Tag: sdvosb

SOURCES SOUGHT: S222–MEDICAL WASTE PICK-UP and DISPOSAL

Posted on by Eric Coffie
THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) SOURCES SOUGHT IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR MARKET RESEARCH AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION.
1. Responses to this Sources Sought must be in writing. The purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is for market research only to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of Small Business Capability, including Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses and Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB/VOSB) interested and capable of performing the work.
2. The NAICS for this requirement is 562211-Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal
3. Interested and capable Contractors should respond to this notice not later than 4:00 p.m. PST on January 13, 2023, by providing the following via email only to [email protected]. a) company name b) address c) point of contact d) phone, fax, and email of primary point of contact e) Contractor Unique Entity ID number f) Type of small business, if applicable, (e.g., Services Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), 8(a), HUB-Zone, Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), or Small Business (SB)). g) A capability statement that addresses the organization s qualifications and ability to perform as a contractor specifically for the work described in paragraph 5 below. Respondents are also encouraged to provide specific examples (e.g. contract number, point of contact information) of the Contractor s experience providing the same or similar supplies/services to that described in paragraph 5 below.
4. SDVOSB/VOSB respondents. a) If respondent is VOSB or SDVOSB, respondent is encouraged to provide proof of www.vetbiz.gov certification. In addition, SDVOSB/VOSB Contractors are asked to acknowledge that they understand the limitations on sub-contracting pursuant to FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Sub-Contracting, which will be included in the impending solicitation. Further SDVOSB/VOSB contractors are asked to respond that they are capable of providing the requested services keeping within the parameters of this clause. b) Small businesses, including SDVOSB/VOSBS are also advised that per 13 CFR, § 125.6 the prime contractor’s limitations on subcontracting are as follows: 1) General. In order to be awarded a full or partial small business set-aside contract with a value greater than $250,000, an 8(a) contract, an SDVO SBC contract, a HUBZone contract, a WOSB or EDWOSB contract pursuant to part 127 of this chapter, a small business concern must agree that: 2) In the case of a contract for services (except construction), it will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not similarly situated. Any work that a similarly situated subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 50% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded.
5. Required Services. Provide hazardous and non-hazardous medical waste disposal services. The Contractor shall provide all management, labor, supervision, transportation, packaging, pick-up and disposal of regulated medical waste, biohazardous waste, and pathological waste. The Contractor shall also provide containers with labeling, waste manifest and required reports and disposal of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous and non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste, medical waste, chemotherapy, and pathology tissue waste in accordance with all applicable state and federal regulations. The Contractor shall label all containers in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. The Contractor shall submit medical waste tracking documents, reports, and hazardous waste manifest to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). The Contractor shall provide all installation of disposable RCRA Hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste Containers and installation of re-usable non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste, sharps, re-usable trace chemo waste containers, re-usable medical waste ( red bag waste ) containers, re-usable and/or single use medical sharps only containers, and re-usable and/or single use pathology, bio-hazardous, chemotherapeutic waste containers and dispose of their contents for the identified participating facilities.
Containers shall be swapped out by the Contractor at the point of accumulation. Containers shall be swapped out by the Contractor at the point of accumulation in a just-in-time service model minimizing time a full container sits at an accumulation point before replacement with empty container The contractor may propose substitution of one-time use (disposable) containers in lieu of re-usable containers if contractor is unable to supply re-usable containers for all waste streams other than RCRA waste.
VA directives and federal executive orders direct efforts in cost reduction, waste minimization, environmental impact, and green- house gas generation in VA operations encourage use of re-usable containers over one time use (disposable) containers.
VA Directive 0058, VA Green Procurement Program Policies and Procedures VA Directive 0063 Waste Prevention and Recycling Program VHA Directive 7708 Pollution Prevention (P2) Program Executive Order 13423 Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management EO 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade Definition of a full container A full container is defined as any container that has reached a level that is 75 percent (75%) full The frequency of replacing a full container for an empty one will be determined by this measure. The Contractor shall conduct an onsite assessment with the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and designees to determine size, placement and location of medical waste containers, Sharps and or Pharmacy Waste Bins.
SERVICES SHALL BE FOR THE FOLLOWING FACILITIES: The Contractor shall provide waste disposal services for the following facilities: VA GLAHS West Los Angeles Medical Center 11301 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90073 San Luis Obispo CBOC 1288 Morro Street, Suite 200 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Santa Maria CBOC 1550 East Main Street Santa Maria, CA 93454 Sepulveda Outpatient/Clinic CLC/Hospice 1611 Plummer Street Sepulveda, CA 91343 Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center 351 E. Temple Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Bakersfield CBOC 1801 Westwind Drive Bakersfield, CA 91343 Santa Barbara CBOC 4440 Called Real Santa Barbara, CA 93110 Ventura CBOC 5250 Ralston St. Ventura, CA. 93003 San Gabriel Valley CBOC 7 West Foothill Blvd. Arcadia, CA. 91006 VA clinics associated with, but not located on the main campus of the facilities identified in the table above may also require regulated medical waste pick-up and disposal. Notwithstanding any other provisions in this contract to the contrary, the Contractor shall provide medical waste pick-up and disposal to those facilities under the same terms and conditions as specified in this contract when directed to do so by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall provide services to those clinics at the prices established for those same services at the parent facility.
A list of clinics currently requiring pick-up and disposal of regulated medical waste is provided above. Clinic locations and estimated quantities are subject to change due to patient demand. The Contractor shall ensure it maintains the resources necessary to respond to these changes.
6. The intended contract period will be for a base year and up to four (4) one-year option periods with the base period of performance anticipated to be from April 1, 2023 thru September 30, 2024.
7. Please note that if VA s pending market research establishes that two or more VOSB or SDVOSB, who are certified in VA s Vendor Information Pages (VIP) site https://www.vip.vetbiz.gov/, can provide the services, VA will set aside the underlying solicitation per 38 U.S.C. §8127.  8. All Offerors who provide goods or services to the United States Federal Government must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database found at https://www.sam.gov. Registration must include Representations and Certifications. –End of Sources Sought Announcement–
  • Original Set Aside: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside (FAR 19.14)
  • Product Service Code: S222 – HOUSEKEEPING- WASTE TREATMENT/STORAGE
  • NAICS Code: 562211 – Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal
  • Place of Performance: Department of Veterans Affairs VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System , 90073 USA

