This Sources Sought Notice is for information and planning purposes only at this time and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION Background: The Department of Veterans Affairs, Program Contracting Activity Central (PCAC) is seeking to a vendor to provide steam and condensate return distribution in accordance with the contract requirements as stated in the tentative Statement of Work listed below. In concert with these requirements, PCAC is seeking potential sources to provide steam to the following site: SITE: ADDRESS: CITY/STATE: Birmingham VA Medical Center 700 S. 19th St, Birmingham, AL 35233 Proposed Statement of Work (these requirements can be changed based on the need of the Government or in response to questions from this action) Steam Requirements 1. Purpose: The Contractor shall supply steam distribution to the VA Medical Center, 700 So. 19th Street, Birmingham, Alabama 35233 for the term specified in the Schedule and in accordance with the specifications of the contract. The Contractor shall also accept all returned condensate from the VA as long as the conductivity and quality remain within conditions stipulated herein. 2. Deliverables: a. The contractor shall make available to the VA and the VA will purchase from vendor, the VA's needed steam distribution and condensate return according to the following specifications: Steam service minimum supply pressure: 100 pounds per square inch measured with a pressure gauge (PSIG) at delivered conditions (steam shall be at least 99.5% dry). Chemicals used in the steam shall be OSHA and FDA approved for use in food preparation and direct steam humidification. Steam service maximum load: 19,000 lbs per hour (delivered conditions) Condensate return maximum load: 19,000 lbs per hour 3. VA Requirements: a. Space: In such amount as the vendor may reasonably require for delivery and metering of Steam and Condensate Distribution on the premises. b. Electrical Outlet: VA shall furnish at the metering point(s) an electrical outlet and power sufficient for operation of the metering devices. c. Requests made by the COR for utility provisions beyond these specifications may be subject to billing adjustments. Such requests must be made in writing 30 days prior to anticipated needs and written approval from the vendor must be given prior to exceeding these specifications. Billing adjustments shall be made part of the annual Rate adjustment. d. The COR shall give the vendor written notice two (2) months in advance of any significant change anticipated in the square footage (or utility needs) of their premises. A significant change will be defined here as a sustained increase or decrease of 10%. This will allow the vendor to make proper preparations for utility needs. Temporary fluctuations or emergency requirements that exceed this 10% may be made without notice, but will only be provided as the system allows. 4. a. Maintenance: Each party shall be responsible for the inspection and maintenance of the connections, apparatus, valves, meters, lines, and distribution systems on their respective property. b. Contractor Property: The only exception to maintenance requirements is that the vendors metering devices (and their connections) installed on VA property will remain the vendors property; these meters shall be maintained by the vendor in accordance with the provisions for reasonable access as stated in Paragraph 9. c. Calibration: Meters shall be calibrated by the Contractor in accordance to the manufacturer's recommendation and certified in April and July of each year. The vendor shall provide notification of meter certification two weeks prior to the event so VA personnel can observe certification, if they so choose. d. Re-Calibration: If the VA believes the meter is reading incorrectly during the year, it can request a re-certification by an outside agency or manufacturer representative. The Government shall pay for this re-certification if the meter is shown to be accurate within + or - 2% and the cost will be included in separate billing specifically for this re-certification. If the accuracy of the meter is outside + or -2% the re-certification shall be free to the Government. The vendor shall provide a copy of these certifications to the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) annually. e. VA Distribution: VA shall maintain their distribution systems in a consistent manner that will prevent leakages or contamination of the system fluids. 5. Continuity of Service: The vendor recognizes that the services under this contract are vital to the Government and must be continued without interruption except as noted in paragraphs 6 and 7. The Contractor agrees to exercise its best efforts and cooperation to assist the Government in their transition if they build their own steam plant. 6. Interruptions: The vendor may interrupt service to VA for any of the following reasons: a. Scheduled maintenance and repair: The Contractor shall submit a monthly schedule for written acceptance by the COTR. b. Non-Emergency unscheduled maintenance and repair: The Contractor shall provide 30 day written notice for unscheduled maintenance and repair for acceptance by the COTR. c. Emergency maintenance and repair: (1) The Contractor shall provide telephonic notification to the COTR to the extent reasonably feasible for emergency maintenance or repair. (2) Immediately following the emergent situation, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in writing, after the commencement of service, the full particulars in connection therewith. (3) The Contractor shall not be liable for any excess costs incurred by the VA if the emergency maintenance and repair arises from causes beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor. d. Condensate Return Conductivity: The vendor may refuse to take return condensate if the condensate conductivity is shown to be higher in contaminants than normally accepted. The vendor shall give a 24 hr notice to VA before shutdown of the condensate return distribution system. 