AMENDMENT 0001
Water Testing Services - RFQ No. 36C25926Q0434
The purpose for this amendment is as follows:
1. Extend responses due time.
2. Attach Revised Statement of Work (SOW)
3. Post Q&A
Responses Due Date
The responses due time is hereby extended to 11:59 pm MDT, Tuesday April 28 2026.
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Please note: Questions posted here have been included as originally received (i.e., format, phrasing, spelling, etc.)
The resultant contract will be an IDIQ, with Firm-Fixed Task Orders written against it. The number of samples per department will be estimated annually, and purchased via said task orders as needed. Responses to this RFQ should provide unit/item pricing per sample, using the spreadsheet and estimated quantities provided.
Q1. The solicitation states there is no task order maximum, while FAR 52.216-19 specifies order limitations.
Can the Government clarify how these provisions should be reconciled?
Response: The statement in that SOW that reads There is no task order (or delivery order) maximum or minimum means, in this case, that there is no minimum or maximum limit on how many task/delivery orders may be issued under the IDIQ contract.
Q2. What is the overall contract ceiling value for this IDIQ?
Response: $350,000.00
Q3. The SOW indicates the contractor will not perform work on-site, yet page 12 includes requirements for on-site presence with PIV badges and adherence to OSHA safety requirements.
Will VA personnel perform all sample collection, or are there circumstances where contractor personnel are required on-site?
Response: VA Personnel will perform all sample collections. The language on Page 12 is generic for any contractors performing work on VA campuses. This contract does not require the contractor to be on site.
If contractor personnel are required on-site, what specific duties are expected?
Response: Contractor personnel are not required to perform any services on VA property for this contract.
Is the requirement for an on-site representative applicable for this laboratory services contract?
Response: An on-site representative is only required when contractor personnel are performing services on site at VA property, which is not the case for this contract.
Q4. The SOW requires a 24-hour collection-to-processing timeframe and 15-day reporting timeline.
How will delays outside contractor control (e.g., shipping delays, VA handling delays) be addressed?
Response: Delays caused by the carrier service which the contractor chooses are not the responsibility of the VA. The VA will not be liable for any additional costs incurred by the contractor as the result of occasional delays in transit which compromise the integrity of the laboratory data from the samples which must be received by the lab within 24 hours of the collection time. The contractor must ensure that the ice packets are provided to the VA in each parcel requiring them to ensure accurate data results (e.g., bacterial cultures on HPC tests and legionella).
Q5. Page 7 of the SOW indicates the potential for retests. Are those quantities included in the CLIN table or will they be invoiced on a purchase order? If on the CLIN table, how many of the total quantities listed are expected to be for retests?
Response: The VA estimates an approximate number of retests annually and adds this as part of the basis in the total annual numbers for each task order. The CLIN values in the task orders will include the estimated retests amounts. If more retests occur that originally estimate, another task order will be issued to the contractor.
Q6. On page 13, the SOW includes references to medical gas systems and equipment maintenance. Are these requirements applicable to this procurement, or included in error?
Response: This is a typographical error. There are no medical gas services included in this contract s SOW. The language in question has been removed from the attached revised SOW, and will not be included in the contract.
Q7. Per language in pages 12-16, Is this contract strictly for laboratory testing services, or are any equipment or maintenance services required?
Response: This contract is strictly for laboratory testing services. There are no maintenance services included. The language regarding maintenance and equipment is generic.
Q8. On page 19, the solicitation references multiple VA sites but provides limited detail. Can the Government provide a complete list of all locations covered under this contract? Will additional locations be added during contract performance?
Response: Through the life of this IDIQ contract, it s estimated that there will be only two locations requiring laboratory testing kits. Below are the two addresses:
Oklahoma City VA Medical Center
Engineering Service
921 NE 13th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Lawton VA Clinic
Engineering Service
4304 Pitman St.
Lawton, OK 73503
Q9. CLIN 0001 indicates 300 samples a year for critical water and cooling towers.
Can the government clarify the number of critical water samples and cooling towers given that the frequencies are different?
Would the government consider adding a separate CLIN for the cooling towers?
Will the collection of critical water and cooling towers be performed at the same time or because they are in different departments, will the timelines vary?
If so, this lends more credence to separating critical water and cooling tower HPC tests on the CLIN table.
Response: Again, the frequencies will depend heavily on the number of retests and cooling towers in operation at the time of each quarterly interval. The VA is responsible for scheduling the collection of water samples based on the VA s stipulations (i.e., every 14 days for HPC tests on cooling towers when running and monthly for SPS critical water). There is no need for a separate CLIN with the cooling towers since the type of test is the same for bacteria. Collections will attempt to be overlapped as much as possible; however, HPC for the cooling towers is tested every 14 days and not monthly. It is not clear why there is a need for a separate CLIN unless the shipping costs of the samples is considerable enough that there is a need for a separately priced line-item to save overall cost to the government due to the indefinite nature of this contract.
Q10. The solicitation includes Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS).
Do SCLS requirements apply to off-site laboratory personnel?
Response: Yes SCA/SCLS apply to this procurement.
Q11. Sampling is tied to specific calendar dates (e.g., second Monday of designated months).
Is there flexibility in scheduling due to holidays, operational conflicts, or emergencies?
Response: Yes, there is some schedule flexibility; however, the contractor is expected to understand and track the VA s mandatory reporting timelines for data. Both the COR and the contractor must coordinate and schedule shipments of the test kits to ensure that data is returned to the VA within its compliance timelines.
Q12. Who is responsible for coordinating sampling schedules (VA or contractor)?
Response: VA Personnel will ultimately be responsible for scheduling sampling services.
Q13. Can the prime contractor subcontract laboratory testing services?
Response: Yes, as long as the arrangement is in strict compliance with the Limitations on Subcontracting rules, requiring the prime to perform at least 50% of the cost of contract performance, including labor.
Q14. Must the prime contractor hold required laboratory accreditations, or may these be held by subcontractors?
Response: Both Prime and Sub must hold required laboratory accreditations.
Q15. Are multiple laboratories permitted under one contract?
Response: Yes, multiple laboratories are permitted under this contract; however, the laboratories must have the necessary credentials to provide the corresponding laboratory services under this contract s SOW.
ALL OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED
