SAM #36C24126Q0547

VA Solicitation for Medical-Grade Bulk Liquid Oxygen and System Support at White River Junction

This opportunity is for the supply and support of medical-grade bulk liquid oxygen at the VA White River Junction Healthcare System in Vermont. - Government Buyer: - Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - VA Connecticut, on behalf of VA White River Junction Healthcare System - Products/Services Requested: - Medical-grade bulk liquid oxygen, estimated at 6,055,000 Standard Cubic Feet (SCF) annually - Supply, maintenance, and monitoring of bulk liquid oxygen tanks and related equipment - 24/7 emergency service and on-call support - Maintenance and monitoring of the entire bulk liquid oxygen distribution system, including primary and reserve tanks, alarm panels, and telemetry systems - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Contractor must provide all necessary equipment, installation, inspection, preventative maintenance, and emergency response - All products and services must comply with FDA, NFPA, OSHA, EPA, and VA regulations - Set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) - Fixed equipment rental pricing for the contract term - 90-day transition period post-contract for equipment handover - No specific OEMs or part numbers are mentioned in the solicitation

Description

Description This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products and commercial 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 Commercial Services, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested, and a written solicitation document will not be issued. This solicitation is issued as an RFQ. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2025-04. This solicitation is set-aside for SDVOSB. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 325120 (Industrial Gas Manufacturing) with a size standard of 1200 Employees. The FSC/PSC is 6835. The White River Junction VAMC is seeking a qualified vendor capable of providing Medical-Grade Bulk Liquid Oxygen Deliveries for the VA White River Junction Healthcare System per the Performance Work Statement below. All interested companies shall provide quotations for the following: Supplies/Services ITEM NUMBER DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT PRICE SCHEDULE ATTACHED STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) VA White River Junction Healthcare SystemMEDICAL-GRADE LIQUID BULK OXYGEN 1. General The purpose of this requirement is to establish a committed source of supply of medical-grade bulk liquid oxygen for the VA White River Junction Healthcare System located in White River Junction, VT. The contractor shall also provide the necessary maintenance and monitoring of the complete existing bulk liquid oxygen distribution system, including the primary and reserve bulk tanks and reserve bottle bank, local alarm panel, and telemetry monitoring system. The facility's annual requirements are estimated at 6,055,000 Standard Cubic Feet (SCF). There is no express or implied guarantee that these quantities will be purchased. The base contract period for all contracts awarded under this solicitation will be from the date of award through a one-year period with four continuing option years to equal the term of five years. Equipment rental shall be fixed and not to exceed the entire term. Pricing for all preventative maintenance, on-call 24/7 service must be included with the equipment rental pricing. A Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) has been designated in the solicitation schedule for the facility. The COR is responsible for local contract administration issues such as ordering and providing specific delivery instructions. A letter of delegation outlining the COR’s specific responsibilities will be provided to the contractor and COR at the time of contract award by the Contracting Officer. Within 15 days after notification of contract award, the contractor shall meet with the COR to ensure mutual understanding of facility requirements relating to the ordering method and specific details of any delivery instructions that are included in the solicitation schedule. Prior to first filling, contractor must perform in-service training to include the following facets for contractor owned and government owned systems: the refill procedure, an explanation and certification of all the liquid level low, volume alarm, and high and low pressure set-points. The contractor will provide written procedures and training for VA staff for protocols to accomplish emergency shutdowns or other sudden, unplanned termination of the refilling process. Contractor will provide 24/7 emergency contact name(s) and telephone number(s). Prior to first filling, and annually thereafter, alarm set-point testing and written verification must be presented by the Contractor through the use of a qualified third-party expert per NFPA 99, current Edition, for contractor owned systems. Prior to first filling, and annually thereafter, the contractor must verify, in writing, the accuracy of all gauges and telemetry devices on contractor owned tanks. 2. Contractor-Furnished Equipment The contractor shall maintain existing bulk liquid oxygen tank and reserve tank with appropriate backup cylinders for reserve or equivalent to provide a minimum of 96 hours of reserve capacity. The contractor shall provide additional equipment accessory to the bulk tank to provide a complete bulk liquid oxygen distribution system including but not limited to; local pad alarm panel and telemetry monitoring system. Through the duration of the contract, the contractor shall be liable for the integrity, suitability, and safety of contractor owned tank(s)/cylinder(s) that will ensure compliance with applicable regulations, standards, and normal good practices. The tank capacity and reserve system are minimum capacities required by the using facilities. Manifold, auto-switching, liquid converter, alarm switch, regulator, valves, level indicator, and any other devices or connections required for proper tie-ins with the facility’s gas system shall be furnished by the contractor, without cost to the Government. The manifold or liquid converter shall deliver gas at a pressure and rate of flow adequate to supply the system. Each liquid oxygen storage container shall have an outlet that allows access for testing the purity of the oxygen. All equipment and materials required to perform on the contract shall be provided by the contractor. Contractor owned equipment shall be installed, inspected, and maintained by the contractor without additional cost to the Government. (i.e., all installation, inspection, and maintenance costs shall be included in the contract’s monthly equipment rental fee for the applicable facility.) Contractor owned equipment shall be