Full details via beta.sa.gov

SOURCES SOUGHT: 6525–Non-Invasive Transient Elastography Device

Posted on by Eric Coffie

This is a Request for Information (RFI) Only. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics Operations (OPAL), is seeking potential Large Business and Small Businesses with a special emphasis on Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) vendors capable of providing Non-Invasive Transient Elastography Device to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). This RFI is for a Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) product that will potentially meet future VA requirements. Liver elastography allows the point of care, non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis, and steatosis (fat). Elastography works by emitting a small pulse of energy, and through the use of ultrasound technology, calculates the transmission speed of this energy through the liver to give healthcare providers a measure of the stiffness of the liver. Elastography techniques can also be used for the assessment of liver fat. A typical examination takes ~10-30 minutes. Assessment of liver fibrosis and liver fat is available immediately after the examination is complete. Consistent with the VHA mission, the National Gastrointestinal and Hepatology Program (NGHP) is pursuing an enterprise-wide contract vehicle that would enable VA medical facilities to obtain liver elastography equipment (including software, components, training, and service plans) for the assessment of liver fibrosis and hepatic steatosis or fat in the liver.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Product Service Code: 6525 – IMAGING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES: MEDICAL, DENTAL, VETERINARY
  • NAICS Code: 334510 – Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing
  • Place of Performance: USA
  • Original Response Date: Feb 03, 2022 05:00 pm EST

Full details via beta.sam.gov

Anthony Closson: CEO of a Massive Veteran-Owned Contracting Company Built from the Ground Up

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Build a massive veteran-owned contracting company from the ground up with Anthony Closson!

BACKGROUND

Anthony Closson grew up in a family with a small business. He even helped with his father’s small business and also made some side hustles. 

In college, he also worked as a bodyguard for a multi-millionaire whom he considered as his mentor because he watched and learned how this person built his business. 

Then, in order to strengthen his path and keep him disciplined, he joined the United States Air Force and became a Senior Program Manager over his four years of service. 

During that time where he was in Iraq and Kuwait working with some contractors, he found out how much these contractors got paid. 

It blew his mind and that’s what made him build Colossal Contracting, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certified company providing IT Integration services and others. 

“People had all these ideas, ideas are great, but if you don’t know how to do the disciplined executed steps to get there, you’re going to fall short.”

TOUGH EXPERIENCES

1. There’s a lot of competition. 

While working with companies including Lockheed Martin and other huge agencies, Closson realized that in order to thrive in this marketplace, they need to really separate themselves from the crowd of contractors.

