The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to award a sole source contract to Welch Allyn Inc. for the provision of Connex software and support for 166 vital sign monitors at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. This contract will encompass a base year and four optional renewal years, ensuring essential software updates, technical support, and training necessary for the accurate documentation of patient vital signs into electronic medical records. The reliability of this software is critical for maintaining high standards of care for veterans, as it automates the vital sign documentation process. Interested vendors are invited to submit capability statements by January 21, 2025, to demonstrate their ability to meet the contract requirements, although the government retains discretion on whether to pursue competitive procurement. For further inquiries, vendors can contact Contract Specialist Jefferson Mann at jefferson.mann@va.gov or by phone at 717-202-5456.

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The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to award a sole source contract to Welch Allyn Inc. for the Connex software and support necessary for the operation of 166 vital sign monitors at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. The contract will consist of a base year and four optional renewal years, ensuring ongoing software updates, technical support, and training, critical for the accurate documentation of patient vital signs into electronic medical records. Interested vendors can submit capability statements by January 21, 2025, to demonstrate their ability to fulfill the contract requirements, though the government retains discretion on whether to proceed with competitive procurement. The statement of work outlines requirements for software updates, remote diagnostics, and technical support, emphasizing the need for reliable operation essential for patient health. Other stipulations include compliance with safety standards, contractor experience, and documentation requirements, along with contractor personnel security protocols. The overarching purpose of this notice is to secure necessary software support while maintaining high standards of care for veterans.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE: IAW FAR 5.101 this notice is to advise the public that The Department of Veterans Affairs, Regional Procurement Office East (RPOE), Network Contracting Office 4, intends to award a sole source, Firm-Fixed-Price contract pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) to Welch Allyn Inc. located at 4341 State Street Rd., Skaneateles Falls, NY, 13153 for a base year with four (4) option years, exercisable at the Government s discretion. The Pittsburgh VA Medical Center (VAMC) requires Welch Allyn Connex software and support for the 166 Welch Allyn Vital Sign Monitors at the facility. The software provides automated input of patient vital signs from the monitors into the electronic medical records of patients. THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS or QUOTATIONS. Responsible sources that believe they can meet the requirements may give written notification by submitting capability information that clearly demonstrates the capability to perform the required work and applicable certifications/licenses for the Hardware/Software. Capability information is required prior to the response due date and time, to establish the ability of the source to meet this requirement. Supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to perform the requirements and must include relevant corporate experience along with the applicable contract number, total contract dollar amount, contract period of performance, details of the relevant services and customer point of contact with corresponding telephone number and email address. Responses must include following information: 1. Company Name 2. SAM number 3. Company s address 4. Point of Contact information (title, phone number and email address) 5. Business size. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The Government will not be responsible for any costs associated with the preparation of responses to this notification. Responses are due by 11:00 AM, ET, Tuesday, January 21, 2025. No submissions will be accepted after this date and time. Responses shall be submitted via email to jefferson.mann@va.gov. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. The NAICS code for this acquisition is 541519 and the size standard is $37 Million. Statement of Work (SOW) A. GENERAL GUIDANCE Title: Connex support agreement for VA Pittsburgh Medical Center owned Welch Allyn vital sign monitors. Scope of Work: The contractor shall provide software updates/upgrades, Connex licenses, Connex monitoring dashboard, 7x24x365 telephone diagnostic support, remote diagnostics and repair, Corepoint license and support, EMR interface map changes, and technical training allowances for the government owned Welch Allyn Vital Sign Monitors as stated herein. The facility is located at: VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System University Drive Campus 4100 Allequippa St Pittsburgh, PA 15240 Background: This contract is issued to ensure the continuous reliability of the VA Pittsburgh Medical Center Welch Allyn Connex Vital Sign Monitors. The units require annual software and licensing support. The Connex software is needed for automation of the vital sign documentation process and sends data directly to the electronic medical record (EMR). The reliable and accurate operation of the equipment at all times is considered critical to the health of patients. Performance period: A one-year base period with four one-year option periods, exercisable at the Government s discretion. Type of Contract: Firm-fixed-price. B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS This agreement includes software updates including licenses, and remote/onsite diagnostic support for the Welch Allyn Connex Vital Sign Monitors for continuous reliability. Equipment to be Serviced: VA Pittsburgh Medical Center Inpatient Baxter/Welch Allyn Connex Vital Sign Monitors. This contract is to cover the following items included in the S3-Premium-CS package provided by Welch Allyn per base and option years: Item: Quantity: Server License 1 License Connections 166 The license connections provided by Welch Allyn include support of the following: Direct Access to SmartCare Support Center Remote Diagnostics and Repair 24x7x365 Telephone Support Corepoint License and Support Software Updates/Upgrades EMR Interface Map Changed (2x Annually) Technical Training Allowances (2 techs/year) Software and Licenses Software patches and