12FPC323Q0011 Combined Synopsis-Solicitation E TX PMC Janitorial Svcs RFQ.pdf

12FPC323Q0011

COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICTITATION

For Janitorial Services

USDA – NRCS

East Texas Plant Materials Center (PMC)

PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AS IT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY NOTICE THAT WILL BE ISSUED

i. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation.

QUOTES ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED.

ii. The solicitation number 12FPC323Q0011 is being issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The acquisition procedures at FAR Parts 12 & 13 are being utilized. The Government anticipates the award of one firm fixed-priced contract resulting from this solicitation. Award will be made to the responsible quoter whose quote responds to the terms of this RFQ and is the best value for the Government.

iii. This RFQ documents and incorporates provisions and clauses that are in effect through Federal

Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2023-01 effective December 30, 2022.

iv. This solicitation is being conducted as a 100% small business set-aside. The North American

Classification System Code (NAICS) is 561720, Janitorial Services; the size standard is $19.5 million.

For more information on size standards visit http://www.sba.gov/size. Active SAM registration is required in order to be awarded this contract and must remain active throughout the period of performance.

v. Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINS): See Attachment 2, Quote Sheet.

vi. Description of Services: The Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, supplies, materials, and incidentals necessary to provide janitorial/cleaning services in accordance with the Performance Work Statement (PWS), provisions and clauses, and current wage determination(s) hereby made a part of this solicitation.

vii. Date(s) and Place(s) of Delivery and Acceptance:

The performance period for the base year is estimated to be April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024. The performance period of any Option Periods exercised thereafter will be April 1 through March 31.

Place of performance will be in USDA-NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center (PMC) located in Nacogdoches, Texas according to the attached PWS.

viii. The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial, applies to this acquisition. Offerors must read and follow the additional instructions contained within this solicitation to receive consideration.

http://www.sba.gov/size http://www.sba.gov/size http://www.sba.gov/size http://www.sba.gov/size http://www.sba.gov/size

52.212-1 Instructions to Quoters-Commercial Items (Nov 2021)

(a) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code and small business size standard.

The NAICS code(s) and small business size standard(s) for this acquisition appear elsewhere in the solicitation. However, the small business size standard for a concern which submits a quote in its own name, but which proposes to furnish an item which it did not itself manufacture, is 500 employees.

(b) Submission of quotes. Submit signed and dated quotes to the office specified in this solicitation at or before the exact time specified in this solicitation. Quotes may be submitted on letterhead stationery, or as otherwise specified in the solicitation. As a minimum, offers must show—

(1) The solicitation number;

(2) The time specified in the solicitation for receipt of quotes;

(3) The name, address, and telephone number of the quoter;

(4) A technical description of the items being quoted in sufficient detail to evaluate compliance with the requirements in the solicitation. This may include product literature, or other documents, if necessary;

(5) Terms of any express warranty;

(6) Price and any discount terms;

(7) "Remit to" address, if different than mailing address;

(8) A completed copy of the representations and certifications at FAR 52.212-3 (see FAR

52.2123(b) for those representations and certifications that the quoter shall complete electronically);

(9) REMOVED;

(10) Past performance information, when included as an evaluation factor, to include recent and relevant contracts for the same or similar items and other references (including contract numbers, points of contact with telephone numbers and other relevant information); and

(11) REMOVED.

(c) REMOVED.

(d) Product samples. When required by the solicitation, product samples shall be submitted at or prior to the time specified for receipt of quotes. Unless otherwise specified in this solicitation, these samples shall be submitted at no expense to the Government, and returned at the sender’s request and expense, unless they are destroyed during pre-award testing.

(e) REMOVED;

(f) Issuance of Purchase Order. Your quotation should contain your best technical and price terms.

The Contracting Officer may reject any or all quotes. The Contracting Officer may issue a purchase order to other than the quoter with the lowest priced quotation. After the evaluation of quotes, the Contracting Officer may negotiate final terms with one or more quoters of the Government’s choice before issuing any purchase order. The Contracting Officer will not negotiate with any quoters other than those of the Government’s choice and will not use the formal source selection procedures described in FAR Part 15.

