H265--Water Testing

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding the PSW Water Testing requirements for the Miami and Broward VA facilities.

• Dental Water Testing Parameters: Testing parameters for dental water are consistent with Sections 1.1 and 4.2 of the PWS.
• SPS Testing Parameters: Monthly SPS testing parameters are also consistent with Sections 1.1 and 4.2 of the PWS. Analyses listed in the Price/Cost Schedule (e.g., hardness, Copper, Endotoxin) are for SPS Testing requirements.
• Incumbent Contract: This is a new contract requirement; there is no current incumbent contract or existing price schedule available.
• Quote Due Date: Quotes are due by April 1, 2026, at 8:00 am EST.
• SF 1449 Form: Page 1 of the SF 1449 form is not required for submission.
• Retesting Requirements: Historical retesting data is not available. If retesting is needed, it can be accommodated through additional testing line items.
• Wet Ice Collection: Wet ice collection and testing requiring a 500 mL bottle are not anticipated.
• SPS Testing CLIN: Bundling SPS testing into a single CLIN is not permitted; all line items are required individually.
• SPS Retest Expectations: If an SPS sample fails, a retest is needed within 24-48 hours.
• Laboratory Accreditations: Laboratories must comply with all applicable federal, state, local, and industry standards.
• SPS Sample Quantities: Confirmed quantities per location are: Broward (3), Miami (4), and SPS trailer (7). Each location requires one sample per month.
• Dental Quarterly Testing Quantity: The quantity for dental quarterly testing is 250 mL.
• SPS Test Panel: The ST-108 test panel is the recommended panel for SPS testing.

Clarifies testing parameters, due dates, submission requirements, and pricing structure. Bidders should note the ST-108 is the recommended SPS test panel and the updated quote due date of April 1, 2026.

Amendment / Modification

• The offer due date for solicitation 36C24826R0069 has been extended.

• The purpose of this amendment is to provide responses to RFIs submitted by the RFI submittal date. A document titled "GOV Responses" is attached for this purpose.

• The offer due date is modified.

• The hour and date for receipt of offers is extended to April 1, 2026, at 08:00 EDT.

• Offerors are reminded that if they wish to change an offer already submitted, the change must be made by letter or electronic communication referencing the solicitation and this amendment, and must be received prior to the new opening hour and date.

Amendment / Modification

• The purpose of this amendment is to respond to RFIs submitted by the RFI submittal date.

• The offer due date has been extended to April 1, 2026, at 8:00 AM Eastern Time.

• The following documents are attached: "36C24826R0069 0001" and "GOV Responses."

• Offer due date.

• RFIs and their responses.

• The proposal due date has been extended to 04-01-2026 08:00 EASTERN TIME, NEW YORK, USA.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is VAAR 852.219-75, a "VA NOTICE OF LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING—CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION (JAN 2023) (DEVIATION)". It requires offerors to certify their compliance with subcontracting limitations if awarded a contract.

• Services Contract: Offeror certifies they will not pay more than 50% of the government-paid amount to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs or VOSBs.
• General Construction Contract: Offeror certifies they will not pay more than 85% of the government-paid amount to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs or VOSBs. Material costs are excluded.
• Special Trade Construction Contractors: Offeror certifies they will not pay more than 75% of the government-paid amount to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs or VOSBs. Material costs are excluded.
• Certification Acknowledgment: Offeror acknowledges the certification is subject to penalties under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.
• Compliance Verification: Offeror understands they may be required to provide documentation (invoices, subcontracts) to verify compliance.
• Cooperation: Offeror agrees to cooperate with VA in determining compliance.
• Required Completion: The certification must be completed, signed, and returned with the offer. Failure to provide it will result in the offer being deemed ineligible for award.

Bidders must complete and submit this certification with their offer. Failure to do so will make their bid ineligible for award. The specific percentage limitations (50%, 85%, or 75%) depend on the contract type (services, general construction, or special trade construction) and must be understood by the bidder to ensure compliance if awarded the contract.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document contains solicitation provisions (Section E) for an acquisition of commercial items, issued under FAR Part 12 and FAR Part 13 (Simplified Acquisition Procedures). It outlines instructions for offerors, evaluation criteria, and protest procedures.

