Questions and Responses - 36C256-21-Q-1777 Amendment 0001.pdf

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation 36C256-21-Q-1777 Questions and Responses

1. Who is the incumbent?

Response: Ninety Five South, Inc.

2. What is the annual value of the existing contract?

Response: This information will not be provided. The previous contract was awarded to Ninety Five South, Inc. under General Services Administration contract number GS-21F-041BA, Task Order number VA256-16-F-0804 for $2,598,000.00 with an effective date of July 1, 2016.

3. How can a site visit be arranged?

Response: A site visit will be offered on Friday, September 10, 2021 at 10:00a.m. Please arrive early to allow time for traffic and parking. The site visit will begin promptly at 10:00a.m. Once the site visit departs, you may miss the entire site visit.

Meeting: Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center 2002 Holcombe Blvd., Building 100, EMS Office 4C211 Houston, Texas 77030 Time : 10:00am Contact Name: Charles Brown Contact Number: 832-758-1196

4. I was looking at the building diagram and I noticed it’s two different layouts and I was trying to see which one is the updated diagram. I was wondering about the building layouts on which one is accurate about the square footage, because one diagram I see some buildings are not included and just wanted to make sure.

Response: Please follow the information listed in the Performance Work Statement, section 1.6 for the square footage and building information.

5. Discussion: Solicitation 4.a.ii (pg 57) describes the past performance for this effort as requiring experience executing projects providing janitorial services in medical facilities totaling 200,000 SF. With an understanding of the high standards of cleanliness that are associated with medical facilities, we would offer that similar contracts require the same rigorous standards of cleanliness.

Question: Will the Government consider broadening the types of facilities that will be accepted as past performance to include laboratories, facilities that adhere to IEHA standards, etc.…?

Response: Please see the updated FAR 52.212-1 Addendum issued with Amendment 0001.

6. Discussion: PWS 5.3 (pg 18) states that the contractor must be IEHA certified. This requirement will greatly restrict the number of bidders who are able to submit proposals towards this solicitation.

Question: Will the Government please provide more detail about the certification that the contractor must possess? Will the Government consider eliminating this requirement?

Response: No. The Government will not remove this requirement. Information concerning the IEHA certification is listed at the websites below.

1. https://www.ieha.org/

2. https://www.ieha.org/documents/IEHA-Booth-Flyer-2021-rev5.pdf

3. https://www.ieha.org/edu_2-CESE-Certified-Environmental-Services-Executive

7. Discussion: PWS 5.3.2 (pg 19) states that all resumes of personnel must be submitted by the proposal due date. With the solicitation being released on 31 August and proposals due on 09 September, this does not provide contractors adequate time to field quality candidates.

Question: Will the Government consider revising this requirement so that only the resumes of key personnel (i.e. shift leads and the CEH) are required by the proposal due date?

Response: The Government is only requesting the resume of the Certified Executive Housekeeper.

Please see the updated FAR 52.212-1 Addendum issued with Amendment 0001.

8. Discussion: Contractor proposals are currently due 09 September; due to the requirements outlined in Section E this, coupled with the responses to questions, will not allow for adequate time for contractors to provide thorough responses.

Question: Will the government consider pushing back the due date on submitted proposals?

Response: Amendment 0001 includes the solicitation due date.

9. Reference: Request for Quote, page 1 of 2, paragraph 6, Places of Performance: “The place of performance shall be all of the building numbers listed in section 1.6 of the PWS on the Michael E.

DeBakey VA Medical Center Campus”.

Question: Will the government permit a site visit of the facilities?

Response: Please see the response to question three.

10. Reference: PWS, page 7 of 80, paragraph 1.6 Buildings Question: Can the government provide a map with locations of buildings listed in the table included in this section?

Response: The Government has added several new buildings, so a new report is not available.

11. Reference: PWS, page 14 of 80, paragraph 5.2.1 Carpet Maintenance Question: Can the government provide the square footage carpeted flooring for each facility?

Response: The Government has added several new buildings, so a new report is not available. The Government will conduct a site visit. Please see the response to question three for the site visit information.

12. Reference: PWS, page 15 of 80, paragraph 5.2.6 Floor maintenance (non-carpeted) Question: Can the government provide the square footage non-carpeted flooring for each facility?

Response: The Government has added several new buildings, so a new report is not available. The

13. Reference: PWS, page 16 of 80, paragraph 5.2.9 Parking Lots and Sidewalks Question: Can the government provide the square footage of parking lots and sidewalks to be maintained?

Response: No sidewalks are included with this requirement. Section 5.2.9 was updated to remove this requirement.

14. Reference: PWS, page 16 of 80, paragraph 5.2.14 Window Cleaning Interior Question: Can the government provide the quantity of interior windows to be cleaned for each facility?

Response: The only glass needing to be maintained is minimal and would be doors and windows only.

The Government has added several new buildings, so a new report is not available. The Government will conduct a site visit. Please see the response to question three for the site visit information.

15. Reference: PWS, page 16 of 80, paragraph 5.2.15 Window Cleaning Exterior Question: Can the government provide the quantity of exterior windows to be cleaned for each facility, and how many floor levels?

Response: This requirement was removed from the Performance Work Statement.

16. Reference: PWS, page 17 of 80, paragraph 5.2.22 Restrooms Question: Can the government provide the square footage of restrooms for each facility.

Response: The Government has added several new buildings, so a new report is not available. The

17. Reference: PWS, page 18 of 80, paragraph 5.3.2 “The contractor shall provide a resume of all personnel by the solicitation due date.”

Question: Can the government verify that resumes are required of all employees to be include in the proposal?

Response: The Government is only requesting the resume of the Certified Executive Housekeeper.

Please see the updated FAR 52.212-1 Addendum issued with Amendment 0001.

18. In section 5.1 – Tasks and Cleaning Standards, the task frequency chart lists as #44 “Strip and Wax” – frequency indicated is monthly. In the same chart, #27 “Strip and Wax” – the frequency is listed as semi-annually. Which is correct?

Response: Every six months is the correct frequency.

19. Is there an incumbent on this contract? a. If so, what is the monthly cost

Response: The Government cannot provide the monthly cost. The previous contract was awarded to Ninety Five South, Inc. under General Services Administration contract number GS-21F-041BA, Task Order number VA256-16-F-0804 for $2,598,000.00 with an effective date of July 1, 2016.

20. Can you provide a breakdown of square footage of carpet/tile/other floors?

Response: The Government has added several new buildings, so a new report is not available. The

21. Since there are areas designated “not .. accessible during normal work hours (i.e. exam rooms, direct patient care areas” that will need to be scheduled for cleaning between 1800 and 0700, can you provide the square footage of those areas to assist in planning for a night crew size? Does not pertain to this contract.

Response: This contract does not have any exam rooms or offices.

22. Section 1.1.1 Description of services states: “The contractor shall provide all personnel, supplies (in accordance with the regulations and instructions in this Performance Work Statement (PWS)), supervision, tools, materials, equipment, transportation and other items and non-personal services necessary to provide custodial services in accordance with this PWS. The contractor shall perform to the standards in the contract as well as Environmental Management Services (EMS) Sanitation Procedure Guide, all local, state and federal regulations.”; it then states: “The contractor shall replace paper towels, toilet tissue, hand soap, and hand sanitizer which will be provided by the Government.”

Is the government supplying the paper towels, toilet tissue, hand soap and hand sanitizer or is the contractor responsible for the supplies?

Response: The Government will provide these items.

23. Could you kindly advise when answers can be expected? Will the due date be extended commensurately?

Response: The responses are provided with Amendment 0001.