N047--Steam Line

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Networking Contracting Office (NCO 01) located in Brockton, MA intends to enter into a sole source procurement, pursuant to the authority of FAR 6.302-1, with BL Mechanical Inc., for the following requirement: Statement of Work (SOW) Background and objective The Sterile Processing Service (SPS) cannot meet operating room (OR) demand due to insufficient steam supply to the sterilizers. Immediate installation of a dedicated high-pressure steam (HPS) feed and pressure-reducing station is required to restore sterilization throughput and avoid negative impacts to patient care and surgical schedules. The two Steris sterilizers in Room E2-85 have a combined maximum demand of 737 lb/hr at 50 psi minimum (including a 10% factor, per Steris). Scope The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, supervision, and incidentals to install a new 2-inch high-pressure steam feed from the subbasement main to Room E2-85, including a complete pressure-reducing station and tie-ins to existing sterilizer piping. Work shall comply with applicable VA standards and specifications and all governing codes and authorities having jurisdiction. Technical Requirements Steam piping: Extend new 2 HPS riser from subbasement to Room E2-85; provide valves, supports, insulation. Pressure-reducing station: Install cast steel PRV assembly with safety relief vented to atmosphere, gauges, strainers, isolation valves. Condensate: Install drip traps and tie into existing return. Architectural: Patch and paint openings to match existing. Codes, Standards, and References VA Standards and Specifications; ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code; ASME B31.1; OSHA; NFPA; Massachusetts state/local codes; Steris manufacturer requirements. Submittals Shop drawings, product data, calculations for PRV sizing and relief valve, ICRA/ILSM plans, work schedules, QA/QC plan, as-built drawings, O&M manuals. Execution, Safety, and Infection Control Implement ICRA barriers, negative air, HEPA protection; daily cleaning; Hot Work permits; Lockout/Tagout; coordinate shutdowns off-hours; maintain hospital operations. Testing, Commissioning, and Acceptance Pressure and leak tests; PRS functional test; trap testing; sterilizer integration; balancing and labeling; training for VA staff; deliver test reports and O&M manuals. Schedule and Milestones NTP + 3 days: Submittals; NTP + 10 days: Approvals and mobilization; NTP + 25 days: Rough-in complete; NTP + 30 days: Testing and substantial completion; NTP + 45 days: Final completion. Contractor Qualifications Experience with VA steam systems; ability to mobilize immediately; licensed pipefitters and welders; QA/QC program. Coordination and Meetings Kickoff meeting; weekly progress updates; daily coordination during shutdowns; route confirmation walk-through. Warranty Minimum 1-year warranty on labor and materials for PRS and piping. Deliverables Approved submittals; daily reports; test reports; training documentation; O&M manuals; as-builts. Constraints and Assumptions Maintain hospital operations; access subject to VA security; architectural finish restoration to match existing; VA approves final riser route. RECORDS MANAGEMENT OBLIGATIONS A.  Applicability This clause applies to all Contractors whose employees create, work with, or otherwise handle Federal records, as defined in Section B, regardless of the medium in which the record exists.   B.  Definitions Federal record as defined in 44 U.S.C. § 3301, includes all recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, made or received by a Federal agency under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the United States Government or because of the informational value of data in them.   The term Federal record: includes VHA records.  does not include personal materials. applies to records created, received, or maintained by Contractors pursuant to their VHA contract. may include deliverables and documentation associated with deliverables. C.  Requirements 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, the 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.  VHA 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 VHA or destroyed except 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, the Contractor must report to VHA. 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 VHA 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 VHA 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 VHA policy.  The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public VHA information that is 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 VHA 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 VHA 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 52.227-20. 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. The Contractor is responsible for confirming training has been completed according to agency policies, including initial training and any annual or refresher training.  ** VHA training for contractors is available in Talent Management System (TMS): Records Management for Records Officers and Liaisons, Item #3873736 D.  Flow down of requirements to subcontractors The Contractor shall incorporate the substance of this clause, its terms, and requirements including this paragraph, in all subcontracts under this [contract vehicle], and require written subcontractor acknowledgment of same.  Violation by a subcontractor of any provision set forth in this clause will be attributed to the Contractor. NAICS code for this requirement is 238220. This procurement will be sole sourced to BL Mechanical Inc, for the following reason: Prior experience with VA Boston steam infrastructure, eliminating onboarding delays. Specialized knowledge of Steris sterilizer requirements and integration with existing systems. Any other vendor would require site familiarization, security clearance processing, and design review, causing unacceptable delays. Failure to complete this work promptly will prevent Sterile Processing Service (SPS) from sterilizing surgical instruments, resulting in: Cancellation or postponement of surgeries, impacting veteran care. Increased infection risk due to inability to meet sterile processing standards. Mission-critical disruption to operating room schedules and patient safety. This notice of intent is not a solicitation nor is it a request for proposal. However, interested parties that believe they can satisfy the requirement must clearly identify their capability to do so in writing by March 4, 2026 at 9 am EST time. Responses should be sent to Issa Shawki at [email protected]. Information submitted in response to this notice will be used solely to determine whether competitive procedures could be used for this acquisition. A determination not to open this requirement to competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.