Response to Questions from vendors-7-1-26.pdf

DISPOSAL OF CHEMCIAL WASTE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICES FOR THE NIST

GATHEIRSBURG, MD AND BOULDER CO CAMPUSES– 1333ND26QNB150176

Response to Questions from vendors

Question Response 1 The solicitation and SOW state that the prime contractor must possess and operate an EPA Part A and/or Part B TSDF. Can NIST confirm whether the prime contractor must own and operate the permitted TSDF, or whether access to a permitted TSDF through a formal contractual arrangement is acceptable?

The Prime must own and or operate either an EPA Part A and/or Part B TSDF.

2 Given the requirement that the prime contractor possess and operate an EPA Part A and/or Part B TSDF, does NIST intend to establish any minimum small business subcontracting or participation goals for this procurement? If so, please provide the applicable goals and confirm whether FAR 52.219-9 Small Business Subcontracting Plan requirements will apply to the successful offeror.

Yes, a small business subcontracting plan is required and FAR 52.219-9 (Deviation APR 2026) is included in the RFQ. Waste collection, accumulation, packaging and transport could be performed by subcontractors.

3 Please provide the name of the incumbent contractor.

Triumvirate Environmental Inc.

1333ND21PNB150345 – Gaithersburg Campus.

1333ND25FNB150096 – DOC Boulder Campus

4 Please provide the total FY2025 contract value and, if available, historical annual spend by CLIN.

Boulder $226,758 – fixed price, waste not separated by CLIN.

Gaithersburg approximately $401,824.

5 The solicitation references a four-hour emergency response capability.

Does this requirement apply to both the Gaithersburg, MD and Boulder, CO locations?

Yes.

6 Does the four-hour requirement refer to onsite arrival or mobilization of resources?

On-site arrival

7 Please provide the approximate number of emergency response

One. Estimate one per year. Boulder didn’t have any in 2025.

events, if any, performed during FY2024 and FY2025.

8 The SOW references biohazardous waste among the waste streams.

Please provide the approximate annual quantity, treatment requirements, and historical management approach for these materials.

This is most BSL Level I and II waste. This waste must be incinerated. Approximately 35 boxes a month is generated. Boulder has generated around one bag per month but the health unit shut down so it’ll be less in the future.

9 Does the scope include any radioactive waste, mixed radioactive/hazardous waste, NORM, or TENORM materials?

No

10 Please confirm whether labor CLINs are intended to be billed based on actual onsite labor hours or portal-to-portal labor time.

It’s typically portal-to-portal.

11 Please confirm whether the requirement for offices within a 50-mile radius of both the Gaithersburg, MD and Boulder, CO facilities applies to the prime contractor only, or whether the requirement may be satisfied through a combination of prime contractor and subcontractor resources.

The Government would prefer the prime contractor but may consider the subcontractor with appropriate justification.

Waste collection, accumulation, packaging and transport could be performed by subcontractors.

12 Is this contract subject to GSA pricing?

If so, our current GSA contract period is June 18, 2023 through June 17, 2028. How will this impact our submittal of rates for option years beyond this period in time?

No, this procurement is not subject to GSA pricing. Each vendor is to provide pricing for each line item in the pricing table for Gaithersburg and Boulder campuses.

13 Our current GSA contract has pricing for disposal of certain waste classes, but these rates do not include transportation to final TSDF. The CLIN pricing spreadsheet does not have a category for this, only the initial transportation in the form of the waste pick-up. There is no category on the pricing document to capture this at the moment. For this instance, and any other similar instances, how should we present

The estimates produced by BSHED have CLINs for transport.

these costs in the pricing document?

(see language from GSA contract below)

14 Is Quote per Occurrence (QPO) an acceptable response on the CLIN/pricing spreadsheet?

Yes, each line item for the Gaithersburg and Boulder campuses are per an occurrence.

15 It states in the RFP documents that "NIST shall receive completed manifests from the TSDF within 45 days from the shipment date of any hazardous waste from the Gaithersburg, WWV/WWVB or DoC Boulder Labs facilities.” New regulation gives TSDF’s 60 days now.

Will bidders be able to follow the new regulation if awarded the opportunity?

The Government will revise the statement of work to state “NIST shall receive completed manifests from the TSDF within 60 days from the shipment date of any hazardous waste from the Gaithersburg, WWV/WWVB or DoC Boulder Labs facilities.”

16 Who is the current Incumbent/ Vendor?

Triumvirate Environmental Inc.

