Tree Trimming QA 127EAU26Q0076.pdf

1. Are there any mandatory licensing, certifications, or specialized qualifications that the prime contractor must possess to perform the tree-cutting and removal requirements?

Contractor qualifications are listed in Section 4 of the PWS

2. Is an ISA Certified Arborist required to be employed by the prime contractor, or may the prime satisfy that requirement through a qualified subcontractor?

This requirement may be satisfied through a sub, if the amount of work being performed by the subcontractor does not exceed 50%.

3. Are subcontractors permitted for portions of the tree-cutting, removal, hauling, or specialized arborist work?

Same response as number 2 above

4. If subcontractors are permitted, are there any limitations on the percentage of work that may be subcontracted by the small-business prime?

Same response as number 2 above

5. Is there a mandatory site visit, and if so, is there an opportunity for a prospective offeror who was unable to attend the scheduled visit to obtain additional information about site conditions?

There is a site visit scheduled as follows:

Friday, Sept 25 between 8 am and 11 am.

Contact is Victor Ponte (301-343-5397) or Jamie Houchens (301-821-1804) Location is Building 301 – (On Research Road between Powder Mill Road and Beaver Dam Rd)

301 Research Road Beltsville, MD 20705

6. Are there any additional insurance, bonding, equipment, or safety requirements beyond those identified in the solicitation that prospective offerors should be aware of?

No

7. CLIN 0001 (Preventive Utility Line Clearing): the estimated annual workload, such as miles of 13.2 kV line, number of trees or spans, or crew-days per year, and any recent history.

Description: Daily preventive clearing work along utility corridors to reduce vegetation hazards. Quantity: 30 Days annually

8. CLIN 0002 (Standby Emergency Storm Response): the historical number of storm call-outs per year and typical crew-hours per event.

Description: Contractor standby and activation capability for emergency storm damage response. Adjusted Quantity (to meet budget cap): 25 Hours annually

9. CLIN 0003 (High-Risk Large Tree Removal): the estimated number of trees per year and typical size range.

Description: Removal of identified high risk large trees posing safety hazards. Quantity: 10 Trees annually

10. Should each CLIN be priced as a firm annual amount covering all requested work, or may we include unit rates (per crew-hour or per tree) with an estimated annual total?

Include unit rates (per crew-hour or per tree) with an estimated annual

11. Historical data from prior years would also be helpful.

We do not have historical data - this is a new service.

12. Pricing Structure. If workload cannot be defined, may offerors propose fixed unit rates (e.g., per crew-hour, per crew-day, per tree by diameter class) together with the annual CLIN totals?

Work load defined above.

13. Prior Contract. Is there an incumbent or previous contract for this work? If so, please provide the contract number.

This is a new requirement

14. Evaluation Criteria. The solicitation states that award will be made on a best-value basis, but evaluation factors (FAR 52.212-2) were not included. Please identify the evaluation factors, their relative importance, and any technical or past performance submission requirements.

Evaluation factors are listed under Solicitation Methods under the GSA RFQ and have been added to the Sam.Gov posting as well

15. Contractor Qualifications. PWS Section 4 requires an ISA Certified Arborist on staff and line-clearance arborists qualified under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269. Will these qualifications be satisfied if they are held by the personnel of a proposed subcontractor performing the field work?

Yes

16. Insurance. PWS Section 4(f) references insurance "meeting USDA requirements."

Please specify the required coverage types and minimum limits.

Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance

General Liability Insurance (Bodily Injury and Property Damage)

a. Minimum coverage:

i. $500,000per occurrence for bodily injury

ii. $500,000per occurrence for property damage

iii. Or a combined single limit of $500,000

Automobile Liability Insurance

b. Minimum coverage:

i. $200,000 per person

ii. $500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury

iii. $20,000 per occurrence for property damage

iv. Or a combined single limit of $500,000

Professional Liability (for certified arborists)

17. Submission Method. Please confirm how quotations should be submitted (e.g., by email to you) and any file format or size limits.

Offers should be emailed. Schedule of Items should be in excel format, any additional submittals may be in pdf or word doc format

18. Electrical Coordination. Will BARC de-energize or provide a qualified electrical representative for work within the minimum approach distances, or is all work expected to be performed on energized lines?

Yes, BARC will coordinate deenergizing lines as needed. BARC maintains an electrical grid and in-house high voltage electricians who will coordinate this work.

19. For Standby Emergency Storm Response, what availability/mobilization time is required, and is the actual response work included in the monthly standby price?

Response time will be coordinated with BARC staff depending on the nature and severity of the emergency.

20. Could you please clarify the definition and anticipated annual quantity/size range for “High Risk Large Tree Removal”?

CLIN 0003 – High Risk Large Tree Removal (FFP) Description: Removal of identified high risk large trees posing safety hazards.