• Offerors must provide a technical description of items offered.

• Acknowledgment of solicitation amendments is required.

• Past performance information is required when included as an evaluation factor.

• Offerors must provide a completed copy of representations and certifications (FAR 52.212-3).

• A capabilities statement is required, detailing years of experience, how PWS requirements will be met, and subcontractor information if applicable.

• An example of delivery of similar services or a statement of no past performance is required, including customer references.

• Insurance information must be provided.

• The solicitation is issued under the authority of FAR Part 12 and FAR Part 13.

• The period for acceptance of offers is 30 calendar days unless otherwise specified.

• Quotes are due by MARCH 30, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. EST.

• One electronic copy must be submitted via email to William.Bridger@va.gov.

• The email subject line must be: 36C24826R0069 Water Testing.

• Emails with attachments must not exceed 5MB; multiple emails are permitted for larger submissions.

• Faxed quotes are NOT permitted.

• Quotes will be evaluated based on the best overall benefit to the Government, considering technical, price, and past performance.

• The Government anticipates awarding to the responsible Quoter whose offer is most advantageous.

• The Government may conduct comparative evaluations and may communicate with only one quoter to address remaining issues.

• The Government reserves the right to select a response that exceeds minimum requirements.

• Alternate quotes are not accepted; only one quote per quoter.

• This solicitation is set-aside and limited to responsible SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) concerns.

• Offerors must be regularly established in the business, financially responsible, and able to demonstrate reliability, ability, experience, equipment, facilities, and personnel.

• Offerors must be considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code.

• Offerors must possess a valid and active System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

• Questions must be submitted in writing via email to William.Bridger@va.gov no later than MARCH 30, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. EST. No telephone questions will be accepted.

• The Contracting Officer will issue a consolidated response via solicitation amendment to SAM.GOV Contract Opportunities.

• Offerors must acknowledge any solicitation amendments.

• Information regarding responsibility matters (FAR 52.209-7) and service of protest procedures (FAR 52.233-2, VAAR 852.233-70, VAAR 852.233-71) are included.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document contains Section C, "Contract Clauses," which outlines the standard terms and conditions applicable to the contract. It incorporates FAR 52.12-4 and FAR 52.12-5, along with several other clauses, by reference. These clauses detail the legal and contractual framework governing the performance of the work.

• FAR 52.12-4 (Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services): Covers inspection/acceptance, assignment, changes, disputes, excusable delays, invoicing, patent indemnity, payment terms, risk of loss, taxes, termination for convenience/cause, title, warranty, limitation of liability, and compliance with laws.

• FAR 52.12-5 (Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders): Incorporates numerous clauses related to statutory and executive order requirements for commercial acquisitions, including prohibitions on certain technologies (Kaspersky, ByteDance, Unmanned Aircraft Systems), reporting requirements, small business utilization, equal opportunity, labor standards (Service Contract Labor Standards, Minimum Wages, Paid Sick Leave), and restrictions on foreign purchases.

• VAAR 852.219-73 (VA Notice of Total Set-Aside for Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses): Specifies requirements for SDVOSB concerns, including certification, eligibility, and limitations on subcontracting. Offers from non-certified entities will not be considered.

• VAAR 852.219-75 (VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting): Requires offerors to certify compliance with subcontracting limitations, particularly for services (50% to non-SDVOSBs), general construction (85%), and special trade construction (75%).

• VAAR 852.232-72 (Electronic Submission of Payment Requests): Mandates electronic submission of payment requests via specific VA systems or X12 EDI formats, with limited exceptions.

• Ordering Clauses (FAR 52.216-18, 52.216-19, 52.216-22): Define the ordering period (August 24, 2025, through August 23, 2030), minimum/maximum order limitations ($500 minimum, $700,000 maximum per order), and indefinite quantity terms.

• Option to Extend Services (FAR 52.217-8): Allows the Government to extend services for up to 6 months.

• Ordering Period: August 24, 2025, through August 23, 2030.

