Q301--Legionella Testing

This federal government document details the water sampling requirements for the Veterans Integrated Services Network 6 (VISN 6) under Directive 1061, covering both the Base Year (January 1 to June 30, 2022) and Option Year 4 (broken down into four quarterly periods from July 2024 through June 2026). The primary purpose of the document is to define and track the volume of water samples required, billed, and remaining across seven VA facilities: Asheville, Durham, Fayetteville, Hampton, Richmond, Salem, and Salisbury. The sampling protocols mandate collecting samples from both hot and cold water systems at distal points of delivery, in rooms mutually identified by VA facility staff and the contractor. The data is structured to show: - Specific facility buildings, cooling towers (CTs), and transition areas (TRs) targeted for testing. - Annual and quarterly allocations for Base Samples, Resamples, and Discretionary Samples. - Tracking metrics for Option Year 4, highlighting quarterly billing discrepancies, resample carryovers, and remaining contract sample balances. Total baseline water samples required across VISN 6 scale from 1,844 samples during the six-month Base Year up to 3,674 samples annually during the Option Years, establishing a standardized framework for environmental safety and pathogen monitoring (such as Legionella) within VA medical center water systems.

This federal government document outlines the water sampling requirements for Veterans Integrated Service Network 6 (VISN 6) in compliance with Directive 1061. It details the sampling schedules, building counts, and testing metrics across seven VA facilities: Asheville, Durham, Fayetteville, Hampton, Richmond, Salem, and Salisbury. The document establishes quantitative requirements for Option Year 3 (covering July 2024 through June 2025 across four quarters) as well as the historical Base Year (January 1 – June 30, 2022). For each facility, the directive specifies the number of buildings, base samples per year and quarter, resamples, and discretionary samples. Specific testing targets are identified, such as cooling towers (CTs), transient buildings, and individual facility structures. The contract dictates that water samples must be collected from both hot and cold water systems at the distal point of delivery. Sampling locations are to be mutually agreed upon by VA facility staff and the contractor. The document also includes tracking metrics for completed, billed, and remaining samples, alongside operational notes, such as Salem's low-level chlorination mitigation testing and the exclusion of unoccupied buildings at Hampton.

This Performance Work Statement outlines a federal service contract for the Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN) 6 to conduct quarterly Legionella testing and water management services across seven VA Medical Centers. The contract features a one-year base period starting July 1, 2026, with four one-year option periods. The selected contractor will provide comprehensive guidance and monitoring for each facility’s Water Management Program (WMP), including annual face-to-face review meetings. Primary technical requirements involve performing quarterly potable water and cooling tower sampling for Legionella, temperature, pH, and chlorine levels. Sampling must adhere to CDC guidelines, utilize CDC-ELITE certified laboratories, and support both traditional culture methods and "no water sample shipped" testing options. In the event of positive detections, the contractor must conduct resampling within five working days. Additionally, the contractor is responsible for executing low-level and high-level hyper-chlorination remediations upon request, including providing personnel to assist with flushing systems back to safe drinking water standards. Eligible offerors must be independent water management providers with at least five years of hospital-environment testing experience. Project managers must hold science or engineering degrees and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) certifications, and samplers must undergo annual training. Contractors must deliver prompt laboratory reports, provide fully populated data spreadsheets for the national Water Safety Management Tool, and bill quarterly upon completing all testing and reporting requirements.

This federal document outlines the water sampling requirements for Veterans Integrated Services Network 6 (VISN 6) under Directive 1061. It details the sampling schedules, facility workloads, and testing guidelines for both the Option Years (specifically Option Year 4, covering July 2024 through June 2026) and the Base Year (covering January 1 through June 30, 2022). Water sampling is conducted quarterly across seven major VA medical centers: Asheville, Durham, Fayetteville, Hampton, Richmond, Salem, and Salisbury. The directive specifies requirements for base samples, resamples, cooling towers (CTs), and discretionary samples for each facility's designated buildings. Key technical parameters include: - A total of 3,674 annual samples for the option years and 1,844 samples for the base half-year. - Mandatory sampling from both hot and cold water systems at the distal point of delivery. - Collaborative selection of sampling rooms by VA facility staff and the contractor. - Tracking mechanisms for billed versus completed samples, including carryover resamples and cooling tower-specific protocols (such as Hampton's TR and CT systems). This document serves as a critical compliance and workload reference for contractors bidding on or executing water testing and safety services within the VISN 6 healthcare network.

This document provides Questions and Answers (Q&As) for Solicitation 36C24626Q0491, regarding Legionella Testing and water treatment services for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) VISN 6 facilities. The Q&As clarify critical technical requirements, pricing structures, and logistical responsibilities for prospective offerors. Key clarifications include that the contractor is responsible for both collecting water samples and performing on-site measurements of parameters (temperature, chlorine, and pH) at the time of collection. Testing must utilize the culture method, as PCR testing has been officially removed from the scope. Samples will be shipped to the contractor's laboratory, and the 15-day reporting clock begins upon laboratory receipt. The VA confirmed that the listed quantities are best estimates rather than guaranteed minimums. For disinfection and hyper-chlorination tasks, each "EA" represents a single setup or occurrence for an average building size of approximately 12,000 to 25,000 square feet. The contractor must provide all necessary materials and personnel for disinfections, while facility staff will assist with flushing and signage. Additionally, the program manager must hold an HACCP certification, which the VA requires to ensure qualified supervision. While routine sampling is quarterly, the contractor must also review each facility's Water Safety/Management Plan (WSMP) for compliance during Option Year 2. The base period-of-performance start date is confirmed as October 1, 2026, and year-specific pricing is required for the option years.

This federal solicitation amendment (Solicitation Number 36C24626Q0491) is issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 6, for Legionella testing and Water Management Program (WMP) monitoring across VISN 6 facilities. The purpose of this amendment is to post official Questions and Answers, provide additional reference attachments, and formally extend the response deadline. The closing date for proposals has been extended to August 7, 2026, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time, and no further questions will be accepted. Key details of the solicitation include: - **Set-Aside:** Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSBC) - **NAICS Code:** 541380 (Testing Laboratories) - **Product Service Code:** Q301 (Medical- Laboratory) - **Point of Contact:** Contract Specialist Krisanne Dernago (Krisanne.Dernago@va.gov) The amendment incorporates five new attachments, which include the updated Performance Work Statement (PWS), contract totals for FY 2026, and specific water sampling totals by contract for various quarters.

This combined synopsis/solicitation (36C24626Q0491) is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 6. The VA is seeking Legionella testing and water management services for VISN 6 facilities located across North Carolina and Virginia, including Hampton, Salem, Richmond, Fayetteville, Durham, Salisbury, and Asheville. This procurement is a 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) under NAICS code 541380 (Testing Laboratories). The contract structure consists of a one-year base period (October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027) with four optional one-year extensions. Required services across all periods include expert site visits, Legionella and water parameter testing, low-level potable water disinfection, and hyper-chlorination. Award will be made using simplified acquisition procedures based on a comparative evaluation. Technical capability and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than price. Technical requirements include demonstrating CDC ELITE-certified laboratory partnerships and featuring project managers holding science or engineering degrees with HACCP Manager certifications. Quotations must include a technical volume (maximum 25 pages), past performance information demonstrating at least three years of relevant experience, and a completed price schedule. Technical questions are due by July 16, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST, and final quotes must be submitted via email to Contract Specialist Krisanne Dernago by July 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM EST. Offerors must be fully registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and verified in the VetBiz database at the time of submission.