1333ND21PNB150345 (Gaithersburg) and 1333ND25FNB150096 (Boulder)

17 What is the budget for 2026?

No. The Government is not going to release its estimate at this time.

18 Can we have last 3 invoices/ contract copy?

No, the Government will not release the last three invoices. Invoices are proprietary information.

19 Row 429, G-609.00 Bulk Mercury Debris (price per pound). Please define the volume of “bulk” and is this spill debris? Any estimate on the concentration (ppm) of the mercury?

This would mostly be spill debris in Boulder and Gaithersburg, but possibly contaminated equipment or glassware. The concentration can be assumed to exceed the MCL for D009 waste.

20 Row 63, G-14.65 Non RCRA Liquid Materials by the cubic yard. Is cubic yard the correct UOM for these liquids?

Gaithersburg and Boulder deal with 55-gallon drums or smaller. Gaithersburg added cubic yards or IBC for liquids as an option.

21 Row 128-9, G-29.15 & 25. Mercury Devices (UW). Cubic yard box (:5 120 lbs.) and (:5 250 lbs.). What is meant by the :5?

Gaithersburg and Boulder very rarely generates this waste in those quantities. This should be greater than 120 lbs and less than 250 lbs (> 120 lbs and <250 lbs)

22 Row 153m G-36.00. Antifreeze for Recycling. Will ethylene glycol be kept separate from propylene glycol?

In order to recycle it they must be kept separate.

Ethylene glycol does not have to be kept separate from propylene glycol.

23 Could you please clarify whether waste pickup from satellite accumulation areas and other points of generation requires contractors to physically conduct routine rounds across all facility buildings (approximately 80+ buildings), or whether pickups will be performed from designated and pre-identified accumulation points?

The contractor must pickup from the specific SAA or other point of generation. In Boulder, one location has twice weekly pickups scheduled at all times. Pickups at other locations are sporadic and only done when requested. There is no need to make rounds checking all SAAs.

24 What is the expected labor involvement associated with waste pickup activities across the NIST and Boulder facilities?

The contractor shall:

Receive the waste pickup requests from the

COR/ACOR;

Contact the persons requesting pickup for access to labs or other work areas;

Collect waste from SAAs or other points of generation;

Move waste to the CAA or battery storage container;

Weigh waste;

Log quantities of waste into a tracking system of the contractor’s choosing;

Verify that waste is properly labeled with the contents, hazards and accumulation start date;

Place waste containers in appropriate cabinets or bulk accumulation containers;

Clean up any spills or leaks;

Remove trash/empty containers from CAA building and dispose in dumpster on site;

and Ensure that all waste containers, cabinets and doors are closed before departing the

CAA.

25 Could you please clarify the intended pricing structure of the solicitation? Is the expectation strictly hourly labor rates under a Time & Materials structure, or A fully wrapped pricing model including labor, transportation, equipment, and disposal?

The proposed contract type is time and material. The labor will be fixed labor rates and billed by the hour for pick-up. The materials is fixed rates for the different waste streams.

26 Can you confirm whether all line items in the pricing sheet must be priced individually, or whether bidders may mark non-applicable items as N/A or omit them where appropriate?

The Government is looking for all line items to have a fixed rate. Quoters may mark non-applicable but need to explain why it is non-applicable. The Government may consider the vendor non-responsive if a line item is left blank.

27 Are bidders permitted to propose alternative pricing structures?

Yes, quoters may propose an alternative pricing structure. But the quoter should still fill out the Government pricing list. The Government will review the alternative pricing structure.

28 Can bidders include separate pricing for transportation, on-site labor, and other service components, or must all costs be fully consolidated into a single unit rate?

Separate pricing is preferred.

29 The solicitation appears to include prevailing wage requirements. Could you please confirm whether a wage determination sheet applies and whether prevailing wage requirements apply only to on-site work?

The Government has included a wage determination since it applies to this procurement.

30 Has the agency experienced any emergency response incidents at these facilities within the past two years (2024–2025)? If so, could you provide general information regarding the frequency and nature of those emergency response events?

In Boulder, the CLIN for emergency response wasn’t used in 2024-2025. Incidental spills were handled in house. In Gaithersburg the CLIN for emergency response was used once in 2024-2025.

31 Are contractors required to own all listed specialized equipment, or are rental and subcontracted solutions acceptable?

This is at the discretion of the offeror to decide how they will meet this requirement.

32 Can the agency confirm whether there are any liquidated damages (LDs), enhanced insurance requirements, or additional indemnification obligations beyond standard federal environmental service contracts? If yes, please specify.

The Government has identified the dollar value of the liability insurance required in the

RFQ.