There’s a lot of competition. This is why they are constantly working on defining their brand and their space in the market. 

“We continually define our space in this market. What do we do that’s special? How do people recognize us in our brand? And that is a constant evolution that you have to always be focusing on or you’re just going to turn into another number.”

2. Understand how the money works. 

In building Colossal when the economy tanked, Closson faced a lot of hurdles in terms of getting credit lines for the business. 

However, he was able to go through it and now that the company is bigger, they have more assets that they can leverage. 

With this in mind, he recommended that you should be lockstep with your banker. Understand how the money works and keep your banker involved in your business. 

“The hardest thing for us that we encountered in a small business wasn’t getting the work, it was figuring out how to execute it once you had it financially because it’s not easy to get lines of credit for small businesses, and that was our big hurdle.”

ADVICE FOR BUSINESSES

1. Continue learning. 

As you grow to a certain point, there are new obstacles that you need to face. To solve these new challenges, you need to continue learning. 

Look for a mentor or someone in the industry whose experiences and education you can learn from.

2. Connect these phases. 

Understand how you’re going to reach the government. Consider that there’s a  huge gap between your idea and your talents from receiving a government contract and executing one. 

For instance, after creating an LLC, there are still variables that you need to answer, including:

Are you going after primes? Are you selling to what specific agency? Are you going to try and go all in? Do you have the necessary contract vehicle? How do they do acquisitions?

Remember, there are a handful of talented individuals in this market and together, you are marketing your way to get one client’s attention. 

“People move too fast. They forget about all of those cycles, that I said, in between that are the most critical part.”

3. Be hungry. 

Since Closson established Colossal in 2019, other companies that came in business during that time are already out of business. 

That’s the reality of having a business. You either succeed or fail. This is why you need to always be hungry. 

“I had to work 70 hours a week. No one was gonna give it to me. I had to go get it. And it’s the only way that it’s going to be successful.”

4. Hire colossal people. 

Closson let everyone be involved in making decisions in terms of hiring people. They even hire individuals through word of mouth.

In fact, some of their key individuals have been hired since the company was established. 

The key to this is that they mainly look for the core of who that person really is and if that person is “colossal” or not. 

“You have to really look at the core of who that person is and figure out if they’re colossal or not. They may be great somewhere else and I always, you know, it may work somewhere else, but it may not work here.”

RESOURCES

If you want to learn more how Anthony Closson built a massive veteran-owned contracting company from the ground up, then be sure to click the resources below.

You can also visit the GovCon Giant website or the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

83: Veteran Owned Massive Contracting Company Built from the Ground Up! – Anthony Closson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr-KecYv7zw

SOURCES SOUGHT: Q508–On-Site Inpatient Hemodialysis Services

Posted on by Eric Coffie

VHA RPO West NCO 17 Health Care Resources Branch I is planning to solicit a vendor who can provide On-Site Inpatient Hemodialysis Services for Veterans within the area of the Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center. The Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center is looking for a Contactor that can provide all supervision, personnel, supplies, transportation, and equipment to perform inpatient acute hemodialysis treatments. VHA RPO West NCO 17 Health Care Resources Branch I is conducting a market survey to determine the existence of potential small business concerns (e.g., HUBZone, 8(a), SDVOSB, Woman-Owned, etc.) with the capability to fulfill this acquisition. Place of Performance: Department of Veterans Affairs Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center 6010 Amarillo Blvd West Amarillo, TX 79106-1991 Type of Contract: If this source sought notice leads to a future solicitation, the Government intends to award a firm-fixed-price contract.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Product Service Code: Q508 – MEDICAL- HEMATOLOGY
  • NAICS Code: 621492 – Kidney Dialysis Centers
  • Place of Performance: Department of Veterans Affairs Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center Amarillo, TX 79106-1991 USA
  • Updated Response Date: Jun 28, 2021 02:00 pm EDT
  • Full details via beta.sam.gov

    govcon logo Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.

