Courier Services for North Texas   3

Page 6 of 48 Page 1 of This market research notice is being conducted by Network Contracting Office (NCO) 17 VHA Regional Procurement Office-West (RPO-W), 1901 Veterans Memorial Dr. Building #171, Temple, TX 76504. PLACE(s) OF PERFORMANCE: Garland Garland VA Medical Center, 2300 Marie Curie Blvd. Garland, TX 75042, 549A5 Bonham - Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center, 1201 E. 9th St., Bonham, TX 75418 Dallas - Dallas VA Medical Center, 4500 S. Lancaster Rd., Dallas, TX 75216 SCOPE: The contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, supervision and all other resources required to transport the instruments to and from each Facility 88 miles each way. A weekly report of pickup and delivery times will be reported to ensure that deliveries are kept within specified time frames and that all deliveries are made in a timely manner, in accordance with the agreed timeline. The government will furnish the instruments to be transported, a temperature/humidity monitor, and a temperature/humidity log, to maintain the recommended temp/humidity parameters for storage of clean/sterile reusable medical equipment (RME). The government will also provide a cleaning log, red bins for contaminated instruments and grey bins for clean/sterile items. Daily monitoring and documentation of temperature/humidity status is required upon pick up of clean/sterile instruments. Documentation of the daily cleaning/wipe down of the transportation area for clean/sterile instruments. The government will notify the courier when there are no instruments to transport. REQUIREMENTS: The contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, supervision and all other resources required to transport the instruments to and from each Facility 88 miles each way. The contractor shall provide a weekly report of pickup and delivery times will be reported to ensure that deliveries are kept within specified time frames and that all deliveries are made in a timely manner, in accordance with the agreed timeline. The government will furnish the instruments to be transported, a temperature/humidity monitor, and a temperature/humidity log, to maintain the recommended temp/humidity parameters for storage of clean/sterile reusable medical equipment (RME). The government will also provide a cleaning log, red bins for contaminated instruments and grey bins for clean/sterile items. Daily monitoring and documentation of temperature/humidity status is required upon pick up of clean/sterile instruments. Documentation of the daily cleaning/wipe down of the transportation area for clean/sterile instruments. The government will notify the courier when there are no instruments to transport. Transportation Vehicles. (1) Prior to transportation of items, the vehicles will be inspected to identify any issues which may affect the sterility of items during transport. (2) Vehicles used for transportation of clean/sterile items will be fully enclosed to prevent outside contamination. (3) Vehicles shall not be left unlocked or unattended during transportation of clean/sterile items from one facility to another. If the vehicle must be unattended, it must be locked/secure. (4) The vehicle must contain mechanisms/devices which allow for transport containers to be secured during transport to avoid shifting, preventing damage or contamination. (5) When transporting clean/sterile items from one building to another and a motor vehicle is not necessary, items will be transported in sealed plastics containers or plastic bags (as indicated above) and placed in an enclosed or covered cart. Off-site Transportation 1.The design and materials used in the construction of all transport vehicles (motorized or manual) should allow for appropriate decontamination, especially if the vehicles are to be used alternately for the transport of sterile/clean items and soiled items. 2. Vehicles used to transport sterile packages between health care facilities should: a) provide for the complete separation of clean and sterile items from contaminated items. b) Manufacturer s instructions must be followed regarding handling, temperature, and humidity recommendations. 1.VHA Parameters for RME storage (Directive 1116/DUSHOM Memo): Temperature: 66 - 72 F Relative Humidity Range: 20% - 60% Before items are placed in the new clean storage area, the clean items will be inspected for event related sterility. Items with any damage to packaging, crushing or punctures or evidence of moisture will be removed and appropriately discarded. Clean items will never be transported in the same containers with contaminated items. c) Sealed plastic containers or plastic bags shall be used for transporting items. d) Plastic containers must be cleaned prior to using them to transport individual items. e) External shipping cartons (i.e., corrugated boxes) will be considered contaminated and will not come in contact with individual clean/sterile items. f) allow for ease of loading and unloading. 3. Carts containing sterile packages should be secured within the vehicle to prevent damage or contamination. NOTE All external shipping cartons are considered contaminated, even if they contain packaged sterile items. When vehicles are used, environmental conditions should be assessed while the vehicle is in motion and when it is not in motion. In geographical areas where high humidity is the norm, testing should be performed to determine the potential for absorbent items to become contaminated and for the contents of sterile packages to become wet from the condensate that can occur on metal or plastic surfaces. Vehicles that are loaded and ready for transport should not be left unattended in unsecured areas. The contractor shall provide courier services for two complete roundtrips per day. Beginning and ending at the same Facility, after the one stop, as follows: First Round-Trip: When the courier originates in Dallas: 1. Pick up sterile instruments in DALLAS in the AM (Between 7:30-8:00) 2. Deliver to Garland and Bonham. Pick up unsterile instruments. 3. Deliver unsterile instruments to DALLAS by NOON. The contractor shall ensure that all deliveries are made in a timely manner, in accordance with the contract. Second Round-Trip: When the courier originates in Garland: 1. Pick up unsterile instruments in Garland in the PM (No later than 4:30) 2. Pick up unsterile instruments in Bonham in the PM (Between 5:00-5:30) 3. Deliver unsterile instruments to DALLAS. Pick up sterile instruments from previous delivery. 4. Deliver sterile instruments to Garland and Bonham by PM. DOCUMENTATION: A weekly report of pickup and delivery times will be recorded in SPS ensuring that deliveries are kept within specified time frames and that all deliveries are made in a timely manner, in accordance with the agreed timeline. Daily monitoring and documentation of temperature/humidity status is required upon pick up of clean/sterile instruments. Documentation of the daily cleaning/wipe down of the transportation area for clean/sterile instruments. SPECIFIC MANDATORY TASKS AND ASSOCIATED DELIVERABLES: All instruments must be transported between Dallas from Bonham and Garland, five (5) times a week. TRAVEL: Courier will travel from Bonham and Garland to Dallas to collect and deliver instruments. If this is a Service your business can provide, please respond to this Sources Sought Notice by 11:00 AM Central Time on Friday, January 3, 2025. The intent of this notice is to establish sources to define the procurement strategy (e.g., set- aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation that VA intends to post soon. Interested Contractors are requested to respond in accordance with the following: If you have an existing GSA or VA, Federal Supply Schedule contract, include the contract details in your response. Please note that VA is particularly interested in determining the availability of Small Business that can provide this service. Vendors are requested to submit estimated market research pricing with their responses. The estimated pricing will be considered when determining the procurement strategy for the future solicitation. (e.g., if the CO determines that capable small businesses cannot provide fair and reasonable pricing, then the solicitation will not be set-aside). Responses shall include: Business Name Business Address Point of Contact Name Phone Number E-mail Address SAM UID Number Currently registered in SAM (Yes or No). If Yes, provide expiration date. NAICS code Business Size: Small or Large Type of Business: Service-Disabled Veteran Owned (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned (VOSB), 8(a), HUBZone, Woman-Owned (WOSB), etc. GSA or VA FSS Contract Number, if applicable Current fleet size The contractor shall provide Emergent, non-emergent Advanced Life Support (ALS), and Critical Care Transport (CCT) Tier 1, 2, and 3 ambulance services on an as-needed basis in accordance with all federal, state, and local regulations. All businesses eligible to provide this service are encouraged to reply as this information may be used to determine potential set-asides for the above-noted requirement. Send responses to both the Contract Specialist and the Contracting Officer. Contracting Officer: Mr. Rafael Rodriguez at Rafael.Rodriguez2@va.gov Responses in the email subject line shall state: 36C25725Q0189, Sources Sought Notice DISCLAIMER: This notice is issued solely for informational and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Department of Veterans Affairs to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this notice. Performance Work Statement (PWS) GROUND AMBULANCE BLS VISN 17/Station 674 Page 48 of 48 Page 1 of

