Multiple VA Medical Centers located in DC, MD, & Wv within the Visn 05 Area is conducting this Sources Sought to identify contractors who possess capabilities to provide the services described in the Statement of Work below. As permitted by the FAR Part 10, this is a market research tool being utilized for the informational and planning purposes. Your responses will assist the Government in the development of its acquisition strategy. Response is strictly voluntary it is not mandatory to submit a response to this notice to participate in formal RFQ process that may take place in the future. However, it should be noted that information gathered through this notice may significantly influence our acquisition strategy. All interested parties will be required to respond separately to any solicitation posted as a result of this sources sought notice. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. We appreciate your interest and thank you in advance for responding to the sources sought. This service will be implemented using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 562112. (Hazardous Waste Collection ) If a small business is interested in this procurement, they must provide at least 51 percent of the services rendered. NOTES All Capability Statements/Responses to this Sources Sought Notice shall be submitted via email only to craig.armagost@va.gov. Telephone, Fax, or any other form of communication inquiries will not be reviewed or accepted. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice must be received no later than October 21st, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). This Sources Sought Notice may or may not assist the VA in determining sources only. A solicitation is not currently available. If a solicitation is issued, it may or may not be announced at a later date, and all interested parties shall respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this Sources Sought Notice. DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked a proprietary will be handled accordingly in accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e), RFIs may be used when the Government does not presently intend to award a contract, but wants to obtain price, delivery, other market information, or capabilities for planning purposes. Responses to these notices are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses incurred associated with responding to this RFI. INTERESTED & CAPABLE RESPONSES NCO 5 is seeking responses from businesses that are interested in this procurement and consider themselves to have the resources, rights, and capabilities necessary to provide these services. Please respond with your: Business name (including Unique Entity ID (SAM.gov), business type, socio-economic status (e.g., Veteran-Owned, Woman-Owned, Disadvantaged Small Business, 8(a), etc.), person of contact (including telephone number & email address). Capability statement GSA Contract number, if applicable, to include NAICS Brief summary of categories of professional services that your company can provide. Applicable Certification(s)/Licenses Please list all locations referenced in 2.0 & 8.0 in the below statement of work capable of providing these services. Statement of Work DC, MD, AND WV VAMCS AND COMMUNITY BASED OUTPATIENT CENTERS (CBOCS) HAZARDOUS, UNIVERSAL, AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPREHENSIVE WASTE CONTRACT 1.0 INTRODUCTION The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs is to provide the highest quality healthcare to our nation s Veterans. To support this mission we must provide safe, clean and environmentally compliant facilities. The Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) as well as the corresponding community-based outpatient centers (CBOC) within DC/Maryland/West Virginia/Virginia VAMCs (EV5) and CBOCs consist of multiple clinical and non-clinical operations, as well as special circumstances that occasionally arise, which result in numerous types of complex waste streams not currently managed by our Environmental Management Service. To ensure and improve environmental compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), The department of Veterans Affairs for EV5 intends to award a Firm Fixed Price, Indefinite Quantity, Indefinite Delivery Service Contract as part of a MATOC (multiple award task order contract) to qualified firm(s) with the capability and capacity to provide hazardous, non-hazardous, pharmaceutical (hazardous, non-hazardous, and controlled substances), radioactive (VAMHCS Only), and universal waste/recycling and/or disposal services; lab packs; technical consulting; waste and/or potentially hazardous materials characterization; electronic record keeping; emergency response; and annual hazardous waste and DOT training for all EV5 locations. 2.0 BACKGROUND This contract will include waste services for all VAMCs and CBOCs within the eastern geographic area of VISN 5 (referenced in this solicitation as EV5). This includes the following facilities: Baltimore VAMC, Baltimore VAMC Annex, Loch Raven VAMC, Fort Meade CBOC, Eastern Baltimore county CBOC, Glen Burnie CBOC, Perry Point VAMC, Pocomoke City CBOC, Cambridge CBOC, Washington DC VAMC, Charlotte Hall CBOC, Montgomery County CBOC, Lexington Park CBOC, Southern PG County CBOC, Southeast CBOC, Martinsburg VAMC, Cumberland CBOC, Fort Detrick CBOC, Franklin CBOC, Hagerstown CBOC, , Stephen City CBOC, Harrisonburg CBOC, Petersburg CBOC. Additional information related to facility location and generator status is located in Attachment A. This attachment also includes Points of Contact and the number of Satellite Accumulation Areas (SAA) for each VAMC. 3.0 GENERAL SCOPE To ensure environmental compliance and effectively manage the types of waste streams and/or potentially hazardous materials described above, EV5 is seeking environmental technical services as well as equipment and supplies to identify, manage, remove, and dispose of hazardous, universal, hazardous and non-hazardous pharmaceutical and special solid waste streams as well as provide associated hazardous waste and/or potentially hazardous materials characterization, hazardous waste and Department of Transportation (DOT) training, and emergency response to all EV5 facilities. Hazardous waste and/or potentially hazardous materials characterization, management, removal, transportation, final disposal and associated emergency response shall be completed in accordance with the 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 260-299, 49 CFR part 172, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations 29 CFR 1910.120(p)(8) and 1910.120(q), and applicable state regulatory agencies, Joint Commission Standards, and industry best management practices based on recommendations and published guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The contractor shall provide the following requirements: Waste and/or potentially hazardous materials determination and characterization (to include sampling and testing in accordance with appropriate