127EAY26Q0094 Palomar Janitorial Questions and Answers - 20260721.pdf

127EAY26Q0094 Palomar Ranger District Questions and Answers

Q1: Work Hour Discrepancy: PWS Section C.2-1 states work must be performed between 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM. however, PWS Section C.3(2) states no work should be performed between 10:00 PM and 4:59 PM. Please clarify if the work window is strictly limited to four hours (5:00 PM–9:00 PM) or if the Contractor has the flexibility to utilize the five-hour window until 10:00 PM to meet performance standards.

A1: No, work is not limited to four hours. Contractor has flexibility until 10pm

Q2: Restricted Access Office Cleaning: The PWS identifies two Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) offices as "restricted access" areas that must be cleaned only when occupants are present. Since the required service shift (5:00 PM–9:00 PM) is outside of the facility's normal business hours (8:00 AM–4:30 PM), please confirm if LEO personnel will be present during the evening shift or if the Contractor is expected to service these specific offices during standard business hours.

A2: LEO personnel may not always be present. No, contractor is not expected to clean LEO offices when personnel are not present.

Q3: Floor Surface Breakdown: To support accurate pricing for the Monthly (polish concrete/laminate) and Annual (strip and re-wax) tasks, can the Government provide the approximate square footage breakdown of each flooring type (carpet, concrete, and laminate) across the two buildings?

A3: District Office Building:

Annual: Carpeting: 200 sq ft; Concrete: 210 Sq ft; Laminate: 2847 Sq ft

Quarterly *See A29*: Laminate, only main hallway corridor 315 Sq ft

Conference Room Building:

Annual: Concrete: 112 Sq ft; Laminate: 1596 Sq ft

Radio Shop Warehouse (Restroom only):

Annual: Concrete: 81 Sq ft

Q4: Government-Furnished Supplies for Periodic Tasks: PWS Section C.6 lists "Cleaning solutions and products" as Government-furnished. Please clarify if this includes the specific high-volume consumables required for periodic tasks, such as floor wax, concrete polish, and carpet extraction/shampoo chemicals, or if the Contractor is responsible for providing these specialty materials.

A4: No, the Government will NOT provide floor wax, concrete polish, carpet extraction/shampoo.

Q5: Exterior Window Access: For the Quarterly and Annual window cleaning requirements, are any of the windows located at heights that require specialized equipment such as extension ladders, lifts, or scaffolding, or are all surfaces accessible from ground level?

A5: No, all exterior windows can be accessed from ground level

Q6: Trash vs. Recycling Disposal: Table 1 requires the Contractor to "Place trash from all receptacles in dumpster". Can the Government confirm if separate dumpsters are provided on-site for commingled recycling and standard waste, or if the Contractor is responsible for off-site hauling of recyclables?

A6: Dumpsters provided are only for standard waste or paper/cardboard.

Contractor is not responsible for hauling recyclables.

Q7: Insurance Submission Requirements: The solicitation lists Proof of Worker’s Compensation Insurance as a mandatory document to be considered responsive. However, PWS Section C.4 notes that a "Contractor working alone is not required to carry the insurance". For the purpose of the initial quote submission, will the Government accept a signed letter of exemption in lieu of a policy for firms that may qualify for this status?

A7: Proof of insurance must occur before work begins. If the awardee has an exemption to with valid documentation the will be able to provide that in lieu of proof of insurance.

Q8: If there is an incumbent, could you please share the Purchase Order number and the total value associated with their contract?

A8: There is no incumbent.

Q9: Are there any changes in the previous scope to new one?

A9: There is no relevant previous scope.

Q10: Are there any post-award submittals that we should be aware of? If so, could you please provide the relevant information?

A10: There are no post-award submittals.

Q11: Incumbent Contract Information: Is there currently an incumbent contractor performing these services? If so, what is the current contract number and value (total and annual)? If publicly available, would these details be accessible via USAspending.gov or FOIA?

A11: There is no incumbent.

Q12: Period of Performance Clarification: The Schedule of Items lists delivery dates of 07/31/2027 for the base year, yet the cover page states a base period of 08/01/2026–07/31/2027. Please confirm: does the contractor begin performance on 08/01/2026 or within seven calendar days of Notice to Proceed (as stated in Section F.1 of the PWS)? Are the delivery dates typographical errors, or do they define an alternate end-of-base-year expectation?

A12: The base year Period of Performance has changed from 8/01/2026 – 7/31/2027 to 9/01/2026 – 7/31/2027. The final “delivery date” of the base year is 7/31/2027. The statement that the contractor will begin performance within seven calendar days of Notice to Proceed is due to the contractor having to hire personnel after contract award.