• Option to Extend: Up to 6 months.

• Not detailed in this section; refers to other parts of the solicitation.

• Total Set-Aside for Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB): Offerors must be certified and listed in the SBA certification database. Offers from non-certified entities will not be considered.

• Limitations on Subcontracting: Strict adherence required for SDVOSB concerns.

• This document is Section C, "Contract Clauses," and should be read in conjunction with other sections of the solicitation.

• Full text of referenced clauses is available upon request or at the provided URLs.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "B.2 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE.docx", outlines the pricing structure for water testing services across multiple ordering periods. It serves as a pricing sheet that bidders will likely need to complete or reference when submitting their proposals.

• Item Numbers: Distinct line items for various water testing services (e.g., Dental water testing samples, Legionella testing, Hardness testing, PH testing, etc.).
• Ordering Periods: The schedule is divided into five distinct ordering periods, each with its own set of item numbers and estimated quantities (e.g., Ordering Period 0: TBD-2026 to TBD-2027, Ordering Period 1: TBD-2027 to TBD-2028, etc.).
• Quantities and Units: Specifies the estimated quantity (e.g., 1,100 EA for Dental water testing samples) and unit of measure for each service.
• Unit Price and Amount: Blank fields are provided for bidders to enter their proposed unit prices and calculate the total amount for each item.
• Delivery Schedule: A separate section (B.3 DELIVERY SCHEDULE) indicates the ship-to address for the Department of Veterans Affairs Bruce W. Carter VAMC.

This pricing schedule is critical for bidders to understand the scope and estimated volume of water testing services required. Bidders must carefully review each item, determine their unit pricing, and ensure their proposed prices are competitive and cover all associated costs for each ordering period. The blank fields indicate where bidders need to provide their cost proposals for these services.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "B.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA.docx," provides essential administrative and contact information related to contract administration for the opportunity. It details how contract matters will be handled by both the contractor and the government.

• Contract Administration: Specifies that all contract administration matters will be handled by designated individuals. It outlines fields for contractor contact information (Name, POC, Email, Phone, SAM UIE#) which are left blank in this document, and provides the government's contact details: Contracting Officer 36C248, Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 8 (NCO 8), Miami VA Healthcare System, Miami, FL.
• Contractor Remittance Address: Indicates that payments will be made via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) through the System For Award Management (SAM), as per clause 52.232-33. The alternative, Payment by Third Party (52.232-36), is not selected.
• Invoices: Specifies that invoices shall be submitted monthly.
• Government Invoice Address: Directs contractors to submit all invoices electronically in accordance with VAAR Clause 852.232-72.
• Acknowledgment of Amendments: Includes a section for offerors to acknowledge receipt of any amendments to the solicitation, with spaces for amendment numbers and dates.

This document is crucial for bidders as it outlines the official points of contact for contract administration, the required method for electronic funds transfer for payments, the frequency of invoice submission (monthly), and the electronic submission requirement for invoices. It also provides a section for acknowledging any amendments, which is a standard part of the solicitation response process.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a Combined Synopsis Solicitation for commercial items, conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 8 (NCO 8), is seeking quotes for Water Testing Services. The solicitation number is 36C24826R0069.

The primary service required is Water Testing.

This is a competitive solicitation. The contract type and period of performance are not specified in this synopsis.

• Submission Method: Quotes must be submitted electronically via email to william.bridger@va.gov. Emails should not exceed five (5) megabytes.
• Questions Due: March 20, 2026, at 4:00 PM EST.
• Quotes Due: March 30, 2026, at 4:00 PM EST.
• Solicitation Documents: Bidders are responsible for downloading all solicitation documents and amendments from SAM.GOV.

This solicitation is set aside exclusively for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSBC) concerns. SDVOSB concerns must be certified in the Veteran Small Business Certification database (veterans.certify.sba.gov) at the time of quote receipt.

• Interested firms must be fully registered and active in the SAM database (www.sam.gov).
• Attached documents include: CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA, PWS - Water Testing, PRICE-COST SCHEDULE, SECTION C - CONTRACT CLAUSES, VAAR 852.219-75, and SECTION E.