H265--RESPETORY FIT TESTING - INDUSTRIAL HYGIENIST SERVICES

Interested & Capable Responses NCO 5 is seeking responses from businesses that are interested in this procurement and consider themselves to have the resources and capabilities necessary to provide these services. Please respond with your: Business name, business type, socio-economic status (e.g., Veteran-Owned, Woman-Owned, Disadvantaged Small Business, 8(a), etc.), and person of contact (including telephone number & email address). GSA contract number, if applicable, including the contract s ultimate completion date inclusive of all remaining option periods. Capability statements, technical capability, past performance, etc. Approximate cost estimate to purchase the services described blew. Responses must be submitted by 15:00 AM (EST) January 17, 2024. Responses to the information requested above may be submitted via email ONLY to CO: Robert O Keefe - Robert.okeefejr@va.gov This request for information/sources sought

notice is for planning purposes ONLY. The results of this market research will assist in the development of (1) the requirement, and (2) the acquisition strategy (e.g., small business set-aside, full and open competition, etc.). VA assumes no responsibility for any costs incurred associated with the preparation of responses submitted as a result of this notice. GENERAL INFORMATION Title of Project: Industrial Hygiene Program Support for our Washington D.C. VA Medical Center (DCVAMC). Scope of Work: The Department of Veterans Affairs Washington, D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) intends to use the services of a Contractor to provide supplemental industrial hygiene support to assist with the high demand of fit testing and indoor air quality assessments at the DC VAMC. All work shall be conducted in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Act of 1970, OSHA respirator standard 29 CFR 1910.134 and ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170-2021, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities. Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR) Protection of Environment. OSHA s General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1). Respiratory Fit Testing The fit testing schedule shall be in accordance with a schedule determined by the Safety Office and based on employee demand. Testing days shall be scheduled on Tuesdays from 6:30 am - 3:00 pm to cover all shifts. Safety reserves the right to adjust schedule and give contractor at least a weeks notice. Fit tester shall follow OSHA requirements for fit testing and train each employee on the respirator they will be wearing. The contractor shall insure each employee has been medically cleared to wear a respirator within the past 6 months. Fit test will ensure the following documentation: The name of each employee s to be fit tested. Service and Department The date an employee s medical questionnaire was approved by the LHCP. The type of respirator each employee was fitted with, results, fit tester identification and the date trained on the respirator. Employee signature and the date of testing The contractor shall complete fit testing notification cards (supplied by the VA COR; this card lists the respirator the employee is to wear, and the date fit testing was completed) and provide this card to each employee upon the completion of fit testing. A minimum of one fit tester will be provided during each session.  All fit testing materials will be supplied by the DC VAMC Occupational Safety & Health Service. The contractor shall keep the COR informed of the level of supplies needed for the week. The contractor shall be required to periodically clean the fit testing equipment to ensure that saccharin is flowing through the nebulizer. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Assessments IAQ has been identified by the EPA as one of the top five most urgent environmental risks to public health (2). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the majority of Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors (3). On average, office workers spend approximately 40 hours a week in office. buildings. IAQ problems can arise from a single source or any combination of factors. Inadequate IAQ may begin with poor building design or failure of the building enclosure or envelope (roof, facade, foundation, etc.). A certified industrial hygienist (IH) will conduct IAQ s for the facility as needed. The IH will: Conduct a visual assessment in areas of concern and the air handling units (AHUs) which serve those areas. Conduct a limited visual assessment of supply air and return air diffusers located in the areas of concern. Collect temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide measurements in areas of concern, one control area, and outside. Collection of up to 4 nonviable spore trap samples to be analyzed for airborne fungi concentrations. Samples will be collected in the areas of concern, outside the building, and in one control area. Collect moisture measurement of any moisture impacted building materials. All samples will be collected in accordance with applicable standards and will be analyzed with a 3-day turnaround time by a laboratory accredited by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). Location: Washington DC, VAMC 50 Irving ST NW Washington, DC 20422 Background: In accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), code of federal regulations CFR 1910.134 some Washington DC, VAMC employees are required to be included in a comprehensive respiratory protection program. All are entitled to a safe workplace. Specific Requirements CONTRACTOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES: In accomplishing any work under this contract the contractor is totally responsible for his/her full compliance with all applicable, federal, state, and local government policies, regulations, procedures, specifications, etc., that apply to work of this nature. In addition, the contractor must obtain and keep current all licenses, OSHA training, permits, etc., that may be required by the above-mentioned agencies to accomplish the work. The contractors shall ensure the Program Administrator or COR is sent electronic documentation in Microsoft Excel or Access, that will categorize and track healthcare personnel who have been fit-tested and trained during the contract period. The VA will supply all testing equipment and tools. Contractor will notify COR when supplies are needed. RESPIRATOR FIT-TESTING: Contractor shall use an OSHA-Accepted Fit Test Protocol (i.e., QLFT or QNFT), per OSHA 1910.134 for each test subject fitted, tested and issued a NIOSH Approved respiratory device. Contractor shall ensure the test subject conducts a user seal check, either the negative and positive pressure seal check as described in OSHA Standard Appendix B-1 or those recommended by the respirator manufacturer which provides equivalent protection to the procedures in Appendix B-1. The Contractor shall discontinue or not fit test a test subject, if any of the following are detected: (a) Hair growth, such as stubble beard growth, beard, mustache or sideburns between the skin and respirator face-piece that prevents or interferes with respirator face seal; (b) Any apparel which interferes with a satisfactory fit; (c) Test subject exhibits difficulty in breathing during the tests, she or he shall be referred to a physician or other licensed healthcare professional (i.e., Employee Health Clinic), as applicable, to determine whether the test subject can wear a respirator while performing her or his duties; (d) If the employee finds the fit of the respirator unacceptable, the test subject shall be given the opportunity to select a different respirator from the approve list of respirators identified within the statement of work, and retested; Performance Period: The period of performance is one year from contract date of award with 4 option years. Work at the government site shall not take place on Federal holidays or weekends. In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 6103, Executive Order 11582 and Public Law 94-97 the following national holidays are observed and for the purpose of this contract are defined as Legal Federal official holidays New Year s Day January 1st Martin Luther King s Birthday Third Monday in January President s Day Last Monday in January Memorial Day Last Monday in January Juneteenth June 19th Independence Day July 4th Labor Day First Monday in September Columbus Day Second Monday in October Veteran s Day November 11th Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November Christmas Day December 25th **When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as a National Holiday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as a National Holiday by U.S. Government Agencies. Type of Contract: Anticipated: Firm-Fixed-Price Contract. 7. Place of Performance: Work will be performed on DCVAMC main campus in Washington, DC. Under Occupational Safety & Health Office. B. CHANGES TO STATEMENT OF WORK Any changes to this SOW shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the CO. A copy of each change will be kept in a project folder along with all other products of the project. Costs incurred by the contractor through the actions of parties other than the CO shall be borne by the contractor. PROOF OF BUSINESS LICENSES: Contractor is responsible for acquisition of all applicable business licenses and permits required by laws applicable to the State. Contractor shall certify that it acknowledges and is in possession of all required business licenses and permits. APPROVED RESPIRATORS: The Approved Respirators List is representative of typical respiratory devices used by wearers of a respiratory device in this facility are listed below. 3M 1860, 3M 1870