33 Could the agency provide historical data regarding: Waste volumes generated per year, frequency of pickups at each facility, types and quantities of waste streams historically managed

Boulder will provide a list of containers shipped.

34 Has the facility’s waste generation profile changed significantly compared to prior contract periods?

Boulder’s waste generation has stayed consistent and Gaithersburg has increased since returning to campus full time.

35 Can the agency confirm whether previous contracts at this location were structured as small quantity generator (SQG) level work, and whether current scope represents an increase in operational scale?

Boulder is an SQG. WWV/WWVB is a VSQG.

Gaithersburg is an LQG.

36 Is there any possibility to extend the bid submission deadline?

The RFQ due date will be extended until July 2, 2026

37 Can the agency provide historical contract value or estimated annual spend range for this requirement?

See responses to questions 16, 17 and 18.

38 Can the agency confirm the incumbent contractor for this requirement and whether prior contract documentation is available for reference?

See responses to questions 3 and 16.

39 Could you please clarify whether the 4-hour emergency response requirement is a strict mandatory response time under all conditions, or whether there is any flexibility depending on incident location, access constraints, or equipment mobilization requirements?

The response team needs to be enroute within 4 hours of notification.

40 Could you please clarify whether this 8-hour / next-business-day response requirement is a strict mandatory standard, or whether response timing and staffing levels may be adjusted based on spill severity, site accessibility, or incident conditions?

The 8-hour / next-business-day response requirement is a strict mandatory standard.

41 Could you please confirm in consideration of the stated emergency and spill response time requirements, whether any liquidated damages (LDs) or financial penalties are applicable under this contract? If yes, please specify the applicable terms and conditions.

None have been identified but this may have an impact on your past performance rating in the CPARS system.

42 Explain the pricing spreadsheet structure, is it just hourly rates under T&M since frequency and collection points are unknown?

It would be labor and any materials specified in the scope.

43 In the pricing spreadsheet, there appears to be no historical data provided for the Boulder facility.

Could the agency please confirm whether historical waste volume data, pickup frequency, or prior pricing information for the Boulder site is available and also for the Gaithersburg as well, and if so, whether it can be shared to support accurate pricing development?

Sending attachments. If coordinated effectively so hazardous waste, nonhazardous waste, universal waste and used oil are shipped at the same time, six shipments per year could be adequate.

Typically, 10 to 12 shipments per year have been performed.

44 Please confirm whether offerors may submit proposals for Gaithersburg services only, or whether proposals must include services for both the Gaithersburg and Boulder locations.

Proposals must be for both sites (Gaithersburg, MD and Boulder CO).

45 Please clarify whether the requirement for offices with a 50-mile radius of both Gaithersburg and Boulder is a mandatory requirement or may alternative operational approaches be considered if response times and service requirements can be met?

50-mile radius is a mandatory requirement.

46 Please confirm whether offerors may propose specific service categories (e.g., hazardous waste management only) or whether proposals must

The proposal must cover the full scope of the services identified in the statement of work.

cover the full scope of services identified in the solicitation.

47 Please confirm whether the minimum 5yr experience requirement applies to all backup chemists or only the primary assigned chemist.

Yes

48 Line Item 18.00 Medical Waste, please provide the waste specifications for this material.

• Does this include sharps?

• Does this include biological waste?

• Does this include DEA regulated waste?

Yes, expect DEA waste is separate.

49 Are any of the Organic Peroxides Temperature Controlled? If yes, what type(s)?

• How is the Transportation for Temperature Controlled Material to be invoice if a refrigeration truck is required?

No

50 Line Item 30.00 Lead/Acid Batteries for Recycling, please provide the specifications for the types of batteries being shipped.

• How are the lead acid batteries typically shipped?

(i.e. pallet, drum, etc.)

• Are they intact, damaged, or leaking?

Pallets of larger intact batteries and drums of smaller (5 to 15 lb) batteries. Minimal numbers of damaged batteries. Any batteries damaged will be considered hazardous waste.

51 Line Item 31.00 Lithium Batteries, are batteries intact or damaged?

Intact. A minimal number of leaking batteries are managed as hazardous waste.

52 Line Item 40.00 Vac Truck oil/water.

What is the percent of oil to water ratio?

• Please provide analytical and/or waste profile.

Boulder has not generated this waste stream but Gaithersburg generates small amounts 95% water and 5% oil, but this could change by circumstance.

53 Line item 41.00 Vac truck off spec oils, what are the specifications that determines the waste as off spec oils?

• Please provide analytical and/or waste profile.