Q13: Subcontracting Approval Requirement: Section H.8 requires advance Contracting Officer approval for *any* subcontracting. Given this is a TSBSA under NAICS 561720, please confirm whether (i) any portion of the work may be subcontracted, and (ii) whether the prior-approval requirement applies even to small-dollar, ancillary services (e.g., emergency equipment repair or specialty supplies) or only to performance of the core janitorial tasks. For planning purposes, may we use similarly situated small businesses as subcontractors for any portion of the line items, or must the prime perform the line items entirely with own employees?

A13: Subcontracting approval pertains to the performance of the janitorial tasks. If you are going to subcontract the tasks associated with NAICS 561720, you must provide the subcontractor’s information and past performance history for the subcontractor.

Q14: Award Basis – Line-Item vs. Aggregate: Will award be made at the aggregate lowest-price level (total base + all options), or will individual line-item prices be evaluated? If the total is the sole determinant, do individual line-item prices still need to be reasonable, or is the aggregate total the only criterion?

A14: Lowest Price will be made at the aggregate lowest-price level (total base + all options). With that said, ALL pricing should be reasonable. A quote with unreasonable pricing used to bring down the aggregate total will be removed from competition.

Q15: Service Visit Scheduling: Section C.2-1 specifies work "between 5pm to 9pm two days per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays or Sundays." Does "or" mean the contractor may choose either Saturday *or* Sunday as the second day (providing predictability to the government), or may the contractor alternate weeks? Must the schedule be fixed at contract award, or may it vary with government approval?

A15: Time has been updated in the PWS to “between 5pm and 10 PM”. Weekend schedule may vary with government approval

Q16: Government-Furnished Supplies – Adequacy and Restocking: Section C.6 states the government will furnish cleaning solutions, products, supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, etc. How often are these supplies restocked, and who monitors inventory? If government-provided supplies run short or are inadequate for a service day, is the contractor expected to procure replacements at own expense, or should we halt that task and document it?

A16: No, contractor is not expected to procure “weekly” supplies at their own expense. Government will restock supplies as they run low. Contractor shall advise government if supplies are running low. Supplies for Floor Waxing and Carpet Cleaning will be procured by the contractor.

Q17: Scope of "Monthly Floor Polish": Table 1 requires monthly floor polishing of "concrete flooring and laminate tiles." Does this apply to the entire non-carpeted square footage in both buildings (~5,280 sq. ft. combined), or only to specific rooms or corridors?

A17: Monthly floor polish is revised to be a quarterly service. This service is not required for the entirety of both buildings. It’s only needed for the main corridor of the District office building. The square footage of the corridor hallway is 315 sq ft.

Q18: Restricted-Access LEO Offices: The PWS states two Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) offices have restricted access and "will be cleaned only when occupants are present." Who schedules these visits, and how frequently must they occur? Are they included in the twice-per-week scope, or do they require separate coordination and potentially additional visits?

A18: Due to the operational nature of LEO personnel, it’s difficult to determine frequency they will be available during cleaning time. The Forest Service instructs the contractor to estimate cleaning this area two times per month and include the price in CLIN 0001.

Q19: Semi-Annual and Annual Deep-Cleaning – Scheduling and Inspection: For the semi-annual (e.g., baseboards, steam-clean carpets) and annual tasks (e.g., strip/re-wax), must these be performed on a fixed calendar schedule, or will the government provide notice and approve dates? Who inspects and accepts these line items before payment?

A19: An approved date will be coordinated between the contractor and the government in advance. The COR or Government Technical Monitor will inspect and accept these line items.

Q20: HSPD-12 Background Investigation Timeline: Section H.4 requires contractor personnel to respond within one week to background-check prompts and complete the process before unaccompanied access.

Approximately how long does the full HSPD-12 process take from initiation to credential issuance? May the contractor perform work accompanied by a government employee during the interim, or is work suspended until credentials are issued?

A20: The HSPD-12 process takes approximately 1-3 months for issuance. The PWS has been updated to show service days of Monday and Wednesday during business hours until background checks are complete. Once background checks are complete, service days will revert to Wednesday and Saturday or Sunday. Please see revised PWS.

Q21: On the weekly cleaning at these two buildings do this mean once a week or more?

A21: Per the Performance Work Statement Section C.2-1 “Time & Days”; “Work shall be performed between the hours of 5pm to 10pm two (2) days per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays or Sundays.”

Q22: What’s the square footage of each of these buildings?

A22: The square footage can be found in Attachment 1, PWS Section C.2-1 “Time & Days”

Q23: Do contractors need to supply there own cleaning supply for this service?

A23: The answer to this question can be found in Attachment 1, PWS, Section C.6 Government Furnished Equipment and Supplies and Section C.7 Contractor-Furnished Equipment and Supplies.