test methods such as EPA SW-846 and/or other legally required test methods) Pharmacy RCRA Characterization at all EV5 locations on an annual basis Waste and/or potentially hazardous materials profiles Weekly inspection and documentation of all Central Accumulation Areas (CAA). Twice monthly waste inspection, collection, and transportation services of waste from all Satellite Accumulation Areas (SAAs); Contractor shall pick up waste at SAA and transport to Central Accumulation Area (CAA) for <90-day storage prior to final disposal. Twice monthly waste inspection, collection, and transportation of Universal Waste from SAAs. Waste will be transported to the CAA for storage prior to Universal Waste removal. Twice monthly removal of Controlled Substances for destruction/reverse distribution. Lab-pack services Contractor shall provide Recordkeeping/Reports and Technical Assistance. Including the completion of facility Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Biennial Reports for all LQGs (and associated information) Waste Transportation (Contractor must have state Hazardous and Universal Waste hauler licenses) Final waste disposal and/or recycling if appropriate, with permitted Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) and/or recycling services, if appropriate Emergency spill response within 2 hours of notification. The contractor shall provide annual DOT and RCRA training to a maximum of ten (10) employees at each EV5 location. The contractor shall identify strategies and options to reduce the waste streams identified by an agreed-upon percentage each year. The contractor should incorporate reduction through recycling, redistributing, recovery, purchasing alternatives, and any additional innovative techniques. The items outlined in the list above will be required for the following: Hazardous wastes and/or potentially hazardous materials Hazardous Pharmaceutical wastes Mixed radioactive and hazardous wastes (VAMHCS only) Radioactive wastes (VAMHCS only) Universal wastes Hazardous wastes that is contaminated with infectious material Dental amalgam and trap recycling containing biohazardous and amalgam waste. Lead Apron recycling and/or other toxic metal recycling waste Special non-hazardous solid and/or liquid non-hazardous waste streams not currently managed by our Environmental Management Service (such as oil/gasoline; oil-contaminated soil; oil-spill clean-up debris including rinsates, outdated or abandoned chemicals; storage tanks; etc.) Controlled substances The contractor shall provide identified work for an estimated five (5) year period of performance. 4.0 REQUIREMENTS Services shall include all labor, materials, tools, equipment, analysis, travel, transportation, documentation, waste treatment, disposal and support services required to characterize, manage, categorize, package, transport, document and dispose of and/or recycle, if appropriate all wastes and/or potentially hazardous materials mentioned in this solicitation from all V5 VAMC and CBOC facilities. The Contractor and the Contracting Officer s Representative (COR) from each main VAMC shall schedule routine (non-emergency) removal/disposal for each facility and/or facility satellite accumulation area(s) based upon need and volume. This occurrence will be determined by the rate of generation and/or pertinent laws and regulations. The successful offeror MUST possess the necessary technical expertise and resources required by this solicitation, including that the Prime Contractor hold a State Hazardous Waste Hauler license for all states within the DC/MD VAMCs and CBOC region, be licensed with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as a reverse distributor to handle Schedule II V Controlled Substances, or have an authorized subcontractor that is licensed with the DEA. As well as the ability to obtain Contractor Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Security badges, to be considered for contract award. Meetings: Quarterly meetings shall be held with the DC/MD VAMCs and CBOC Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) Program Manager and/or VAMCs GEMS Program Managers to address contract performance. Should contract deficiencies arise, meetings may be held on a more frequent basis to resolve any/all issues. 4.1. WASTE AND/OR POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION The contractor is required to perform characterization of all waste and/or potentially hazardous material streams identified by each facility using process knowledge, identity of the chemicals, and other types of chemical analysis including but not limited to Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and any other EPA or state approved analysis methods such as SW 846. In the event there are waste and/or potentially hazardous material streams that do not have any process knowledge, Service of Field Chemist and associated supplies may be required to perform waste sampling, chain of custody, transport to lab, etc. for identification of these and any other waste streams that require waste stream characterization and identification. Contactor shall compile and provide waste analysis profiles to DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs COR and DC/MD VAMCs and CBOC Site GEMS Program Manager. Wastes shall include but not be limited to hazardous, pharmaceutical, radioactive (VAMHCS Only), mixed radioactive and hazardous, mixed infectious and hazardous waste, non-hazardous liquid chemicals; non-hazardous waste-solids and special waste circumstances (such as oil-contaminated soil and other solids that may be best managed outside of the regular non-hazardous solid waste (trash receptacles); oil or glycol-contaminated waste and/or spill material; as well as universal waste (e.g., batteries, fluorescent lamps, mercury thermometers and blood pressure cuffs, lead aprons, amalgam) or potentially hazardous materials such as oil/dielectric fluid; water; air or other material sampling. Work shall be performed in accordance with all applicable, Federal, State, Local and all governing regulations. 4.2. DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs PHARMACY FORMULARY AND NON-FORMULARY PHARMACEUTICAL RCRA CHARACTERIZATION On a semi-annual basis the contractor shall analyze and characterize the pharmacy formularies and any non-formulary drugs added to the pharmacy inventories for all DC/MD VAMCs on an annual basis and provide a sortable spreadsheet to the GEMS Program Manager that details all pharmaceuticals in DC/MD VAMCs Formulary and non-formulary drugs along with their corresponding EPA and State Hazardous Waste ID as well as NIOSH hazardous drug category; controlled substance identification (especially those drugs that are considered EPA hazardous wastes and controlled substances) and proper waste management (such as Black RCRA Container for U and D-listed or P-Listed Quart Container or Non-Hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste Container or Sharps Container, etc.). The contractor shall provide a database for the management of all identified hazardous waste characterizations. At a minimum the database should be searchable and should allow the GEMS manager or Designee to add and remove waste characterizations as needed. 