 

SOURCES SOUGHT: C1DA–Sub Basement Utilities Design

Posted on by Eric Coffie

The basement and subbasement utilities are in desperate need of inspection and replacement. This project would address the main culprits of the deficient utilities, specifically the steam generation and condensate return systems. The work will include replacing steam traps, steam lines, condensate lines, strainers, valves, pressure-reducing valves, and pump stations. The underground steam supply and condensate return will also be replaced during this effort. There should be redundancy of underground utilities to preclude unnecessary trenching to maintain these lines. There will be some remaining asbestos insulation scattered in minimally accessible areas where the steam, water, and electrical piping is located that will need to be abated as it is found. The majority of the work for this project would occur in the basement and subbasement of building 1 and 15. The project is slated for construction in 2022. There will be two items that will be priced as deducting alternates: These items are as follows. Feasibility study of switching from steam heat in hospital (bldg. 1 and 15) to hot water heating via steam to hot water heat exchangers. Feasibility study and conceptual design of medical center water treatment system SCOPE: The scope of this project consists of Architectural and Engineer (A/E) services required to complete the project. The period of performance for the design is 270 calendar days and shall begin upon issuance of the Notice to Proceed (NTP) by the Contracting Officer. The construction budget is $6,500,000.

  • Original Set Aside: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside (FAR 19.14)
  • Product Service Code: C1DA – ARCHITECT AND ENGINEERING- CONSTRUCTION: HOSPITALS AND INFIRMARIES
  • NAICS Code: 541310 – Architectural Services
  • Place of Performance: VAMC Manchester 718 Smyth Rd Manchester, NH 03104 USA
  • Original Response Date: Jul 01, 2021, 04:00 pm EDT
  • Full details via beta.sam.gov

    Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.

SOURCES SOUGHT: NM FLAP TAO CB110(1) Veterans Memorial Road

Posted on by Eric Coffie

THIS NOTICE IS BEING ISSUED TO DETERMINE IF IT IS SUFFICIENT
INTEREST FROM QUALIFIED PRIME CONTRACTORS who are Small Business
Concerns (SBCs), HUBZone small businesses, Woman-Owned Small Businesses
(WOSBs), 8(a) small businesses, Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) or Service
Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) and who intend to submit a bid
for this solicitation NM FLAP TAO CB110(1) to allow for a set-aside in one of these programs MUST submit the
following by e-mail to [email protected] or by fax to 720-963-3360 (Attn:
Josephine Helms) for receipt by (2 p.m. MST) on June 15, 2021.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Product Service Code: Y1LB – CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS, ROADS, STREETS, BRIDGES, AND RAILWAYS
  • NAICS Code: 237310 – Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction
  • Place of Performance: Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557 USA
  • Original Response Date: Jun 15, 2021, 02:00 pm MDT
  • Full details via beta.sam.gov

    Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.

Rebecca Aguilera-Gardiner: From Receptionist and Radio Personality to VIB Network Founder

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Vice-President of a second-generation printing business and co-founder of VIB Network, Rebecca Aguilera-Gardiner shares how these two organizations started and what is her motivation for helping veteran-owned businesses across the board. 

BACKGROUND

Rebecca Aguilera-Gardiner has over twenty-five years of experience in sales and marketing. She started her career as a receptionist and then a radio sales and on-air personality.

Then, in 1996, she started managing their SDVOSB/DVBE second-generation printing business in San Diego, the Diego & Son Printing, as the Vice President and co-owner.

For 48 years in business, the company has won several awards including the MBE Supplier of the Year and Family-Owned business of the Year. Rebecca was also given various awards including the Leadership Award at the Women of Excellence event with Diversity Professionals in 2019. 

Apart from that, she is also an active member of the Business Leaders United and Business Forward and the co-founder of Veterans In Business (VIB) Network, a nonprofit 501(c)3 that advocates for all veteran-owned businesses nationwide.

THE ORIGIN OF DIEGO & SON PRINTING BUSINESS

The Diego & Son Printing started with Rebecca’s parents in 1972 after her dad, who was a Pressman, got laid off and saw an opportunity for them to get an SBA loan if they would start a business. 

Fortunately, they were able to get a loan worth $30,000. With it, they bought an old school letter press and bits and pieces of equipment and papers needed. Then, they worked in their little garage, not knowing that they will grow and last for almost 50 years. 

“Then they went and they worked their butts off and they were in like a little garage kind of place. And then they grew. And they grew and grew. And then we eventually moved to our own corner lot. And I had several large presses. We had about almost 30 people working for us at the time at our height. You know, our bill alone for print was almost 40,000 for paper. So it’s always so funny you think, okay, that’s what they started off with.”

Being part of a growing company, Rebecca also learned about business and how to communicate with people. While her dad inspired her to think outside the box and be creative, her mom also kept telling her that everything’s negotiable in business. 

“So, my mom would always say, everything’s negotiable. You know, now nothing is ever set in stone. So I was so, I mean, I grew up that way.”

