36C26224Q0035 Questions and Answers.docx

Questions and Answers for RFQ 36C26224Q0035.

Q: The PWS states clinical exam rooms are cleaned as needed under the frequency column and the action column states all to be terminally cleaned nightly. My question is do the exam rooms get cleaned nightly only or nightly as well as throughout the day in between patient use?

A: The contractor responsibility is to terminally clean nightly, unless requested by staff to clean throughout the day.

Q: Does the government provide an office space for contractor and/or its management?

A: The Government is not obligated to provide office space for contractor or its management.

Q: Does the government provide a space to launder the towels and mop heads?

A: The Government does not provide space to launder towels or mop heads.

Q: There are no Federal holidays listed in the solicitation. Are all buildings to be serviced open on Federal holidays? Please clarify.

A: Refer to updated PWS Q: In section D.1.A. General Requirements, item 10 is an incomplete statement. Could you please provide a complete statement?

Item 10 currently reads as, “Refuse Collection and Disposal. The Contractor shall use existing bulk containers to dispose of trash, refuse or recyclables generated from accomplish” A: Item 10 now reads as, “Refuse Collection and Disposal. The Contractor shall use existing bulk containers to dispose of trash, refuse or recyclables generated.”

Q: In section D.1.A. General Requirements, item 7, it states no sponges are to be used, but in section D.1.C. Facility Cleaning, item 7, Ice Machine Maintenance recommends the use of sponge. Please clarify.

A: Refer to updated PWS.

Q: In section E, Cleaning Services, item 4, Task Frequency, the 1st row states a frequency of three times a day, but the associated Action states twice a day. Please clarify.

A: The frequency of waste disposal will be two times a day.

Q: In section E, Cleaning Services, item 4, Task Frequency, the 10th row states a frequency of As Needed, but the associated Action has daily or as needed. Please clarify.

A: Refer to updated PWS.

Q: In section J, Immunizations, item 2 states, “Contractors should also consider receiving the flu vaccination” but then goes on to say they MAY be subject to policy and procedures.” – The 1st part seems contrary to the 2nd part. Please clarify.

A: Refer to updated PWS.

Q: In section M, Quality Control, item 1, Staffing, states the communication shall be followed up in writing “…no sooner than 12 hours form resignation or release.” Does this mean to be “no later” than 12 hours? (The word “form” instead of “from” is an obvious typo) Please clarify.

A: Section M, item 1 now reads “This information shall be delivered verbally and should be followed up in writing immediately, bot no later than 12 hours from resignation or release.”

Q: Section D, part G, Government Furnished Property, makes no mention of any Government-furnished equipment. Amendment 2, section E.1, question #3 references using Government equipment. What equipment is this referring to? Please clarify.

A: The government will provide no equipment for the contractor to use.

Q: In section BB, Location/Square Footage, the table of building numbers does not match the building numbers in the following section: CC, Hours, and Days of Operation by Building/Service. Buildings T5A and T26 are in section CC but not in the table in section BB, and buildings 30, 46, and 95 are in BB but not CC. Please clarify.

A: T5A and T26 were added to section BB via amendment 0003. PLEASE VERIFY HOURS FOR BUILDINGS 30, 46, and 95, refer to updated PWS.

Q: How many buildings are required to have employees stationed there permanently?

A: The buildings required to have employees stationed permanently are 30 and 95 Q: How many janitors were expected to be on site to fulfil cleaning requirements?

A: The contractor to determine staffing requirements based on the contract needs.

Q: Are the cleaning hours restricted to only VA operating hours?

A: Refer to updated PWS, section BB.

Q: Does the VA provide cleaning supplies and disposal?

A: The VA does not provide cleaning supplies and disposal. Identified in the PWS A. General requirements 1. And 6.

Q: Are our employees required to wear custom uniforms?

A: The contractor is required to wear a uniform that identifies the contracting company, to include the government issued ID badge.

Q: What is the current staffing level for ED, OR, LD critical areas? Linen distribution?

A: Not applicable to the current solicitation.

Q: What is current management structure?

A: Chief of EMS, Assistant Chief of EMS and the Administrative Officer Q: Beyond cleaning specifics, what else is in or out of scope for this agreement?

· Equipment? Supplies? Microfiber?

· Paper, Plastic, Soap?

