19GE5026Q0126-00001-QA.pdf

Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance Solicitation No. 19GE5026Q0126

U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq Amendment 0001 dated 08/20/2026

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (Q&A)

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

1.

(Q) In Attachment A – Pricing, we noted that the Unit and Quantity fields appear to be blank for several CLINs. To ensure that our quotation is prepared in accordance with the

Government’s intended pricing structure, please clarify the following: 1. Should offerors enter

“Lot” as the unit and “1” as the quantity for each applicable annual CLIN? 2. Should each annual CLIN be priced as one firm-fixed-price lump-sum amount? 3. Will the Government provide a revised pricing schedule identifying the applicable units and estimated quantities?

(A) A corrected version is available on FAN.gov. Offerors shall refer to revised pricing schedule entitled: “Attachment A- pricing(REVISED)”

2.

(Q) Staffing levels: The SOW does not specify a minimum headcount or crew size for the

~430,000 m² of landscaped area and 3.65 km perimeter. Can the Government provide historical staffing levels or an expected FTE range used in prior task orders (if any) for planning purposes?

(A) Historical staffing levels were between 70 & 90 individual.

3.

(Q) Attachment J (Inquiry Spreadsheet): Please confirm this can be requested and returned by a representative not physically attending the Aug 12 site visit, or whether site visit attendance is a prerequisite for receiving Attachment J.

(A) The Government does not share personal information of the site visit attendees. The purpose of Attachment J is to request access to the site visit.

4.

(Q) GMMS access: Will the awarded contractor be granted direct access to the Global

Maintenance Management System, or will work orders be issued/tracked through the COR only?

(A) As indicated in the SOW section 3.16.4: “Facilities personnel remain responsible for entering changes in GMMS.” The contractor shall promptly notify the COR and Facilities personnel and shall provide the information needed to facilitate correction of the GMMS record.

5.

(Q) BPA vendors: The SOW references a minimum of three COR-approved BPA vendors for GFCI plants and bulk materials. Is a list of currently approved or previously used BPA vendors available to offerors, or will the awardee be responsible for identifying and vetting vendors post-award?

(A) As indicated in the updated SOW section 1.2.28: “The contractor shall assist the government in selecting, vetting, and negotiating supply contracts with a minimum of three COR-approved BPA vendors.” The action will be done by the government with contractor recommendations.

6.

(Q) Housing: Does the Government anticipate contractor personnel (local or TCN) will require housing within or near the Embassy compound, or is offeror-arranged housing off-post acceptable, subject to the Housing Plan requirements in the SOW?

(A) The Government does not provide any housing arrangements. The recruitment of third country nationals may be subject to recruitment and housing plans as specified in the solicitation.

7.

(Q) COR designation: Section (vi) lists the COR as "TBD." Will a COR be identified prior to quote submission, or only after award?

(A) The COR will be determined at the time of award.

8.

(Q) Recovery area baseline: Is a current inventory or assessment of existing recovery areas requiring remediation available to offerors, or will this be established during the mobilization/initial inventory phase post-award?

(A) This will be established after mobilization.

9.

(Q) Equipment Lists (Attachment G) and Grounds/Service-Area Map (Attachment H):

Please confirm the process and expected turnaround time for FAN.gov access requests, given the compressed timeline between the RSVP deadline (Aug 9) and quote due date (Aug 30).

(A) As indicated in the solicitation, to access the shared drive, Interested parties must explicitly request access by email to the Contract Specialist at DyaneA@state.gov. No access will be granted to fan.gov/google. Drive folders to requestors submitting access requests as the quotations due date approaches or after the RFQ closes. Quoters are strongly encouraged to request access as early as mailto:DyaneA@state.gov practicable. Any delay by a quoter to request access to the all attachments referenced under section

(viii) and provided via fa.gov shall not constitute a basis for extending any solicitation deadline

10.

(Q) Pre-Existing Dead, Missing, or Failed Plant Material: The SOW provides for

Contractor replacement of plant senescence in kind, subject to the identified Government-furnished plant provisions, and also recognizes that recovery areas may include pre-existing conditions. During the site visit, it was indicated that plant material already dead or failed prior to commencement of the new contract would be addressed by the Government. For proposal pricing purposes, please clarify how dead, missing, or failed plant material identified as a pre-existing condition during the initial mobilization/baseline inventory will be treated. Specifically, will such pre-existing conditions be addressed through Government-furnished replacement/remediation, or will the incoming Contractor be responsible for furnishing the applicable replacement plants and materials?

(A) According to the SOW, pre-existing dead, missing, or failed plant material identified during the initial mobilization/ baseline inventory is addressed through the recovery-area remediation process — it is not treated the same as routine "plant senescence" replacement.

11.

(Q) Use of Government-Furnished Equipment for Off-Site Vegetative Waste Removal:

The SOW requires the Contractor to remove vegetative debris from the site at least weekly and provides Government-furnished mobile equipment for contract performance. Please clarify whether Government-furnished trucks and other applicable mobile equipment may be operated outside the Post when required solely for contract-related transportation and disposal of vegetative debris. If Government-furnished vehicles may not be used for off-site disposal, please confirm that the Contractor is expected to provide separate transportation for removal and disposal of vegetative debris outside the Post.

