12639524Q0011 QA v3 11_16_23.docx

12639524Q0011 Q&A Updated November 16, 2023

Q1: How often are indoor kennels cleaned and sanitized?

A1: Cleaned every day, sanitized weekly

Q2: How often are outdoor kennels cleaned and sanitized?

A2: Cleaned every day, sanitized weekly

Q3: How is canine feces handled?

A3: It is picked up, placed in bags, and put in the dumpster

Q4: Can the wildlife management requirements be referred or do they need to be subcontracted?

A4: All requirements included in the specification must be covered by the contract, whether by the prime or a subcontractor if used. Referrals are not an acceptable form of service coverage.

Q5: Will the bait traps seen during the site visit be maintained under the new contract?

A5: The traps in question do not belong to USDA and will be removed prior to the start of the next contract.

Q6: What are the regular service day(s) for this site?

A6: The service schedule will be established between the contractor and the facility after award.

Q7: What was the previous awarded Solicitation Number, Date awarded and awarded value? Has any of the SOW changed from this Solicitation compared to that of the last awarded contract? If so, what changed or was added?

A7: The previous contract was awarded against a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) and the solicitation SOW may be available through GSA eBuy. This information is not otherwise publicly available.

Q8: Has the government issued any CURE or Notice of Correction for pest control services over the past 12 month at this location?

A8: Per FAR 42.1503(d), contractor performance information cannot be disclosed.

Q9: How many Unscheduled Services requests over the past 24 months?

A9: One (1) unscheduled service request was needed within the past 24 months under the existing contract.

Q10: How many service requests for armadillo and indoor squirrel over the past 24 months?

A10: One (1) unscheduled service request was needed within the past 24 months under the existing contract.

Q11: How many after hours service requests at the NDDTC have there been in the past 24 months?

A11: One (1) unscheduled service request was needed within the past 24 months under the existing contract.

Q12: Can you provide clarification per the SOW, that the pest controller will be responsible for all trash and debris removed after each service?

A12: The contractor is responsible for ensuring that all trash and debris brought/created onsite by the contractor and its representatives is removed from the premises on the same day as the service visit. E.g. including but not limited to food wrappers, bait wrappers, empty containers, etc.

Q13: In section 3.1, the management notes state that "they must inspect the property to help prevent reestablishment of wildlife" - This is calling for inspection only and not capture or remediation.

However, section 3.2 states , "the monthly inspection must be provided by a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator which includes treatments and controls as needed." - Quoting for wildlife services in advance is not a normal protocol as each situation is different.

Please clarify if the RFQ is asking for an inspection with recommendations, and if needed, a price for a separate job to remediate the wildlife. Or, is the RFQ asking the pest management company to include pricing for unforeseen future events?

A13: We expect that the regular inspections will be used to assess the level of infestation, if any, of the species groups identified in the RFQ. Based on those inspections, we also expect that preventative control treatments and measures (which may include capture or remediation) will be applied to “prevent invasive reestablishment” of the species identified in the SOW, as well as prevent the establishment of invasive population levels of other pests as described in the SOW. If potentially invasive populations are noted during the regular inspection and no actions are taken to ensure that the population stays below a level of invasiveness that would require more than routine preventative measures to manage, then the contractor has failed to adequately manage the population in question and will be fully responsible for the recommended remediation. We also understand that there may be cases in which a pest population goes from nonexistent to invasive levels in under one month. These cases would be requested and invoiced as “Unscheduled service visits as needed.”