· If full service, expectations on current staff/grandfathering?

A: All equipment, supplies, microfiber, mops, paper, plastic, and soap are a requirement for the contractor to supply. Current government staff will not be available to be hired as they will be working on different areas.

Q: Total SQFT of cleaning responsibilities on campus? And total SQFT of campus?

A: Square Footage of cleaning responsibilities can be found on the PWS, section AA. Total square footage of campus not relevant to current solicitation.

Q: How many FTEs do they have today?

A: This information is irrelevant as the government is keeping their staffing to clean different areas

Q: Due to the Continuity of Services clause (C.5 52.237-3, item c on page 18 of the solicitation) regarding allowing current personnel to transfer to the successor along with their earned fringe benefits: Please provide a list of current personnel and their earned Vacation at the time of contract start date so we can account for this.

A: As per FAR 52.237-3, “(c) The Contractor shall allow as many personnel as practicable to remain on the job to help the successor maintain the continuity and consistency of the services required by this contract. The Contractor also shall disclose necessary personnel records and allow the successor to conduct on-site interviews with these employees. If selected employees are agreeable to the change, the Contractor shall release them at a mutually agreeable date and negotiate transfer of their earned fringe benefits to the successor.”

Q: Is there a place to store utility carts for transporting equipment and cleaners? If so, where is this located, and is it secured?

A: The government will provide storage locations, housekeeping aid closets, for storage of utility carts.

Q: How many patient rooms in total?

A: Building 30 has 32 student/patient rooms, building 95 has 25 resident/patient rooms, building 100 (Fisher House) has 16 Guest/Patient rooms.

Q: How many exam rooms in total?

A: Building 30 has 1 exam room, building 90 has 12 exam rooms, Building 95 has 1 exam room, Building 100 (Fisher House) has no exam rooms.

Q: What is the average stay for patients?

A: The average stay for students/patients in building 30 is 6-8 weeks, building 90 is n/a (outpatient), building 95 is 6-8 weeks.

Q: What is the average stay for guests of Fisher House?

A: The average stay for guests of Fisher House is 5 days.

Q: Are there any window cleaning requirements?

A: There are no window cleaning requirements.

Q: What are the task and frequency requirements for the kitchen equipment at Fisher House (if any)?

A: The task required is sweeping & mopping floors and emptying trash.

Q: Can individual floor plans for each building be provided?

A: Yes, the individual floor plans can be provided upon request.

Q: Is contractor responsible for laundering bed linens and other linens in Fisher House and patient rooms? Or is the Owner responsible for laundering?

A: The contractor is not responsible for laundering bed linens in the Fisher House.

Q: Which buildings are expected to have dedicated porters?

A: See BB. of the PWS Q: Can you clarify which types of equipment are considered Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)? Is a list of the GFE available?

A: The Government does not furnish any type of equipment, such as vacuums, burnishers, scrubbers, etc.

Q: Is storage space available for contractor supplied equipment and cleaning supplies? If so, what is the approximate square footage for this storage?

A: The storage space available for contractor to use averages 110 square feet.

Q: How many restrooms are there throughout the facilities?

A: There are 133 restrooms throughout the facilities.

Q: What is the sq.ft. of floors that receive strip and wax, how often is this to be done?

A: Refer to the task frequency chart in the PWS.

Q: How many porters/ staff do you guys currently have?

A: The question is not relevant to the solicitation Q: Is the offeror responsible for hand soap, toilet paper, and paper towels?

A: Yes, the offeror is responsible for providing hand soap, toilet paper, and paper towels.

Q: PWS B.2 CLINS 0001, 0002, 0003, 0004 – Are the staffing times listed for each CLIN to include having to staff on holidays?

A: Refer to updated PWS Q: Section B.2 CLINS 0001, 0002 – In the description it states that “each building has its own modified task frequency”. In E.4 (Task Frequency) the only designate area is the Fisher House in these tasks. Can you give the “modified cleaning frequency for each building” or clarify the task for each building per section E.4?

A: please refer to updated PWS.

Q: PWS A.7 – Will the government provide laundry service for the contractor?

A: The Government will provide laundry service for government furnished linen. However, it is the responsibility of the contractor to provide linen service for contractor uniforms, mops, rags, etc.