(A) The GFE are authorized to be used in the contract work area only, use off-site is not allowed.

12.

(Q) Existing Irrigation System: Baseline Condition and Pre-Existing Deficiencies

The SOW assigns the Contractor responsibility for inspection, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of irrigation-system components within the defined downstream scope, while authorized irrigation parts and materials are Government-furnished. For accurate staffing and pricing, please clarify the treatment of irrigation deficiencies existing prior to commencement of the new contract: a. Will a baseline condition assessment or record of known irrigation-system deficiencies be established or provided at turnover? b. Are pre-existing damaged, defective, leaking, or non-operational components within the Contractor's defined irrigation maintenance-and-repair scope required to be repaired by the incoming Contractor under the recurring Firm-Fixed-Price services? c. If so, please confirm that the parts and materials required to correct such pre-existing deficiencies will be Government-furnished in accordance with SOW Section 2.1.1. d. Please confirm whether the Contractor is responsible for the labor required to correct the full pre-existing irrigation repair backlog, or whether significant pre-existing deficiencies may be separately designated or otherwise addressed by the COR.

e. If available, please identify any known major non-operational irrigation zones, significant downstream piping damage, substantial leaks, defective controllers/control wiring, or other major outstanding deficiencies that bidders should consider in their proposal.

(A) a - Baseline condition will be assessed during handover.

b- The pre-existing deficiencies will be treated as a recovery area.

c- The parts will be GFCI d- The contractor will be responsible for labor.

e- This information is not available, If an irrigation zone is not working, it would be treated as an area needed manual irrigation. Eventual irrigation system repair would be by declaring it a remediation area.

13.

(Q) Government-Furnished Equipment: Availability and Serviceability at Turnover

The SOW provides for turnover of the listed Government-furnished mobile equipment and power tools during mobilization and requires the Contractor to inspect and document their condition upon receipt. For proposal planning purposes, please advise whether any major equipment identified in Attachment G is currently known to be unavailable, non-operational, or subject to extended repair. Where listed equipment required for contract performance is unavailable or non-serviceable at turnover, please confirm the Government's intended process for providing the necessary replacement or additional Government-furnished equipment.

(A) All are available and currently in use. It is possible that individual items may have issues between now and the time of the turnover, but the government has on-site repair capabilities. Also, the government will add equipment as needed as approved by the COR.

14.

(Q) Existing Recovery / Remediation Areas: The SOW provides for COR-directed remediation of up to 1,000 square meters per month and recognizes that recovery areas may include pre-existing conditions. Please advise whether there are currently identified pre-existing recovery/remediation areas or a known backlog expected to be prioritized at commencement of the new contract. If such areas have already been identified, please provide the approximate area or anticipated initial level of effort, if available, for proposal planning purposes.

(A) Such list of locations has not yet been established and will be developed with the COR after mobilization.

15.

(Q) May a U.S. prime contractor without current Iraqi registration obtain the required authorization within 15 days after award? What specific registrations, licenses, and supporting documents are required from the prime and its Iraqi subcontractor?

(A) The contractors shall refer to DOSAR 652.242-73 AUTHORIZATION AND

PERFORMANCE (AUG 1999). It is the responsibility of the contractor to investigate all requirements to obtain authorization to perform in the country of performance.

16.

(Q) May the prime rely on the proposed Iraqi subcontractor’s experience to satisfy the three past-performance requirements, or must all references belong to the offeror?

(A) As indicated in the solicitation, the contractor shall complete Attachment C to include three (3) recent and relevant contracts for similar landscaping and ground maintenance services that are similar in scope and magnitude and other references. Past performance of another entity other than the prime contractor is not acceptable.

17.

(Q) Please confirm whether the Government-furnished equipment listed in Attachment G will be operational and available for contract performance.

(A) All are available and currently in use; refer to Question #13 of this document.

18.

(Q) Page 23 references “mandatory minimum benefits,” but we could not locate the applicable requirements. Please clarify

(A) Contractors shall refer to the revised RFQ under amendments 0001.

19.

(Q) Scope of Areas and Site Plans: What are the exact quantities or areas for each category, including turf, trees, hardscaped areas, and other maintained areas? Will the Embassy provide detailed drawings of the irrigation system and underground utilities, as well as a complete plant inventory?

(A) The government will provide detailed drawings for the existing areas showing plants and irrigation systems. The total SQM of the landscaped area is around 60,000 square meters.

20.

(Q) Contract Structure and Payment Method: Are the quantities listed in the pricing schedule fixed and guaranteed, or are they estimates only? Will routine maintenance be paid as a fixed monthly lump sum, or through monthly task or work orders?

(A) It is the responsibility of the contractor to provide the units and quantities that enable the contractor to complete the work described in the solicitation. The contractor will submit a monthly invoice to the COR for review and validation.

21.

