Q301--Cleanroom Testing SB Set-Aside Solicitation 36C26326Q0571
Summary
AI-generated · Apr 24, 2026Perform cleanroom microbiology testing tied to gowning/garbing and media-fill readiness, including post-gowning glove-fingertip tests, post-media-fill glove-fingertip tests, and post-media-fill surface sampling. Use plates supplied by the contractor (no-charge, with shipping included) and incubate them at the facility; plates are read for turbidity, with no organism identification in failed media-fill bags. For media-fill testing (CLIN 0004), the price covers incubation only because the VA provides its own media-fill kits (identification charged separately under CLIN 0005). The government indicates no limit on the number of plates and historically plates were provided free, with shipping paid by the VA in the past.
The contractor must report incubation start temperatures, dates, and the reader/documenter of results, with the final report signed by an authorized official. Reporting requirements include preliminary CFU counts after initial incubation (per USP 797 guidance) and final CFU counts for bacterial and fungal results, plus organism identifications for samples exceeding action levels. The VA does not require listing individual personnel for each activity, only an authorized signatory on the final report. Plan for 10–15% plate loss due to damage or handling, and note that additional plates beyond the submitted CLIN quantities would require a contract modification to add them.
Cleanroom Testing Q&A CLIN 0001- what is included in this Clin? It is for glove/fingertip testing post gowning and garbing plates? Does this include the plates for post media fill glove/fingertip and post media fill surface sample? This includes post garbing glove fingertips, post media fill glove fingertips, and the post media fill surface. Price would be a per plate price to include shipping plates to facility and incubation of plates. Historically, EMSL has provided the media plates FREE of charge (100mm for glove fingertips, 55mm for surface sampling post media fill test and routine monthly surface & semi-annual air testing. The VA has paid for the shipping of plates to the outside lab for incubation. CLIN 0004- Media fill kits Price would be for incubation only as VA will supply own media fill kits. Identification charged separately under CLIN 0005. VA supplies own media fill kits. Media is read as turbid or turbidity is absent. There is NO identification of organisms in a failed media fill bag. Page 9 of 70, provided by the contractor free of charge with no limit on the number of plates pursuant to this contract including cost of shipping the plates a. This implies that the cost of plates and shipping is to be included in the relevant CLIN(s) to cover this cost, but to avoid losing money while still submitting a competitive offer, can you clarify if the number of required plates could exceed the CLIN quantities? Estimate approximately 10-15 % of the plates we receive are wasted due to damage / mishandling / excessive condensation, etc. Estimate numbers should be fairly accurate but if there is a need for additional plates, a modification would need to be submitted to add any additional plates above the submitted numbers. Page 13 of 70, contractor will report the starting temperature for each interval of incubation, dates of incubation, and the identification of the person who reads and documents the results . a. Is it sufficient that the laboratory report includes the names of technicians who conducted work on the samples in a general sense, Or b. Does the VA require that specific personnel be explicitly identified for each individual activity (e.g., incubation setup, incubation interval monitoring, reading of results, and documentation/reporting) throughout the report? It is not specifically required to identify individual personnel for each distinct activity throughout the incubation / analysis process. The final report must include a signature from an authorized signatory, such as a microbiology laboratory manager or another approved individual. Page 17 of 70, Must contain the following information 100% of the time: 10) Preliminary cfu counts after initial incubation . Specifically, we would like to confirm whether this requirement is intended to apply universally to all samples, or if there is flexibility in how preliminary data are reported. Is it required that preliminary CFU counts after initial incubation be included in all reports (100% of the time), or Would it be acceptable to provide preliminary CFU counts in a Preliminary Report only in cases where results indicate potential ISO/action level failures, with the Final Report containing the confirmed total bacterial CFU and total fungal CFU following full incubation? It is acceptable to issue a preliminary report only when initial results suggest an exceed action level in USP<797>. The final report must include both the preliminary results and the confirmed final counts for bacterial and fungal CFUs, alongside organism identification for any samples that exceed action levels as defined in USP 797."
From Solicitation posted on Apr 23, 2026Notice history
1-
Solicitation LATEST Posted Apr 23, 2026
Details
Award Information
Contacts
Contracting Officer