Solicitation_QA_Pal_Min_Pest_Control_0001.pdf

Question 1: Service frequency and treatment-area coverage – Is there a minimum expected number of scheduled service visits per year for each facility? During each visit, must the contractor inspect every listed treatment area, or may different inspection and treatment frequencies be established based on location, season, pest activity, and treatment needs?

Answer 1: Monthly is the requested frequency of visits for inspections and any treatment that is necessary. Not every pest need treated every visit, different pests have been known to be present at different times of the year, this contract is an all-inclusive pest control so if any of these pests need treatment, they can be treated for.

Keynote, contractors are responsible for providing a Pest Control plan which is stated in 8.3 and a Quality Control Plan in C.13.

Question 2: Callbacks and emergency response – Does the annual fixed price include unscheduled callbacks or emergency responses for snakes, raccoons, stinging insects, burrowing rodents, or other pest activity? If so, please identify any required response time, after-hours or weekend coverage, and available historical or estimated callback volume for each facility.

Answer 2: The PWS does not state anything about Callbacks or emergency response. I imagine that any identified pests control needs would be communicated from the facility through the COR and to the contractor. Live traps are not required and are already provided and maintained by the Bureau. Smaller animals will be disposed of by the facility on a needed basis or during regularly scheduled monthly visits.

Question 3: Dam faces and embankment areas – Must the contractor inspect the entire stated acreage or linear footage during every scheduled visit? Is treatment limited to identified active burrows and pest activity, and does the scope include filling or repairing burrows or damaged embankment areas?

Answer 3: The contractor should inspect all listed areas with each visit. The contractor is not responsible for repairing burrows or damaged embankments. As one can imagine, any of these repairs must follow strict procedures to ensure the embankments are at a acceptable level to ensure long term safety measures.

Question 4: PWS Section C.8.3 states that the contractor will provide a Pest Control Plan describing the “frequency of treatment” and designated treatment days. Is there a minimum required treatment frequency for each site, such as monthly or quarterly, or may the contractor propose the frequency necessary to maintain effective control? If these services are currently being provided, what treatment frequency has been used to maintain adequate pest control at each site?

Answer 4: The frequency of treatment would be monthly. You will notice the check lists added to the Solicitation at the end of the PWS. Treatments are as needed, it’s possible one treatment would cover the entire year depending on the pest, it’s also possible they will have to treat the same pests each time they come for their monthly visit. The current service is monthly.

Question 5: If available, can the Government provide recent treatment logs or information regarding known pest activity at the two sites? This would help determine the appropriate service frequency, treatment methods, and number of required site visits.

Answer 5: Treatment logs are not readily available and each month different pests are treated depending on if the pest is present.

Question 6: PWS Section C.12.2 requires the use of “approved pesticide products.” Does the Government maintain an approved-product list, or may the contractor propose properly registered products for approval through the required product labels and Safety Data Sheets?

Answer 6: The contractor can propose properly registered products for approval through the product labels and safety data sheets, and shall comply with all Federal, State and Local operational requirements, and licensing requirements as may be pertinent to the required commercial application of chemicals, pesticides and herbicides as noted in C.12.3.

Question 7: The solicitation schedule identifies the base-period performance dates as August 22, 2026 through August 21, 2027, while the PWS identifies July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

Since the July 1 start date has already passed, we believe the August 22, 2026 start date in the solicitation schedule is intended to control. Please confirm.

Answer 7: The base period of performance would be August 22, 2026 - August 21, 2027

Question 8: The quantity and unit columns are blank for CLINs 00010 through 00100. Should each Minidoka and Palisades CLIN be priced as one firm-fixed-price annual service amount?

Answer 8: Yes you would set a price point for each CLIN and do so for each option year. Base year would be CLINs 10 and 20.

Question 9: PWS C.8.1 (Licensing Requirements) & Subcontracting: The PWS states "The contractor shall possess applicable permits, certifications and licenses." Will the Government consider an offeror complaint if the Prime Contractor provides administrative and contract management, while a fully vetted, dedicated local subcontractor holds and maintains the required State of Idaho commercial pesticide applicator licenses?

Answer 9: This would be considered a compliant offer but if the prime contractor employs a sub-contractor to do the pest control, the prime contractor shall make a site visit at least four times per year between 15 to 30 days after an application to evaluate (QA/QC) the effectiveness of the most recent application.

Question 10: PWS C.8.3 (Treatment Frequency) & FFP Baseline: The PWS requires the contractor to propose the frequency of treatments in the Pest Control Plan but requires Firm- Fixed-Price (FFP) CLIN pricing. To ensure all offerors bid on a level playing field, is there a minimum Government-estimated frequency (e.g., monthly or quarterly visits) that offerors should use as a baseline for pricing the Base and Option years?

Answer 10: The requested frequency of treatment is monthly.

Question 11: PWS C.12.6 (Trap Maintenance) vs. C.9 (Work Hours): The PWS requires traps to be maintained to control/prevent odor or infection, but limits work hours to Monday through Thursday, 6:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. If a live animal (e.g., raccoon or skunk) is caught in a trap on a Thursday afternoon, what is the protocol for clearing the trap, given that Friday through Sunday access is generally prohibited?

Answer 11: There will be no need for live traps as they are already provided and maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation. Smaller animals will be disposed of by the facility on a needed basis or during regularly scheduled monthly visits.

Question 12: PWS C.11 (Advance Notice) & Site Escorts: The PWS requires 48-hour advance notice for general access and 1-week notice for residential housing. Once on-site, will contractor technicians require continuous Government escorts while treating sensitive areas like the Powerplants (Minidoka/Palisades) and Switchyards, and will those escorts be guaranteed available to prevent schedule delays?

Answer 12: Escorts will be available if the advanced notice is given as the contract requires. In the event no escort is available, we will work to coordinate with the contractor to identify another day and should pose a minimal schedule delay. This has not been an issue in past contracts.

Question 13: PWS C.10 (Dam Face Rodent Control) & Carcass Removal: For the 44 acres of dam face at Palisades and the earth embankments at Minidoka, the scope includes treatment for burrowing rodents (rock chucks and pack rats). Is the contractor responsible for the manual location, retrieval, and off-site disposal of deceased rodents across these large acreages, or is the maintenance of bait stations/fumigation sufficient?

Answer 13: Maintenance of bait stations/fumigation is sufficient, and no off-site disposal is required by the contractor.

Question 14: PWS C.10 (Scope Exclusions): The PWS explicitly excludes honeybees from the flying/stinging insect treatment scope. If an active honeybee hive is discovered obstructing a critical facility entrance or required treatment area, what is the protocol for its relocation or removal?

Answer 14: Notify the COR when it is discovered and the government will take action to relocate or remove it.

Question 15: Site Visit: Is there a chance of conducting a site visit for this requirement? A site visit would help us better understand the scope of work and prepare an accurate and competitive proposal.

Answer 15: No the customer is not considering a site visit for this request please, reference all provided maps and descriptions of areas that require treatment.

Question 16: Incumbent Contractor: Could you please confirm whether there is a current incumbent for this contract? If so, we would appreciate it if you could share the associated Purchase Order number and the total contract value.

Answer 16: This contract is the combination of two former contracts 140R1021P0019- Pal Dam pest and 140R1021P0020- Min Dam pest. All information pertaining to these two contracts can be found at SAM.gov.