4.3. WASTE MANAGEMENT AND REMOVAL Estimated quantities and types of each waste stream and/or potentially hazardous materials are listed in the Price/Cost Schedule (Attachment C). The selected contractor shall be able to package, transport, and dispose of all federal and state hazardous waste codes as well as all types of universal waste. Upon mutual agreement of parties, additional waste not listed in Attachment C may be negotiated and added to this contract via modification by the Contracting Officer. Additional waste not listed shall not be removed from the premises without written authorization from the Contracting Officer. 4.3.a. SATELLITE ACCUMULATION AREA MANAGEMENT/WASTE REMOVAL At a minimum of twice per month or more often as requested by each facility GEMS Manager, the contractor shall be required to inspect and/or remove hazardous and universal waste from SAAs. The location of each SAA is included in Attachment B. The contractor shall review the SAA for compliance and if necessary, the contractor will be asked to move hazardous waste from the satellite areas to the main hazardous storage area within the facility or directly off site to the TSDF if needed. The Contractor must meet with the representatives at each facility to discuss the need for this action. A VA PIV Badge will be required to access EV5 locations. In general, the contractor shall remove waste from SAA such as laboratories, clinics, maintenance areas, pharmacies, research areas, and inpatient and outpatient floors. Note: Some facilities may have over 100 SAAs. The contractor will be responsible for supplying all equipment and materials to safely transport this waste from each SAA to the VAMC s 90-day CAA or prepare it for shipment directly offsite to an approved TSDF or recycling facility, if appropriate. Waste quantities and poundage from SAA will vary from quart size to 55-gallon drums and will range from <2 pounds to 500 pounds for larger polyethylene and steel drums. Occasionally, larger containers such as cubic yard boxes or other larger containers may be required. It is recommended that the contractor provides appropriate drum dollies and/or pallet jacks or other appropriate material handling equipment capable of collecting and transporting these waste streams without damaging the drums or containers. The Contractor shall furnish all containers and packing material for lab packs. The contractor may, on occasion, be requested to furnish other waste storage containers (e.g., for bulk waste). Contractor shall provide a list of containers and pricing with their proposal. 4.3.b. WASTE REMOVAL Waste will be collected from the Hazardous Waste Central Accumulation Areas (CAA) in appropriate timeframes that correspond with each facility hazardous waste generator status identified in Attachment A (i.e. LQG will be removed within 75 days, SQG within 100 days, VSQG within 330 days) and transported offsite for final disposal at an approved TSDF or recycling facility, if appropriate. The location for each CAA is identified in Attachment A. Universal Waste will also be collected at each facilities CAA for Universal waste and sent for recycling at least every 6 months or more frequently as needed. Contractor shall be informed of types of waste and locations of waste to be removed and disposed of by the COR prior to scheduled pickups. Contract pricing should be inclusive of all costs associated with multiple pick-up locations within each of the VAMC locations. The wastes shall be segregated by hazard class or chemical compatibility and labeled appropriately. Waste may be stored at multiple locations throughout the medical center complexes. The responsible Contracting Officer Representative or his/her designee shall notify the Contractor of the necessity for the pickup for circumstances outside of the normal schedule of "8:00 AM through 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding National Holidays. The Contractor must coordinate all pickups with the facility COR or facility representative. The Contractor shall be required to pick up waste within seven (7) calendar days of email and/or telephonic notification by government representatives or must be able to respond within 2 hours in the event of a spill or other emergency. For scheduled pick-ups of waste, the Contractor must provide multiple availability dates and times within the seven (7) day window. The Contractor shall supply all necessary containers and lab pack material for pick up and transfer to the TSDF or recycling facility, if appropriate. The Contractor shall be responsible for properly containerizing all lab-packs and for assuming all safety measures to prevent harm or injury to VA patients, visitors, employees, contractor employees (example: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the environment (example: storm drain covers). The COR has the authority under this contract to present a verbal stop work order pertaining to job activity they reasonably believe represents an imminent hazard to life, property or the environment. This verbal order shall be followed up by a written stop work order issued by the Contracting Officer as soon as feasible after the imminently hazardous situation has been stabilized or abated. The contractor must overpack, if needed, and remove waste at the same time. The waste must be overpacked and removed within the seven (7) day window referenced in section (b) of this part. If necessary, the contractor shall support facilities during episodic generation, as defined in 40 CFR 262 subpart L, that may occur as a result of bulk chemical turn ins. The contractor shall support the facility in complying with all necessary generator requirements during episodic generation, including proper state and federal notification. 4.3.c CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE DESTRUCTION At a minimum of every other month or more often as requested by each facility Pharmacy Chief, the contractor (or authorized subcontractor) shall be required to process Controlled Substances for destruction in accordance with 21 CFR §1317 Controlled Substance Disposal. The contractor shall package the items for destruction within Pharmacy. The Contractor shall list all controlled substances designated for disposal on a disposal manifest and a DEA form 222 (when appropriate) will be generated and a copy left within the pharmacy and the narcotic vault prior to the removal of medications from the facility. This list will include at a minimum product name, National Drug Code (NDC) or catalog number and quantity. A Certificate of Destruction for controlled substances including the disposal date, destruction method, destruction location, weight, disposal company name and proof of destruction affidavit shall be provided to the returning facility and maintained on the reporting website upon completion of destruction. All Manifests shall be provided to the returning facility within 30 calendar days of Contractor's item receipt, with the exception of the Certificate of Destruction/Affidavit which shall be provided within 30 days of the completion of destruction. 