(g) Contract award (not applicable to Invitation for Bids). The Government intends to evaluate quotes and award a contract without discussions with quoters. Therefore, the quoter’s initial quote should contain the quoter’s best terms from a price and technical standpoint. The Government may reject any or all quotes if such action is in the public interest as well as accept other than the lowest offer.

(h) REMOVED;

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(i) Availability of requirements documents cited in the solicitation.

(1) (i) The GSA Index of Federal Specifications, Standards and Commercial Item Descriptions, FPMR Part 101-29, and copies of specifications, standards, and commercial item descriptions cited in this solicitation may be obtained for a fee by submitting a request to-

GSA Federal Supply Service Specifications Section Suite 8100 470 East L’Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20407 Telephone (202) 619-8925 Facsimile (202) 619-8978.

(ii) If the General Services Administration, Department of Agriculture, or Department of Veterans Affairs issued this solicitation, a single copy of specifications, standards, and commercial item descriptions cited in this solicitation may be obtained free of charge by submitting a request to the addressee in paragraph (i)(1)(i) of this provision. Additional copies will be issued for a fee.

(2) Most unclassified Defense specifications and standards may be downloaded from the following ASSIST websites:

a. ASSIST ( https://assist.dla.mil/online/start/).

b. Quick Search ( http://quicksearch.dla.mil/).

(3) Documents not available from ASSIST may be ordered from the Department of Defense Single Stock Point (DoDSSP) by-

(i) Using the ASSIST Shopping Wizard (https://assist.dla.mil/wizard/index.cfm);

(ii) Phoning the DoDSSP Customer Service Desk (215) 697-2179, Mon-Fri, 0730 to 1600

EST; or

(iii) Ordering from DoDSSP, Building 4, Section D, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA

19111-5094, Telephone (215) 697-2667/2179, Facsimile (215) 697-1462.

(4) Nongovernment (voluntary) standards must be obtained from the organization responsible for their preparation, publication, or maintenance.

(j) Unique entity identifier.(Applies to all offers that exceed the micro-purchase threshold, and offers at or below the micro-purchase threshold if the solicitation requires the Contractor to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).) The Offeror shall enter, in the block with its name and address on the cover page of its offer, the annotation "Unique Entity Identifier" followed by the unique entity identifier that identifies the Offeror's name and address. The Offeror also shall enter its Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) indicator, if applicable. The EFT indicator is a four-character suffix to the unique entity identifier. The suffix is assigned at the discretion of the Offeror to establish additional SAM records for identifying alternative EFT accounts (see FAR subpart 32.11) for the same entity. If the Offeror does not have a unique entity identifier, it should contact the entity designated at www.sam.gov for unique entity identifier establishment directly to obtain one. The Offeror should indicate that it is an offeror for a Government contract when contacting the entity designated at www.sam.gov for establishing the unique entity identifier.

(k) [Reserved]

(l) REMOVED.

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ix. 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items (Nov 2021) applies to this solicitation: does not apply to this solicitation. Instead, the following evaluation procedures will be used.

The lowest priced, technically acceptable quote will be selected for award. Under this procedure quotes are first evaluated for technical acceptability and receive a pass or fail rating. They will not be ranked based on technical acceptability. In order to be considered for price evaluation and possible award, quotes must meet the technical requirements as set forth in the PWS. Next, quotes that meet the technical requirements will be ranked by price by summing the value of all quoted line items in the quote sheet referred to in Attachment 2 of this notice.

Requirements for Technical Acceptability: First quotes will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis to ensure that they meet the technical requirements as set forth in the attached PWS.

One (1) Firm Fixed Price (FPP) contract award will be issued for the aggregate of all items to a Responsible Quoter who submits the lowest priced quote that meets the minimum technical requirements of the PWS. Before the quoter’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept a quote (or part of a quote), whether or not there are clarifications after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

Your quotation should contain your best technical and price terms. The Government intends to evaluate quotes and award a contract without discussions with quoters. Therefore, the quoter’s initial quote should contain the quoter’s best terms from a price and technical standpoint.

x. Quoters are required to complete the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items. This must be completed at SAM.gov and the registration in an “active” status and be designated as a small business.

xi. The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and addenda are not attached.

xii. The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and the following additional FAR clauses cited in the clause are applicable to this acquisition:

(b) The Contractor shall comply with the FAR clauses in this paragraph (b) that the Contracting Officer has indicated as being incorporated in the contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial products and commercial services:

52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Jun 2020) 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (Nov 2020) 52.219-28 Post Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation (Oct 2022) 52.222-3 Convict Labor (June 2003) 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (April 2015) 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (Sept 2016) 52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (Jun 2020)

52.222-50 Combatting Trafficking in Persons (Nov 2021) 52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Jun 2020) 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (Feb 2021) 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer – System for Award Management (Oct 2018)

(c) The Contractor shall comply with the FAR clauses in this paragraph (c), applicable to commercial services, that the Contracting Officer has indicated as being incorporated in the contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive Orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial products and commercial services:

52.222-41 Service Contract Labor Standards (Aug 2018) 52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (May 2014) 52.222-55 Minimum Wages for Contractor Workers Under Executive Order 13685 (Jan 2022) 52.222-62 Paid Sick Leave Under Executive Order 13706 (Jan 2022)

xiii. Additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary for this acquisition and consistent with customary commercial practices:

52.204-21 Basic Safeguarding of Covered Contractor Information Systems. (Nov 2021)

(a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Covered contractor information system means an information system that is owned or operated by a contractor that processes, stores, or transmits Federal contract information .

Federal contract information means information , not intended for public release, that is provided by or generated for the Government under a contract to develop or deliver a product or service to the Government, but not including information provided by the Government to the public (such as on public websites) or simple transactional information , such as necessary to process payments.

Information means any communication or representation of knowledge such as facts, data , or opinions, in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual (Committee on National Security Systems Instruction (CNSSI) 4009).

Information system means a discrete set of information resources organized for the collection, processing, maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, or disposition of information ( 44 U.S.C. 3502).

Safeguarding means measures or controls that are prescribed to protect information systems .

(b) Safeguarding requirements and procedures.

(1) The Contractor shall apply the following basic safeguarding requirements and procedures to protect covered contractor information systems . Requirements and procedures for basic safeguarding of covered contractor information systems shall include, at a minimum, the following security controls:

(i) Limit information system access to authorized users, processes acting on behalf of authorized users, or devices (including other information systems ).

(ii) Limit information system access to the types of transactions and functions that authorized users are permitted to execute.

(iii) Verify and control/limit connections to and use of external information systems .

(iv) Control information posted or processed on publicly accessible information systems .

(v) Identify information system users, processes acting on behalf of users, or devices.

(vi) Authenticate (or verify) the identities of those users, processes, or devices, as a prerequisite to allowing access to organizational information systems.

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(vii) Sanitize or destroy information system media containing Federal Contract Information before disposal or release for reuse.

(viii) Limit physical access to organizational information systems , equipment , and the respective operating environments to authorized individuals .

(ix) Escort visitors and monitor visitor activity; maintain audit logs of physical access; and control and manage physical access devices.

(x) Monitor, control, and protect organizational communications (i.e., information transmitted or received by organizational information systems ) at the external boundaries and key internal boundaries of the information systems .

(xi) Implement subnetworks for publicly accessible system components that are physically or logically separated from internal networks.

(xii) Identify, report, and correct information and information system flaws in a timely manner.

(xiii) Provide protection from malicious code at appropriate locations within organizational information systems .

(xiv) Update malicious code protection mechanisms when new releases are available.

(xv) Perform periodic scans of the information system and real-time scans of files from external sources as files are downloaded, opened, or executed.

(2) Other requirements. This clause does not relieve the Contractor of any other specific safeguarding requirements specified by Federal agencies and departments relating to covered contractor information systems generally or other Federal safeguarding requirements for controlled unclassified information (CUI) as established by Executive Order 13556.

(c) Subcontracts . The Contractor shall include the substance of this clause, including this paragraph (c), in subcontracts under this contract (including subcontracts for the acquisition of commercial products or commercial services , other than commercially available off-the-shelf items), in which the subcontractor may have Federal contract information residing in or transiting through its information system .

52.216-1 Type of Contract (Apr 1984) The Government contemplates award of one firm fixed-priced contract resulting from this solicitation.

