12444724Q0003_Attach7_QA_updated 19Jan24.docx

Solicitation #12444724Q0003 RTP Janitorial Service Contract Q&A as of 19 January 2024

1. Do you have a timeframe as to when it will come out as a solicitation? There will be a separate SAM .gov posting no later than Jan 12th. That will be the formal solicitation.

2. Do you expect to do another site visit at that point, or is the one scheduled for the 17th the only one that will be offered? The site visit currently scheduled for Wednesday, January 17, 2024, is the only one.

3. I'm requesting to become a vendor for you and the notice id 12444723Q0003. Please advise best route to complete this action. Please respond in accordance with the instructions outlined in addenda to FAR Clause 52.212-1.

4. Is there currently an incumbent and if so what is their name, the contract number, and the contract value? The contractor’s name is Amani Inc., the contract number is 12456819P0013 and final 12-months of the contract was $32,927.40.

5. Are site visits mandatory? Site visits are not mandatory but encouraged.

6. Is there a scheduled site visit? Yes the site visit is scheduled for January 17, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. ET.

7. In addition, when submitting my proposal can you shed some light on the previous award amount? Please see response to question four.

8. Is there any way I could get additional information regarding the service? Please refer to the attachments found in the solicitation for information regarding the service. Specifically, the attached Statement of Work.

9. Is there any way my team could do a walk-through of the property to be able to give a proper bid? There is a scheduled site visit on January 17, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. ET, clearly identified on the solicitation posting in SAM.gov. Please be sure to coordinate site visit attendance with Ron Barr as the site visit POC noted in the SAM.gov posting.

10. Who is the current contractor? The contractor’s name is Amani Inc

11. What is the current contract amount? The final 12-months of the contract amount is $32,927.40.

12. If you are unable to provide the current contract amount, what is the current budget your agency has for this project? See #11 above for the contract amount. The Government’s budget is not being disclosed.

13. Is there a bond requirement? No.

14. Will the contractor's employees be required to pass a background check? Yes, see clause 52.204-9 Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel and Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Employees and 5.0 Deliverables/Schedule table section within the solicitation.

15. Will the contractor's employees be required to wear a badge? All contractor personnel shall wear contractor provided badges or monogramed shirts that readily identify the individual(s) status. Specific language is big added in the revised SOW.

16. Square Footage for each location? Refer to the SOW.

17. Are the daily tasks expected 7 days/week, or M-F, or on some other schedule? Daily tasks are required Monday through Friday, 5 x per week.

18. Can the contractor arrive during work hours, or is this expected after 4/5pm? Refer to the SOW. Contractor will perform the required Custodial services after the Government's regular (normal) working hours of (7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Holidays) on a schedule that is mutually acceptable to contractor and the COR.

19. Is there a list of materials that may be necessary outside of mop/vacuum/cloths and other common items? Contractors are required to determine equipment and supplies needed, ensuring compliance with the SOW.

20. Will materials for restock be provided? (e.g. paper towels, toilet paper, trash can liners) Refer to SOW. The contractor shall furnish all labor, supplies, materials, equipment, transportation, incidentals, and supervision necessary to perform janitorial services at the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, 3041 East Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 in accordance with the terms, specifications, and provisions of this contract. All cleaning supplies used for this contract will be in accordance with the Sustainable Acquisition Policy (FAR 23.1).

21. How many people came for each clean in the previous contract? 1 cleaner or multiple? Current contractor staffing approach is not being disclosed.

22. Based on this, how much time was spent on average for these daily cleans? Current contractor staffing approach is not being disclosed.

23. What were some things the incumbent wasn’t doing that you wanted done? Performance of the current contractor is not being disclosed through solicitation Q&A?

24. Was the previous bid of the incumbent too much for the services rendered? That information is not being disclosed through solicitation Q&A?

25. How would you like the proposal to be submitted? Please advise. The quoters shall submit their quote to Contract Specialist Eric King, by email at eric.king@usda.gov with a courtesy copy to Contracting Officer Keith Friot at keith.d.friot@usda.gov no later than January 23, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. eastern time. It is the quoter's responsibility to confirm receipt of the quote.

26. Where can our business find the USDA designated products categories/list and should our 3 pricing sheet examples/references include pricing for only bio-based products?

Proposed pricing must include all costs to comply with biobased requirements outlined in the solicitation.

Please see the full text of FAR 52.223-1, Biobased Product Certification and FAR 52.223-2 Affirmative Procurement of Biobased products Service and Construction Contracts at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR_52_223_2

As stated in FAR 52.232-2, “Information about this requirement and these products is available at http://www.biopreferred.gov”.

Please also see below language that will be included by the revised SOW.

27. What exact building do you want us to meet you at? The site visit will start with a meeting in the Main Building. Attendees will be directed to the appropriate conference room for the initial 1st phase of the site visit that will begin at 10AM Eastern.

28. What was the results of this project the last time it was put out to bid. Please refer to answers provided for questions #4.

29. Current bidders list for this upcoming project (if applicable). The Government is not maintaining or disclosing an Interested Vendor Listing other than what is on SAM.gov.

30. Is the solicitation requesting janitorial services five days per week (Mon-Fri)? Please refer to the SOW, which states “In accordance with the requirements and specifications listed below. All work shall be accomplished outside normal working hours (7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Holidays) on a mutually acceptable schedule to the Contractor and the COR.” Please also see the answer to question #18 and section 3 of the SOW.

31. When complying with the badging requirements, is it ok to have either/or a badge or uniform identification? Yes.

32. Can you clean on the weekend instead of Friday. No, please complete daily tasks in accordance with the Statement of Work.

33. What is the cobweb cleaning frequency? Refer to the Statement of Work.

34. Are we to clean inside offices? Yes.

35. Are there any changes in the new contract compared to the previous contract? Yes, the frequency of the mopping has changed to daily mopping, and there is an additional cobweb cleaning, see Statement of Work.

36. Which hard floors specifically would need refinishing or stripping? All the Terrazzo Floors.

37. Will the government specify if there are any page limits for the response? No

38. Will the government specify if there are any proposal formatting requirements i.e., minimum font size, margins, font type? There are no specific submission requirements in these areas.

39. How would the government like the contractors to structure their response? Please see submission instructions in the solicitation on pages 17-18 (Addenda to FAR 52.212-1), as well as the response to question 25 in the Q&A posted on SAM.gov.

40. Will the government plan to reschedule the response due date? No

41. Do we have to send Attachment 4 and 5 separately? Documents can be submitted in one email with separate documents attached.

42. Can the government please clarify what you mean when you say that offerors may submit an "alternative" schedule of items? Please refer to the guidance at the Addenda to FAR 52.212—1; “Offerors may submit an alternative Schedule of Items. If submitting an alternative Schedule of Items, the offeror shall clearly indicate how all requirements of the SOW will be met with line items as proposed, and all shall be Firm Fixed Price without estimated quantities.”

The Government allows vendors to submit alternative Schedule of Items if requirements identified in the above verbiage are met. Vendors are the experts in their field and may have a better way of structuring the Schedule of Items.