all requirements stated in the Statement of Work. b. Contractor shall demonstrate that their technicians meet the qualification standards stated in the Statement of Work. c. Contractor shall provide all current and relevant or license(s) to include manufacture training certificate etc. d. If you are planning to sub-contract some or all of this work, please provide the name and address(s) of all subcontractor(s) (if applicable) and a description of their planned subcontracting effort. The full text of FAR provisions or clauses may be accessed electronically at http://acquisition.gov/comp/far/index.html. (x) Please include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, with your offer via the SAM.gov website or a written copy. (xi) Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition in addition to the following addenda s to the clause: 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998), 52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights and Requirement to Inform Employees of Whistleblower Rights (JUN 2020), 52.204-4 Printed or Copied Double-Sided on Postconsumer Fiber Content Paper (MAY 2011), 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance (OCT 2018), 52.204-18 Commercial Government Entity Code Maintenance (AUG 2020), 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (MAR 2000), 52.228-5 Insurance-Work on a Government Installation (JAN 1997), 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontracting (DEC 2013), 852.212-70 Provisions and Clauses Applicable to VA Acquisitions of Commercial Items (APR 2020) 852.203-70 Commercial Advertising 852.219-74, VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside 852.232-72 Electronic Submissions of Payment Requests 852.233-70 Protest Content/Alternative Dispute Resolution 852.233-71 Alternate Protest Procedure 852.270-1 Representatives of Contracting Officers 852.219-74 Limitations on Subcontracting Monitoring and Compliance (JUL 2018) As prescribed in 819.7203(a) insert the following clause: (a) This solicitation includes 852.219-74, VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside, (b) Accordingly, any contract resulting from this solicitation is subject to the limitation on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR 125.6. The Contractor is advised that in performing contract administration functions, the Contracting Officer may use the services of a support contractor(s) retained by VA to assist in assessing the Contractor s compliance with the limitations on subcontracting or percentage of work performance requirements specified in the clause. To that end, the support contractor(s) may require access to Contractor s offices where the Contractor s business records or other proprietary data are retained and to review such business records regarding the Contractor s compliance with this requirement. (c) All support contractors conducting this review on behalf of VA will be required to sign an Information Protection and Non-Disclosure and Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest Agreement to ensure the Contractor s business records or other proprietary data reviewed or obtained in the course of assisting the Contracting Officer in assessing the Contractor for compliance are protected to ensure information or data is not improperly disclosed or other impropriety occurs. (d) Furthermore, if VA determines any services the support contractor(s) will perform in assessing compliance are advisory and assistance services as defined in FAR 2.101, Definitions, the support contractor(s) must also enter into an agreement with the Contractor to protect proprietary information as required by FAR 9.505-4, Obtaining access to proprietary information, paragraph (b). The Contractor is required to cooperate fully and make available any records as may be required to enable the Contracting Officer to assess the Contractor s compliance with the limitations on subcontracting or percentage of work performance requirement. (End of clause) 852.219-77 VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting Certificate of Compliance for Services and Construction. As prescribed in 819.7009(c) insert the following clause: VA NOTICE OF LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION (SEP 2021) (DEVIATION) (a) Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 8127(k)(2), the offeror certifies that (1) If awarded a contract (see FAR 2.101 definition), it will comply with the limitations on subcontracting requirement as provided in the solicitation and the resultant contract, as follows: [Contracting Officer check the appropriate box below based on the predominant NAICS code assigned to the instant acquisition as set forth in FAR 19.102.] (i) [X] Services. In the case of a contract for services (except construction), the contractor will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs as set forth in 852.219-74 or VOSBs as set forth in 852.219-11. Any work that a similarly situated VIP-listed subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 50% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Other direct costs may be excluded to the extent they are not the principal purpose of the acquisition and small business concerns do not provide the service as set forth in 13 CFR 125.6. (ii) [ ] General construction. In the case of a contract for general construction, the contractor will not pay more than 85% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs as set forth in 852.219-74 or VOSBs as set forth in 852.219-11. Any work that a similarly situated VIP-listed subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 85% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Cost of materials are excluded and not considered to be subcontracted. (iii) Special trade construction contractors. In the case of a contract for special trade contractors, the contractor will not pay more than 75% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs as set forth in 852.219-74 or VOSBs as set forth in 852.219-11. Any work that a similarly situated subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 75% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Cost of materials are excluded and not considered to be subcontracted. (2) The offeror acknowledges that this certification concerns a matter within the jurisdiction of an Agency of the United States. The offeror further acknowledges that this certification is subject to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, and, as such, a false, fictitious, or fraudulent certification may render the offeror subject to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties, including prosecution. (3) If VA determines that an SDVOSB/VOSB awarded a contract pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 8127 did not act in good faith, such SDVOSB/VOSB shall be subject to any or all of the following: (i) Referral to the VA Suspension and Debarment Committee; (ii) A fine under section 16(g)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 645(g)(1)); and (iii) Prosecution for violating section 1001 of title 18. (b) The offeror represents and understands that by submission of its offer and award of a contract it may be required to provide copies of documents or records to VA that VA may review to determine whether the offeror complied with the limitations on subcontracting requirement specified in the contract. The Contracting Officer may, at their discretion, require the Contractor to demonstrate its compliance with the limitations on subcontracting at any time during performance and upon completion of a contract if the information regarding such compliance is not already available to the Contracting Officer. Evidence of compliance includes, but is not limited to, invoices, copies of subcontracts, or a list of the value of tasks performed. (c) The offeror further agrees to cooperate fully and make available any documents or records as may be required to enable VA to determine compliance with the limitations on subcontracting requirement. The offeror understands that failure to provide documents as requested by VA may result in remedial action as the Government deems appropriate. (d) Offeror completed certification/fill-in required. The formal certification must be completed, signed, and returned with the offeror s bid, quotation, or proposal. The Government will not consider offers for award from offerors that do not provide the certification, and all such responses will be deemed ineligible for evaluation and award. I hereby certify that if awarded the contract, [insert name of offeror] will comply with the limitations on subcontracting specified in this clause and in the resultant contract. I further certify that I am authorized to execute this certification on behalf of [insert name of offeror]. Printed Name of Signee: _________________________________ Printed Title of Signee: ________________________________ Signature: ______________________________________________ Date: ___________________________________________________ Company Name and Address: ______________________________________________________________________________ (End of clause) 852.242-71 Administrative Contracting Officer. As prescribed in 842.271, insert the following clause: ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTING OFFICER (OCT 2020) The Contracting Officer reserves the right to designate an Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO) for the purpose of performing certain tasks/duties in the administration of the contract. Such designation will be in writing through an ACO Letter of Delegation and will identify the responsibilities and limitations of the ACO. A copy of the ACO Letter of Delegation shall be furnished to the Contractor. (End of clause) (xii) Clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes Or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and in addition to the following FAR clauses cited, which are also applicable to the acquisition: 52.203-6, 52.204-10, 52.209-6, 52.219-4, 52.219-8, 52.219-6, 52.219-28, 52.222-3, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.222-40, 52.222-50, 52.223-18, 52.225-3, 52.225-13, 52.232-33, 52.222-41 (Wage Determination West Haven and Newington VAMC WD 2015-4127 and 2015-411, 52.222-42, 52.222-43, 52.222-55, 52.222-6 (xiii) All contract requirement(s) and/or terms and conditions are stated above. (xiv) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) and assigned rating are not applicable to this requirement. (xv) RFQ questions are due NLT 07/29/2025 at 17:00 PM EST. RFQ responses are due NLT 08/01/2025 at 17:00 PM EST. RFQ responses must be submitted via email with RFQ #36C24125Q0686 in the subject line to: Nathan.Langone@va.gov Hand deliveries shall not be accepted. (xvi) The POC of this solicitation is Nathan Langone (Nathan.Langone@va.gov)