Quantity: 10 Trees annually

21. For vegetation within the approach distance of energized conductors, should work be performed while lines remain energized, and who coordinates any required outage/de-energization?

BARC will coordinate deenergizing lines as needed. BARC maintains an electrical grid and in-house high voltage electricians who will coordinate this work.

22. May the minimum qualifications in PWS Section 4, including the ISA Certified Arborist and line-clearance personnel, be satisfied through a committed subcontractor performing the field work under the prime contractor?

Yes

23. The PWS appears to end at printed page 3 of 4. Could you please confirm whether a page is missing and also clarify the Base POP stated on the SF1449 versus “12 months from date of award” in the PWS?

The PoP is 12 months from date of award

24. Clarification on Contract Type and Pricing Structure Could the Government clarify the specific contract type for this requirement? While the SF 1449 indicates a commercial items acquisition, it is unclear if this is a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract for a guaranteed level of effort, or if it is structured as a Fixed Price contract where payment is strictly based on actual task orders/work performed as requested by the COR. Please clarify how the '12 MO' (Month) quantity should be interpreted for pricing purposes.

It should be quote as an annual total cost for 12 months. The 1449 and SOI will be updated to alleviate confusion.

25. Tree Assessment and Scope Determination (Remove vs. Trim/Prune) The PWS states that 'Exact work locations will be identified during the pre-work site walk-through or during storm-response notifications' and requires a response plan within two business days of a request. Could the Government clarify the specific process for determining the scope of work for individual trees (i.e., whether a specific tree requires full removal, trimming, or directional pruning)? Will the Government provide a definitive list/map specifying the required action for each tree with each task order request, or is the Contractor expected to perform the initial assessment and propose the action in the 2-day response plan for Government approval?

Government will provide a list and show the contractor the location of the tree(s) that need removal, trimming or pruning. The decision on whether a tree should be removed, trimmed or pruned will be made by the Government.

26. Clarification on CLIN 0001 and CLIN 0003 Pricing (Preventive & High-Risk Removal) Regarding the Schedule of Items, the quantities for CLIN 0001 (Preventive Utility Line Clearing) and CLIN 0003 (High-Risk Large Tree Removal) are listed as '12 MO' (Months). Does the Government intend for offerors to submit a fixed monthly retainer fee for these CLINs, or should the unit price represent an estimated monthly volume of work (e.g., a fixed price per tree or per acre)? If a monthly fee is expected, what is the anticipated level of effort or number of task orders included in that monthly price?

The offerors are to submit annual pricing for each year

27. Clarification on CLIN 0002 Pricing (Standby Emergency Storm Response) For CLIN 0002 (Standby Emergency Storm Response), does the proposed monthly price cover only the 'standby' availability of crews and equipment, or does it also include the execution of the actual storm response work (labor, equipment, debris removal)? If the execution of storm response work is billed separately, please clarify how that should be priced, as there is no distinct CLIN listed for 'Emergency Storm Response Execution'.

CLIN 0001 – Preventive Utility Line Clearing (FFP) Description: Daily preventive clearing work along utility corridors to reduce vegetation hazards.

Quantity: 30 Days annually

CLIN 0002 – Standby Emergency Storm Response (FFP) Description: Contractor standby and activation capability for emergency storm damage response.

Adjusted Quantity (to meet budget cap): 25 Hours annually

CLIN 0003 – High Risk Large Tree Removal (FFP) Description: Removal of identified high risk large trees posing safety hazards.

Quantity: 10 Trees annually

For CLIN002, Response time will be coordinated with BARC staff depending on the nature and severity of the emergency.

28. Invoicing and Task Order Tracking The PWS mentions that the Contractor may submit invoices through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). Given the monthly CLIN structure, will the Government issue individual task orders or work requests that must be tracked and invoiced against the specific monthly CLINs, or will invoicing be based on a flat monthly fee regardless of the volume of work performed that month?

Please see Sections 6 and 8 of the PWS.

29. Clarification on Tree Identification and Scope Definition per Request Reference:

PWS Section 3 ("Exact work locations will be identified during the pre-work site walk-through or during storm-response notifications") and Section 6(a) (Response Plan).Could the Government clarify the process for identifying specific trees and the required action (e.g., full removal vs. trimming/pruning) for routine service requests?

Will the Government’s service request include a definitive list, map, or marked locations specifying the exact trees and the required action, or is the Contractor expected to conduct the initial assessment and propose the specific trees and actions for Government approval within the 2-day response plan?

Government will provide a list and show the contractor the location of the tree(s) that need removal, trimming or pruning. The decision on whether a tree should be removed, trimmed or pruned will be made by the Government.

30. Is this a Fixed Price Contract ?

Yes