4.4. LABELING OF WASTE The contractor shall be responsible for properly labeling hazardous and universal waste prior to offsite shipment to the TSDF or recycling facility, if appropriate. For those facilities that require transfer of hazardous, pharmaceutical, or universal waste from SAA areas to the onsite CAA; the contractor shall also be responsible for verifying that SAA labeling is correct and appropriate and that hazardous waste is properly dated when transported to the facility CAA. When waste is transported to the CAA, the contractor shall properly date that waste with its generator start date. All hazardous waste shall be labeled with the words Hazardous Waste and must also indicate the hazards of the contents. The hazard label may use DOT hazard communication, OSHA hazard statement or pictogram, NFP chemical hazard label or RCRA characteristic. However, the hazard label must be more descriptive than the RCRA hazard code (i.e. D001). These labeling requirements apply to the CAA as well as all SAA locations. When the contractor has added waste to the CAA, or prior to offsite shipment to the TSDF or recycling facility, if appropriate, the waste shall be labeled with the RCRA waste code. Should labeling requirements change during the contract s period of performance, the contractor is responsible for compliance with the changes and updating any labeling as necessary. 4.5. WASTE TRANSPORTATION The contractor shall possess current state waste transporter permit(s)/hauler license(s) for all states within V5 VAMCs and CBOCs geographic area during the entire contract period and provide a copy of Operator permit(s). The contractor must be able to package, transport, and dispose of hazardous waste; universal waste; and mixed hazardous/ radiological and mixed hazardous/biohazardous waste in accordance with applicable EPA, DOT and state laws. The prime contractor must provide the following information regarding the hazardous waste fleet owned and operated by the contractor: Basic description of transportation services offered and capabilities. Fleet description of number, types, and ages of vehicles. Description of service and maintenance programs. Types of materials licensed to haul. Latest DOT or MCS rating (include a copy of the last inspection). The DOT/CHP compliance record. Description of driver qualifications including training programs, and experience. Provide evidence that background checks have been conducted on all employees that will perform any duties under this contract. 4.6. FINAL WASTE DISPOSAL All hazardous and non-hazardous wastes and materials generated by V5 VAMCs and CBOCs Facilities shall be disposed of or recycled, if appropriate, by the Contractor in accordance with current Federal, State and local guidelines governing regulated hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Packaging of chemical wastes or other wastes already specified in this performance work statement such as waste pharmaceuticals, special non-hazardous waste, etc. shall be in the largest container available for that waste stream. Smaller sizes shall be used for partial loads or to meet the disposal priorities or DOT requirements. Contractor shall dispose of hazardous waste in a manner that leaves no future expense potential to the VA or the federal government. Wastes should be disposed of in the following preferred priority: Recycling of chemicals to another party for future use if economically feasible and practical. The treatment of the waste (at a facility approved for such processing by an appropriate state or federal agency) in a manner that renders it no longer a hazardous waste as defined in the 40 CFR series. DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs hazardous waste shall be treated using the preferred order below. Reprocessing or recovery followed by recycling/reuse Top choice Chemical neutralization or detoxification. Thermal treatment (e.g. incineration, pyrolysis). The long-term internment (burial) in a secure chemical landfill site approved for such by the appropriate state or federal agency. Acceptance of the hazardous property (wastes) at a properly permitted TSDF or recycling facility, if appropriate, does not constitute disposal and/or completion of the contract. It is the prime contractor s responsibility to obtain all necessary documentation to prove that the timely end disposal of all items has been accomplished in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. Out-of-country shipments are prohibited under this contract The contractor shall submit data on how much hazardous waste they have reprocessed or recovered and recycled and reused from other Health Care Facilities. 4.7. DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDKEEPING The Contractor is required to comply with all Federal, State and local regulations, policies and procedures regarding tracking, record keeping, manifesting and documentation of all hazardous, pharmaceutical, mixed waste, radioactive, universal, mixed regulated medical waste and hazardous waste, and non-hazardous waste. The contractor shall be required to comply with all changes to such Federal, State and local regulations and procedures which occur during the term of this contract. The Contractor shall provide to the Government any additional certifications that may be required because of changes in such laws. Contractor shall have a centralized waste tracking system that is exportable to the VA system via a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The centralized tracking system shall include a centralized database for all waste characterizations and determinations, hazardous waste manifests, universal bill of lading for universal wastes, methods of final (end) disposal, final (end) disposal sites, monthly, quarterly and annual waste generation reports by facility, recycling amounts, training records, and a tracking system for hazardous materials spills. 