52.217-5 Evaluation of Options (JULY 1990) Except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government’s best interests, the Government will evaluate quotes for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000)

(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within 30 days; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 60 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

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(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 5 years.

52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (May 2014) In compliance with the Service Contract Labor Standards statute and the regulations of the Secretary of Labor (29 CFR part 4), this clause identifies the classes of service employees expected to be employed under the contract and states the wages and fringe benefits payable to each if they were employed by the contracting agency subject to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5341 or 5332.

This Statement is for Information Only:

Employee Class Monetary Wage Fringe Benefits 11150 Janitor $15.81/hour*

*Executive Order 14026 generally applies to this contract. The contractor must pay all covered workers at least $16.20 per hour (or the applicable wage rate listed on this wage determination, if it is higher) for all hours spent performing on this contract in 2023.

Service Contract Labor Standards Wage Determinations The following Department of Labor wage determinations are incorporated into this contract. Wage determinations may be found at: https://beta.sam.gov/search?index=wd Wage Determinations 2015-5279

52.223-1 Biobased Product Certification (MAY 2012)

As required by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 7 U.S.C. 8102(c)(3)), the offeror certifies, by signing this offer, that biobased products (within categories of products listed by the United States Department of Agriculture in 7 CFR part 3201, subpart B) to be used or delivered in the performance of the contract, other than biobased products that are not purchased by the offeror as a direct result of this contract, will comply with the applicable specifications or other contractual requirements.

52.223-2 Affirmative Procurement of Biobased Products Under Service and Construction Contracts

(SEPT 2013)

(a) In the performance of this contract, the contractor shall make maximum use of biobased products that are United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-designated items unless-

(1) The product cannot be acquired-

(i) Competitively within a time frame providing for compliance with the contract performance schedule;

(ii) Meeting contract performance requirements; or

(iii) At a reasonable price.

(2) The product is to be used in an application covered by a USDA categorical exemption (see 7

CFR 3201.3(e)). For example, all USDA-designated items are exempt from the preferred procurement requirement for the following:

(i) Spacecraft system and launch support equipment.

(ii) Military equipment, i.e., a product or system designed or procured for combat or combat-related missions.

(b) Information about this requirement and these products is available at http://www.biopreferred.gov.

http://www.biopreferred.gov/

(c) In the performance of this contract, the Contractor shall-

(1) Report to http://www.sam.gov, with a copy to the Contracting Officer, on the product types and dollar value of any USDA-designated biobased products purchased by the Contractor during the previous Government fiscal year, between October 1 and September 30; and

(2) Submit this report no later than-

(i) October 31 of each year during contract performance; and

(ii) At the end of contract performance.

CONTRACTING OFFICER’S AUTHORITY

The Contracting Officer (CO) is the only person authorized to approve changes in any of the requirements of this contract. This authority remains solely with the CO. In the event that the Contractor effects any change at the direction of any person other than the CO, the change will be considered to have been made without authority and NO adjustment will be made in the contract price to cover any INCREASE in costs incurred as a result thereof.

ELECTRONIC INVOICING AND PAYMENT REQUIREMENTS – INVOICE PAYMENT PLATFORM (IPP)

Invoices must be submitted electronically through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Invoice Payment Platform System (IPP) or the Contractor must be willing to accept payment by Government purchase card.

The Contractor must use the IPP website (https://www.ipp.gov) to register, access, and use IPP for submitting invoices. Contractor assistance with enrollment can be obtained by calling (866) 973-3131.

Invoices submitted by means other than IPP will not be accepted unless the Contracting Officer authorizes alternate procedures in writing.

452.211-74 Period of Performance (Feb 1988) The estimated period of performance for the base period is April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024. The performance period of any Option Periods exercised thereafter will be April 1 through March 31 of each consecutive year.

452.224-70 Confidentiality of Information. (Feb 1988)

(a) Confidential information, as used in this clause, means-

(1) Information or data of a personal nature, proprietary about an individual, or (2) information or data submitted by or pertaining to an organization.

(b) In addition to the types of confidential information described in (a)(1) and (2) above, information which might require special consideration with regard to the timing of its disclosure may derive from studies or research, during which public disclosure of primarily invalidated findings could create an erroneous conclusion which might threaten public health or safety if acted upon.

