Responses to Questions 12.13.2022 127EAV23R0001 .pdf

Responses to Questions 12.13.2022 127EAV23R0001 Southwest Regional Wastewater Services

1. The way it is worded is that services of each type pumping, cleaning, inspecting will try to be batched together within a 20 mile radius of themselves in order batches of 3 to 10 jobs.

See Attachment 7 for an example of a call order. The column “site” will lump the number of toilets that are located within the same recreation area.

A snippet of attachment 7 is included for your reference below:

2. On the schedule of items there is section for individual services. This is contradictory to the ordering procedure listed and will make one think they can be deployed for just one job.

The single job will be for those special cases that we do need either a single pump or an emergency pump. Our goal is to utilize a batch of toilet pumping in each call order and keep the single pumps to a minimum, however, we do anticipate that emergency situations, or single pumps will be needed on occasion.

3. I don’t want to put an individual price down that reflects a deduction of being mobilized out for more jobs and lose money when someone only orders one service.

An individual price will be paid for at the individual price quoted within the class size listed on the Schedule of Items, after the site has been pumped, the total actual gallons pumped will be paid for. See section “Measurement – Task 1 Pumping Services” and section describing “Payment” in the Statement of Work.

A snippet of the section is included below:

4. So I would like clarification on why there are sections for price per individual? My understanding is there will be no fewer than 3 to 5 and 6 to 10 jobs per order.

The purpose for this contract is to manage wastewater at USFS sites. There may be times where a single toilet may require pumping due to high use or an emergency. Pay Item A is described in the Statement of Work. Pay Item A: Cost for EACH facility pump- this pay item is to pay for a single pump, including a single emergency pump service as described within this contract, needed at a specific site, for the vault capacity listed in the Schedule of Items.

5. The lower number of services ordered the more expensive they will be individually since the cost is less spread out.

6. Is there a mechanism that will protect us from someone ordering individual services in the schedule of items, or that will allow individual pricing on a case by case basis with different pricing if a USFS employee order it that way.

You may elect to not bid on Pay Item A. If you do not bid on Pay Item A, you will not be selected to pump individual restroom facilities.

7. For example, the one single vault in Carlsbad not next to anything.

Due to the nature of the Forest Service, some locations are remote and are not included within any cluster, none-the-less still need servicing.

8. Where are pumpers dumping this massive amount of waste and can they prove they are dumping legally? THE USFS should watch this intently especially for cheap bids.

Pumpers are required to be certified by the state in which they operate. They are also required to submit pumping tickets from the wastewater treatment plant at which they dump. In addition the QASP

– Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan is designed to help accountability in service, time, and a good relationship between the USFS and the vendor. Vendors who do not comply with contract requirements and environmental regulations, including any unlawful dumping of wastewater, will be subject to removal from this contract.

9. There will be interstate travel and permitting is required even on fire assignments. i.e Arizona made us pay for a $400 temp tag every fire assignment we’ve been on so they will make a vendor have one for these services for sure.

Contractor is responsible to ensure they licensed and permitted to operate in the State in which they operate.

10. The power of the USFS can be used to help connect with legitimate dumpsites for the waste which can be more legitimately managed.

The experience of the pumper vendors and if they are licensed by their home environmental departments. In New Mexico our trucks and drivers have to be licensed, trained and registered yearly.

Yes, pumpers must be licensed and registered in the State in which they operate.

11. Pumping equipment: Most pumpers have old school equipment that is not fit for interstate travel and they are used to not being aware of high level fleet operations and large scale work and the logistics and maintenance required.

12. Do pumpers pressure wash and fully evacuate the vault contents?

Each call order will list specifics for each site, such as water to remain in the vault following a pump, toilet paper to be placed, or if selected, the restroom facility to also be cleaned as per the call order.

As far as the pressure washing an excerpt of the Contract is provided in italics below:

• All content shall be removed from the vault, including all human excrement and trash, so that the vault is completely empty after each pump.

• All excrement and trash shall be properly disposed of into the appropriate wastewater treatment facility and/or state approved landfill.

• All wastewater pumping, removal, and disposal shall be conducted in accordance with all Federal, State, and Local laws and ordinances.

• Disposal receipts shall be provided along with the Pumping Services Form.

• Pump all restroom facilities with an exterior access port through the exterior access port. A Forest Service Yale key may be needed to unlock the hatch door. If so, transfer of the key will be arranged by the Contracting Officer and/or the Forest unit requesting services. Only in the case where a vault toilet does not have exterior access portal, shall the vault be pumped be allowed to directly pump from the riser.

• For pumping through the interior riser, take precautions to prevent damage to the riser and to prevent waste spillage onto the interior floor and wall surfaces.

• Cover toilet paper with waterproof material or remove from bar prior to removal of debris and pumping.

• Clean-up all incidental spillage and disinfect floors and riser including the riser seat and any surface that was or may have been contaminated and now surrounding area shall be left with free standing water.

• Using a pressure washer system, all interior walls of the vault shall be washed after removal of contents and before clinging debris has a chance to dry. Use the pressure washer to break up and dilute solids in the bottom and pump all remaining diluted waste and water.

• Thoroughly clean and disinfect all contaminated areas resulting from the pumping process.

• Some sites as specifically listed in the Forest Unit Call Order Form, will require 25% of the toilet capacity with clean water to remain in the vault after cleaning.

13. Do they have a history with the USFS and government contracts. Some do but the government has not graded them or checked on them, which is provided in your new contract, great job!

14. Pumpers are used to cutting each others throat because typically no one is watching them work and they can get away with super cheap work incomplete work as standard culture.

15. What kind of safety record do they have? What tools will they employ to communicate in remote areas and do they have solid logistics/safety plans in remote areas?

Per the Solicitation, see the section “Instructions for Submittal”. Described in this section are three Volumes that the vendor must submit: Volume 1 (signed documents), Volume 2 (Technical proposal) , and Volume 3 (Past Performance) where safety is included in each of these volumes and the contractor must address safety protocols. Safety protocols and measurements are also included in the “Contract Requirements” section of the Solicitation. Failure to comply with contract requirements can result in termination and removal from this contract.