4.7.a. DOCUMENTATION OF WASTE OR POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION The contractor shall provide accurate documentation of waste or potentially hazardous material determination and waste or potentially hazardous material characterization. The contractor shall maintain a database of the annual pharmacy formulary and non-formulary pharmaceuticals review and shall make this available to all V5 VAMCs and CBOCs facilities for review and reference. The contractor shall assist facilities with hazardous waste or potentially hazardous material determination and when required the contractor shall collect samples of unknown waste or potentially hazardous material streams and send them for analysis to an approved laboratory. The contractor shall use process knowledge, chemical or physical characterization, information on the chemical properties and/or knowledge of the products to determine if a waste is a characteristic or listed hazardous waste. When available knowledge is inadequate, the contractor shall test the waste in accordance with methods set forth in subpart C of 40 CFR part 261. The contractor shall maintain copies of all waste or potentially hazardous material determinations for 3 years or the length of the contract (whichever is longer) and shall provide a copy to the DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs and VAMCs. The records shall include the following information: results of any tests, sampling, or waste or potentially hazardous material analyses; records documenting the analytical methods used to demonstrate the validity of such tests; records consulted in order to determine the process by which the waste or potentially hazardous material was generated, the composition of the waste or potentially hazardous material, and the properties of the waste or potentially hazardous material; records which explain the knowledge basis for the waste or potentially hazardous material determination as described in 40 CFR 262.11(d)(1). 4.7.b. MANIFESTS The Contractor shall utilize the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifests required by the EPA and DOT (5-copy form) and additional documentation that apply to the removal and disposal of hazardous, pharmaceutical, mixed waste, universal, mixed regulated medical waste and hazardous waste, and non-hazardous waste activities conducted by its workforces and/or its subcontractors. The Contractor shall furnish a properly executed and legible copy of the appropriate manifests required to document the safe shipment and proper disposal of hazardous, universal and non-hazardous chemical waste generated by the Government under the terms of this contract. The contractor shall obtain manifests in accordance with Federal and State requirements within DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs. The contractor may use the e-manifesting system and will assist DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs facilities in complying with all e-manifesting requirements. Prior to the removal and transport of hazardous, pharmaceutical, radioactive and mixed waste, universal, mixed regulated medical waste and hazardous waste, and non-hazardous waste generated by the VA, the Contractor shall obtain approval and signature for each manifest (and corresponding Land Disposal Restriction form if required by law) from the VA Facility s Contracting Officer Representative or designee verifying that the Contractor has accepted the waste from the VA and that the waste was properly shipped for treatment or disposal. Manifests not signed by the Contracting Officer Representative or designee will not be deemed valid. Manifests copies shall be distributed to the generator, each transporter, and the designated facility. The contractor shall require the designated facility to forward copies as indicated on the manifest to the generator, State environmental regulatory agency, and the state of the designated facility. The Contractor shall return a copy of the Hazardous waste Manifest to the DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs facility generator with all required signatures within forty-five (45) days of waste removal. The manifest will be signed by all transporters and treatment, storage, or disposal facilities. If the manifest is not returned within forty-five (45) days the contractor shall give notice to the state in which the designated facility is located, the state in which the Generator is located, and to the DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs and VAMC GEMS Managers. In addition, the contractor will attach corresponding manifests to the invoices sent to the VA for payment. In addition to providing the manifests, the Contractor shall provide a properly executed and signed disposal certificate for each manifest to the VA Contracting Officer Representative within ninety (90) calendar days of removal of waste from this facility. The disposal certificate shall clearly indicate that all waste has been properly disposed of and will specify the site and date of disposal or incineration (90-day requirement). Exceptions to this must be approved by the COR. Contractor shall maintain a centralized electronic waste database that is exportable through a Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access format for input into the VA system. This centralized electronic database will include all waste or potentially hazardous material characterizations and determinations, waste or potentially hazardous material generation data, shipping information and other data required for the proper execution of this contract. This system should enable tracking of generator status as well as generate monthly, quarterly or annual reports as well as RCRA biennial reports and enable tracking of compliance dates. The contractor shall be responsible for providing a database that will be able to generate reports on hazardous waste activities, waste characterization profiles, annual generation by facility and other information necessary for the successful operation and management of a hazardous waste management program. This will be readily exported to a format such as Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access or another comparable program. The contractor shall also provide guidance and technical assistance in the revision of the Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste Management Program at the DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs facilities. The Contractor will work with the DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs GEMS Manager and facility VAMC GEMS Managers to provide guidance from the federal, state and local jurisdictions. When needed, the contractor will assist in applying for and receiving exemptions and written guidance as it pertains to hazardous waste and potentially hazardous material management, pharmaceutical waste management, sanitary sewer discharges, and universal waste management. 4.7.c BIENNIAL REPORTING AND WASTE QUANTITY TRACKING The contractor shall trend and track all waste and potentially hazardous material types and quantities from each EV5 facility. This shall be provided to each facility annually in a database or excel spreadsheet by January 30th. For LQGs the contractor shall provide necessary data to complete the biennial report including all aspects of the Waste Generation and Management (GM) forms including Source Codes, Form Codes, Quantities, Management Method, and EPA and state Waste Codes. The contractor shall provide technical assistance to all facilities in timely completion of Biennial Reports. 4.8. EMERGENCY PLANING AND SPILL RESPONSE 4.8.a EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND PLANNING The selected contractor will be identified within the facility hazardous waste contingency plan as a primary spill response contractor capable of managing large scale chemical and hazardous material spills. Note: the selected contractor will not be required to develop the facility hazardous waste contingency plans for the facilities. 