This is not able to be defined at this time since Boulder and Gaithersburg has not had generated this waste steam.

54 Line item 42.00 Vac truck Flammable/Toxic liquid, please provide a waste analytical and/or waste profile.

This is not able to be defined at this time since Boulder and Gaithersburg has not had generated this waste steam.

55 Line item 44.00 Rolloff Dumpster 30yd covered dumpster for all non-haz, please specify what the waste material is.

• 44.05 Non-Regulated waste, does this include municipal solid waste?

• 44.10 Regulated waste, is this supposed to be non-hazardous? What makes this regulated?

• Is the contractor expected to provide a Roll-Off box for this? If yes, typically how long will a box be held onsite before shipment?

o Do we need to provide a replacement at the time of shipment?

The offeror is required to provide a 30 yd lined and covered roll-off containers. The containers will hold non-acute empty chemical bottles, spill clean-up materials and debris

56 Can you please provide the specifications on which types of cylinders meet each category A-S?

This based on SET’s compressed gas categories.

57 Section VI. 1.a. SAA pickups, please clarify on what transport vehicles are permissible to use, when transporting waste to building 312 in Gaithersburg?

• What transport vehicles are permissible to use in Boulder?

Boulder – A pickup truck (1/2 ton) is provided for day-to-day pickups. A lift gate truck will be necessary for pickups of heavier materials and gas cylinders. Smaller (18’ or shorter box trucks) trucks are easier to get to Building 23, but a tractor-trailer rig can be used if waste containers are moved to it. The completion of Building 43 will make direct access easier for larger trucks.

Gaithersburg – Class C box truck with a lift gate.

58 The SOW indicates that services are primarily expected at the Gaithersburg location; however, the recurring service schedule appears to require more frequent onsite support in Boulder. Please clarify the operational activities, waste generation characteristics, and service requirements for both locations.

Twice per campus.

59 Does NIST have a Qualified Transporter and/or TSDF list that the contractor needs to comply with? If yes, please provide.

No. the vendor is a qualified transporter and is required to have either a Part A or Part B TSDF permit. The vendor may use other TSDFs as needed as long as waste is transported for disposal within the regulatory time limits.

60 Section 14 states that contractor personnel may not engage in potentially hazardous activities alone. Please clarify the minimum staffing requirements for routine operations at both locations and whether the presence of qualified NIST personnel satisfies this requirement.

A minimum of 2 personnel per campus.

61 Can you please provide a more detailed Scope for Vacuum truck services for the clean out of oil water separators, manholes, etc.

• What is the typical crew size for these services?

• What are the specifications for tank sizes and dimensions?

• Is confined space entry required?

• Service frequency?

This is spelled out in the line-item package of the price table. This is only for Gaithersburg campus. This occurs between 1 – 3 time per year.

62 Once requested, what is the response time for a specialty service? How are these services authorized? (i.e. Task Order, Service order, etc.)

The response time is 4 hours. This is done on a case-by-case basis. This will be initiated by a phone call.

63 Does the contract employee(s) need to have any specific security clearance or requirements to have access to any of the facilities? If yes, what are the requirements to receive clearance?

No

64 Section IX.F references preparation of Annual Waste Disposal Reports and Biennial Hazardous Waste Reports. Please clarify whether the contractor is responsible for preparing and submitting regulatory reports on behalf of NIST or whether the contractor's responsibility is limited to providing the data necessary for NIST to complete and submit such reports.

No, the offeror will not be submitting reports on NIST’s behalf. The offeror will be drafting the report for NIST review and submittal.

Boulder only has to submit a biennial report if operating as an episodic LQG (averages once every 4 years). Only an annual report of the types and quantities of waste disposed, and the destination facilities is required.

65 Please provide historical volumes from the past 12 months for Boulder.

See attachments

66 Biological decontamination, is there a complete list of pathogens that may be encountered?

No

67 What are the specifications for vehicles moving waste from intra-site locations?

The offeror must follow DOT regulations once the vehicle has left the NIST campus.

Class C box truck with a lift gate is preferred for transporting waste between sites.

68 Are there any special/particular software/hardware requirements to interface with the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP)?

No.

69 With regard to the impending Q&A and assimilation of said information, we respectfully request a modest extension to July 3.

Proposal will be due July 2.

70 Extend the question-and-answer period.

Offerors may submit questions to the Government anytime during the RFQ process. The requested due date for questions allows the Government to respond to the questions in a timely manner. The Government does not have to respond to questions received after the due has closed for questions. The Government will review questions received after the due date to determine if a response is necessary based on an issue with the statement of work or terms and conditions.

