36C24223Q0121.docx

SUBJECT*

Tree Maintenance

GENERAL INFORMATION

East Orange and Lyons Campuses

385 Tremont Avenue

East Orange NJ

CONTACT INFORMATION

Network Contracting Office 2 James J. Peters VA Medical Center 130 West Kingsbridge Road Bronx NY 10468-3904

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Natalie Acevedo Natalie.Acevedo@va.gov

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

Presolicitation Notice Presolicitation Notice

DESCRIPTION

Presolicitation Notice

1. Action Code: This is a Pre-Solicitation Notice.

2. Date: 12/2/2022

3. Contracting Office Address:

James J. Peters Bronx VA Medical Center 130 W. Kingsbridge Road Bronx, NY 10468

4. Classification Code: This procurement is classified as S – Housekeeping – Landscaping / Groundskeeping

5. Important: This notice does not constitute a request for proposal, request for quote, or invitation for bid. The intent of this notice is to provide the pre-solicitation notice required by FAR 5.2- Synopsis of Proposed Contract Actions in preparation for release of the Request for Quote (RFQ) at a later date.

6. Description: The RFQ is planned to be issued in December 2022. The Proposal due date is tentatively planned for December 20, 2022. The North American Industry Code Standard (NAICS) is 561730, Landscaping Services, and the annual size standard is $8.5 Million. The planned procurement method is Simplified Acquisitions competed solicitation. The solicitation utilizes source selection procedure using best value, which require Offerors to submit a non-price proposal that includes past performance, experience information, and a price proposal for evaluation by the Government.

The resulting contract is planned to be a firm-fixed price (FFP) indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. The contract term will be a base period of 12 months with four 12-month options. Only the base period of the contract will offer a minimum guarantee.

This procurement is to provide Tree Maintenance Services for New Jersey Healthcare System, East Orange, and Lyons Campuses. Provide all labor, equipment, supervision, tools, and all materials necessary to provide tree maintenance services to include trimming and thinning services including removal of dead trees and stump grinding on grounds

The procurement consists of one solicitation with the intent to award a single contract to the responsible offeror whose proposal, conforming to the RFQ, will be most advantageous to the Government resulting in the best value, price and non-price factors considered, comparative analysis source selection process may be used. Offerors are advised award may be made without discussions. Therefore, the Offerors should submit proposals which contain their best terms.

This is an IDIQ contract with pre-established fixed price unit prices. The actual amount of work to be performed and the time of such performance will be determined by the Contracting Officer, or his/her properly authorized representative, who will issue written task orders to the contractor. Award of task orders will be on a firm fixed price basis.

7. Set-Aside Status: The proposed solicitation is a 100% Services-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Set-aside. Please note that Limitations on Sub-Contracting apply.

8. Additional Details:

THIS SOLICITATION WILL BE OFFERED IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT ONLY. NO

HARD COPIES WILL BE PROVIDED. Offerors can view and/or download the RFQ and attachments at https://sam.gov/content/opportunities when the RFQ is posted. Interested parties can register under the Interested Vendors List at beta.sam.gov. This will be the only method of amendment distribution; therefore, it is the OFFERORS’ RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THE WEBSITE PERIODICALLY FOR ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE SOLICITATION.

9. Prospective Offerors MUST register themselves on the website. Prospective Offerors must also be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM in order to participate in this procurement

See attached document: SOW for Tree Maintenance

STATEMENT OF WORK

TREE MAINTENANCE

New Jersey VA Healthcare System Lyons and East Orange Campuses

1. BACKGROUND:

The Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System (VANJHCS) is seeking an annual service contract with 4 option years to provide tree maintenance for its East Orange and Lyons Campuses. The type of maintenance, care and housekeeping is designed to promote clean and neat appearance throughout the campus.

2. SCOPE OF WORK:

The contractor shall Provide all labor, equipment, supervision, tools, and all materials necessary to provide to provide year-round tree maintenance services of both campuses.

3. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:

4. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

Provide all labor, equipment, supervision, tools, and all materials necessary to provide tree maintenance services to include trimming and thinning services including removal of dead trees and stump grinding on grounds

A) A facility site plan indicating work areas shall be provided by the COR after award.

B) All work shall be performed during the hours of 7:30 AM and 3:30 PM, Monday thru Friday excluding Federal Holidays (defined as: New Year's Day, Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day) during the last full week of the month.

C) All work performed shall be done in accordance with ANSI Z133 2017 The American National Standard for Arboricultural Operations - Safety Requirements and ANSI A300 Standards - Tree Care Industry Association.

D) Upon arrival to perform any tree services, the Contractor shall report to the Grounds Supervisor in the grounds garage.

E) Upon completion of tasks described herein, the contractor shall provide a copy of service report to the COR. Service reports shall be signed by both the contractor and COR at completion of work. An electronic version of same shall be sent to the COR. Service reports shall include tasks completed to include areas worked on, number of workers involved, and hours worked.

5. CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS

A) The contractor shall be registered with the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts and employ one Licensed Tree Care Operator or Licensed Tree Expert. Proof of registration and licensing shall be provided to the COR before work can commence.

B) Tree Care Operator Licenses shall be provided to the COR or approval before an individual can be considered acceptable to meet this requirement.

6. CONTRACTOR VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT

A) All vehicles used directly for tree maintenance services shall possess NJTC# issued by the Board of Tree Experts and be properly registered with the State Department of Motor Vehicles.

B) All operators of all vehicles used directly for tree maintenance services shall possess a current New Jersey Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). The Contractor shall submit copies of CDL licenses for individuals operating vehicles possessing NJTC#s to the COR for approval before they are allowed to operate the vehicle on VA property.

C) Contractors’ vehicles shall be routed through major thoroughfares whenever possible and shall not be routed through residential areas immediately adjacent to the East Orange Campus.

D) Equipment used to perform service shall be kept secure from all patients and visitors at all times to include saws, pole saws, pruning equipment, and fuel cans.

7. SCHEDULED SERVICES

A) Small Trees up to 5” Caliper or up to 12’in height shall be spot pruned once per season in the spring employing the standards of stated in ANSI A300 Standards - Tree Care Industry Association to remove dead or damaged branches and to develop the natural form of the plant and its intent in the landscape.

B) All wooden debris from tree maintenance services shall be removed off the grounds for proper disposal at the end of each workday. The Contractor shall assume all responsibility for compliance with all Federal, State, and Municipal Laws, rules, and regulations governing the handling, transportation, and disposal of vegetative waste. Before commencing work the Contractor shall furnish copies of all required licenses and permits. In addition, evidence shall be submitted that all receiving sites possess the required permits and licenses to accept waste from the Contractor.

C) The Contractor shall be responsible for all cleanup due to performance of this contract. The Contractor shall be accountable for all cleanup costs and restoration costs required due to damage of VA property through neglect or accident as a result of contractor employee actions.

8. UNSCHEDULED SERVICES

A) The contractor shall be available upon request of the COR to provide unscheduled tree maintenance services to include:

1. Removal of dead or dying trees

2. Removal of dead or dying branches, or branches that present a hazard to buildings and personnel

3. Stump removal or grinding (include adding soil, grade, and seed stump location)

4. Removal or trimming of trees felled or damaged by storms

9. SECURITY

The C&A requirements do not apply, and that a Security Accreditation Package is not required.