QA gardening services - final - 20201022.pdf

Q & A for comprehensive gardening maintenance services Solicitation No. 19TH2020Q0006 for U.S. Embassy Bangkok

A. ROUTINE ISSUES

Watering: refer to Section 1, item 1.9.2

Q. 1 According to watering schedule given 7-9 am and 3-4 pm. With total area 119,840 sqm., please confirm you can supply sufficient quantity of water for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon watering for whole landscape area.

A.1 As cited in the Solicitation Section 1, item 1.9.4, the Government shall provide the supply of water, and Facility Management Office of the Embassy will make sure that there will be adequate water for watering routine.

It should be pointed out that item 1.9.2 discusses the timing of watering shall typically be done early in the morning or late afternoon.

refer to Section 1, item 1.9.3

Q.2 Do you have a watering system covering all garden areas?

A.2 The Embassy has irrigation systems installed partially on the NOB and EOB Compounds on approximately 30 percent of the grounds. All the other areas must be manually watered using water hoses.

refer to Section 1, item 1.3.2 Schedules and item 2 Working hours

Q.3 Do you have time limit, restriction or any special rules when working in or around special places, such as an ambassador's office, a meeting room, or another inside the building?

A.3 The Contractor shall submit requests for access to special areas (areas not provided normal access) at least three days advance via email to the COR. US Government escorts are required in these areas, for example, to water plants at the front office (exterior balcony and inside) 3 times per week.

In addition, special access requests may be needed to access some of the roofs to clean gutters at certain buildings. No other work inside is included in the contract.

Event: refer to Section 1, item 1.1 Definitions of Landscaping

Q.4 In case of party, events and any other garden design outside of the garden contract, can our company charge for the service and design fees?

A.4 If the US Government wishes to obtain special garden design services, a separate quotation would be requested, and the work would be issued under a separate purchase order.

Waste disposal: refer to Section 1, item 1.8

Q.5 Who will be responsible in removing daily garden waste from each compound? Waste disposal expense, who will pay for this?

A.5 It is the Contractor’s responsibility in full and the contractor will pay this cost.

Gardeners: refer to Section 1, item 4 Personnel Requirements

Q.6 Would it possible to use immigrant workers in specific work, such as roof cleaning, pruning, additional work, any other risk assignment or Thai workers shortage?

A.6 Only if escorted and RSO approves of the staff, at least three days in advance.

Aging trees and shrubs: refer to Section 1, item 1.4.5 Turf repair and re-establishment and 1.5 Pruning and tree care

Q.7 To maintain good garden condition the company will need to change aging grass, trees and shrubs. Will the embassy be taken care of these costs?

Additional garden areas apart from the main contract, such as garden areas, pot trees, pot plants and roof gardens. Will these be added to the main contract?

A.7 If the US Government wishes to replace aging grass, trees, or shrubs, a separate quotation would be requested, and a separate purchase order issued.

Areas not specifically identified in the contract documents are not included in this work. The exterior garden and land at the Ruam-rudee Mansion is included, as identified in Section 1.13 Location for Gardening Services.

B. WORKING IN DANGEROUS AREA refer to Section 1, item 5 Materials and equipment

Q.8 In case of working in danger area, such as along the canal that very narrow and slippery, electrical point in garden and electric poles. Will the embassy be able to provide support in reducing any risk that may be occurring?

A.8 It is the Contractor’s responsibility to equip staff with adequate safety and protective gears while working in the Compound areas that require additional cautions, e.g. canal, narrow or slippery areas.

Roof refer to Section 1, item 1.8.1 Gutters

Q.9 In case of some danger roof areas, such as no standing space on the roof, steep area preventing areas to gutters area and old roof unite old roof tiles. What will be your advice to these issues? If damage occurs, who will be responsible for the repairing cost?

A.9 It is the Contractor’s responsibility to equip staff with adequate safety and protective gears while working in these areas. The Contractor will also bear any cost incurred from such damages.

Fertilizer: refer to Section 1, item 1.7 Recycled materials

Q.10 Not every garden waste can be used to make fertilizer. Due to limit composing area, we need to select material. Could we select what can be used?

Do you have composting areas in each compound for making the composted fertilizer?

A.10 Yes, the Contractor can select what can be used for compost. We do have comporting areas in each compound.

Floor cleaning:

Q.11 Walkway, path, road who will be cleaning these?

A.11 Please refer to Amendment 005.

Outstate of contractors: refer to Section 1, item 1.1

Q.12 Damage from other contractors, such as moving trees and adjust ground that disturbing gardens habitat who will take care of this?

After the construction is over. Who will be responsible for restoring the area?

A.12 Repair of damages by other contractors is not covered under this contract. In some cases, the gardening contractor may be requested to provide a quotation and the work would be issued under a separate purchase order.

The gardening contractor is not responsible for restoring work at construction areas under this contract.

refer to Section 1, item 1.5 Pruning and tree care

Q.13 In case of falling branches, falling trees or any damage that occurs from nature of plants and natural disaster as follows:

- Expired trees

- Trees that its main roots were as a result from other construction projects.

- Termites

- Trees that were damaged from other construction works dose by

• Construction traffic

• Affect from construction materials

- Strong wind

- Rain storm

- Heat wave

- Sudden climate change

Trees that are at risk and need to be removed or land pruning, the company shall remove or do the hard pruning. If the company is not authorized to do but damaged. Who will be responsible for the repairing cost?

A.13

Please refer to Amendment 005.

Chemical and fertilizer: refer to Section 1, item 1.10 Fertilizer and 1.11 Pest and Disease Control

Q.14 Are there any off-limits areas? In the past some area we cannot spray chemical and fertilizer such as house areas. Who will be responsible for the repairing cost?

A.14 Please refer to Amendment 005.