7. Force Majeure: Force majeure is any event not reasonably preventable by the vendor and which interferes with the furnishing of utilities, including, but not limited to, acts of God, acts of war, strikes or work stoppages, fire or flood or other sudden destruction of the vendors capability to provide utilities. The Contractor shall provide telephonic notification to the COR to the extent reasonably feasible upon the occurrence of any event constituting force majeure. a. During a Force Majeure, the vendor shall provide Steam Distribution utilities to the Government in accordance with the vendors developed load shedding priority system that will be given to the VA with the proposal. The load shedding priority system will take into account the sensitivity of the mission of the Government. b. VA's sole remedy in an event of Force Majeure is an abatement of the applicable user charge, prorated, based on the Steam Distribution not furnished. c. Additionally, the Contractor is responsible to notify the Contracting Officer in writing as soon as it is reasonably possible after the commencement of any excusable delay, setting forth the full particulars in connection therewith, shall remedy such occurrence with all reasonable dispatch, and shall promptly give written notice to the Contracting Office of cessation of such occurrence. 8. Restrictions: VA shall not: a. Alter the piping in a manner that adversely affects the ability of the vendor to provide utilities, without proper written notice to and approval by the vendor. b. Resell or provide Steam Distribution to any other entity not currently using VA Steam Distribution at the time this contract is signed. The only exception being that VA may sublet some of their existing premises to new tenants and charge those tenants for their use of Steam Distribution. c. Interrupt its receipt of Steam Distribution without one (1) calendar day prior notice to and approval of the vendor, except in emergencies. Contact will come from the Maintenance Supervisor or COTR to VA Chief Engineer, Engineering Maintenance Supervisor or Energy Manager. d. Chemically treat Steam Distribution. e. Tie into any vendor Steam Distribution line without the written consent of the vendor. f. Tamper with, alter, or otherwise interrupt the vendors metering system. 9. Access: Each party shall have reasonable access to read and inspect the meters used to measure the quantities of steam provided by the vendor to VA and if needed measure the return of condensate to the vendor by VA. VA grants the vendor the right to enter VA's premises during normal working hours (7:00 am - 3:30 pm, M-F, except holidays) for the purpose of installing, inspecting, testing, cleaning, repairing, altering, or removing any of the vendors property provided that the utility service or capacity to VA is not reduced except as heretofore set forth. The vendor will provide written 30-day notice to VA COTR before access is made for coordination of routine maintenance and shutdown activities. 10. Metering and Billing: a. Meters shall be read by the vendor each month end and invoices rendered within 20 calendar days. b. Adjustments to billings may be made under the following condition: (1) If a meter fails to register accurately the amount of utility used, the bill for the affected period shall be adjusted to reflect a mutually agreed upon estimate of the amount of utility used. The vendor shall develop the estimated usage based on VA's meter or on historical or other relevant data and this will be submitted as the amount due. Where leaks occur in VA's pipes or apparatus resulting in a loss of system fluid, VA shall have sole liability for making repairs at their cost, and no reduction shall be made to the billing for that period. Administrative/Miscellaneous: This contract is being procured in accordance with FAR Part 12 and 19. This project is planned for advertising in late June 2012. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 221330 applies to this procurement. Capability Statement: Respondents shall provide a general capabilities statement to address the following information: 1. Please identify your company's number of years in business; affiliate information, parent company, and joint venture partners. 2. Provide company business size as designated by the NAICS and the U.S. Small business Administration. Also, provide business status (i.e., Large Business, Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Small Business, Hub Zone Small Business, etc.). It is requested that interested contractors submit a response (electronic submission) of no more than 10 pages in length, single-spaced, 12 point font minimum that addresses the above information. This response must be submitted as a single application-generated (not scanned) PDF document that is less than or equal to 5MB in size. Please note that hard copies will not be accepted. Please also include a cover page, which includes, at a minimum: the company's name, address, Dun & Bradstreet number, socio-economic status, point-of-contact name, phone number, and e-mail address. Responses must include the Sources Sought number and project title in the subject line of their e-mail response. Please note that this is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE for Market Research purposes ONLY to determine the availability of small business firms for a potential small business category type set-aside. Particularly, the purpose of this notice is to gain knowledge of potential small business sources to include small business in the following categories: Verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Verified Veteran-Owned Small Business, Certified 8(a), Certified HUB Zone, and other small business. The capabilities will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining to Set-Aside for the Small Business community or to conduct as an Other Than Small Business Procurement. The Government must ensure there is adequate competition among the potential pool of available contractors. The Capabilities Statement for this Sources Sought is not expected to be a Request for Proposal or Invitation for Bid, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and is neither to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. No evaluation letters and/or results will be issued to the respondents. After completing its analyses, the Government will determine whether to limit competition among the small business categories listed above or proceed with full and open competition as other than small business. At this time no solicitation exists; therefore, please do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps at https://www.fbo.gov. It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. Submissions (responses) shall be submitted via email to the primary point of contact listed below by June, 15, 2012 at 13:00 PM (EST). No phone calls will be accepted. Contracting Office Address: Veterans Health Administration Program Contracting Activity Central (PCAC) 6150 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 300 Independence, OH 44131 Primary Point of Contact: Scott Bonner, Contract Specialist E-Mail:
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