Q: PWS A.11 - The section State that “a day porter” is to be provided and implies a single day porter is to be provided. Is this the expectation of the government, if not what is the expectation of the government for the number of the day porters that contractor is to provide?

A: The contractor is responsible for determining the number of porters based on the task frequency stated in the solicitation, for ensuring supplies are always fully stocked and the product does not run out.

Q: PWS C.3 – What are the total number of elevators required under this section.

A: There are 3 elevators required under this section.

Q: PWS. C.3 What are the total number of stairwells and the approximate square footage required under this section?

A: There are a total of 14 stairwells with a square footage of 2206 sq. ft.

Q: PWS C.11 – Is the contractor responsible for cleaning the interior side of all exterior windows? If so, what is the total number of windows that are to be cleaned.

A: Spot cleaning is required due to spills, splashes, etc.

Q: PWS D - What is the total square footage of the bathrooms and what are the number of bathrooms required in this section?

A: There are a total of 133 bathrooms. Bathrooms can vary in square footage and can vary from 44 square foot to 152 square feet.

Q: PWS D – Are all the bathrooms ceramic tile?

A: Most of the bathrooms are ceramic tile or similar floor type.

Q: PWS D – What are the types of paper towels and toilet paper that is to be supplied and the type of dispensers? For examples are the paper towels rolls or multifold and is the toilet paper jumbo rolls or small rolls?

A: The paper towels are Jumbo rolls or C-Fold, toilet paper is also jumbo or single roll.

Q: PWS E.4 - How many and what is the square footage of the food service area to services and what buildings are they in?

A: There are no food service areas in the contract.

Q: PWS E.4 - What is the total square footage of the Clinical areas and what buildings are they in?

A: The square footage of the clinical areas for building 90 is 3930 sq. ft.

Q: PWS E.4 - What is the total square footage of the common areas?

A: See updated PWS Q: PWS E.4 – What is the total square footage of the administrative areas and what buildings does this include?

A: All buildings in the solicitation are administrative buildings with the exception of portions of buildings 30, 90, and 95.

Q: PWS E.4 – How many exam rooms are in the clinical areas that need to be terminally cleaned?

A: 14 exam rooms are in the clinical areas that will need to be terminally cleaned.

Q: PWS G.3 - Is there supplies or equipment that government will be furnishing that is listed?

A: The Government will provide hand sanitizer, cavi-wipes, dispatch wipes, feminine products, Kleenex and masks.

Q: PWS - Are there janitor closets in each building, if not which buildings have them? And how many in each building?

A: Building 5 has 2, building 6 has 2, building 30 has 2, building 45 has 1, building 46 has 1, building 47 has 1, building 53 has 1, building 59 has 1, building 66 has 1, building 77 has 1, building 90 has 3, building 95 has 1 and building 100 has 1.

Q: What is the drug testing going to include? Exclude? RX etc. What will barring convictions?

A: Contractors are not subject to drug testing Q: What is needed for the HAZMAT local communication and monitoring? Is this just a person that is on the team?

A: Refer to updated PWS.

Q: What is the limit to the furniture we will have to move for flooring work?

A: Only items that are on casters or wheels.

Q: Will flooring work be assigned to the contractor or will we make the decision on what flooring takes priority?

A: There will be combination of both. Depending on the needs of the facility.

Q: Can we get a total of RR in each building?

A: building 2 has 1, building 5 has 4, building 6 has 3, building 7 has 2, building 8 has 1, building 9 has 2, building 11 has 2, building 12 has 2, building 13 has 2, building 14 has 1, building 30 has 43, building 45 has 2, building 46 has 2, building 47 has 2, building 53 has 2, building 59 has 2, building 65A has 2, building 65B has 2, building 65C has 2, building 66 has 2, building 68 has 1, building 69 has 1, building 72 has 1, building 73 has 1, building 77 has 2, building 90 has 10, building 95 has 28, and building 100 has 17.

Multi Question: PWS paragraph 6. States: The cleaning equipment and the cleaning materials will be the responsibility of the contractor… PWS paragraph G. Government Furnished Property States: Government will provide the following supplies for contractor to put in the designated areas in which they are used, this list is subject to changes: Kleenex, Purell Hand Sanitizer, Cavi Wipes, Dispatch Wipes, Feminine Napkins, Surgical Mask.