Q24. If available, can the Government provide the current or most recent incumbent contract number and historical awarded pricing or annual contract value for janitorial services at the Palomar Ranger District? This information would assist us in evaluating the reasonableness of our pricing assumptions.

A24: There is no recent incumbent data.

Q25. Option Year 4 Period of Performance The SF1449 continuation schedule appears to show a Period of Performance of August 30, 2030 through July 31, 2031 for CLIN 4006, while the other Option Year 4 CLINs begin August 1, 2030. Please confirm whether the August 30, 2030 start date for CLIN 4006 is correct or whether the intended start date is August 1, 2030.

A25: CLIN 4006 should have a start date of 1 August 2030. An amended SF 1449 will be posted.

Q26: Floor and Window Measurements For pricing the periodic floor, carpet, and window services, can the Government provide the approximate carpeted square footage and approximate hard-floor square footage by floor type for each building, and identify which hard-floor areas are subject to monthly polishing and annual stripping/re-waxing?

A26: District Office Building:

Monthly polishing will be changed to Quarterly

Annual: Carpeting: 200 sq ft; Concrete: 210 Sq ft; Laminate: 2847 Sq ft

Quarterly: Laminate, only main hallway corridor 315 Sq ft

Conference Room Building:

Annual: Concrete: 112 Sq ft; Laminate: 1596 Sq ft

Radio Shop Warehouse (Restroom only):

Annual: Concrete: 81 Sq ft

Q27: Can the Government provide an approximate window count or glass square footage and the maximum working height/access requirements for exterior window cleaning?

A27: District Office Building glass square footage: 381

Conference Room Building glass square footage: 132

Maximum height: 6 feet, 5 inches from ground floor to top edge of windows.

Step ladders are also available on site.

Q28: Periodic Service Frequencies Please confirm whether the quarterly, semiannual, and annual service frequencies in PWS Section C.5 are cumulative/additive. For example, is the annual carpet extraction an additional third extraction event beyond the two semiannual services, and are the semiannual and annual window services additional to the four quarterly window services? Or may an annual service satisfy a coinciding semiannual or quarterly service requirement?

A28: The PWS and Schedule of Items have been revised to remove ambiguity.

Q29: Schedule of Items / CLIN Allocation Attachment 2 provides recurring monthly, semiannual, and annual CLINs for the Ranger District Office Building and Conference Room Building but no separate quarterly-service CLIN or Warehouse/Radio Shop CLIN. Should monthly floor polishing, twice-monthly cobweb removal, and quarterly window cleaning be included in the applicable monthly “Weekly Janitorial Service” CLIN prices? Also, under which CLIN should the additional Warehouse/Radio Shop restroom service be priced?

A29: Please see revised PWS and Schedule of Items. Please price Warehouse/Radio Shop restroom service under CLIN 0001 “Weekly Janitorial Service @ Ranger District Officer”.

Q30: Attachment 2 Total Formulas In Attachment 2, the “Total” formulas appear to populate for the recurring monthly CLINs but are blank for the semiannual and annual CLIN rows in the base and option years. Should offerors manually populate both the “Est Cost” and “Total” fields for those CLINs, or may the missing formulas be added so Total equals Estimated Quantity multiplied by Estimated Cost?

A30: The CO went to SAM and downloaded Attachment 2. ALL formulas are present and populating. Perhaps you accidentally deleted some? Please go into SAM and download the attachment again.

Q31: Service Scheduling May the contractor select either Saturday or Sunday as its regular second weekly service day, and may that selection remain fixed for the contract?

A31: Yes, the contractor may select day and that can remain fixed. However, we want the ability to change on a case by case basis if needed due to operational commitments.

Q32: If a scheduled service day falls on a Federal or State holiday or other Government closure, is the service omitted or rescheduled to another day?

A32: The service should be rescheduled with the COR for the day prior or the day after the missed service day.

Q33: Additionally, must quarterly, semiannual, and annual specialty services be completed only during the regular 5:00 PM–9:00 PM Wednesday/weekend windows, or may those services be separately coordinated with the COR?

A33: Services can be coordinated separately with the COR or Government Technical Monitor (GTM).

Q34: For the restricted LEO offices, will access or occupant presence be coordinated when periodic carpet or window services are required?

A34: LEO personnel will be informed to be present in their offices when periodic services are performed. Contractor will be informed if personnel will not be present.

Q35: HSPD-12 and Notice to Proceed PWS Section F.1 requires work to begin within seven calendar days after the effective date of the Notice to Proceed, while Section H.4 requires HSPD-12 background processing for personnel accessing the facility unaccompanied.