(c) The Contracting Officer and the Contractor may, by mutual consent, identify elsewhere in this contract specific information and/or categories of information which the Government will furnish to the Contractor or that the Contractor is expected to generate which is confidential. Similarly, the contracting Officer and the Contractor may, by mutual consent, identify such confidential information from time to time during the performance of the contract. Failure to agree will be settled pursuant to the "Disputes" clause.

(d) If it is established that information to be utilized under this contract is subject to the Privacy Act, the http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.ipp.gov/ https://www.ipp.gov/ https://www.ipp.gov/ https://www.ipp.gov/

Contractor will follow the rules and procedures of disclosure set forth in the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, and implementing regulations and policies, with respect to systems of records determined to be subject to the Privacy Act.

(e) Confidential information, as defined in (a)(1) and (2) above, shall not be disclosed without the prior written consent of the individual, institution or organization.

(f) Written advance notice of at least 45 days will be provided to the Contracting Officer of the Contractor's intent to release findings of studies or research, which have the possibility of adverse effects on the public or the Federal agency, as described in (b) above. If the Contracting Officer does not pose any objections in writing within the 45 day period, the contractor may proceed with disclosure. Disagreements not resolved by the Contractor and Contracting Officer will be settled pursuant to the "Disputes" clause.

(g) Whenever the Contractor is uncertain with regard to the proper handling of material under the contract, or if the material in question is subject to the Privacy Act or is confidential information subject to the provisions of this clause, the Contractor shall obtain a written determination from the Contracting Officer prior to any release, disclosure, dissemination, or publication.

(h) The provisions of paragraph (e) of this clause shall not apply when the information is subject to conflicting or overlapping provisions in other Federal, State or local laws.

452.237-75 Restrictions against Disclosure. (Feb 1988)

(a) The Contractor agrees, in the performance of this contract, to keep all information contained in source documents or other media furnished by the Government in the strictest confidence. The Contractor also agrees not to publish or otherwise divulge such information in whole or in part in any manner or form, or to authorize or permit others to do so, taking such reasonable measures as are necessary to restrict access to such information while in the Contractor's possession, to those employees needing such information to perform the work provided herein, i.e., on a "need to know" basis. The Contractor agrees to immediately notify in writing, the Contracting Officer, named herein, in the event that the Contractor determines or has reason to suspect a breach of this requirement. (b) The Contractor agrees not to disclose any information concerning the work under this contract to any persons or individual unless prior written approval is obtained from the Contracting Officer. The Contractor agrees to insert the substance of this clause in any consultant agreement or subcontract hereunder.

452.246-70 Inspection and Acceptance (FEB 1988)

(a) The Contracting Officer or the Contracting Officer's duly authorized representative will inspect and accept the supplies and/or services to be provided under this contract.

(b) Inspection and acceptance will be performed at the E. Texas Plant Materials Center located in Nacogdoches, Texas.

xiv. Please refer to the following documents which are hereby incorporated and made a part of this solicitation:

• Attachment 1 – Performance Work Statement (4 pages)

• Attachment 2 – Quote Sheet (1 page)

• Attachment 3 – Vendor Information Sheet (1 page)

xv. Quotes are due no later than March 6, 2023, 5:00pm ET.

xvi. Quotes will be directed to the following:

Emailed quotes will be accepted. Quotes shall be submitted on company letterhead, signed, dated and sent via email to Amy Smith, Contract Specialist at amy.smith2@usda.gov no later than March 6, 2023, 5:00pm ET.

a. Pricing and Certifications Quoters shall utilize Attachment 2 to this solicitation to submit pricing quotations.

xvii. The Government intends to make an award based on the best value to the Government. In order to be considered, a contractor must submit the following in response to this RFQ (failure to provide this information will result in a non-responsive quote):

1. Technical Capability Narrative;

2. Completed Quote Sheet (Attachment 2);

3. Completed Vendor Information Sheet (Attachment 3); and

4. Active/complete registration in SAM (including designation as a Small Business).

xviii. Any questions must be submitted in writing to Amy Smith, Contract Specialist, at amy.smith2@usda.gov no later than February 24, 2023, 3:00 ET.