(Q) Included Services Versus Separately Ordered IDIQ Services: Which services are specifically included in the fixed-price routine maintenance requirements, and which services will be separately ordered and paid for under the IDIQ or recovery-area remediation requirements?

(A) All CLINS are standard services. There are no optional services that are separately ordered in this contract.

22.

(Q) Provision of Materials and Irrigation Water: Who is responsible for providing routine operating materials, including fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, sod, replacement plants, and irrigation-system spare parts? Will the Embassy provide irrigation water to the contractor at no cost?

(A) For routine, day-to-day operations, the Contractor furnishes chemicals

(fertilizers/herbicides/pesticides), routine plants/seeds/sod, and other recurring consumables.

The Government furnishes irrigation spare parts/materials (COR-authorized), bulk remediation materials for recovery-area work, large replacement trees/plants (>2.5m), (with the Contractor handling on-site distribution logistics). The irrigation water will be at no cost.

Contractors shall refer to the updated SOW under Section 1.1.4, 1.2.15, 1.3.1.3, 2.2.4, and 3.14.13.

23.

(Q) Government-Furnished Equipment and Fuel: Please provide the final list and current condition of all Government-furnished equipment. What is the procedure for repairing or replacing Government-furnished equipment if it becomes inoperable? Who is responsible for providing fuel for the equipment and the boat?

(A) All equipment is currently in use, and the government has on-site equipment repair capabilities. The Government only provides fuel for equipment INSIDE the contract work area. The boat fuel is specifically excluded in 2.1.7.2; the government will provide access to fuel, the contractor, however, with their staff is responsible for the fueling process (within the contact work area).

24.

(Q) Work Outside the Perimeter Fence and Boat Requirements: What specifications, licenses, and permits are required for the boat used to maintain the three-meter area outside the perimeter fence? Who is responsible for coordinating access approvals and security escorts for work in that area?

(A) IZ access is required, and coordination with PMNOC office is required, the government will provide the coordination, however the contractor is required to provide all the documentation needed for a PMNOC request, including the company Iraqi tax clearance, list of personal, list of materials, and any other document the PMNOC office will need for this task.

Escorts and IZ access is the contractors responsibility.

25.

(Q) Reliance on a Subcontractor: May the prime contractor rely entirely on the experience, past performance, personnel, and equipment of its Iraqi subcontractor to demonstrate technical capability? Is there any minimum percentage of the work that the prime contractor must self-perform?

(A) As indicated in the solicitation, the contractor shall complete Attachment C to include three (3) recent and relevant contracts for similar landscaping and ground maintenance services that are similar in scope and magnitude and other references. Past performance of another entity other than the prime contractor is not acceptable. There is no minimum percentage requirement on work performed by the prime contractor.

26.

(Q) Severe Weather and Exceptional Damage — Alternative Question: Will damage resulting from severe weather, dust storms, flooding, or major irrigation-system failures be treated as part of routine maintenance, or will such work be separately ordered and paid for as additional remediation work?

(A) Contractors shall refer to the SOW that includes routine response to weather-related conditions and irrigation-system outages within the Contractor’s normal performance requirements.

Routine storm-related work includes removal of debris from storm drains following storm events

(Section 1.5.4.8), correction of eroded, washed-out, rutted, settled, bare, or unstable soil (Sections

1.5.9.1 and 3.2), and erosion-control work specifically addressing storm damage, washouts, and similar soil instability (Sections 3.2.1 through 3.2.3).

For irrigation-system failures, the Contractor remains responsible for maintenance and repair of irrigation components within its assigned scope and must report deficiencies outside that scope

(Section 3.3.2). When an irrigation system is inoperable, the Contractor is also required to use manual or vehicle-supported watering as necessary to maintain adequate soil moisture, plant health, and acceptable appearance (Section 3.3.1).

If severe weather, flooding, irrigation deficiencies, or other environmental conditions result in plant loss or deterioration significant enough that an area requires restoration rather than routine maintenance, the COR may designate the affected area as a recovery area. The SOW specifically allows recovery areas to result from irrigation deficiencies, environmental conditions, physical damage, or other causes (Section 1.2.23). Government-provided irrigation-water interruptions that cause plant loss or deterioration may likewise result in recovery-area designation under Section

2.1.6.2.

Recovery-area remediation is an existing contract requirement under Section 3.4 and is not automatically treated as separately ordered or additionally compensated work merely because the damage resulted from severe weather or an irrigation failure. The Contractor is required to perform up to the established monthly remediation quantity as directed and prioritized by the COR.

Accordingly, ordinary storm cleanup, erosion correction, irrigation-system maintenance, and temporary watering are routine contract requirements. The COR will determine when resulting landscape damage warrants designation and restoration as a recovery area. Any condition requiring work outside the scope or limits established by the SOW would be addressed through the applicable contract-administration process.

27.

(Q) Proposal-Submission Requirements and Electronic Signatures — Alternative Question:

Are there any page limitations or special formatting requirements for the technical proposal, staffing plan, and résumés? Are electronic signatures acceptable on all proposal forms, certifications, and agreements?

