Active

Contract Opportunity

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) are an official government contracting resource for small businesses. Find your local PTAC (opens in new window) for free government expertise related to contract opportunities.

Department of Veterans Affairs
Network Contracting Office (NCO) 16
Request For Information (RFI)

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTE, PROPOSAL, OR BID. This notice is not a solicitation as defined by FAR 2.101, therefore it shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to an acquisition approach. All information contained in this Request for Information (RFI) is preliminary as well as subject to amendment and is in no way binding on the Government. Information submitted in response to this notice is voluntary; the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. The Government is requesting that restrictive or proprietary markings not be used in response to this notice. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized in the Federal Contract Opportunities website or GSA. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this RFI

1. Title: (Brand Name Only)- Nilfisk Liberty SC50 Autonomous Scrubber for the Little Rock VAMC
2. Purpose: The purpose of this RFI is to identify potential sources which will aid in defining the procurement strategy (e.g., set-aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation the VA intends on issuing shortly for the following:

Model / Part Number
Item /Description of Supplies/Equipment
Qty

56394521

EQUIPMENT:
1 Liberty SC50 Autonomous 20" REV
SCRUBBER WITH UVGI LIGHT KIT

6 EA

The anticipated Small Business Administration (SBA) size standard for the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code __ 333248__ is __750 employees_.

STATEMENT OF WORK

Description of Use Nilfisk Liberty SC50 is precise, meticulous, and easy to use. It gets into those nooks and crannies you might otherwise miss, and it does it every single time. In fact, operators and most autonomous cleaning machines typically miss 15% of a space. But Nilfisk Liberty SC50 s unique technology lets you map out a route that delivers between 98% and 99.5% coverage. You can do it with no help from us or anyone else. And as soon as the SC50 has cleaned an area once, it precisely retraces the same path again, and again, and again. The C&A requirements do not apply and a Security Accreditation Package is not required.

Technical Specifications 6 Each SC50 REV Orbital with Factory Installed UV Light Kit
GENERAL
Machine shall be an autonomous 20-inch three-wheel battery-powered stand-on automatic scrubber with the ability to scrub and vacuum in one pass.
CLEANING MODES
Machine shall be operational in both autonomous and manual cleaning modes.
AUTONOMOUS PLAN CREATION
Machine shall offer two modes of autonomous cleaning:
CopyCat mode shall replicate exactly what the operator does in a single manual ride and play it back each time thereafter. Machine shall replicate when/where the operator adjusts down pressure, vacuum power, solution flow, and water.
Fill-In mode shall allow the operator to drive the perimeter of a room once and automatically calculate the most efficient route to scrub each inch of the area and avoid obstacles along the way each time thereafter.

SAFETY
Machine shall be certified to meet the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) autonomous safety standards:
CSA/ANSI C22.2#336:2018 Ed.1
UL 60335-1:2016 ED.6
UL 60335-2-72:2017 Ed.1
CSA C22.2#60335-1:2016 Ed.2
CSA C22.2#60335-2-72:2017 Ed.1
UVGI Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation for disinfecting while cleaning- Factory installed

Machine shall have a separate safety system independent of the mapping, obstacle system, and path planning. It shall override autonomous system and can stop immediately if an unsafe event is detected. Shall have drop-off sensors to detect drop-offs like a loading dock, stairs, escalators, etc. Machine shall notify people around the machine of direction with turn signals.

AUTONOMOUS RUN TIME
Machine shall operate up to 5-6 hours autonomously on a single charge (floor type dependent) and up to 2.5 hours of uninterrupted cleaning between dump and refill.
OPERATOR ALERTS
Machine shall alert the operator as soon as it needs assistance or is ready for another task. Operator will receive an SMS message directly to their cell phone with all the details. Operator shall be able to subscribe and unsubscribe to this service as they choose with a simple text message.
WIRELESS FIDELITY AND MACHINE COMMUNICATION
Machine shall communicate via WiFi/4G/etc. with devices and other machines for maintenance, troubleshooting and data transmission for other purposes.
DARK/BRIGHT OPERATION
Machine shall operate autonomously with or without the lights on with no compromise to safety using infrared sensors and cameras to sense and detect position and obstacles. This allows for a reduction in facility costs by operating with less lights and HVAC systems running.

Machine shall also be unaffected by harsh bright lights while operating autonomously.

