19TC1021Q0001 - Attachment B_Questions Answers.pdf

Solicitation No.: 19TC1021Q0001 Gardening maintenance services

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM THE PRE-QUOTATION CONFERENCE:

The following table reflects questions as raised by prospective bidders. Our answers are based on the solicitation documents and other relevant guidance or regulations.

Number

Question as submitted by bidders Answer from the Contracting Office

1 Base Year all additional services including provision of insurance + yearly contract price to be filled?

Yes, the tables in Section I, 2.2 to 2.7 need to be filled in completely. The sum of each year must be totaled and provided in the Grand Total in the Pricing section under 2.7.

2. Solicitation for 5 years, nor price revision during this period please confirm?

This is a firm-fixed price contract per Section 1.

Hence, there will be no price revisions during the contract period.

3. Embassies are fixing the salary of labour and UAE Government increasing of labour salary due to these, contract price will be revised or not please confirm?

The solicitation does not specify any minimum salary to be paid the contractor’s staff/employees. You may account for potential salary adjustments as you prepare the cost estimate for each year of the contract.

4. DBA insurance company name to be given, this amount will be claimed every from the Embassy please confirm?

List of Department of Labor (DoL) approved DBA insurance companies are provided via link in the meeting minutes. As stated in the meeting minutes, the DBA insurance premium will be reimbursed to the contractor by the Embassy.

5. Solicitation request of providing the caravan store with louver facility dimension of 10*8*8 this price where to be fixed BOQ Base Year please confirm?

There is no separate line item for the supply of de-mountable storage cabins (Section 1.19). This should be a consolidated cost and included in the Embassy compound pricing table in the Base Year (Ref. 2.2.1.1 of Section 1).

6. Does the EMBASSY US fix the labour salary please confirm?

No.

7. Internal Audit report how many years required please confirm?

Per Section 3 A.8, it must be for the last three years.

8. As discussed the contractor provide the

Accommodation allowance for labour, Embassy will not inspect the Proworks confirm?

As stated in the meeting minutes, the Embassy will not inspect labor/staff accommodations if the contractor provides housing allowance to its staff.

9. SAM Registration link to be given and guide how to register the company in the

SAM formality, which is mandatory?

SAM registration instructions are given in the meeting minutes. The Contract cannot be awarded to a vendor if it is not registered on SAM.

10. Solicitation we are buying lot of plants is that any advance payment from the client side please confirm?

Per 3.0 Deliverables in Section 1, payment request can be made on a monthly basis. No advance payment shall be made.

11. Embassy will accept PDF e-mail one e-mail not more than 10 MB Please confirm?

Yes, per the cover letter of the solicitation and indicated in the meeting minutes, one e-mail with a

PDF attachment cannot exceed 10MB. These are the limitation of the email system. Multiple emails containing different parts of the proposal are acceptable.

Attachment B – Questions & Answers Page 2 of 4 Gardening maintenance services (19TC1021Q0001)

12. Solicitation Tender closing date is 27th

January on or before 4 pm, not more than

4 pm tender will not accept by the

Embassy?

Ref. SF1449, Block 8 and the cover letter, quotations received after this time will be considered late and will not be evaluated.

13. Contractor has to submit the Technical one and Commercial Envelops at separately please confirm?

Yes, price and technical proposals must be submitted in separate envelopes and separate electronic PDF files.

14. Solicitation has specified a supervisor to visit Embassy weekly 3 Thrice and liaise with COR representative at the site?

Work schedule: The contractor shall designate a representative who shall be responsible for on-site supervision of the Contractor's workforce at all times.

Coordination: The supervisor shall visit the site and meet U.S. Government personnel three times a week at the minimum, and more frequently if required to coordinate the work effort. Refer Performance Work statement para 1.3.3 in the solicitation.

15. CMR villa supply of 1,500 flowers Per

Year please confirm

Yes. The Contractor shall supply seasonal plants three times a year totally 1,500 Seasonal flower plants per year. Refer Performance Work statement para 1.2.5 in the solicitation.

16.

DCMR villa supply of 1,000/ flowers Per

Year please confirm

Yes. The Contractor shall supply seasonal plants three times a year totally 1,000 Seasonal flower plants per year. Refer Performance Work statement para 1.2.6 in the solicitation.

17. Embassy 7,500 plants to be supplied Per

Year Please confirm

Yes. The Contractor shall supply seasonal plants three times a year totally 7,500 Seasonal flower plants per year. Refer Performance Work statement para 1.2.3 in the solicitation.

18. All types of Indoor plants are provided by GSO please confirm

No, GSO will not provide the plants. Supply and replacement of indoor plants are the responsibilities of the Contractor. Refer Performance Work statement para 1.4.7 in the solicitation.

19. We have to provide the skip and collection of green waste one a month or a weekly basis please confirm

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to clear the trash skip as and when it gets filled. Refer

Performance Work statement para 1.9.2 & 1.9.3 in the solicitation.

20. Please note that due to natural calamity tress falls who is responsibility refix a new one please confirm

The Embassy will fund the cost of the tree. Removal and replantation are the responsibility of the

Contractor at the Contractor’s cost.

21. How many palm and Washing-tonia tress area available in the Embassy please confirm

Embassy: Palm: 41. Washingtonia: 11

CMR: Palm: 11. Washingtonia: 1

DCMR: Palm/Washingtonia: None

22. The external planters at the entrance of

EMBASSY 95 number please confirm

Total 97. Refer Performance Work statement para

1.2.3 in the solicitation.