(A) There are no specification on proposal formatting or page restrictions. Electronic signatures are acceptable.

28.

(Q) Security Areas and Waste Disposal: What procedures and approved locations must the contractor use for disposing of landscaping waste and debris, and will the contractor be responsible for all associated disposal fees? What specific responsibilities will the contractor have regarding surveillance cameras and concertina wire?

(A) The city of Baghdad approved landfill and disposal areas, the contractor shall obtain (debris dump permit), or any other permit required by the city. The contractor is responsible for disposal fees.

For the second part of the question, contractors shall refer to SOW section 3.6 & 3.7

29.

(Q) GMMS and Initial Condition Survey: Will the Government and the contractor conduct a joint survey of the site’s existing condition before the contractor assumes responsibility? What specific requirements, software, access, and reporting procedures will apply to the Grounds

Maintenance Management System (GMMS)?

(A) The SOW does not require a formal joint Government/ Contractor initial-condition survey or joint acceptance of existing site conditions. During mobilization, the Contractor shall develop and submit an initial inventory of the landscaped areas and maintained exterior features. The inventory shall identify the location, quantity, and general condition of the applicable areas and features and shall incorporated into the Grounds Maintenance Plan to establish the baseline maintenance requirements (SOW Sections 3.11.4.4 and 3.11.4.5).

The Government will provide the initial sanitized grounds and service-area map and may revise that map during mobilization and throughout performance (SOW Section 3.11.4.3). The Contractor and

COR may coordinate field verification during mobilization as necessary, but the Contractor remains responsible for developing the required initial inventory. The inventory shall continue developing after startup as additional areas or features are identified, added, removed, remediated, reclassified, or otherwise changed (SOW Sections 3.11.4.6 through 3.11.4.8).

For Government-furnished mobile equipment and power tools, the Contractor shall inspect, inventory, and document the condition of the equipment when it is received and promptly report any damage, deficiencies, or missing items to the COR (Section 3.11.3.2).

GMMS in this SOW means the Global Maintenance Management System, the Government computerized maintenance-management system used to track facility-management work.

The GMMS requirements are established in SOW Section 3.16:

• Standing Work Orders (SWOs) will generally be used for recurring work associated with grounds, spaces, streets, or infrastructure that do not have an associated equipment asset.

• Preventive Maintenance work orders or other appropriate GMMS records will be used for work associated with equipment assets, as directed by the COR.

• The Contractor shall verify that recurring work performed under the contract is covered by an applicable GMMS work order that accurately identifies the work and location.

• If a required work order is missing, inaccurate, obsolete, incomplete, or otherwise requires correction, the Contractor shall notify the COR and Facilities personnel and provide the information needed to correct the Government record.

• The Contractor shall complete an initial systematic review of existing applicable GMMS work orders no later than the end of the Base Year and shall continue reviewing and recommending updates throughout the period of performance as discrepancies are identified, maintained areas or features change, and remediation areas are completed.

• Facilities personnel are responsible for entering changes into GMMS.

• The Contractor will not directly edit GMMS unless specifically authorized by the COR and granted the necessary system access.

The SOW does not require the Contractor to purchase or provide separate GMMS software.

Contractor access to the Government system is not presumed or required unless specifically authorized. GMMS work-order discrepancy notifications and update recommendations are required deliverables under SOW Section 3.17.10.

30.

(Q) Deductions and Defense Base Act Insurance: How will deductions be calculated when a performance deficiency occurs, and will the contractor be given an opportunity to correct the deficiency before a deduction is imposed? Is Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance required for local Iraqi employees?

(A) Contractor shall refer to Quality Assurance and Surveillance Plan (QASP) in attachment 1

Scope of Work. As indicated in the solicitation, Iraq is not listed on the DOL Active DBA Waiver list and therefore DBA Insurance is required for all of the Contractor’s employees working on this project.

31.

(Q) Please issue a corrected Attachment A. The Base Year and Option Year total formulas contain circular references, and the Grand Total omits Option Year 2 and counts Option Year

3 twice.

(A) A corrected version is available on FAN.gov. Offerors shall refer to revised pricing schedule entitled: “Attachment A- pricing(REVISED)”

32.

(Q) Please confirm whether the VAT CLINs must be entered as zero, marked “N/A,” or left blank.

(A) The value for VAT shall be equal to 0 or left blank.

33.

(Q) Please confirm the planned contract-award date, setup date, mobilization period, full-performance start date, and annual Option Year periods.

(A) The contract is anticipated to be award in September 2026. The start date of the base year is anticipated to start on 09/30/2026 and end on 09/29/2027 followed by the options years respectively.

As indicated in the solicitation, the mobilization period shall not exceed two (2) months after the contract issuance.

34.

(Q) Please confirm whether the approximately 430,000 m² of grounds and 3.65 km of perimeter fence represent the full fixed-price workload or planning estimates only.

(A) This number is for planning purposes.

35.

(Q) Please provide measurable quantities for turf, beds, planters, trees, paved areas, recreational sand, recovery areas, exterior-perimeter areas, cameras, and concertina wire.