Will the Notice to Proceed/start date be coordinated after required personnel are approved for unaccompanied access, or will an interim access or escort arrangement be available while HSPD-12 processing is pending?

A35: A20: The HSPD-12 process takes approximately 1-3 months for issuance.

The PWS has been updated to show service days of Monday and Wednesday during business hours until background checks are complete. Once background checks are complete, service days will revert to Wednesday and Saturday or Sunday. Please see revised PWS.

Q36: Government-Furnished Supplies and Storage Does the Government-furnished cleaning solutions/products and cleaning supplies/materials provision include specialty consumables required for the periodic services, such as floor polish/finish, floor stripper, carpet extraction detergent/spot treatment, and window-cleaning solution?

A36: No, the government will not furnish specialty consumables for the periodic services.

Q37: May contractor-furnished equipment such as vacuums, carpet extractors, and floor machines be stored in the Government-provided secure storage area, and are water and electrical utility connections available for the required floor and carpet equipment?

A37: There is no secure space available that’s big enough to store large items such as carpet extractors for floor machines. Possibly a vacuum and mop bucket, but it depends on their sizes. Room is 4’ x 1.5’.

Q38: Past Performance Documentation Please clarify the past-performance submission requirement. The solicitation requests five relevant contracts completed within the preceding five years, while Attachment 4 asks for projects completed within the last three years, and the evaluation criteria reference prior or current contracts. Which lookback period controls, and may current ongoing contracts be listed as relevant past performance? Additionally, should offerors submit one completed Attachment 4 listing up to five projects in Box 6, or five separate copies of Attachment 4, one for each reference?

A38: Current or prior-year contracts may be used for past performance. 5 years is the farthest period to reach back. You may submit one completed Attachment 4 listing up to five projects. Past performance must also be submitted on a separate Attachment 4 for any subcontractor performing janitorial tasks.

Q39: Site Visit Information Were any material scope clarifications, measurements, floor-area breakdowns, window information, photographs, floor plans, or other Government-provided information furnished or communicated during the July 14 site visit? If so, will those materials or clarifications be posted to SAM.gov for all offerors?

A39: No additional scope clarifications, measurements, or information was provided during the Site Visit. All questions were to be sent to the CO in writing.

All questions received have been written and answered in this document.

Q40: FAR 52.222-43

The solicitation incorporates the Service Contract Labor Standards and Wage Determination 2015-5635, but FAR 52.222-43, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards—Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts), appears unchecked in the solicitation. Please confirm whether FAR 52.222-43 is intended to apply to this base-plus-four-option-year contract and whether option-year wage/fringe adjustments resulting from revised wage determinations will be handled under that clause

A40: Although Clause 52.222-43 is not checked, each option year, wage/fringe adjustments resulting from revised wage determinations will be considered by the Contracting Officer provided all pertinent documentation is provided.

Q41: Does the office building have 10 offices, or is that a typo in the PWS?

A41: The District office building has 11 office rooms. An open space was converted into a room. The PWS will be updated to reflect this change.

Q42: Are there 11 or 12 desk areas in the office building?

A42: There are a total of 18 working desk areas in the District office building. The PWS will be updated to reflect this change.

Q43: How many fixtures (toilets, urinals, sinks) are in each restroom?

A42: District building men’s room – (1 toilet, 1 urinal, 1 sink)

District building women’s room – (2 toilets, 1 sink)

Conference building restroom – (1 toilet, 1 sink)

Warehouse building restroom – (1 toilet, 1 sink)

Q44: Are the daily-listed tasks performed only on the 2 scheduled days/week (approx. 8-9 visits/month)?

A44: Correct.

Q45: Is the second weekly visit day (Saturday or Sunday) fixed, or does it vary week to week?

A45: It can vary week to week, coordinated between the government and contractor.

Q46: What are the approximate timeframes/months for the quarterly, semi-annual, and annual deep-clean tasks?

A46: Government does not have a fixed schedule. Can determine schedule with contractor ahead of time for the yearly schedule. Approximately, February, May, August, November for quarterly, and January and July for semi-annual and annual tasks.

Q47: What is the approximate carpet vs. non-carpet square footage in each building?

A47: District Office Building:

Carpeting: 200 sq ft; Remainder is non carpeting: 3,372 sq feet

Conference Room Building:

Entire building is non-carpeting: 1,708 sq feet

Q48: How many windows require quarterly/semi-annual cleaning?

A48: 34 windows

Q49: Is there an on-site water source/utility sink and secure storage available for mop equipment?

A49: Yes there are on-site water source/utility sink. Yes there is a small secure storage space for mop equipment.

Q50: Is there an on-site dumpster, or does trash need to be hauled off-site?

A50: Yes, there are on-site dumpsters available for contractor use.