Solicitation 36C26224Q0035-0002 updated the Instructions to Offerors and added a list of 9 questions. Question 2 states: Do you have a problem providing some cleaning supplies or equipment if needed? In emergent situations, the government may provide cleaning supplies or equipment.

Question 3 states: If you use our equipment and your staff causes it to become inoperative, are you financially prepared to pay the cost of repairs and/or replacement? Contractor is not authorized to use government equipment.

· Q: In Accordance With (IAW) paragraph 6: Is the contractor expected to provide all the cleaning supplies based upon the information above?

· A: Yes, the contractor is expected to provide all cleaning supplies.

· Q: IAW paragraph G: Are the supplies listed what the Government is going to provide throughout the contract period of performance?

· A: The Government will provide hand sanitizer, cavi-wipes, dispatch wipes, feminine products, Kleenex and surgical masks.

· Q: IAW amendment 2, question 2: what are the cleaning supplies the government is anticipating the vendor to provide?

· A: The vendor is to provide all cleaning supplies.

· Q: IAW amendment 2, question 2: what is the equipment the government anticipates the vendor to provide?

· A: The government expects the vendor to provide all equipment.

· Q: IAW amendment 2, question 3: what is the equipment list of equipment the government has and what is the current condition, age?

· A: The government will not provide any equipment.

Q: IAW PWS paragraph F. Contractor provided equipment & Supplies: All equipment used in the performance of this contract shall be in good operable condition and carry a U/L…and the contractor shall provide adequate numbers of equipment items and vehicles to effectively fulfill the scope of this contract… Solicitation 36C26224Q0035-0002 updated the Instructions to Offerors and added a list of 9 questions. Question 2 states: Do you have a problem providing some cleaning supplies or equipment if needed? The government will not provide any cleaning supplies or equipment.

IAW PWS paragraph F and amendment 2: can the government provide a list of equipment they anticipate providing to include the condition and age of this equipment? This will help the vendors submitting quotes to have the ability to actually provide the correct pricing based upon the actual government requirements/needs.

A: The government will not provide any equipment.

Q: IAW PWS paragraph J. Immunizations: The contractor shall ensure that all contractor employees assigned to perform work under this contract are free of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis, prior to entering VA facilities. All contract employees shall have the following immunizations required by “Immunizations and Chemoprophylaxis” prior to an employee being allowed to perform work under this contract…Any required immunizations will be at the contractor’s expense…Mumps, Measles, Tuberculosis Skin Test, Rubella, Tetanus, Varicella, Diphtheria, Hepatitis B, Polio, COVID-19.

Per The White House statement and releases as of 1 May 2023: “Today, we are announcing that the Administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for Federal employees, Federal contractors, and international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the COVID-19 public health emergency ends. Additionally, HHS and DHS announced today that they will start the process to end their vaccination requirements for Head Start educators, CMS-certified healthcare facilities, and certain noncitizens at the land border…” Is the list of required immunizations correct, specifically the COVID 19?

A: VHA requires COVID-19 vaccination Q: IAW PWS paragraph V. Facility Access Requirements and Parking: Personnel performing work under this contract are required to apply for SAVAHCS Contractor Identification Badges. The point of contact for processing these requests is the COR. Contractor personnel must provide fingerprints, driver licenses, and any other necessary information… What is the procedure for obtaining the Contractor Identification Badges and how long does this process take after the contract award notification?

A: The contractor will schedule fingerprint appointment at SAVAHCS then fill out OF-306, Self-certification form, and PSAC form which will then be uploaded to the Personnel Security Adjudication Center to perform the background check. The process can take between 3-6 weeks.

Q: IAW PWS paragraph L. Background Check: Contractor will be required to ensure all personnel pass drug screening, E-Verify, and nationwide background checks as according to VA regulations.

A: What is the procedure for obtaining the background checks and how long does this process take after the contract award notification? The contractor will schedule fingerprint appointment at SAVAHCS then fill out OF-306, Self-certification form, and PSAC form which will then be uploaded to the Personnel Security Adjudication Center to perform the background check. The process can take between 3-6 weeks.

