C05_Questions and Answers_12444026Q0218.pdf

Questions and Answers 12444026Q0218

1. Total square footage and flooring type(s).

Answer: Approx. 8500 SQFT

2. Whether a walkthrough is mandatory or available before quotes are due.

Answer: A walkthrough is not mandatory, but a site visit will be conducted for all vendors.

3. Required number of finish coats and any required product, slip-resistance, or gloss standard.

Answer: 4 to 5 thin coats of a standard commercial acrylic floor finish, a slip-resistance rating meeting ASTM D2047 (static coeƯicient of friction of 0.5 or greater), and a high-gloss wet-look finish.

4. Permitted work hours and whether the Government will clear movable furniture/equipment.

Answer: We are looking for hours after close of business (4PM)

5. Required completion date or performance window.

Answer: 90 days from award of the contract.

6. Whether water, electricity, and a staging/storage area are available.

Answer: Yes, to all above.

7. Whether any biobased-product requirement or wage determination applies beyond the posted attachments.

Answer: None

8. Can you please confirm whether the approximately 8,500 square feet of floor stripping and waxing is a one-time service during the stated period of performance, rather than a recurring service? If it is a one-time service, is there a specific required completion date or preferred performance window?

Answer: This requirement is a one-time service

9. May the prime contractor utilize a qualified local small-business subcontractor to perform floor stripping and waxing work? If so, are there any specific self-performance or subcontracting limitations applicable to this acquisition that oƯerors should account for?

Answer: As per technical evaluation criteria; Contractor must specify personnel who will perform the work, the equipment that will be used and if they plan to subcontract the work. If subcontracting, those personnel, and their experience must be listed. At least one (1) Primary and Alternate who will perform the services must be included in the quote.

10. If a proposed subcontractor performs the work, may the relevant experience of that subcontractor and its proposed personnel be included as part of the Technical Capability submission?

Answer: See question and answer above (question 10).

11. Is a site visit available prior to the quotation deadline, and are there specific days or hours during which the stripping and waxing work would need to be performed?

Answer: yes, a site visit is available (TBD). Monday thru Friday after close of business(4pm).

12. Please confirm the allowable days and hours for performance. Are daytime hours permitted, or is the work expected to be performed after hours, at night, and/or on weekends?

Answer: Monday thru Friday after close of business(4pm).

13. May the contractor complete the approximately 8,500 square feet of hallway flooring continuously, such as over a single weekend or other uninterrupted work period, or must the work be phased into sections?

Answer: If can be completed over a weekend it can be done that way. Doing continuous on Monday thru Friday cannot.

14. The Statement of Work requires the contractor to minimize disruption to staƯ and operations and states that areas must remain accessible according to the schedule agreed upon with facility management. Please clarify what level of hallway access must remain available during stripping, drying, curing, and application of the floor finish.

Answer: 50% of flooring must remain accessible if during work hours Mon-Fri.

15. Should contractors anticipate that the facility will remain normally occupied and operational while this work is being performed, or are there scheduled periods when the aƯected hallway areas will be unoccupied or otherwise available for uninterrupted work?

Answer: After business hours (4pm) or weekends would impact work the least.

16. Will a secure area be available onsite for the contractor to store floor machines, equipment, materials, and chemicals overnight between shifts, or should the contractor plan to remove all equipment and materials at the end of each work period?

Answer: We can provide space to store equipment.

17. Will the Government provide access to suitable onsite water sources, including hot water if available, and approved drains or disposal locations for rinsing and wastewater generated during the stripping and neutralizing process?

Answer: Yes, to all, as long as what is being poured down drains is diluted and thoroughly flushed.

18. Work Hours / Days of Performance Answer: preferred after normal work hours 4pm Mon-Fri; Weekends hours negotiable

19. Continuous Work vs. Phased Performance\Answer: after 4pm or weekends (if work can be completed before Monday at 5 AM).

20. Hallway Accessibility / Facility Operations Answer: Yes

21. Please specify the flooring substrate (e.g., VCT, other resilient tile, etc.) or the type of finish currently applied. Could you confirm the floor material and, if known, the existing finish/coating type? This will allow us to select the correct stripping and finishing products and provide accurate, responsive pricing.

Answer: VCT and Bravo floor wax products.

22. Per USDA ARS's published history, the Center for Grain and Animal Health Research facility was constructed in 1971. Resilient floor tile installed in that era is commonly vinyl-asbestos tile (VAT), and improper stripping methods (dry buƯing, sanding, aggressive abrasive pads) can pose a fiber-release risk if the tile has not been tested or abated. Could you confirm whether the hallway flooring has been tested for asbestos content, and whether any abatement or replacement has occurred since original construction? If asbestos-containing material is confirmed or unconfirmed/unknown, please advise whether any floor-prep restrictions apply.

Answer: Tiles were done in a more recent remodel. Currently the floors that will be worked on are not Asbestos.