Equipped with SC50-UV light for disinfecting surfaces while scrubbing located on the back of the scrubber.
MAXIMUM AUTONOMOUS SPEED
Machine shall operate autonomously at a speed of 2.35 mph.
OBSTACLE DETECTION
Machine shall sense an obstacle up to 80 feet ahead on the cleaning path and automatically create a safe path around without stopping. When an obstacle is suddenly added to the cleaning path, the machine shall stop and determine a safe route around the obstacle.
DIGITAL SERVICES
Customer shall have full access to reports, updated daily, that tracks and details autonomous/manual run time, time of the day operation, and error messages.
Customer shall have access to TrackClean which records operational data of your fleet and ensures transparency. TrackClean data includes machine working time, the machine down time, time of day that each activity occurred, the geographic location of the machine 24/7, Machine ID, and as an option can include information about the operator through the Smart Key system.
Customer shall have access to the Site Assist app to provide the site manager with real-time machine usage data and send notifications if there are deviations in start time or performance.
GRADEABILITY
Shall be a minimum of 8.2 degrees for transport mode, 4.5 degrees in manual cleaning mode, and 2.8 degrees in autonomous cleaning mode.
SOFTWARE UPDATES
Software updates shall be provided free of charge and installed on the machine as soon as possible through the machines interface.
IT SECURITY
Machine shall have secure communication ensure by IT encryption standards to prohibit any unauthorized party to access machine data or machine directly. No physical driving possible through remote machine access or maleficent self-driving software updates.
SMART KEY SYSTEM
Machine shall use a two-key system to enable supervisors to configure the machine to best fit their facility. Lock out certain features like double down pressure, higher flow rates to reduce damage and operating costs. Assign keys to individual users to see who has been operating the machines.
Yellow Supervisor Key: Allows for creating new autonomous cleaning plans and deleting old ones. Can also configure the machine to exact parameters for the most efficient clean.
Blue Operator Key: Can only play back an autonomous cleaning path, can t create new ones or delete old ones.
CLEANING PATHS
The machine shall be available in the following configuration:
20-inch Orbital for the scrub system shall be a dual random orbital scrubbing system that utilizes one 20 scrub pad. Each pad shall have two rotational speeds. The micro orbit speed shall be 2,250 RPM in ¼ inch (.64 cm) orbits, and it shall be no greater than 10 RPMs for floor finish removal. Using one 0.74 hp (550 Watt) brush drive motor shall be used to drive the pad driver, onboard detergent dispensing system, onboard battery charger with a removable pad holder.
SOUND LEVEL
Sound pressure level shall not exceed 63 dB A when measured in accordance with IEC 60704-1/ISO 11201 for operator safety, comfort and daytime cleaning of occupied spaces. The machine shall also have a quiet mode that further reduces the sound level to 60 dB A in noise sensitive environments.
DETERGENT CONSERVATION SYSTEM
Machine shall have as standard an onboard detergent dispensing system (EcoFlex onboard detergent dispensing system) utilizing a 1.3 gallon refillable cartridge that allows the use of any manufacturers detergent, operates at all available flow rates, and allows the quick interchange of multiple detergent cartridges for varied cleaning applications.
The system must be able to clean in four distinct modes to minimize costs, reduce labor, and ensure environmental sustainability.
Chemical-free cleaning (zero detergent)
Ultra-low detergent strength (weak detergent)
Full Detergent strength (strong detergent)
Burst of Power (60 second increase in detergent strength, brush pressure and solution flow)

The onboard detergent system shall be capable of accurately
diluting detergents at the following ratios at any flow rate.
400:1, ¼ oz/gal, 0.25%
300:1, - oz/gal, 0.3%
256:1, ½ oz/gal, 0.4%
200:1, - oz/gal, 0.5%
150:1, - oz/gal, 0.66%
128:1, 1 oz/gal, 0.8%
100:1, - oz/gal, 1%
64:1, 2 oz/gal, 1.5
50:1, 2.5 oz/gal, 2%
32:1, 4 oz/gal, 3%

