1. Instructions to Quoters.docx

Instruction to Quoters

1. This solicitation is being prepared in accordance with FAR part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. USDA APHIS PPQ ALB Program intends to issue one Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) service contract as a result of this solicitation.

2. Submit quotation package to Kim Yen Tu at kimyen.n.tu@usda.gov by 12/16/2022 at 10am Central time.

A COMPLETE QUOTE SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

a. Sign and fill in contractor’s information on SF1449 Solicitation Form (page 1. Please be sure to include contractor’s Unique Entity ID and CAGE number.)

b. Pricing schedule. PLEASE USE EXCEL SPREADSHEET TO FILL IN PRICING SCHEDULE. Alternative Pricing Schedules will not be considered.

c. Complete the Quotation Package Submission Requirements (next page) and provide any documents as requested in the Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment 2)

d. Fill out 52.204-24 (d) representation or provide a printed copy from SAM.gov

2. Submit all questions in writing to Kim Yen Tu at kimyen.n.tu@usda.gov. Questions should be submitted no later than three (3) days prior to the response deadline to ensure adequate time is available to respond and to amend the solicitation if necessary.

3. Quoters must be fully registered in the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) including current online representations and certifications, no later than the solicitation response date/time.

4. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an agency of the Federal Government and is tax exempt (Tax ID # 41-0696271).

Quotation Package Submission Requirements

Mandatory Submission Requirements Quoters are advised to carefully review the RFQ’s quotation package submission requirements specified in this document and the provision 52.212‐2, Evaluation – Commercial Items. Missing, incomplete, or ambiguous information may result in the lowest rating for that factor. The Government reserves the right to award to other than the lowest priced offer. It is the quoter’s responsibility to ensure completeness of the quotation package being submitted.

Please include a cover letter with your quotation package including the following information:

· The RFQ solicitation number

· The Quoter’s name, address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and email address

· Names, titles, telephone and facsimile numbers, and email addresses of persons authorized to negotiate on the quoter’s behalf with the Government in connection with this solicitation

· Name, title, and signature of person authorized to sign the proposal. Quotation package signed by an agent shall be accompanied by evidence of that agent’s authority

1. Technical Approach

a) Management Plan (10 pages maximum). Shall include a narrative description of how the quoter plans to utilize resources to execute and manage the project. The Management Plan shall, at minimum, address the following:

· A clear and detailed description of the equipment and personnel that will be used to complete the requirements of this contract.

· An explanation of how the contractor would mobilize personnel and equipment to establish 8 crews working at up to 15 properties per day and removal of approximately up to 350 trees per week

· A detailed description of the distribution of work being performed by the quoter and its subcontractors

· Quoters shall provide the names of major subcontractors that will perform a significant portion of the tree removal and restoration work. Major subcontractors are defined as members of an quoter’s overall team who are expected to perform ten (10) percent or more of the proposed effort.

· An explanation of how the contractor will provide Ohio State Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicators as necessary to directly supervise trained service persons for the application of contractually approved herbicide agents to stumps not ground below grade in accordance with the requirements of the contract.

· A graphical representation (organization charts) and a written description of the lines of authority and supervision, including who will directly manage and control the labor force and all other aspects of work performed under this contract on a daily basis.

b) Removal Plans (16 pages maximum). Shall include 7 (seven) removal plans developed from the sample task information provided in Attachment 1, Sample Properties. Each Removal Plan shall, at minimum, address the following:

· A detailed and clear description of the equipment and crew to perform the work

· Designated parking and staging areas

· A proposed schedule for completing the tree removal and restoration requirements

· Description of plan, alternatives, contingencies, surveillance/quality assurance, and any other pertinent information

· Can include other info listed in Statement of Work Section 3.4.1 Development of Removal Work Plan (RWP)

2. Relevant Project Experience Quoter shall provide information to demonstrate their relevant project experience of the and major subcontractors that will perform tree removal work. Relevant project experience is defined as similar tree removal and restoration work, performed in residential/commercial landscaped and/or residential/commercial wooded lots, that is similar in scope and complexity. Work that exclusively involves land clearing and/or logging is not considered relevant. Major subcontractors are defined as members of a quoter’s overall team who are expected to perform ten (10) percent or more of the proposed effort.

The Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment 2) included in the solicitation is provided for the quoter to submit to the client for each relevant project the quoter includes in its proposal for this subfactor.

The offeror shall submit a completed Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment 2) for each project submitted as an example of relevant experience (this includes relevant experience of major subcontractors).

· A minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) projects total for the offeror

· A minimum of one (1) project for each major subcontractor(s) listed in the management plan. The relevant experience should correlate with the work the subcontractor is intended perform

The relevant experience should correlate with the work the subcontractor is intended perform.

Relevant project experience shall be for work performed within the last three (3) years from the release date of this solicitation. Projects must be at least 75% complete and performed within the last three (3) years as of the release date of this solicitation.

All points of contact, phone numbers, and email addresses should be verified by the Quoter prior to submission. Points of contact must have first-hand knowledge of the project from a contractual, managerial, and technical perspective. Quoters should follow-up with clients/references to ensure timely submittal of questionnaires.

3. Quality Assurance/Control Plan Quoters shall include a detailed plan (5 page minimum) explaining how they will conduct quality assurance for all the requirements listed in the solicitation, including, but not limited to: contractor surveillance, inspection, deficiency identification and correction, communication/documentation, and personnel roles/responsibilities related to managing the contractor’s quality control plan.

4. Key Personnel

a) Resumes. Quoters shall include one-page resumes for Key Personnel. Key Personnel are defined as the Project Manager and Project Arborist.

Project Manager. The Project Manager shall have a minimum of three years’ experience overseeing a minimum of three (3) crews working simultaneously on projects.

Project Arborist. The Project Arborist shall have a current certificate from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or equivalent. Submit copy of certificate with proposal.

Note: If key positions are currently vacant, the quoter shall submit the minimum qualifications required for individuals to fulfill these vacancies. If personnel proposed are later replaced, replacement personnel must have equal or better qualifications as those proposed and must be approved by the contracting officer before they can perform work. (See 452.237-74 Key Personnel.)

b) Shall provide evidence of personnel with current electrical line clearance tree trimmer certifications in accordance with OSHA 1910.269 and 1910.331, or ability to obtain resources.

5. Past Performance Past performance is a measure of the degree to which a quoter was successful on projects of similar scope, size, and complexity, as measured by the level of past customer satisfaction. It is also a measure of the degree to which a quoter has complied with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Evaluation of past performance may be based on one or more of the following: Government personnel familiar with work performed by the contractor; customer surveys and past performance questionnaire replies; and the Government wide Past Performance Information Retrieval system (PPIRS) at www.ppirs.gov. Past performance will be rated “unacceptable” if the quoter receives an unsatisfactory rating from a reference unless it can demonstrate that satisfactory corrective actions were taken. In the case of a quoter (prime contractor) without a record of past performance, or for whom information on past performance is not available, the offeror will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably.

6. Pricing PLEASE USE EXCEL SPREADSHEET TO FILL IN PRICING SCHEDULE. Alternative Pricing Schedules will not be considered.

Basis for Award Quotations will be evaluated in accordance with 52.212-2 Evaluation – Commercial Items and Quotation Package Submission Requirements. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate quoters:

1. Technical Approach

2. Relevant Project Experience

3. Quality Assurance/Control Plan

4. Key Personnel

5. Past Performance

6. Price

All factors above, when combined, are equally important as price.

Once the Government determines the quoter that is the best-suited (i.e., the apparent successful quoter), the Government reserves the right to communicate with only that quoter to address any remaining issues, if necessary, and finalize the IDIQ contract with that quoter. These issues may include technical and price. If the parties cannot successfully address any remaining issues, as determined pertinent at the sole discretion of the Government, the Government reserves the right to communicate with the next best-suited quoter based on the original analysis and address any remaining issues. Once the Government has begun communications with the next best-suited quoter, no further communications with the previous quoter will be entertained until after the contract has been awarded. This process shall continue until an agreement is successfully reached and a contract is awarded.