kept in good operating condition and appearance, in accordance with applicable regulations, standards, and normal good practices. The contractor shall be provided reasonable access to the bulk oxygen systems for this purpose. Annual service and report of the condition of all contractor owned equipment shall be completed and documented to the Government by the contractor without additional cost to the Government. Installation of Contractor-Owned Equipment Unless otherwise directed by the using facility, contractor owned equipment shall be installed by the effective date of the contract and shall be connected to the medical gas system on that date; provided: that the contractor shall be allowed a maximum of ninety days after receipt of notice of award to complete installation. If the contractor’s equipment replaces equipment already in use, the exchange of equipment shall be accomplished without interruption of gas supply to the using facility. Contractor shall supply a self-contained temporary portable gas supply and distribution system to the using facility during the exchange period. This temporary system shall meet the same requirements of the base contract system and include at a minimum a main supply tank, a reserve supply tank, full alarm package on board, and connect to the facility through the existing facility emergency oxygen supply connection. Contractor installed equipment shall remain the property of the contractor and shall be removed upon termination of the contract, when directed by the ordering facility, and in full cooperation with the succeeding contractor so as to avoid interruption of gas supply. To permit orderly transition from one contractor to another, the contractor shall continue to honor the contract’s monthly equipment rental fee and bulk oxygen contract price for a maximum of ninety days beyond the scheduled expiration of the contract period, unless transition from one contractor to another is completed prior to the ninety-day transition period. For any partial month, the contractor shall prorate the monthly equipment rental fee accordingly. The contractor shall continue to provide and maintain its equipment during this transition period. No guarantee is given or implied that data included in the schedule regarding contractor owned equipment currently located at the facilities is complete and accurate as to the factors affecting the cost of furnishing and installing the required contractor owned tanks and appurtenances. All contractor-owned equipment shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 50: Standard for Bulk Oxygen Systems at Consumer Sites, 2001, NFPA 99: Standard for Health Care Facilities, 2018 Edition, and FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) Regulations. The contractor shall comply with all OSHA standards and applicable safety requirements, including proper signage and use of personal protective equipment. Delivery of Medical Liquid Bulk Oxygen Bulk oxygen is ordered by and delivered to VA White River Junction, VT Healthcare System. The contractor shall deliver medical-grade liquid oxygen on an as-needed basis. If for any reason the contractor is unable to deliver at the agreed upon day or time, the contractor shall provide 24-hour notice to the COR, so that the facility can initiate an alternate backup action. In accordance with VHA Patient Safety Alert dated April 5, 2004, all deliveries must be monitored by a qualified and trained technical representative that will be designated by the facility. Contractor will be provided with names and contact information of primary and back-up facility representatives. This applies to all deliveries regardless of time or day of execution. Tanks(s) will be filled to maximum functional capacity at each refilling procedure unless otherwise specified in the facility requirements or as agreed upon in a written document signed and dated by the COR. At the time of each delivery, contractor must provide a legible signed and dated written document that identifies the tank level prior to fill, the level after fill, and the quantity delivered. This document must be countersigned by the facility representative supervising the delivery. Emergency delivery will be provided within 24 hours after receipt of Government notification. Contractor must respond to the facility by either telephone or email within one hour to confirm receipt of emergency notification to ascertain the nature of the emergency. Emergency status is determined by the Government when conditions warrant, such as an actuated main bulk tank low level alarm, imminent alarm condition, or system leak. Failure of the contractor to remain current with agreed delivery schedule and requirements does not constitute an “emergency” for purposes of charging an emergency delivery fee. Quality Assurance Specifications and Requirements All medical gas manufacturers and fillers of medical gases must be registered with FDA as drug manufacturers. All oxygen shall be manufactured, processed, packed, transported, and stored according to FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) regulations, and all labeling shall comply with FDA’s labeling regulations (21 CFR Part 201). All liquid bulk oxygen delivered under the contract shall be medical-grade and shall meet or exceed the standards cited in the current edition of the United States Pharmacopoeia/National Formulary (U.S.P.). A valid certificate of analysis shall be provided with each delivery of liquid oxygen. The certificate shall include, at a minimum: Supplier’s name and complete address Name of the Product (i.e., Oxygen U.S.P.) An Air Liquefaction Statement where appropriate Lot number or other unique identification number Actual analytical results for full U.S.P. monograph testing. (A statement that only states that the product meets the minimum purity of 99.5%, etc., is not acceptable.) Test method used to perform the analysis. (A statement such as “Meets U.S.P. specifications” is not acceptable; nor would “Tested via Servomex” be acceptable since the specific model number is not provided.) Signature of authorized supplier representative and date. Safety Data Sheets shall be provided to the facility COR upon request. A copy of all inspection reports shall be provided to the facility COR upon the completion of any contractor owned or government owned bulk oxygen system inspections that are required by regulation. All contractor-owned equipment shall be maintained or repaired in accordance with NFPA 50: Standard for Bulk Oxygen Systems at Consumer Sites, 2001, and FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) Regulations. Applicable Regulations & Standards The following is a list of some of the regulations and standards that are applicable to this contract. The list is not comprehensive, and the contractor is responsible for ensuring that all products, equipment, and services provided under the contract are in compliance with applicable Federal, state, and local regulations. If applicable, the editions in effect as of the date of this solicitation are listed. The contractor is responsible for remaining compliant with any future revisions that are effective at the time of contract performance. These include: NFPA 50: Standard for Bulk Oxygen Systems at Consumer Sites, 2001 Edition NFPA 99: Standard for Health Care Facilities, 2018 Edition Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 210 & 211 - CGMP regulations for supplying medical grade oxygen. 