WATER CONSERVATION SYSTEM
Orbital machines shall come standard with a calibrated low solution flow rate setting (Smart Solutions ) that consistently and repeatably sets a low solution flow rate to increase the per tank run time or productivity per tank full thereby lowing detergent costs, labor cost and reducing environmental impact.
REV ORBITAL:
Low flow rate: 0.11 GPM
Medium flow rate: 0.16 GPM
High flow rate: 0.23 GPM
SOLUTION TANK SYSTEM
The machine shall have a rotomolded solution tank with a
minimum capacity of 15 gallons to provide the required level of productivity. The tank shall have both a front and rear fill port to increase productivity when filling. The solution tank output shall be filtered by an externally mounted filter that can be cleaned without reaching into a full solution tank with chemicals or dumping fresh chemicals into the wastewater stream.
SQUEEGEE SYSTEM
The squeegee shall have tool free front and rear blade
replacement with no loose fasteners than can become lost,
requiring replacement. The rear blade shall be held on with a
simple stainless-steel strap and clamp that releases the blade, so it can be changed quickly and easily while working to ensure a safe and dry floor. The squeegee shall have as standard, premium abrasion and petroleum resistant polyurethane blades for long life and lower operating costs. The squeegee system shall have an integrated kickstand that elevates the rear squeegee for double scrubbing applications.
BATTERY
Machine shall be equipped with 255 AH AGM maintenance free batteries for power.
TRAINING & WARRANTY
No Freight Charges includes training programing and includes 3 years full service is defined as 2 preventative maintenance visits per year and warranty related-parts, travel and labor. Nilfisk may utilize remote diagnostics service. Customer is required to complete training upon delivery and install of machine, provided by Nilfisk representative.
UVGI DISINFECTING LIGHT
It is the only 3rd party approved and certified CSA/ANSI C22.2 No.336-17 for the Robotic Scrubber as we need the utmost security and safety for staff and patients. The Nilfisk Liberty SC50 bears the cETLus Mark. Intertek, an OSHA recognized NRTL, has tested and certified that it meets the applicable published standards in the US and Canada including the new robotic standard.
The SC50 technology partner, Carnegie Robotics, designed a specialized UV-C attachment to provide high-efficiency, thermally stable, long-life disinfection capability.
This robot is widely used germicidal solution. This system unlike any of the others, use UV-C light deactivates the DNA of bacteria, virus, and pathogens, destroying their ability to multiply, and cause disease, during this pandemic. It is the only unit that offers this feature with full surrounded closure so as not to expose any staff or patients to any harmful rays. We have precautions in place for our procedures use to clean patients rooms with UV Light Systems within patient rooms by closing-down room without exposure and lockdown with outside room activation. We want to be sure we employ the same safety measures to our Robotic Scrubbers. The other Robots similar to the SC50 has limited research, concerning the elimination of SARS-CoV-2 from different floor surfaces using enclosed UV-Light.
The UV-C light is emitted directly at the floor, in close-proximity, with enclosed barriers so not to expose personnel, and at a dosage level that can adequately target coronavirus and other pathogens.
If the service can get this technology, it will help with productivity, as well as free staff up to combat Covid-19. The Robot has the latest technology, which is it has Intuitive programming, easy operation, and trackable performance data. The other system in the market don t have any of this type of capability like the define the Liberty SC50.

Delivery/Performance Information, Date Item(s) Required
Users of supply/service by department, name and phone number.
Christopher Davidson
501-267-5523

Deliver To:
Department of Veteran Affairs
Central Arkansas Veteran Healthcare Sys
DELIVER TO: BLDG 182, MLR
2200 Fort Roots Drive
Little Rock AR 72114
Security Requirements
The C&A requirements do not apply and a Security Accreditation Package is not required.
3. Specific Tasks.
None.
4. Training
No training is required.
5. Delivery
The vendor shall provide these items during normal business hours and on a non-federal holiday at the following address:
6. Responses Requested: The following questions must be answered in response to this RFI.
Answers that are not provided shall be considered non-responsive to the RFI:

a. Where are the requested items/equipment manufactured?

Vendor must attach documentation of this information to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice

b. Are the requested items/equipment manufactured by a Small or Large business? Is the potential vendor in compliance with the Non-Manufacturer Rule (NMR)?

Vendor must attach documentation of this to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice

c. Is the Vendor an authorized distributor with access to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts which may be required in performance of this requirement?

The VA does not accept grey market items and therefore the Vendor must attach evidence of this access (Authorized Distributor letter) to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice.
d. Name of potential Contractor that possess the capability to fulfill this requirement. Contractors shall also provide the following:

Point(s) of contact name: _______________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________
Telephone number: ___________________________________________
Email address: _______________________________________________

Company's business size: ________________________________________________
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) #: _______________________________

e. Is your company considered a small business concern, SB, SDVOSB, VOSB, HUBZone, or 8A concern, with the requisite __________________ NAICS code?

Please provide proof of qualifications.

f. Is your company available under any Government Wide Agency Contract (GWAC), General
Services Administration (GSA) Schedule, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), and/or
Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)?

If so, please identify the contract number for the Government to review as part of this Market Research.

7. Opportunity/Market Pricing: The Little Rock VA Medical Center is seeking information from potential vendors on their ability to provide the required items/equipment. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. Small Business Concerns are encouraged to provide responses to this RFI in order to assist the Little Rock VAMC in determining potential levels of competition and general market pricing available in the industry. Therefore, vendors are requested to submit estimated market research pricing along with their responses to the above. The estimated pricing will be considered when determining the procurement strategy for the forthcoming solicitation.

8. Instructions and Response Guidelines: Questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted no later than 1:00pm (CST), Wednesday, March 15, 2023 via email to latonya.mack@va.gov

RFI responses are due by 11:00am (CST), Tuesday, March 21, 2023; size is limited to 8.5 x 11 inches, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins in Microsoft Word format via email to latonya.mack@va.gov. The subject line shall read: NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. There is no page limitation on subparagraphs 3(a) - 3(f).

Please provide the information you deem relevant in order to respond to the specific inquiries of the RFI. Information provided will be used solely by the Little Rock AR VAMC as Market Research and will not be released outside of the Network Contracting Office (NCO) 16.

9. Contact Information:

LaTonya G Mack
LaTonya.Mack@va.gov

Your response to this notice is greatly appreciated!

Attachments/Links