Answers_to_RFIs_2-25_0001.docx

ANSWERS TO RFIs

Work Schedule & Hours (Reference: Section 3 - Work Week and Work Shift)

1. The solicitation specifies that certain tasks can be performed at any hour while others must be completed after 4:30 p.m. and before 7 a.m., with the facility occupied Monday through Friday.

· Could you confirm the cleaning schedule is daily, Monday - Friday?

Normal office hours are 0700 a.m. to 0430 p.m M-F. The contract states "at the beginning of each work day ..." which means every weekday at 7 a.m. the building should be clean. That basically means it can be cleaned same-day prior to 7 am or most likely, the previous day after 430 p.m. The cleaning prior to Monday morning could take place anytime after 430 p.m. on Friday or anytime Saturday or Sunday. This schedule is for the general office space cleaning/servicing like vacuuming and emptying trash. Other activities like policing corridors, lobbies, and restrooms, servicing of restrooms, washing exterior windows, lawn mowing, and weed spraying may be carried out at any hour, but interference with Government business shall be avoided. The current contractor currently does the majority of the work starting at 430 pm on weekdays.

Green Products List (Reference: Section 5.b - Contractor Furnished Equipment and Supplies)

2. The solicitation mentions an attached list of required green/environmentally safe products, but I was unable to locate it in the provided documents.

· Could you provide the list of required products or clarify specific environmental requirements we need to meet?

· Are there any brand or certification preferences for cleaning supplies (e.g., Green Seal, EPA Safer Choice, USDA BioPreferred)?

Guidance on product selection can be found on GSA’s Green Procurement Compilation at https://sftool.gov/greenprocurement/federal#categories . There are no firm preferences as long as they meet a government certification as a green product.

Government-Furnished Consumable Supplies (Reference: Section 5.b - Contractor Furnished Equipment and Supplies)

3. Regarding the paper products and consumables the contractor must provide:

· Does the government have preferred brands or specifications for the following items?

· Paper towels (type, size, roll vs. folded)

· Toilet paper (single-ply, double-ply, jumbo rolls, etc.)

· Trash bag liners (gauge, size requirements)

· Liquid soap (foam vs. liquid, dispenser compatibility)

· Incandescent light bulbs, fluorescent light tubes, and LED bulbs (specific wattage or models required?)

Paper towels-In the bathrooms the current contractor uses Tork Multifold Hand Towels (MK 520A) which unfolded are 9.125 x 9.5 inches and 1 Ply.

Toilet paper-standard sized rolls, 2 ply. The current contractor uses Amazon commercial Ultra Plus. 80 rolls/cs, 400 sheets/roll, 2 Ply, 4 x 3.5 inch squares Trash bag liners-13 gallon size, not sure on the gauge requirement. The current contractor uses the draw string kitchen style bags.

Liquid soap-bathrooms have wall mounted dispensers, however we have quit using them because they leaked on the counters often. The current contractor uses individual bottles that sit on the counters, foam or liquid is acceptable.

Light fixtures-The building was fully remodeled approximately 5 years ago and all fixtures are extremely efficient enclosed LED style. There are a few different sizes but they are extremely long-lasting. None have needed replaced yet. No need to "stock" extra bulbs. If one goes bad, we can get the model number and get a replacement.

4. Incumbent Contractor – Is there a current or previous incumbent contractor providing these janitorial services? If so, are there any key performance challenges or areas for improvement that we should be aware of?

Challenges-the main challenges with the previous contractor was the additional weed control option A for the wareyard. There is approximately 1 acre that is not paved. It is dirt and gravel and weeds, especially kosha, is a big problem. It needs to be sprayed early and often to stay ahead of and is difficult to eradicate. Also, the underground sprinkler system is quite dated, there is a new control box and most zones work pretty well, but we had one zone not working at all last year and are having a difficult time finding a contractor to repair it. This is not necessarily the contractors responsibility but wanted to be sure they were aware.

5. Contract Number – Could you provide the contract number for the incumbent contract?

140L3122P0002. GermRip LLC

6. Transition Period – Will there be a transition period between the incumbent contractor and the new awardee to ensure continuity of services?

The intent is to have new contract up and running by April 1st, but this start date can be extended to April 15th to expedite a smooth transition.

7. Personnel Background Checks – What is the expected turnaround time for personnel background checks, and is there a process for expedited clearance if needed?

Spoke with HR and they said at least a month. Process expedited.

8. Past Performance – Is there a minimum requirement for the number of past performance references that need to be submitted with our proposal?

There is no minimum requirement, but no more than 5.