Q: IAW PWS paragraph CC. Hours and Day of Operation by Building/Service:

The hours and days of operation will be different depending on building operations. They are as follows: x Buildings 2, 5, T5A, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, T26, 45, 47, 53, 59, 65A, 65B, 65C, 66, 68, 69, 72, 73, 77,90:

Days of Operation: Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday off o Porter services 7:30a-4:00p General/deep clean services 3:30p-12a (Midnight) Building 100 estimated Square Feet = 12,621 Days of Operation: Monday through Saturday, with Sunday off Porter services & general/deep clean services 7:00a-4:30p, Monday through Friday 8:00a-4:30p, Saturday *NOTE: Contractor Supervisor will receive all duty direction and training from Chief, Environmental Management Service (EMS), Assistant Chief EMS or designee and at no time shall direction come from Fisher House staff Solicitation 36C26224Q0035-0002 updated the Instructions to Offerors: Question 1 states – Will you have your staff readily available to work holidays and/or weekends?

Does question 1 mean that the Hours and Operation noted in the PWS may be different and subject to change? If so, does this mean that we need to maintain a staff on call to cover unexpected issues/emergencies? If we need an on-call staff will the PWS be revised, and a Contract Line Item (CLIN) be created for On Call Unit Pricing?

A: Buildings 30 and 95 will be required to be staffed on holidays and weekends, all other buildings holiday and weekend exempt.

Q: Solicitation 36C26224Q0035-0002 updated the Instructions to Offerors: Question 4 states: Can you satisfy the workforce requirement for all areas of concern to get the job completed to our standards?

Does question 4 “Can you satisfy the workforce requirement for all areas of concern to get the job completed to our standards?” mean that the workforce requirements for all areas of concern to get the job completed to our standards are different as noted in the PWS and any attachments to the current solicitation?

A: Contractors are required to follow the standards in the PWS and any attachments.

Q: IAW PWS paragraph 9. it States: The services will be performed in accordance with VA policies, the Environmental Services Procedure Guide for the SAVAHCS which will be made available after award of the contract, and the regulations of the medical staff by-law of the VA facility.

Can the government provide the Environmental Services Procedure Guide so all vendors can answer the solicitation amendment 2 question number 4 correctly and know what the actual requirements are for this solicitation?

A: Requirement removed from PWS.

Q: It seems likely that a few golf carts would be required to effectively provide day porter coverage. Will the government provide a location to park and charge these?

A: Contractor shall install meters at contractor expense and furnish the medical center COR a monthly record of the contractors usage of electricity Q: Will the Fisher House have a required staffing level (ie 2 persons scheduled during operations hours)?

A: Contractor to determine staffing levels Q: PWS states pg. 37 C. Facility cleaning 1. Hard floors VCT, Tile, Wood, Concrete to be stripped and waxed on a semi-annual basis. Page 43 Task Frequency states all rooms wax strip, scrub, seal, including elevators and stairs to be performed on a “as needed basis”. Can the government make the correction, so the sub-contractor has a better understanding of what service needs to be performed an at what frequency?

A: The frequency will be semi-annual and/or as needed.

Q: When was the last time the hard floors have been stripped, and waxed?

A: The last time the hard floors were stripped and waxed is within the last 18 months.

Q: Is there an office, laydown area with a kitchen for the custodial crew?

A: The government does not provide an office or laydown area for custodial crew.

Q: Can the awardee have some type of golf cart for the day porters to get to each location in a timely manner? If so, is there an available charging station?

A: The government does not provide golf carts to contractors.

Q: Under qualifications for employees it states that immunizations include Covid-19 shots. Is it mandatory for the employee to have this and will they need to keep up with the booster shot as it comes forth annually at the VA medical center?

A: VHA requires COVID-19 vaccination, booster shot is recommended but not required Q: PWS states building 100 time is from 7:00am to 4:30 pm on weekdays. Does this mean janitorial and day porter can work together during the day at that time?

A: Refer to BB. Of PWS for clarification.

Q: Does the government expect the new awardee to have the floor cleaning the same condition as seen on the site walk?

A: Refer to the PWS section C. 1.

Q: How many offices are in building 90?

A: There are 102 offices in building 90 Q: How many beds are in building 90?

A: There are no beds in building 90 Q: Are bed linens to be changed out at building 30? If so, how many beds and what is the frequency and what is the expected turn around on cleaning the sheets and have them back for changing sheets?

A: There are a total of 31 beds and linen are changed at discharge.