(A) The total existing planted and landscaped area is 60000 SQM, the number of cameras is 443, the exterior perimeter is 3.65 KM. The quantity of the concertina wire is not fixed and may vary.

36.

(Q) Please confirm the required liability-insurance policy types, minimum coverage limits, territorial coverage, and named insured parties.

(A) As indicated in the solicitation amendment 0001, the contractor shall provide liability insurance for Bodily Injury per occurrence: $250,000.00/ cumulative: $500,000.00 and Property

Damage per occurrence: $250,000.00/ cumulative $500,000.00.

37.

(Q) Please confirm which mobile equipment, power tools, vehicles, and specialist equipment will be Government-furnished, including the quantity, condition, availability, and maintenance responsibility for each item.

(A) Contractors shall refer to the attachment G- Equipment Lists, all the equipment listed are ready to be used. The maintenance is NOT the responsibility of the contractor.

Hand tools, gardening tools, and landscaping tools that are not powered are provided by and the responsibility of the contractor.

38.

(Q) Please confirm whether contractor-furnished watercraft is mandatory. If required, please define the operating area, access point, staffing, licensing, safety, and minimum equipment specifications.

(A) Specific means and methods are not mandatory; however, the contractor is required to complete the work as specified in the SOW. The operation area was explained during the site visit.

39.

(Q) Please identify the Government irrigation-water distribution points and confirm the distances, access conditions, operating hours, and expected watering volumes.

(A) The Government does not establish a fixed watering volume. The Contractor shall determine and apply the quantity of water necessary to satisfy the SOW performance requirements. Under

Section 3.3.1, landscaped areas without an operable irrigation system must be watered at the frequency necessary to maintain adequate soil moisture, plant health, and acceptable appearance based on environmental and seasonal conditions, including daily watering during hot and dry periods when required.

40.

(Q) Please confirm whether services ordered at other locations in Iraq will be separately scoped and priced under each task order.

(A) Confirmed.

41.

(Q) Please provide the questions, answers, attendance record, and any information released during or after the August 12, 2026 site visit.

(A) The Government is providing this “Questions and Answers” document issued as part of solicitation amendment 0001. No other documents are provided.

42.

(Q) Please confirm whether the Price Volume and Technical Volume must be submitted as separate files and specify any mandatory file naming conventions, file formats, or email-size restrictions.

(A) As per solicitation amendment 0001, the price proposal and the technical proposal shall be separated. The email subject line must read “Solicitation 19GE5026Q0126”. No specific formatting. If the proposal is sent in multiple emails, the email shall be labeled accordingly (e.g. file 1 of 2).

Individual emails may not exceed 50MB and shall not include compressed files (zip /rar).

43.

(Q) Attachment I, Section 1.1.3 states that Post Baghdad encompasses approximately

430,000 m². During the site visit, approximately 130,000 m² total site area and 60,000 m² existing green area were discussed. Please confirm the approximate area(s) the Contractor should use for proposal planning and pricing, including the approximate landscaped/maintained area within the 430,000 m² Post footprint.

(A) The total area of the post is 430,000 SQM, as stated in the SOW, the existing green areas are total at 60,000 SQM. All the 430,000SQM is being maintained, and will have to be maintained through the new contract, whether as grounds keeping or landscaping.

44.

(Q) Attachment I requires mobilization to be completed within two months after issuance of the initial task order, while the site visit indicated personnel security vetting/background investigations may take approximately three months. Please confirm the expected background-investigation/access processing timeline and whether all recurring-service personnel must have completed access approval before the Contractor may declare mobilization complete and recurring services fully operational.

(A) As background check requires up to three (3) months, mobilization start date will be decided based on the status of the initial staff vetting and the number of ready cases.

In all cases the vetting process will continue throughout the contract life itself.

45.

(Q) The site visit identified significant areas of grass, plants, trees and vegetation in poor condition. Please confirm whether pre-existing deficient/dead landscaping identified during the initial inventory will be treated as recovery areas under Section 3.4, and whether such remediation will count toward the allowance of up to 1,000 m² per month.

(A) Confirmed.

46.

(Q) Please confirm the division of responsibility for plant/tree replacement at mobilization and during performance. Attachment I states that trees and plants exceeding 2.5 m are GFCI, while other plants/seeds and routine plant-senescence replacement are CFCI. Does the

Government intend to furnish the initial replacement of all pre-existing dead/damaged vegetation identified during mobilization, or only items meeting the GFCI criteria in Section

2.1.3?

(A) Dead plants will be treated as recovery areas and thus the plants will be GFCI, however in routine maintenance any dead plant will be the responsibility of the contractor CFCI.

47.

(Q) During the site visit, it was stated that excavation/digging is a Government responsibility. Attachment I, Section 3.12.12 requires underground-work excavation to be performed using hand tools unless otherwise authorized, and other sections require contractor-performed irrigation/remediation work. Please clarify which excavation activities are

Contractor responsibility and which will be performed by the Government or others.

(A) The Government does not confirm the characterization that excavation or digging generally is a government responsibility. Excavation responsibility is governed by the SOW and depends on the work being performed.

