RFQ_19M05518Q0001Pre_Proposal_Conference_Minutes_QA_Mission_Morocco_Gardening_Official_Residence_and_Consulate.pdf

RFQ 19M05518Q0001 Pre-Proposal Conference Minutes

Gardening Services U.S. Mission Morocco: Questions & Answers

Official Residences, Consulate Casablanca and Dar America

U.S. Embassy Rabat, Morocco

Km 5.7, Avenue Mohammed VI

Souissi, Rabat, Morocco

Rabat_Procurement@state.gov

January 18, 2018

Attachment A

Minutes from the Pre-Proposal Conference:

10:00am January 9, 2018

Gardening Services U.S. Mission Morocco:

Introduction

U.S. Embassy Rabat Contracting Officer Mr. Kevin J. Vogel opened the conference by thanking the participants for coming and introduced various Embassy personnel. The

Contracting Officer stated the purpose of the pre-proposal conference was to review the solicitation and clarify the procedures to all the offerors. The Contracting Officer reminded the attendees that the published written solicitation takes precedence over any verbal statements and is the reference for the Offerors.

The Contracting Officer emphasized that only written questions would be accepted and the deadline to submit the questions was Friday January 12, 2018, 1700 GMT by email to

Rabat_Procurement@state.gov. Pre-proposal conference minutes and written questions would be posted on the U.S. Mission website at https://ma.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulate/rabat/procurement-opportunities/ as well as on Fed Biz Opps.

The follow information from the solicitation was reviewed:

The first page of the solicitation package is a letter summarizing the request for services and a quote.

Section 1:

o SF1449: Contractor to complete Blocks 17, 24, 26 and 30. The Offerors needs to sign the forms.

o Pricing: Complete pricing tables for base year and all option years.

o Work Requirements: This section describes the scope of work, schedule of services, working hours, holidays and the deliverables that will apply to the contract. The contractor will be asked for temporary additional services on an as needed basis. The price should be for both the base year and the four options year periods.

Section 2:

o Clauses: This section describes the Federal Acquisition Regulation Clauses that apply to this solicitation and contract.

o Invoices and Payment.

o COR.

mailto:Rabat_Procurement@state.gov mailto:Rabat_Procurement@state.gov https://ma.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulate/rabat/procurement-opportunities/ https://ma.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulate/rabat/procurement-opportunities/

Section 3: Solicitation Provisions:

o Submission of offers: This section describes how to submit the offer.

o DBA Insurance: should be included in the pricing.

o All the information demonstrating the offeror’s ability to perform including: Personnel, test equipment, schedule, license by local law.

o The Offerors need to provide planning of the work for each residence. They also need to follow standard of conduct.

Section 4: Evaluation Factors:

o Award will be made to the lowest priced, technically acceptable offeror who is a responsible contractor. The government reserves the right to reject quotations that are unreasonably low or high in price or not complete.

Section 5: Representations and Certifications:

o Representations and Certifications: Offerors needs to complete as appropriate and submit certificates and representations and complete information on page 60 Regarding An Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability Or A Felony Criminal Conviction Under Any Federal Law.

o Taxpayer Information: Offerors need to add the VAT in a separate line.

Site Visits:

Site visits of the Chief of Mission (CMR) and Deputy Chief of Mission (DCR) Residences

CMR and DCR Rabat took place following the conference on January 9, 2018.

Site visits of the U.S. Consulate in Casablanca, Dar America, Casablanca Marine Security

Guard Quarters and the Consul General Residence (CGR) to place in Casablanca on January

10, 2018.

The site visits were conducted by the Contracting Officer Representative in the presence of the Contracting Officer where the offerors had the opportunity to see all properties listed in the solicitation and submit questions.

Attachment B

Questions & Answers

Gardening Services U.S. Mission Morocco:

And Dar America

Q1: Can you please let us know the entire POP (Period of Performance) encompassing respectively the 332,941.35 USD and the MAD 4,854.000 Awards amounts related to the solicitation below. Were these amounts for the base + option years or just the first base year?