Q: Will the government provide washers and dryers onsite for laundry service including bed linens and cleaning rags and towels?

A: The government will not provide washers and dryers, bed linens are professionally cleaned at the cost of the government. Contractor cleaning towels, rags, etc. are cleaned at the cost of the contractor.

Q: Does the government currently have employees performing the custodial work? If so, Will the awardee have the opportunity to hire them for the custodial services?

A: The government is keeping their staffing to clean different areas.

Q: What is the expected time frame for a day porter to show up when called for an incident?

A: The expected time from for a day porter to show up when called for an incident is 15 minutes.

Q: Can the contractor have a few day porters and spread them over multiple buildings?

A: The contractor to determine staffing methodology.

Q: If there are basements or below ground levels, is there a responsibility to perform services to said areas?

A: The contractor is not responsible for basements or below ground levels, except for building 30.

Q: Can the government provide the square footage breakdown for carpet, VCT, hard wood, and laminate for each building? Please also provide the square footage of floors that need to be stripped and waxed by building and the square footage of floors that need to be shampooed by building.

A: Due to functional changes of the medical center, flooring types can change, therefore resulting in an inaccurate estimate of flooring types.

Q: Are there bed sheet linens to be changed at the mental health building? If so, how many and what is the frequency?

A: There are 26 beds requiring linen to be changed at discharge.

Q: How many beds in total are to be dressed and changed?

A: There are 57 beds that are to be dressed and changed.

Q: Under the Task Frequency, Daily- Fisher house only states to clean or wet mop “outside patios”. Can the custodians use a reachable outdoor blower for the patios?

A: The custodians are allowed, if the contractor is willing to provide an outdoor blower for the patio.

Q: Can the government provide a usage qty. of paper towels, toilet paper, sanitizer and soap used in the last fiscal year?

A: Last fiscal year the government usage of the following items:

Paper, toilet, Jumbo (12/CS ) total of 1593 cases.

Soap, Hand, 0.5% PCMX, 1200M (2/CT) total of 1901 cases.

Towel, Multifold, White (16/CS) total of 947 cases.

Towel, Paper, Roll 800 Line (6/CS) total of 1372 cases.

Paper, Toilet small (96/CS) total of 78 cases Q: Under facility cleaning #11. Windows/interior all glass should be smudge free including windows, partitions, display cases ect. Are the exterior windows included and at what frequency if so?

A: The contractor is responsible for the interior only.

Q: How many employees does the incumbent currently have for the 2 buildings they are providing services?

A: It is not the responsibility of the government to disclose that information Q: Have many employees are there currently serving or performing as day porters and janitors for the 30 buildings that are under the RFP?

A: It is not the responsibility of the government to disclose that information Q: Where are we able to store our equipment?

A: The government will provide Housekeeping Aid closets for storage of equipment and supplies.

Q: How are we able to store our supplies?

A: The government will provide Housekeeping Aid closets for storage of equipment and supplies.

Q: Page 38 of 84 #8- the last sentence says,….cleaning buckets shall be inaccessible? What is meant by inaccessible?

A: When said items are not in use they are to be secured.

Q: Page 39 of 48 #11 Windows/Interior glass- broken out by building- what is the square footage of the glass that needs to be cleaned?

A: The expectation of the contractor is solely to remove traces of film, dirt, smudges, water, or other foreign matter.

Q: Page 41 of 84 #4 Task Frequency chart- strip and wax says as needed, but page 38 of 84 says the requirement is semi-annual; please advise/update the chart to reflect the correct requirement.

A: Refer to revised task frequency of PWS.

Q: Page 42 of 84 #4 Task Frequency chart- Fisher House-Guest Room- floors vacuumed- chart says as needed (yes, typically when there is a checkout), but the action column says twice daily. Please clarify the correct frequency.

A: refer to the updated PWS Q: Page 42 of 84 #4 Task Frequency chart- How many curtains need to be changed each quarter?

A: Building 30 has 1 exam room, Building 90 has 12 exam rooms, Building 95 has 1 exam room, Building 100 (Fisher House) has no exam rooms.

Q: Page 42 of 84 #4 Task Frequency chart- are the curtains using the new quick click system for change out, or are they still traditional curtains?

A: They are the traditional curtains Q: Page 42 of 84 #4 Task Frequency chart- this says twice annually for carpet shampooing, but page 38 of 84 states it is to be done annually. Please advise which is the correct frequency.