OVERCOMING STRUGGLES IN BUSINESS

One of the greatest struggles that she had faced while managing the business was during and after the recession where they took another two or three years just to get out of debt.

“When everybody says the recession’s over, you’re like, ‘Okay, it’s not over,’ because you still have those bills that, you know, you got into it in the first place. So, you know, getting all of yourself out of the debt that you’ve got into, if you’re still in business.”

However, they were able to overcome it. That struggle even helped the business to become lean and streamlined and for her to put value on her personal growth. 

“Well, this year, we’re gonna stay lean and, you know, we just keep on learning and learning, developing new courses, you know, taking everything, every webinar I possibly can take to learn different things. So, you know, really utilizing this time to grow, I think that personally.”

VETERANS IN BUSINESS (VIB) NETWORK

For years, Rebecca’s company is certified as a service-disabled veteran-owned business and they were also part of an organization for about 13 years. 

However, Rebecca then felt that veteran business community needed something different: a place and a more streamlined approach to connect with each other, the corporations, and government agencies; so, she and Cole Woodman established VIB Network.

“You know, if we’re going to make, we really want to make a real change. We’re the ones there— if we want to see real change in the veteran business space, then we’re going to, we’re going to do it.”

With the use of the organization and the platform, veterans can then join the directory of veteran members and use the event calendar and opportunity board.

The organization is also developing different webinars, applications, and programs to help them in matters including communicating with their staff and growing their business, among others. 

Most importantly, it is free to join VIB Network because the organization is run with the help of different organizations and corporate and government sponsors. 

“We wanted to make this a free organization for veterans to join and participate because we feel that a veteran, you have already served their time and they’ve already, you know, they have served the country and, you know, to nickel and dime them for to be part of a directory, we didn’t feel that that was appropriate.”

RESOURCES

If you want to learn more on how Rebecca Aguilera-Gardiner managed their second-generation printing business and the VIB Network, then be sure to click the resources below.

You can also visit the GovCon Giant website or the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

071 – Rebecca Aguilera-Gardiner – the women behind the vision and mission of the VIB Network

https://govcongiants1.wpengine.com/podcast/071-2/

From RADIO PERSONALITY to VIBNETWORK.ORG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zQpK6ywMMQ&t=1s

Sources Sought: Sierra Army Depot, Rail Scale – Manufacture and Installation

Posted on by Eric Coffie

The purpose of this notice is to obtain a snapshot of current market capabilities and gain knowledge of potential small business sources to include small business in the following socioeconomic categories: Certified HUB Zone; Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Serviced-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB); Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) and 8(a) small business concerns to manufacture and installation of a rail scale at the Sierra Army Depot (SIAD).  Other than small business are encouraged to express interest and submit capability statements as well.

  • Product Service Code: 2250 – TRACK MATERIAL, RAILROAD
  • NAICS Code: 336510 – Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing
  • Place of Performance: Herlong, CA the USA
  • Original Response Date: Nov 30, 2020 08:00 am PST

Full details via beta.sam.gov

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Sources Sought: A/E MEP IDIQ Base Contract Jesse Brown VAMC, Chicago, Illinois

Posted on by Eric Coffie

THIS IS A TOTAL 100% SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (SDVOSB) SET-ASIDE in accordance with Public Law 109-461. This is a Request for SF 330s for Architect/Engineer (A/E) Design Services for a single award Firm-Fixed Price, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois. The design services are for the design of various nonrecurring maintenance (NRM), SCIP (Strategic Capital Investment Planning) and station level construction projects that are primarily Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) in nature, although projects may also include components that fall under additional disciplines e.g. architectural, civil, and structural, for the preparation of designs, plans, specifications, cost estimates and miscellaneous reports. Services to include, but are not limited to conceptual design, design programming, preliminary designs, working drawings and specifications, cost estimating, site visits, miscellaneous reports, and construction period services.

All work under this IDIQ will be for the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

  • Original Set Aside: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside (FAR 19.14)
  • Product Service Code: C1DA – ARCHITECT AND ENGINEERING- CONSTRUCTION: HOSPITALS AND INFIRMARIES
  • NAICS Code: 541330 – Engineering Services
  • Place of Performance: Jesse Brown VA Medical Center 820 S. Damen Ave , 60612. 

Responses are due not later than October 5, 2020 at 4:00 PM CDT. Full details via beta.sam.gov

GovCon Giants Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.