Background
This market research notice is being conducted by the Network Contracting Office (NCO) 17 VHA Regional Procurement Office-West (RPO-W) to identify potential sources for a Crosstown Courier Service.

The Department of Veterans Affairs aims to establish a procurement strategy for transporting medical instruments between various facilities in North Texas, specifically focusing on maintaining the integrity and sterility of reusable medical equipment (RME).

Work Details
The contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, supervision, and resources required to transport instruments between the Garland VA Medical Center, Bonham - Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center, and Dallas VA Medical Center.

Key tasks include:
1. Transporting instruments 88 miles each way.
2. Providing weekly reports of pickup and delivery times to ensure timely deliveries.
3. Daily monitoring and documentation of temperature/humidity status upon pickup of clean/sterile instruments.
4. Ensuring vehicles are inspected prior to transportation to maintain sterility.
5. Vehicles must be fully enclosed and secured during transport.
6. Transporting clean/sterile items separately from contaminated items using sealed containers or bags.
7. Conducting two complete roundtrips per day: one originating in Dallas and another in Garland, with specific pickup and delivery schedules outlined for both trips.

Place of Performance
Garland VA Medical Center, 2300 Marie Curie Blvd., Garland, TX 75042; Bonham - Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center, 1201 E. 9th St., Bonham, TX 75418; Dallas VA Medical Center, 4500 S. Lancaster Rd., Dallas, TX 75216.