71 We respectfully request clarification regarding the FY2025 obligations associated with Contract No.

1333ND21PNB150345, confirmation of whether the $226,758 figure applies solely to the Boulder campus, and disclosure of the historical expenditures associated with the Gaithersburg portion of this requirement. This information is necessary for offerors to accurately evaluate the scope, complexity, staffing requirements, pricing assumptions, and subcontracting opportunities associated with this procurement.

There was an oversight in not identifying that DOC Boulder Campus had a sperate contract for hazardous waste removal that was awarded and administered by the Boulder Contract Shop. The contract number is 1333ND25FNB150096.

The Government has decided to issue one requirement for hazardous waste removal for the DOC Boulder Campus, NIST WWV/WWVB and the NIST Gaithersburg Campus.

72 The solicitation requirement for the prime contractor to own and operate an EPA Part A and/or Part B TSDF, coupled with the prohibition against satisfying this requirement through a subcontracted or contractually affiliated TSDF, may unnecessarily restrict competition. We respectfully request that NIST reconsider this requirement or provide additional explanation regarding why contractual access to a permitted TSDF is insufficient to satisfy the Government's needs.

The Government requirement for the prime contractor to own and operate an EPA Part A and/or Part B TSDF is a mandatory requirement.

The NIST Gaithersburg campus is a large quantity generator of hazardous waste and is required by statute to have the hazardous waste removed and disposed of within 90 days. The Boulder Campus is a small quantity generator of hazardous waste and statue requires hazardous waste removed within 180 days. Both campuses have had serious delays in hazardous waste not being removed in accordance with statute when the prime contractor did not own or operate an EPA Part A and/or Part B TSDF. The Boulder campus previous hazardous waste contract, the prime contractor (a waste broker) did not own or operate an EPA Part A and/or Part B TSDF. The TSDF would not accept hazardous waste, and the waste was accumulated on campus for more than 270 days, which exceeded the statutory time frame. The NIST Gaithersburg campus has had similar incidents in the past that the prime did not dispose of the hazardous waste in a timely manner. The reason that the prime contractor must own or operate an EPA Part A and/or Part B TSDF is that the prime can take the waste to one of its EPA Part A and/or Part B TSDF.

73 Please clarification regarding the requirement for offices within a 50-mile radius of both the Gaithersburg and Boulder facilities.

The 50 miles requirement has been in previous hazardous waste contracts for the Gaithersburg campus. The 50-miles radius was set up years ago, for cost effectiveness.

NIST does not pay for contractors’ staff to commute from outside the 50-mile radius to collect and remove the hazardous waste from the Gaithersburg campus.

74 Extend the proposal due date. The Government extended the due date for quotations from Friday, June 26 until Thursday, July 2, when the response to questions was posted. The Government will now extend the due date for quotes to Monday, July 6.

75 Could you please provide the specifications or descriptions for the following categories, including the types of cylinders and/or contents that fall under each classification?

Compressed Gas Cylinders CatA Compressed Gas Cylinders CatB Compressed Gas Cylinders CatC Compressed Gas Cylinders CatD Compressed Gas Cylinders CatE Compressed Gas Cylinders CatF Compressed Gas Cylinders CatG Compressed Gas Cylinders CatS

Please see the attached PDF File called GAS Acceptance List.

76 Will the Agency allow contractors to submit Case-by-Case (CBC) pricing for specific line items where sufficient information is not available to develop a fair and accurate fixed price?

It would be acceptable on a limited basis.

The submitter should fill in as many CLINS as possible and provide an explanation of why some CLINs cannot be priced in advance.

For example, certain categories, such as CATD, include a large number of cylinders with varying compositions, hazard classifications, and disposal requirements. Since the costs associated with handling, transportation, treatment, and disposal can vary significantly depending on the specific item, providing a single fixed price without additional details would be speculative. In such instances, would the Agency accept CBC pricing, accompanied by an explanation identifying the applicable line items and the reason a fixed price cannot be reasonably determined?

In these cases the Government expects to issue a modification for the disposal of specific gases and hazardous waste.

If the vendor has an unacceptably high number of CLINs that are not priced, the Government may consider the quotation unacceptable for award.

77 Would the Agency consider extending the bid submission deadline? Due to the complexity of the pricing schedule and the need to accurately evaluate the various hazardous materials and disposal requirements, we would appreciate additional time to prepare a comprehensive and accurate pricing proposal.

The Government will extend the due date until July 13, 2026.