4.8.b. TRANSPORTOR / CONTRACTOR SPILL The contractor shall comply with all Pre-transport requirements of 40 CFR 262.30-262.33. The selected contractor will be responsible for all packaging and labeling of hazardous and universal waste for shipment off site to a RCRA approved Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) or recycling facility, if appropriate. Should hazardous, radiological or universal or other waste be released during the performance of services under this contract, through no fault of the VA facilities, the Contractor shall be responsible for all costs associated with the satisfactory remediation of the incident. This will include the cost of all labor and materials as well as any actual damages incurred to the facility and harm caused to patients, visitors and staff of the medical center. The remediation efforts shall be performed to the satisfaction of the pertinent regulatory authorities, the GEMS coordinator at each impacted location, and the VISN GEMS Manager. (Note: All sites under this contract SOW are currently under VISN 5. Should VISN re-alignment change, the appropriate VISN GEMS Manager for the impacted location will be applicable to this requirement). 4.8.c. FACILITY SPILLS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE The Contractor shall have the capability to provide twenty-four (24) hour per day, seven (7) days per week emergency response services for spills of hazardous materials and/or wastes, pharmaceutical wastes, radiological wastes and universal wastes to all identified locations. The contractor shall respond within two (2) hours to spill incidents at each medical center and/or Community Outpatient Clinics to conduct spill mitigation activities, neutralize spilled products, and provide expert advice concerning products and their potential impacts on people and the environment. Response shall include spill cleanup at each medical center, to handle and dispose of products or product residuals generated as a result of a spill and to prepare required documentation on behalf of the facility. The contractor shall also possess the capability to respond within this two (2) hour on-site framework to assess any potentially unstable/reactive hazardous substance identified, and to affect an on-site or remote stabilization as appropriate within twenty-four (24) hours. The contractor shall consider the location and possible spill impacts of each campus, including surface and groundwater impacts and should be able and capable of responding to spills that may affect these areas. Provide estimate for emergency response and provide water spill response for Perry Point. This contractor will be identified in facility ICPs as the main spill response contractor. The contractor shall be responsible for providing emergency first responder services in the event of a spill of hazardous materials/wastes, pharmaceutical wastes, radiological wastes, and universal wastes. This service must be available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and be available with personnel on the scene within 2 hours. If Contractor fails to respond within two (2) hours, VA reserves the right to obtain the required service from another source capable of full performance of these contract requirements, and to charge the contractor with any excess cost which may result there from. The contractor must be able to identify spilled product, conduct spill mitigation activities (e.g., containment, diversion from storm drains), neutralize spilled product, provide expert advice concerning products and their potential impacts, undertake spill cleanup activities, handle and dispose of spilled product and residuals, and prepare appropriate documentation on behalf of the facility. The contractor shall provide their spill procedures for integration into facility level Spill Prevention Control & Countermeasure Plan (SPCC) or Integrated Contingency Plan (ICP). The contractor shall provide their billing procedure that would be used for spill and emergency response activity. The contractor shall provide DOT emergency response telephone service to meet the requirements in 49 CFR 172.604. 4.9. TRAINING This contract shall include annual Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)/Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) training for all VA employees who sign hazardous waste manifests, a maximum of one hundred (100) employees per year of this contract. This training shall be a combination course for DOT HM126F and EPA/RCRA. The handling and Transporting Hazardous Material DOT HM-126F portion of this course shall be an awareness course for EV5 locations to comply with the DOT HM-126F regulation. This course is for all workers involved in warehouse operations, shipping, transportation, receiving, packing or unpacking hazardous materials. This course shall teach workers how to recognize and identify hazardous materials, to know where they may encounter them in their jobs, how to protect themselves, and how to respond in emergency situations. The EPA/RCRA portion of the training course shall include a history and overview of hazardous waste management laws and regulations, a guide to complying with the myriad of hazardous waste regulations including: how to recognize hazardous wastes; how to manage waste correctly on site; how to properly select, label and mark waste containers; how to prepare shipments for transport to treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDF); and how to properly keep records for compliance and enforcement. The course shall be designed to assist the facilities to meet the annual training requirements for generators of hazardous waste, such as those requirements presented in 40CFR 265.16; 40CFR 264.16; 40 CFR 262.34; and state regulations. The contractor shall also provide annual training for each location for SAA owners and operators. This training will provide a basic understanding of how to determine if a waste is hazardous and how to properly maintain a SAA. Training location, date, and time will be arranged by the COR. 5.0 CONTRACTOR TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS The Contractor shall, without additional cost to the Government, provide and maintain all licenses and permits for operational personnel, trailers, containers, vehicles and other resources required for proper removal of hazardous and non-hazardous chemical waste in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, Municipal, and local regulations (e.g. OSHA, EPA, state, 49 CFR (DOT) including, but not limited to HM-18). Prime Contractor must hold State Hazardous Waste Hauler Licenses for DC/MD/WV VAMCs and CBOCs geographical areas. If appropriate licenses are not maintained in accordance with Federal and State requirements, the VA reserves the right to terminate the contract effective upon discovery. The VA reserves the right to halt work if the Contracting