The Contractor is responsible for excavation necessary to perform work expressly included within the

Landscaping SOW. This includes excavation associated with COR-authorized recovery-area remediation and irrigation-system installation, expansion, maintenance, and repair within the

Contractor’s authorized irrigation scope.

For irrigation work, the Contractor’s scope begins downstream of, but does not include, the zone isolation valves. The Contractor’s scope includes downstream piping, quick couplers, sprinkler heads, rotors, bubblers, drip lines, emitters, fittings, zone control valves, and other downstream irrigation components. Recovery-area remediation may also include irrigation-system design and installation within this authorized scope.

Excavation performed by the Contractor for underground work shall be performed using hand tools unless the COR specifically authorizes power tools or mobile equipment in advance, in accordance with SOW Section 3.12.12.

For excavation performed as part of recovery-area remediation, excess nonhazardous soil, rock, and similar spoil shall be reused within the contract work area when suitable and as directed by the COR.

Material that is unsuitable for reuse or not required for the work shall be loaded, transported, and placed by the Contractor at a Government-designated location within Post in accordance with SOW

Section 3.4.2.6.

The Contractor is not responsible for excavation associated with work outside its SOW scope. When excavation is performed by Government personnel, another contractor, or another authorized party, the Landscaping Contractor remains responsible for applicable surface restoration after the area is released for restoration, including recovery-area remediation when designated by the COR.

Government furnishing of irrigation parts and materials does not transfer the Contractor’s installation, excavation, or associated spoil-handling responsibilities to the Government.

48.

(Q) Please confirm that Attachment G identifies all Government-furnished mobile equipment and power tools available at commencement of performance, and advise whether the

Government can provide current quantities and serviceability/condition status for bidder planning. Please also confirm that maintenance, repair and replacement of Government-furnished mobile equipment and power tools remain Government responsibility as stated in

Section 2.3.2.

(A) Confirmed

49.

(Q) Please confirm the scope of Government-provided water support, fuel support and maintenance support during mobilization and performance, including whether fuel is provided for all Government-furnished mobile equipment and power tools and whether contractor-provided vehicles, watercraft and equipment are excluded unless specifically authorized.

(A) Government support is limited to the items and services identified in the SOW.

Water support. Under Section 2.1.6.1, the Government will provide irrigation water at no cost through designated irrigation-water distribution points. The Contractor is responsible for distributing irrigation water from those points to the areas requiring irrigation, including the use of water trucks, water trailers, hoses, containers, and related handling. The Government also provides access to potable water through designated drinking-water distribution points under Section 2.1.6.3; bottled drinking water is not Government-furnished.

Fuel support. Under Sections 2.1.7.1 and 2.1.7.2, the Government will provide fuel for Government-furnished mobile equipment and power tools. Government fuel is not provided for contractor- or subcontractor-furnished vehicles, watercraft, equipment, or power tools, including owned, rented, or leased items, unless specifically authorized by the COR. This includes contractor-furnished watercraft used for exterior-perimeter work.

Maintenance support. Under Section 2.3.2.1, Government-furnished mobile equipment and power tools are provided to the Contractor and maintained by the Government. Additional or replacement

Government-furnished mobile equipment and power tools may be provided with COR approval under

Section 2.3.2.3.

The Contractor remains responsible for its contractor-furnished landscaping equipment, hand and specialty tools, vehicles, watercraft, and other contractor-furnished resources. The SOW does not provide Government maintenance support for those contractor-furnished items. SOW Section 2.3.3 expressly confirms that the Government will not maintain, repair, or replace vehicles, watercraft, equipment, power tools, or other tools furnished by a subcontractor.

During mobilization, SOW Section 3.11.3.1 requires the Government to turn over the Government-furnished property, materials, and startup support required for performance, including the listed mobile equipment, power tools, water support, fuel support, and maintenance support. The Contractor shall inspect and document the condition of Government-furnished equipment upon receipt and thereafter remains responsible for its accountability, proper use, protection, and reporting of damage or loss while the property is in its custody or control.

Accordingly, Government water, fuel, and maintenance support applies only as specifically provided by the SOW. Contractor- or subcontractor-furnished vehicles, watercraft, equipment, and tools remain contractor responsibilities except where the SOW or COR expressly authorizes otherwise.

50.

(Q) The site visit discussed approximately 0700–1900 access. Attachment I states that motorized landscaping operations shall be conducted during approved working hours but does not define those hours. Please confirm normal approved working hours, days of access and any recurring restrictions that should be assumed for staffing, productivity and equipment operations.

(A) The contractor can access the site from 7 am to 7pm every working day and shall coordinate after-hours and weekends access with the COR.

51.

(Q) Attachment I requires quarterly cleaning of security cameras within the contract work area, including cameras inside and outside the perimeter. Please provide the approximate number of cameras to be cleaned, or a planning quantity/range for pricing purposes, and confirm whether all are accessible from grade, ladder or man lift as contemplated by Section

3.6.5.

(A) The number of cameras is 443; all cameras are accessible with Man lift.

52.