23. The garden risk proposal plan to be submitted please confirm

Yes. A Risk assessment plan needs to be submitted per Section 3 A.2. (9) in the solicitation.

24. Sprinkler system small part to be provided by the contractor please specify the brand?

For supply/repair of parts, refer Performance Work statement para 1.10.4 in the solicitation.

25. Pesticide product name to be given, which would be easy to full-fill the client request?

The Contractor is required to submit SDS for all the proposed pesticides and the Embassy will review/approve them. We do not have a preference or recommendation for a particular Brand.

Attachment B – Questions & Answers Page 3 of 4

26. Gardener will work during the holy month of Ramadan on 6 or 8 hours please confirm?

Six hours. Refer Performance Work statement para

2.4 in the solicitation.

27. During the summer break time gardeners will be engaged internally 12.30 pm 15 pm please confirm?

Gardener shall take a mid-day break and make use of the contractor’s breakroom.

28. Minimum scorecard 3 to be scored for satisfactory level maintenance please confirm?

Yes. Refer Performance Work statement para 1.3.4 in the solicitation

29. On our site tour, I observed pebbles are provided various locations in the soft landscaped area, which is to be supplied by the contractor or Client please confirm?

The Embassy will fund the cost for pebbles when a requirement arises.

30. We will prepare and give the snack list to existing contractor to rectify the snack list if they fail to rectify the snack list, we can quote and charge to the client at separately please confirm?

If there are snag items that require corrective actions when taking over the site by the new contractor, those corrective actions will be the responsibility of the

Embassy.

31. The client will provide the Indoor plants please confirm?

No. It is the responsibility of the Contractor. Refer

Performance Work statement para 1.4.7 in the solicitation

32. If our garden observed sprinkler system such as civil, electrical and plumbing issue will be rectified by the EMBASSY

GSO please confirm?

Yes. Embassy will provide the Electrical and civil work service. Related to plumbing repair as a part of gardening maintenance, refer Question 11.

33. If the job is awarded how soon to be mobilized please confirm?

15 days. Refer Performance Work statement para

1.3.4 in the solicitation.

34. Do you charge for Embassy pass please confirm?

No, the Embassy does not charge for the pass.

However, prior to issuing a pass, the Embassy may require the Contractor to obtain a Good Conduct

Certificate from the Police Department for example.

The cost, if any, for obtaining such certificates is the responsibility of the Contractor.

35. COVID-19 test required for all our staff how often please confirm?

Currently, there is no requirement for a Covid-19 test reports for the Contractor staff. However, it is the responsibility of the Contractor to adhere to the laws and regulations of the host government, which may change.

36. We can make Tie up any for technical support please confirm?

Technical support can be obtained from anyone commercially licensed by the local government

(UAE) to render landscape maintenance activities.

37. Police clearance letter required from the police every year once in 2 years please confirm?

Every three years the Contractor may be required to obtain a Good Conduct Certificate from the Police

Department for their workforce to renew the Embassy permanent access badge.

38. To avoid the cost, people can claim trees and cutting the dry leaves shall be outsourced from the company please confirm?

Yes, if safe work practices are followed, the

Contractor is allowed to use climbers. The Contractor should ensure that the climber uses the fall arrest mechanism to restrain him to at least 3-5 feet fall.

39. We can give the accommodation for

Zone-Corp approved please confirm?

Laborers/staff can stay wherever it is recognized/approved by the local government.

Attachment B – Questions & Answers Page 4 of 4

40. Nursery plants grow inside the Embassy and we can utilize for our in-house please confirm?

Yes.

41. The Material safety Data Sheet( MSDS), Can the last data sheet be provided for review before the submission and or can be available to the wining contractor to better understand the program and procedures that the previous contractor followed, for future reference and timely applications of fertilizer and pest chemicals.

Yes. Contractor will be guided during the kick-off meeting.

42. Kindly confirm that Attachment D –

Vegetation Schedule is only for the

Embassy Compound and not including the vegetation for CMR & DCMR.

Refer attachment D.1 and D.2

43. Please confirm that the units of the

Quantities mentioned in Attachment D are in Numbers (except for Lawn Grass which is in sq. meters).

The units are “each”.

44. Item 1.2.5 of the Solicitation indicates quantity of trees as “30 each of trees of various kind including date palms”.

Please indicate how many kinds of trees and palms are there in the Ambassador

Residence (CMR).

Refer attachment D.1 and D.2

45. Item 1.4.7 of the Solicitation indicates quantity of Indoor Plants for the embassy. Please provide approx. quantity of indoor plants in CMR & DCMR.

The Contractor is not responsible for the supply and maintenance of indoor plants at the CMR and DCMR.

46 Material or Type of de-mountable storage cabin? Is it container type?

As both demountable cabins will be naturally ventilated, please propose cabins, not containers.

47. What is the required number of plants per year for DCMR?

Ref. question no. 16

48. How old is the grass at the DCMR? Almost 10 years, but replacement is not in your scope, only its maintenance is.

49. Where do we have to provide DBA pricing? In SF1449, is we have to mention DBA separately or Have to include the DBA Amount with the AMC price?

DBA insurance premium must be submitted separately for each year (total five years).

DBA insurance premium should not be mentioned in

SF1449 or include in the yearly price as the DBA insurance premium is not a price factor for evaluation.