Officer and or COR determine work is being done in an unsafe/unhealthy manner or in a manner that could cause environmental harm. VA will not incur additional costs if work is halted for good cause. If, during the period of performance of this contract, the licenses and permits required to remove, haul, or perform any aspect of this contract change at the Federal, State, Municipal, or local level, the vendor is required to comply with changes and submit proof of compliance within thirty (30) days of the change. The following specified licenses and permits shall be provided to the Contracting Officer with proposal submission for evaluation purposes and annually within thirty (30) days of the renewal date of this contract with any changes to original submission clearly identified and highlighted: Prime Contractor shall possess current state waste transporter permit(s)/hauler license(s) during the entire contract period. Contractor shall provide a copy of Operator permit(s). Contractor shall provide a list of all transfer stations, treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDFs) including recycling, incineration, wastewater and sludge treatment facilities that shall be utilized during this contract. This list shall include the capacity of these facilities and the waste codes for the waste streams they are permitted to accept by treatment technology as well as a copy of the facility s current RCRA Operating permit. Address, phone number and other contact information shall be provided. The VA reserves the right to inspect each of these facilities before approving its use or at any time during or after contract period while VA wastes are present. Contractor shall provide a copy of each treatment facility s current RCRA Operating permit (see b directly above). Contractor shall provide certificates of training and experience of staff and/or personnel who will perform site work under this contract (all technicians that will work on VA premises will be expected to have received at least the minimum training required by law as specified in 29CFR 1910-120, 40 CFR Parts 260-265 and 49 CFR Parts 171-178). Provide the contractor s experience in hazardous waste packaging, transport, and disposal within the V5 VAMCs and CBOCs region of operation. Provide a copy of US EPA identification number(s) certificate for each business entity operated by the contractor that will provide service regarding any aspect of VA waste disposal program (i.e. storage, transfer, incinerator sites). Provide a copy of certificate of registration to each state as a hazardous waste hauler for each business entity operated by the contractor that will provide hazardous waste transportation services for any aspect of VA waste disposal program. Provide a copy of contractor s DEA registration as a Controlled Substance reverse distributor, or if subcontracting this service provide a copy of subcontractor s DEA registration. Provide written acknowledgement of responsibility for acquisition of all applicable business licenses and permits required by law. Contractor shall certify that it acknowledges and is in possession of all required business licenses and permits. Provide a list of any violations and/or citations that the contractor has received for non-compliance with any hazardous waste laws, permit requirements, state, EPA, DEA. and/or OSHA requirements for the past three years from the date of submission. Contractor shall include information on all related business entities including associated firms that are owned by the contractor or owned by a common parent company that will be involved in any portion of the processing of VA waste disposal program. If no discharge or violations have occurred, contractor must provide a statement that certifies no discharges or violations have occurred. Contractor shall provide a plan describing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) within a Quality Control Plan (QCP) that will be followed while conducting normal waste management activities. The contractor shall provide QCP for: Site safety and contingency procedures (e.g. spill management). Operational procedures and site management structure. Supplies and equipment practices. Material sampling procedures. Hazard assessment and categorization procedures. Packing procedures. Quality assurance and quality control procedures to ensure materials are properly identified, categorized, and packaged, and paperwork is properly completed. Procedures for gaining waste acceptance into a transfer/ disposal facility. Contractor and project management procedures. Provide the following information regarding the hazardous waste fleet owned and operated by the contractor: Basic description of transportation services offered and capabilities. Fleet description of number, types, and ages of vehicles. Description of service and maintenance programs. Types of materials licensed to haul. Latest DOT rating (include a copy of the last inspection). The DOT/CHP compliance record. Description of driver qualifications including training programs, and experience. Provide evidence that background checks have been performed on all employees that will perform any duties under this contract. Provide the following information on the contractor's emergency response (ER) capabilities (or any changes to original submission): Contractor's ER policies. ER capabilities and experience and limitations. Type of ER equipment maintained (specify if owned or subcontracted and from whom). Personnel availability, training and experience. Contractor's emergency response procedure shall describe: How to request an emergency response. How the contractor notifies personnel and initiates response action. Incident command procedures followed by the contractor. ER work practices ER protection of health and safety practices. ER invoicing policy. Provide a detailed site safety plan that will be used to ensure that workers and nearby population will be adequately protected during packaging and removal operations. Provide information identifying any proposed subcontractors and identifying services to be performed by the subcontractors. Contractor must submit evidence that subcontractor is qualified and legally able to provide services. (ALL subcontractors must be approved by the DC/MD VAMCs and CBOCs GEMS Manager and facility GEMS Manager prior to performing any duties under this contract). Provide a list of names, titles, addresses, telephone numbers (including cellular), and e-mail addresses of key managers, supervisors, customer service and service personnel performing under this contract. Provide a single point of contact for each Medical Center with backup contact as well. Provide written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that will provide for QCP for the collection, handling, accumulation, sampling, lab testing, characterization, packing and shipping of hazardous, pharmaceutical, radioactive, universal, and non-hazardous wastes. Additional technical evaluation factors are identified in Attachment 1. 