(Q) Please provide, if available, an approximate quantity or length of concertina wire within the contract work area for proposal planning. Please also confirm that the reference to up to six

Contractor personnel in Section 3.7.3 applies to COR-directed installation/removal/demolition/relocation support and is not a standing six-person staffing requirement for routine weekly cleaning.

(A) The quantity of C-wire is not established and unavailable, the six-person cap is a maximum authorization ceiling that applies only when the COR specifically directs installation/removal/demolition/relocation support activities.

The Contractor shall begin documenting concertina-wire locations and general configurations during mobilization and will refine that information over time as work is performed and conditions are identified. The inventory is not required to be fully complete before recurring services begin. Material permanent changes shall be reported to the COR so the Government-maintained sanitized map can be updated as appropriate.

53.

(Q) Attachment I states that approximately one-third of the exterior perimeter has limited land access and that contractor-furnished watercraft will likely be necessary. Please confirm whether the Contractor should include a dedicated boat/pontoon/workboat for the full period of performance and identify any minimum watercraft capability, licensing, operator qualification, EOC/security, storage or access requirements that should be included in the proposal.

(A) The Contractor is not required to maintain a dedicated watercraft. The Contractor shall determine the access method necessary to perform the exterior-perimeter work and may use watercraft, land access, or other suitable means. If the Contractor elects to use watercraft, the watercraft, operators, fuel, maintenance, safety equipment, and related support are Contractor responsibilities.

54.

(Q) Please confirm the approximate length/area of the exterior perimeter to be maintained outside the wall. Section 1.1.3 identifies a perimeter fence of approximately 3.65 km, and Section

3.5 generally addresses areas up to 3 m from the exterior face of the wall, with COR authority to direct vegetation work beyond 3 m when required. Should offerors price the 3 m band along the full 3.65 km perimeter as the recurring planning baseline?

55.

(Q) Please confirm the number, approximate dimensions/area and locations of the sand-surface recreational areas to be maintained. The site visit identified two recreation/sports areas, while Attachment I requires monthly sifting and other maintenance. Please also confirm whether the required sand-sifting machine will be Government-furnished or otherwise COR-approved.

(A) Confirmed. The sand sifting machine will be government furnished .

56.

(Q) Please confirm the approved off-site disposal requirements for vegetative debris and any mixed waste generated by the work, including whether the Government designates an approved disposal facility or whether the Contractor must independently obtain all local disposal/dumping permits, approvals and fees.

(A) Vegetative debris is a Contractor disposal responsibility and shall be removed from Post at least weekly in accordance with SOW Sections 3.9.1, 3.9.2, and 3.9.12. The Government does not designate an off-site vegetative-debris disposal facility; the Contractor shall make the lawful off-site disposal arrangements necessary for performance, including any required local approvals or fees.

Non-vegetative waste shall be placed in Government-provided garbage dumpsters under SOW

Section 3.9.3. Vegetative debris mixed with non-vegetative waste may also be placed in those dumpsters with COR approval under Section 3.9.5.

57.

(Q) During the site visit, it was indicated that PMNOC approval is required for movement of materials and equipment into and out of the Embassy. Please confirm the applicable approval process, typical lead time and whether this requirement applies to routine daily movements, waste/debris removal, contractor-furnished materials, watercraft and equipment.

(A) currently the PMNOC takes up to 5 days to be approved, if the contractor provided all the required documents, however this may change as the US Government does not control this process.

The contractor can pre-plan their operation and request for a monthly PMNOC.

58.

(Q) Please confirm the facilities available to Contractor personnel. Attachment I states that the Government will provide air-conditioned break rooms, restrooms, showers and approved storage containers, but no lockers or interior workspace/storage. Please confirm the approximate capacity/location of these facilities and whether any additional contractor-furnished welfare or storage facilities are expected.

(A) The only available personnel facilities are listed in SOW Section 1.4.11. Additional contractor facilities are not required .

59.

(Q) Attachment I requires the Contractor to support GMMS work tracking and states that

Facilities personnel remain responsible for entering changes, with direct Contractor edits only if authorized and system access granted. Please confirm whether the Contractor will be provided read-only or other GMMS access at start of performance and define the expected Contractor interface/process for reviewing SWOs/PM work orders and reporting discrepancies.

(A) The Contractor shall not assume that direct GMMS access will be provided. Facilities personnel will provide the applicable SWOs, PM work orders, and other GMMS information necessary for Contractor review and will remain responsible for maintaining the Government records.

The Contractor shall review the information provided, verify that recurring work is accurately represented, and promptly report missing, inaccurate, obsolete, or incomplete work-order information to the COR and Facilities personnel. Facilities personnel will enter required corrections.

If the Government later determines that direct Contractor GMMS access is appropriate, such access may be specifically authorized and granted. Direct GMMS access is not required for successful performance of the contract.

60.

(Q) Please provide an approximate planning quantity or extent for the seasonal lighting and decoration requirement, including the approximate number of palm trees/building-edge locations and expected installation/removal period. Please confirm that all seasonal lighting/decorations are Government-furnished and identify any Government-furnished access equipment anticipated for this work.

(A) Lighting will be (Government-furnished, contractor-installed items) GFCI, and the contractor shall use the government furnished equipment for the installation.

61.

(Q) Please confirm that Attachment H is the current sanitized planning baseline and whether it identifies the principal landscaped areas, recovery areas, exterior perimeter areas, sand-surface recreational areas and other maintained features. If a revised map is available following the site visit, please provide the latest version.

(A) The revised map will only be available after the mobilization, for planning purposes

Attachment H remains the reference for planning baseline.

62.

(Q) Section 2.3.2.3 states that additional or replacement mobile equipment and power tools may be added/procured/provided with COR approval. For proposal pricing, should offerors assume that all mobile equipment and power tools reasonably required for the stated scope will be Government-furnished, or should offerors include contingency for equipment not listed in

Attachment G?

(A) Contractors shall refer to SOW Section 2.3.2.1"All mobile equipment and power tools required for performance of the work shall be government-furnished, provided to the contractor, and maintained by the government."

63.

(Q) What is the total area of the lawn/turf?

(A) The total green area in the compound is 60,000 SQM

64.

(Q) What is the total area that requires watering outside the existing irrigation system coverage?

(A) This information is not available and will be established by the contractor.

65.

(Q) Is there an existing subsurface drainage system?

(A) No. There is storm water drainage in the streets.

66.

(Q) What is the total number of large trees and shrubs within the project area?

(A) The approximate number of trees is 500 subjects to increase, an accurate count of shrubs and smaller plants is not available.

67.

(Q) Does the soil have any known salinity issues?

(A) No soil test was conducted by the government.

68.

(Q) What types of machinery and equipment are currently available on-site, and what is the quantity of each?

(A) Contractors shall refer to attachment G-Equipment Lists

69.

(Q) Is there a specified limit on the number of workers that can be assigned to the project, or is the workforce size flexible?

(A) The contractor shall determine their workforce while ensuring the service level meets the requirements specified in the solicitation.

70.

(Q) Please provide typical lead times, if available, for COR authorization and Government provision of GFCI irrigation parts, plants, and bulk remediation materials.

(A) (A) The SOW does not establish guaranteed lead times for COR authorization or Government provision of GFCI materials. Irrigation parts require prior COR authorization, and GFCI plants and bulk remediation materials are furnished by the Government as required for authorized work.

The Contractor should identify anticipated material requirements as early as practicable and coordinate them with the COR. Actual lead times will vary based on the item, quantity, availability, and applicable Government procurement process, including use of approved Baghdad-area BPA vendors where available.

71.

(Q) The SOW requires the contractor to inspect and document the condition of

Government-furnished equipment at turnover and report deficiencies or missing equipment after award. Please confirm whether for the price buildup stage we should assume all mobile equipment and power tools identified in Attachment G will be available to the contractor at commencement of performance and in serviceable operating condition.

72.

(Q) Approximately how much of the maintained landscaped area currently requires manual or water-truck watering because permanent irrigation is absent or inoperable?

(A) For planning purposes, about 30% of the landscaped area doesn’t have irrigation and watered by the truck.

73.

(Q) The SOW states that failure to identify or map an existing maintainable area does not exclude that area from the contractor's scope. Please confirm the maximum baseline area or quantity that offerors are required to include in their fixed-price proposal.

(A) For planning purposes, Post Baghdad encompasses approximately 430,000 square meters, and the perimeter fence is approximately 3.65 kilometers in length, the proposal shall cover all items mentioned in the SOW.

74.

(Q) Please provide, if available: current irrigation drawings/as-builts; approximate number of controllers and zones; approximate quantities of valves, sprinkler heads, drip systems, and other major components; and known extent of currently defective/inoperable irrigation.

(A) Drawing will be shared with the contractors during mobilization phase, the contractor shall then develop status reports for each location.

75.

(Q) Please provide available historical information regarding annual plant replacement quantities for plants, shrubs, trees and other vegetation up to 2.5 m in height.

(A) This information is not available.

76.

(Q) Please confirm whether the contractor is required to maintain personnel on call outside normal working hours for urgent security-visibility clearing, storm response, irrigation failures, or other emergency COR-directed landscaping work and, if applicable, provide the required response time.

(A) The contractor is not required to maintain on call personnel outside normal operation hours.

77.

(Q) Please provide the approximate number of security cameras included in the quarterly exterior-cleaning requirement and, if available, identify the approximate number requiring ladder or man-lift access.

(A) there 443 cameras; most will require manlift and/ or ladder.

78.

(Q) Please clarify whether COR-directed vegetation clearing/security-visibility work beyond the normal three-meter exterior-perimeter limit is included in the fixed price without quantity limitation, or whether unusually extensive clearing would be handled as changed/additional work.

(A) COR-directed vegetation clearing beyond the normal three-meter exterior-perimeter limit is included in the fixed-price scope when required for perimeter maintenance or security visibility. This includes vegetation obstructing security-camera lines of sight identified during performance, including during required camera-cleaning activities.