- Solicitation number SMO550-15-Q-0005 Contract Awarded on October 22, 2015 for an

Award Dollar Amount: $332,941.36 USD to Puissance Verte.

- Solicitation number SMO550-11-Q-0003 Contract Awarded on August 1st, 2011 for an

Award Dollar Amount: MAD 4,854.000 to Pepiniere Bouregreg.

A1: Both contract amounts were for base year plus four option years.

Q2: In the total area measurements, what does number 9,753.00m2 mean? Is it the total per year or per month?

A2: This is the total square meters of all property spaces you will have to maintain under this contract. Since you are required to submit an invoice in a monthly basis, 9,753.00 m2 is the total area to be serviced each month. See page 21 of the RFQ for more information.

Q3: What is the soil composition?

A3: Peat soil.

Q4: DBP Insurance: Can we provide the DBA insurance for our employees after we get the award?

A4: Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance is required for all service contracts (not materials or supplies) and covers all contractors performing work overseas and employing:

1. American citizens, Individuals hired in the United States or its possessions, regardless of citizenship,

2. Host Country Nationals (HCNs) and

3. Third Country Nationals (TCNs) working overseas.

A list of active approved DOL waivers may be found at current DOL waivers.

Contract personnel must have DBA coverage at the moment they commence work under the contract.

https://www.dol.gov/owcp/dlhwc/dbawaivers/dbawaivers.htm

Q5: Do you require any specific license for gardening services?

A5: No, but your business license must be to show gardening activities of your firm. Refer to Section 3 Solicitation Provisions A.2.2. detailing evidence that you operate an established business.

Q6: Does the maintenance include the green spaces and mineral spaces?

A6: Yes the contract includes servicing to the land and hardscape areas. See Section 1

General Requirements 1.2 through 1.8 for more specific service details.

Q7: Do we have sprinkles at the Consulate?

A7: The Consulate Casablanca property does not have an automatic watering system. The

Consul General Residence (CGR) in Casablanca, the Chief and Deputy Chief of Mission

Residences (CMR and DCR) in Rabat have automatic watering systems.

Q8: Are the Consulate Casablanca barricades’ plants included in the contract?

A8: Yes.

Q9: How many times a week do we have to water the garden?

A9: Your horticulturalist should decide on watering frequencies. This should be included in your Grounds Maintenance Plan that every offeror is required to deliver with proposal. See

Section 1 Schedule of Supplies/Services 1.3.5 and Section 3 Solicitation Provisions A.2.6.

Q10: Do we have to trim the bushes against the walls at the Consulate Casablanca property to keep them in the same level as the exotic plants?

A10: Yes, particularly so the plants do not extend over the perimeter wall.

Q11: Why is the palm tree not trimmed? Isn’t that service required by the contract?

A11: The trimming of palm trees was not included in the previous contracts. It is included in this contract, therefore palm tree trimming and care should be included in your cost estimate.

Q12: Does the Consulate provide the nutrients for the dying plants?

A12: No, the U.S. Government will furnish only water and power. See Section 1.10

Fertilizer, Section 5 Materials and Equipment and Attachment 2 for more details on contractor furnished materials.

Q13: Are the palm trees in front of the Consulate and Dar America included in the contract?

A13: Yes.

Q14: Where is the green space outside Dar America need gardening service?

A14: All the planters located directly in front of Dar America.

Q15: Are we responsible for cleaning the pool at the Consulate Casablanca Marine Security

Guard Quarters?

A15: Yes.

Q16: Does the maintenance include the repair of the watering system at Villa Mirador?

A16: No, unless the automatic watering system is damaged by the contractor. In this case the contractor will need to pay for the repairs.

Q17: Where are the automatic shut off valves located at V. Mirador?

A17: There are three: one on the left side as you enter the residence. The remaining two are located behind the pool house.