5.1 MEETINGS Contractor shall be required to attend quarterly meetings that will be scheduled by the COR to address contract performance. Should contract deficiencies arise, meetings may be held on a more frequent basis to resolve any/all issues. 5.2 CONTRACT WORKING HOURS The period of performance by the contractor which services shall be performed within the contract scope. The minimum coverage for which the government will accept is defined as "8:00 AM EST through 4:30 PM EST, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays. 5.3 FEDERAL HOLIDAYS OBSERVED BY THE VA New Year s Day Martin Luther King Day President's Day Memorial Day Juneteenth Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day Federal holidays made by declaration of the President of the United States as a one-time occurrence, such as for the honor of a past President or Christmas Eve, will be considered as Federal holidays for this contract only if there is no scheduled pickup or inspection due on that day. Coordination of recognition of those days must be in collaboration with the facility contract COR and the vendor. 6.0 IDENTIFICATION, CHECK-IN, PARKING AND SMOKING REGULATIONS All Contractor/Subcontractor employees who require physical access to the Department of Veterans Affairs' facilities and/or require access to a federally controlled information system shall be the subject of a background investigation. All costs associated with obtaining clearances for Contractor provided personnel will be the responsibility of the Contractor. All Contractor and subcontractor employees are required to undergo background screenings to verify the accuracy of an individual s identification, credentials, and criminal history. These screenings may consist of fingerprint checks for criminal history records, validation of resume and/or educational references, and checks of various databases for appropriate preliminary checks. The level and process of background security investigations must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The level of background investigation commensurate with the required level of access may be either a Special Agency Check (SAC) (Fingerprinting Only), National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NACI) (low risk), Moderate Background Investigation (MBI) (moderate risk), or Background Investigation (high risk). The vendor's employees shall wear visible identification (including VA PIV Contractor badges) at all times while on VA premises. Contractor employees shall report to the COR or designee s office once on campus prior to commencement of work. Smoking is prohibited on all VA property. Possession of weapons or contraband is prohibited and shall subject contractor employee to arrest and termination from future performance under this contract. Enclosed containers, including tool kits, shall be subject to search. Violations of VA regulations may result in citation answerable in the United States (Federal) District Court, not a local district, state, or municipal court. Parking at some V5 VAMCs and CBOCs facilities may be limited and restricted. The Contractor shall arrange all parking in advance with the facility POC. 7.0 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS While performing work on this contract, the Contractor shall take such safety precautions as the Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer Representative may determine to be reasonably necessary to protect the lives and health of VA patients, visitors, staff and the general public such as possessing HAZWOPER certifications, having proper PPE and spill kits with the contractor at all times should a situation arise that would require them. The Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer Representative shall notify the Contractor of any noncompliance with the foregoing provisions as well as the recommended corrective action. The Contractor shall, after receipt of such notice, immediately correct the conditions to which attention has been directed. Such notice, when served in person on the Contractor or his/her representative at the site of work, or telephonically to Contractor s designated representative, shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose of the previously mentioned. If the Contractor fails or refuses to comply promptly to satisfactorily abate the hazardous condition or situation, the Contracting Officer may issue an order stopping all or any part of the work and hold the Contractor in material breach of this contract. 8.0 LOCATIONS Baltimore VAMC, 10 North Greene Street Baltimore, MD 21201 Baltimore VAMC Annex, 209 W. Fayette St. Baltimore, MD 21201 Loch Raven VAMC, 3901 The Alameda, Baltimore, MD 21218 Fort Meade CBOC, 2479 5th Street, Fort Meade, MD 20755 E. Balt. County CBOC, 5235 King Ave, Franklin Sq Prof. Ctr, Ste 200, Rosedale, MD 21237 Glen Burnie CBOC, 808 Landmark Dr., Suite 128, Glen Burnie, MD 21061 Perry Point VAMC 361 Boiler House Road Perry Point MD 21902 Pocomoke City CBOC, 1701 Market Place, Suite 211, Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Cambridge CBOC, 830 Chesapeake Drive, Cambridge, MD 21613 Martinsburg VAMC, 510 Butler Avenue, Martinsburg WV 25405 Cumberland CBOC, 200 Glen Street, Cumberland, MD 21502 Fort Detrick CBOC, 1433 Porter St, Building 1433, Frederick, MD 21702 Franklin CBOC, 91 Pine Street, Franklin, WV 26807 Hagerstown CBOC, 1101 Opal Ct., Suite 2020, Hagerstown, MD 21740 Stephen City CBOC, 170 Prosperity Dr., Winchester, VA 22602 Harrisonburg CBOC, 1755 South High Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 Petersburg CBOC, 15 Grant St., Petersburg, WV 26847 Huntington VAMC, 1540 Spring Valley Drive, Huntington, WV 25704 Charleston CBOC, 700 Technology Drive, South Charleston, WV 25309 Gallipolis CBOC, 323A Upper River Rd., Gallipolis, OH 45631 Lenore CBOC, 2867 Route 65, 15 Lenore Business Mall, Williamson, WV 25661 Eastern Kentucky Outpatient Clinic, 5230 KY Route 321, Suite 8, Prestonsburg, KY 41653 Clarksburg VAMC, 1 Medical Center Drive, Clarksburg, WV 26301 Braxton County CBOC, 40 Reston Place, Gassaway, WV 26624 Monongalia County CBOC, 40 Commerce Drive, Suite 101, Westover, WV 26501 Tucker County CBOC, 212 Spruce St., Parsons, WV 26287 Wood County CBOC, 2311 Ohio Avenue, Suite A, Parkersburg, WV 26101 Beckley VAMC, 200 Veterans Avenue, Beckley WV 25801 Greenbrier County CBOC, 228 Shamrock Lane, Ronceverte, WV 24970 Princeton CBOC, 150 Courthouse Rd., Princeton, WV 24740 Washington, DC VAMC, 50 Irving St. NW, Washington DC 20422 Fischer House, 50 Irving St. NW, Washington DC 20422 Charlotte Hall CBOC, 29640 Three Notch RD, Charlotte Hall, MD  20622 Montgomery County CBOC, 51810 Gaither Drive, Shady Grove Development Park, Suite 130, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Lexington Park CBOC, 45870 East Run Blvd., Suite 300, Lexington Park, MD 20653 Southern PG County CBOC, 5801 Allentown Rd., Stes 104/106, Camp Springs, MD 20746 Southeast CBOC, 820 Chesapeake St. SE, Washington, DC 20032 Fort Belvoir CBOC, 9300 DeWitt Loop, Ft. Belvoir, VA 22060