quality updates/upgrades are included under the terms of this contract and shall be applied in accordance with manufacturer specifications. Any licensing required to automate the delivery of vital sign documentation from Welch Allyn vital sign monitors to the EMR will be included in this contract. Remote Service The contractor must be able to provide 7x24x365 telephone diagnostic support, and remote diagnostics/repairs as needed for the equipment owned by VA Pittsburgh. Personnel with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) equipment training will respond directly by phone. If situations are responded to by phone and do not resolve the service issue, OEM trained personnel will be required for an on-site visit. If the contractor cannot remediate the issues the program point of contact (POC) or alternate POC shall be notified immediately and provided an estimated time for resolution. Hours of Coverage: The contractor will provide all required services within the normal business hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (ET) M-F), excluding Federal holidays. All services shall be performed during these normal hours of coverage unless one of the following conditions exists: The contractor wishes to furnish services at a time that is outside of the normal hours of coverage, at no additional cost to the Government, the contractor submits a request to the POC prior to the proposed start of the work, and the request is approved in writing by the POC before work is begun. If POC requests that services be furnished at a time that is outside the normal hours of coverage, the contractor will provide a written estimate of the charges and the work will be authorized by the contracting officer (CO) in writing with a contract modification before any additional work is performed. Work performed outside the normal hours of coverage at the request of the field service engineer (FSE)/contractor shall be considered service performed during normal hours of coverage. There will be no additional charge for time spent waiting at the site during or after the normal hours of coverage for delivery of parts. Note: Any software update/upgrade installations shall be scheduled and performed during normal hours of coverage at no additional charge to the government. Federal Holidays Observed by the VA Medical Center New Year s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President s Day (Washington s birthday), Memorial Day , Juneteenth National Independence Day Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and any other day specifically designated by the President of the United States. Customer Notification: Contractor shall notify Biomedical Engineering and the Police service when they arrive on site. When the service(s) is/are completed, the FSE shall document the services rendered on a legible Engineering Service Report(s) (ESR) per Section E. The FSE shall be required to check out with the Biomedical Engineering Department and submit the ESR(s) to the POC. All ESRs shall be submitted to the equipment user for an "acceptance signature" and to the POC for an "authorization signature." If the POC is unavailable, a signed accepted copy of the ESR will be sent to the POC within five business days of work completion. C. DEFINITIONS/ACRONYMS: Biomedical Engineering - Supervisor or designee, Phone Number (412) 360-3780 CO - Contracting Officer. POC Point of contact. PM - Preventive Maintenance Inspection. Services which are periodic in nature and are required to maintain the equipment in such condition that it may be operated in accordance with its intended design and functional capacity with minimal incidence of malfunction or operative conditions. Service shall consist of calibration and testing in accordance with the manufacturer s latest established service procedures to ensure operation of equipment within manufacturer s or VA s performance specifications, whichever is the most rigorous. PM includes cleaning, inspecting lubricating and testing all equipment. All equipment shall be operated at least one complete operating cycle at the end of each PM. FSE - Field Service Engineer. A person who is authorized by the contractor to perform maintenance (corrective and/or preventive) services on the VA Medical Center premises. ESR - Vendor Engineering Service Report. A documentation of the services rendered for each incidence of work performance under the terms and conditions of the contract. Acceptance Signature - VAPHS employee who indicates FSE demonstrated service conclusion/status and user has accepted work as complete/pending as stated in ESR. Authorization Signature POC s signature; indicates POC accepts work status as stated in ESR. VAPHS - Department of Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System. OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer EMR Electronic Medical Record D. CONFORMANCE STANDARDS: Contractor shall provide services and material to ensure that the software functions in conformance with VA Biomedical specifications and the OEM s specifications as applicable. Upon failure of the software, the contractor is required to support and repair the software to fully functional and operating status. E. DOCUMENTATION/REPORTS: The documentation will include equipment down time and detailed descriptions of the scheduled and unscheduled maintenance procedures performed, including replaced parts and prices (for outside normal working hour services) required to maintain the equipment in accordance with conformance standards. Such documentation shall meet the guidelines as set forth in the Conformance Standards. In addition, each ESR must at a minimum document the following data legibly and in complete detail: Name of Contractor Name of FSE who performed services. Contractor Service ESR Number/Log Number. Date, Time (starting and ending), Hours-On-Site for service call. VA Purchase Order Number(s) (if any) covering the call, if outside normal working hours. Description of Problem Reported by POC/User. Identification of Equipment to be serviced to include the following: Equipment ID # or EE# from the bar-code, Manufacturer's Name, Device Name, Model#, Serial #, and any other Manufacturer's identification numbers. Itemized Description of Service(s) Performed (including Costs associated with after normal working hour services), including Labor and Travel, Parts (with part numbers) and Materials and Circuit Location of problem/corrective action. Total Cost to be billed. Signatures from the following: FSE performing services described. VA Employee who witnessed service described. Equipment downtime calculated in accordance with Conformance Standards. F. SCHEDULE FOR DELIVERABLES Draft copies of