29 CFR 1910.104 Applies to the installation of bulk oxygen systems on industrial and institutional consumer premises 49 CFR Transportation Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act U.S.P. 23 Density data and volume measurement equivalents published in the Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet No. P-6, titled “Standard Density Data, Atmospheric Gases and Hydrogen,” shall be used when necessary to convert measurement of gases from one form to another. For example, the following conversion factor shall apply for conversion from gallons to cubic feet: 1 ft³ liquid O₂ = 860.6 ft³ gas (Table 1) 1 ft³ liquid O₂ = 7.48052 gal (Table 2) Therefore: 7.48052 gal (1 ft³) liquid O₂ = 860.6 ft³ gas 1 gal liquid O₂ = 860.6 ft³ / 7.48052 gal = 115.05 ft³ gas More commonly quoted as 1 gal liquid O₂ = 115.1 ft³ gas. Additional Information The VA utilizes VISTA to issue a purchase order and liquidate invoices. Failure to register in VISTA may result in exclusion from the issuance of a VA contract. Interested parties with no prior VA contracts can apply here: https://www.cep.fsc.va.gov/ The full text of FAR provisions or clauses may be accessed electronically at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far. Solicitation Provisions and Clauses The following solicitation provisions apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial Products and Commercial Services [Attention CO: www.sam.gov registration is required to be complete at time of submission of response.] Offerors must complete annual representations and certifications electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM) website located at https://sam.gov/ in accordance with FAR 52.212-3, Offerors Representations and Certifications Commercial Products and Commercial Services. If paragraph (j) of the provision is applicable, a written submission is required. FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services [In accordance with FAR 12.301(c) when the use of evaluation factors is appropriate, the contracting officer may (1) Insert the provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, in solicitations for commercial products or commercial services (see 12.602); or (2) Include a similar provision containing all evaluation factors required by 13.106, subpart 14.2 or subpart 15.3, as an addendum (see 12.302(d)).] Contract Clauses FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2023) 852.219-73 - VA Notice of Total Set-Aside for Verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. 852.219-76 - VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting - Certificate of Compliance for Supplies and Products 852.204-70 - Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel Additional Clauses 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation & First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Jun 2020) (Pub. L. 109-282) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note) 52.204-27, Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application (Jun 2023) (Section 102 of Division R of Pub. L. 117-328) 52.209-6, Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, Proposed for Debarment, or Voluntarily Excluded. (Jan 2025) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note) 52.219-28, 52.219-33, Nonmanufacturer Rule (SEP 2021) 52.222-3, Convict Labor (JUN 2003) 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (SEP 2016) 52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (JUN 2020) 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (JUN 2020) 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (FEB 2021) 52.222-41, Service Contract Labor Standards (AUG 2018) Submission Requirements All quoters shall submit: A Firm Fixed Price Quote received on or before the date and time specified in Section (xv) of this solicitation. A completely filled and signed Limitation of Subcontracting in accordance with VAAR 852.219-76. A proposal outlining technical capabilities in accordance with the Statement of Work. Quote Format: The submission should be clearly indexed and logically assembled in order of the evaluation criteria below. All pages of the quote shall be appropriately numbered and identified by the complete company name, date, and solicitation number in the header and/or footer. Questions should be submitted in writing via e-mail to the Contracting Officer. The cut-off date and time for receipt of questions is Tuesday, 7 July 2026 at 5:00 PM EST. Questions received after this date will not be answered. All questions will be answered in a formal amendment to the solicitation. All quotes shall be sent to Kenya.Mitchell1@va.gov. Evaluation will be based on a comparative evaluation of quotes in accordance with FAR Part 13.106-2 (b)(3). The award will be made to the responsible vendor whose quote is technically acceptable and offers the lowest evaluated price. Terms and Conditions Acceptance Respondents must include a statement regarding the terms and conditions: "The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document without modification, deletion, or addition." OR "The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following:" Submission of responses is due no later than Tuesday, 14 July 2026 by 5:00 PM EST. Late submissions will be handled in accordance with FAR 52.212-1(f). Point of Contact Kenya.Mitchell1@va.gov Decision Factors The basis for award is the responsible quoter whose quotation conforms to the solicitation and is most advantageous to the Government, considering price and other factors: Technical Past Performance Price Certifications The evaluation approach involves comparing quotations to determine which provides the best benefit to the Government. The Government reserves the right to consider a quotation other than the lowest price if it provides additional benefits. Each response must meet minimum requirements and is evaluated on: Technical capability Past performance Price Compliance with applicable standards Award will be made to the responsible vendor whose quotation is technically acceptable and offers the lowest evaluated price.

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