Updated Question and Answers_20250320.docx

Updated: 3/20/2025 Q&As for the London Ranger District Toilet Pumping Solicitation # 12443925Q0006

1. Is this a brand-new contract, or is an incumbent performing these services? If not brand new, please provide their information including contract number and value?

Answer:

This is a follow-on contract. The current contract number is 12531A20P0035. Please refer to the FPDS site (link below) for any further public information regarding this contract.

https://www.fpds.gov/fpdsng_cms/index.php/en/

2. Are there specific requirements or protocols for conducting a site visit?

Answer:

There will be no formal site visit scheduled. Everything is open to the public if an informal site visit is desired. All site-related questions shall be directed to Kelly Meadows at (606) 231-9432.

3. Is a background check required for technicians who will perform the septic pumping and related activities? If a background check is necessary, could you clarify the specific requirements and process for compliance.

Since this contract will NOT require routine physical access to a Federally-controlled facility or routine access to a Federally-controlled information system, a background check is not required for technicians performing the septic pumping and related activities.

4. Could you confirm the response time for emergency pumping services and whether any additional protocols apply?

Response time for any emergency will be by mutual agreement between the Forest Service and the contractor. If an emergency call is required, Forest Service personnel will work with the contractor to negotiate a time that would best meet the needs of the Forest Service and the contractor.

5. According to the PWS, the contractor must complete the required servicing within 48 hours. Does this mean all 41 tanks must be cleaned within a regular 48-hour period or within 48 business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)? Given that regular 48 hours would include only 16 business hours, completing the job within this timeframe may require a minimum of 10 trucks. Could you clarify the expectations regarding the timeframe and resources required?

Forest Service employees will monitor how full the tanks are getting. Usually, a call to the contractor does NOT result in pumping more than 3 tanks per day, and most of the tanks will be pumped from June – October. The rest of the tanks (3 at a time) are pumped as needed before the end of the contract year. The 1 septic tank is pumped when the campground host leaves for the season. It really just depends on when the tanks get full.

6. Page 2 of the PWS references refuse disposal. What refuse must be disposed of and where must it be disposed?

Whatever trash/refuse is taken from the tanks must be taken off the forest for disposal. Trash/refuse taken from the tanks CANNOT be disposed in Forest Service trash cans or dumpsters.

7. What do they toilets look like that will be getting pumped?

To get a better idea of what the vaults look like you can Google CXT vault to get a visual of vaults similar to those requiring pumping.

8. The SF-18 Request for Quote indicates this IS NOT set-aside for small businesses, but the description on SAM.gov indicates this IS a small business set-aside. Is this solicitation set-aside for small businesses?

Yes, this is a Total Small Business set-aside. The SF-18 has been amended to reflect this will be a Small Business set-aside.

9. Why did this solicitation become “Inactive” on SAM.gov on January 23, 2025?

Answer:

A memorandum issued by the Acting Secretary titled “Hiring, Regulatory and Obligation of Funding Moratoriums” was announced January 21, 2025. The memorandum announced that effective immediately, a short-term moratorium on the execution of grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts. Additionally, existing requisitions, solicitations, and awards in a “Pending” status were also cancelled. Since the solicitation was temporarily inactivated, the deadline for submissions has been extended to March 21, 2025 at 12:00pm EDT.

10. Has additional scope of work added to the proposed contract that was not included in the current contract? Specifically, was pressure washing and trash disposal included in the original contract?

The proposed SOW has not been modified form previous years. Pressure washing and refuse disposal were required in the past.