deliverables shall be provided to Biomedical Engineering staff at VAPHS before the contractor leaves the facility at each visit. If a final copy can be provided at that time, then a draft copy is not necessary, final copies must be provided within 5 business days of the time of each deliverable. G. CHANGES TO STATEMENT OF WORK Any changes to the scope of work or this SOW shall be authorized and approved only through written modification of the contract by 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. J. CONTRACTOR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS Each respondent must be an authorized distributor of the original equipment manufacturer. Any Contractor personnel who provide on-site service must provide a copy of: 1) Tuberculosis (Tb) vaccination documentation, 2) flu vaccination documentation and 3) copy of HIPAA compliance training certificate. K. COMPLIANCE WITH OSHA BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS STANDARD: The contractor shall comply with the Federal/California OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. The contractor shall: Have methods by which all employees are educated as to risks associated with bloodborne pathogens. Have policies and procedures that reduce the risk of employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Have mechanisms for employee counseling and treatment following exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Provide appropriate personal protective equipment/clothing such as gloves, gowns, masks, protective eyewear, mouthpieces for the employee during performance of the contract. L. INFLUENZA PREVENTION PROGRAM: VHA Directive 1192 requires all health care personnel (HCP) to participate in the seasonal influenza prevention program and outlines the key implementation steps. Healthcare personnel is defined in VHA Directive 1192 as all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, paid and unpaid, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, students, researchers, volunteers, and trainees who work in VHA locations. HCP covered by the policy are expected to receive annual influenza vaccination. Those HCP unable or unwilling to be vaccinated are required to wear a face mask throughout the influenza season. Masks are available at entrances throughout the medical center. It is the responsibility of the contractor to ensure that all contract staff is compliant with the requirements outlined in VHA Directive 1192. The contractor shall maintain the following documentation: Documentation of vaccination, e.g., signed record of immunization from a healthcare provider or pharmacy, or a copy of medical records documenting the vaccination. Completed Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination Form (Attachment B of VHA Directive 1192) if unwilling or unable to receive the vaccine. The contractor is required to submit annual certification to the Contracting Officer s Representative (COR) that all contract staff performing services at VA facilities are in compliance with the VHA Directive 1192. M. CONFIDENTIALITY AND NONDISCLOSURE It is agreed that: The preliminary and final deliverables, and all associated working papers, application source code, and other material deemed relevant by VA which have been generated by the contractor in the performance of this task order, are the exclusive property of the U.S. Government and shall be submitted to the CO at the conclusion of the task order. The CO will be the sole authorized official to release, verbally or in writing, any data, draft deliverables, final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this task order. No information shall be released by the contractor. Any request for information relating to this task order, presented to the contractor, shall be submitted to the CO for response. Press releases, marketing material, or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project, shall not be publicized without the written approval of the CO. N. IDENTIFICATION, PARKING, SMOKING, CELLULAR PHONE USE AND VA REGULATIONS: The contractor's FSE shall wear visible identification at all times while on the premises of VAPHS. Identification shall include, as a minimum, the employee s name, position, and the contractor s trade name. It is the responsibility of the contractor to park in the appropriate designated parking areas. Information on parking is available from the VA Police-Security Service. VAPHS will not invalidate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the contractor under any conditions. Smoking is prohibited inside any buildings and on premise at VAPHS. This covers all smoking and tobacco products, including but not limited to: Cigarettes Cigars Pipes Any other combustion of tobacco Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including but not limited to electronic or e-cigarettes, vape pens, or e-cigars. Chewing tobacco Cellular phones and two-way radios are not to be used within six feet of any medical equipment. Possession of weapons is prohibited. Enclosed containers, including tool kits, shall be subject to search. Violations of VA regulations may result in a citation answerable in the United States (Federal) District Court, not a local district state, or municipal court. O. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS Contractor may not have access to the VA network or any VA sensitive information under this contract. Contractor owned computer equipment including laptops are not permitted to be connected to the VA network. Any removable storage device used in medical equipment must be scanned by Biomed or OIT. The POC is responsible for ensuring that all Contractors comply with physical security policies. A compliant ID badge must be worn by Contractors at all times while on VA premises. All Contractors must receive Privacy training annually using one of the following methods: Complete VA Privacy Training for Personnel without Access to VA Computer Systems or Direct Access to or Use to VA Sensitive Information training by using VA s TMS system (https://www.tms.va.gov/). Contractors may use the TMS Managed Self Enrollment method to complete the training in TMS. The POC must ensure that all contractors are validated in the PIH domain. Complete the hard copy version of VA Privacy Training for Personnel without Access to VA Computer Systems or Direct Access to or Use to VA Sensitive Information . Signed training documents must be submitted to the POC. Training must be completed prior to the performance of the contract and annually thereafter. Proof of training completion must be verified and tracked by the POC.

DA10--Welch Allyn Connex Software and Support

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