Attachment 1 - Questions and Answers.docx

Questions and Answers Document – Solicitation 36C26126Q0750

1. We would like to know if this is a brand new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services. If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number?

This is a new requirement. There is no incumbent contractor and no current active contract for this requirement. However, a contract was awarded for a similar requirement for this customer in 2023 under Contract No. 36C26124C0012. That contract included a base period and one option period, and the option period expired in 2025.

2. The synopsis states the Government reserves the right to award without discussions but does not identify the evaluation method. Will award be made on a lowest price technically acceptable basis, or on a best value tradeoff? If tradeoff, please identify the evaluation factors and their relative importance.

The solicitation identifies the evaluation method and evaluation factors. Offerors are directed to FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Products and Commercial Services; the Addendum to FAR 52.212-1; FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation—Commercial Products and Commercial Services; and the Addendum to FAR 52.212-2.

The evaluation factors are identified in the Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 and in FAR 52 .212-2 as Technical Approach, Past Performance, and Price.

The Addendum to FAR 52.212-2 (d) states that the Government will evaluate quotations using the comparative evaluation process outlined in RFO 12.203(c)(2), where quotations will be compared to one another to determine which provides the best benefit to the Government. The solicitation further states that the Government reserves the right to consider a quotation other than the lowest priced quotation if the additional benefits provided are determined to be worth the associated price difference. However, the Government is not required to select a quotation exceeding the minimum requirements. Each quotation must meet the minimum requirements of the solicitation.

3. A possible typographical error. The synopsis description states the Department intends to award a contract for commercial plumbing services, while the remainder of the solicitation and the Performance Work Statement address landscape and grounds maintenance. Please confirm the requirement is landscape and grounds maintenance as described in the PWS.

The Government confirms the requirement is for Landscape and Grounds Maintenance services. The reference to commercial plumbing services in the synopsis was an administrative error. The solicitation, PWS, and attachments correctly identify the requirement as landscaping and grounds maintenance.

4. Certified arborist. CLIN x001 and CLIN x002 both reference certified arborist support. Please confirm whether the arborist must be an employee of the contractor, or whether a subcontracted or on-call certified arborist satisfies the requirement.

The certified arborist is not required to be an employee of the contractor and may be subcontracted as stated in the Performance Work Statement (PWS) under section 5.2.

5. Would the VA be willing to schedule an additional walkthrough or allow a vendor to inspect the site with an authorized VA representative before the quote deadline?

The VA will facilitate an additional site visit on August 19, 2026 at 11am. The terms and meeting location of the site visit will be the same as the original site visit as noted in the solicitation.

6. Would the Government be willing to post or provide the sign-in sheet from the August 5, 2026 site visit for the Landscape and Grounds Maintenance requirement at the Fresno VA Medical Center? This would be helpful for our records and subcontractor coordination.

Please see Amendment 0001, Attachment 2, which includes the site visit sign-in sheet for vendors who attended the site visit.

7. Can you please share a complete set of Landscaping plans for this job as there is only one site map is attached on the sam.gov website we need complete set of plans in order submit this bid.

A single comprehensive landscape plan is not available due to the numerous construction projects that have occurred since the most recent landscape development in 2012. The numerous landscape plans that have been implemented since 2012 and the original 2012 landscape plans will be made available to the awarded contractor as reference information, without guarantee of accuracy.