A: Refer updated PWS Q: Page 43 of 84 #4 Task Frequency chart- terminal clean- frequency says as needed, and the action column says terminated each night. Please clarify the correct frequency.

A: Refer to updated PWS Q: On page 58 under technical submission, it states that we are to provide a proposed annual schedule for the required services. However, on Page 54 under section Z. Schedules, Inspections, Documentation paragraph 1 states that the Annual Schedule for Services is to be submitted to the COR & CO for acceptance upon Contract Award.

Does the government want the Annual Schedule for Services with the proposal or upon contract award?

A: A proposed schedule shall be submitted in the technical submission portion of the proposal.

Q: In section D.1.B. Key Control, the numbering starts with 2. Is there a number 1 missing?

A: No, that is an error. There should only be two numbers for that section.

Q: In section F, Contractor Provided Equipment and Supplies, the only two items are numbered 2 and 5. Should this be 1 and 2? Or are there missing items? Please clarify.

A: No, that is an error. There should only be two numbers for that section. It should be listed as 1 and 2.

Q: In section X, Government Contracting Officer Representative/Point of Contact, no names are included for the 2 positions. Please clarify.

A: This information will be filled in upon award. This omission was intentional and was meant to have one point of contact for this opportunity, Koby Thiel, to avoid confusion and to ensure all information is documented.

Q: There is no mention or reference to a wage determination in the solicitation. Please clarify.

A: There is mention of a wage determination. Section D.2 lists the locality.

Q: Is the bid total for a one year contract or is it for the total five requested?

A: Please submit a bid for all five years requested.

Q: Is there an incumbent contractor and what is the total contract value?

A: The incumbent contractor is W. Harris, Government Services Contractor, Inc. and had a period of performance of 5 years and 4 months. The scope was different and therefore the contract value is not relevant.

Q: What’s the realistic “go-live” or conversion date?

A: Currently, the new contract is set to begin February 1st, but that date may change if delays occur along the way.

Q: Why is the contract going out to bid now?

A: The contract is going to bid now to allow for any administrative items to occur to allow for the contract to begin February 1st.

Q: What is the current monthly billing for each line item on the Price/Cost Schedule to be submitted?

A: The current contract’s scope is different than the upcoming contract and has a different line item structure and line items.

Q: VA Form 10091, FMS Vendor File Request: Amendment #2 indicates this form must be faxed into the VA Financial Services Center in Austin. We understand that this is now an on-line only process after having just completed the process for another VA contract. Can you confirm that we should still send in using the manual process via fax?

A: Please submit 10091 forms online.

Q: Can you confirm your VA Station as #678? (Verification needed for VA Form 10091).

A: That is correct, 678 is the station.

Q: In the 2nd paragraph of Amendment 2, INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, it states:

"Each quotation submitted in hard copy format shall include one copy of the quote."

Isn't this an electronic submission with no hard copy involved? Please clarify.

A: Hard copies are acceptable but emailed copies are preferred.

Q: Quoting from the Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 187 / Thursday, September 28, 2023:

"SUMMARY: The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor (the Department) is issuing this notice to announce the applicable minimum wage rate for workers performing work on or in connection with federal contracts covered by Executive Order 14026, Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors (the Executive Order or the order). Beginning on January 1, 2024, the Executive Order 14026 minimum wage rate that generally must be paid to workers performing work on or in connection with covered contracts will increase to $17.20 per hour."

We assume the Health and Welfare Benefit minimum required will be unchanged from the SCA Wage Determination # 2015-5473 Revision 20 referenced in the Solicitation, which calls for $4.98 per hour.

This establishes a total minimum hourly wage for Janitor employees of $22.18, as opposed to the rate shown for Janitors in the referenced SCA WD.

Question: Would the government please confirm that the above accurately establishes the required wage rates under this solicitation, in lieu of the rates shown in the solicitation stated Wage Determination # 2015-5473 Revision 20?

A: The equivalent rate is $17.41 plus $4.98 for fringe benefits.

Q: PWS K. and V - In order to have the required training and badging completed the contractor will need a 30 day phase in period. Can this be added a separate CLIN?

A: There are not plans for that to be added as a separate CLIN at this time, no.

Q: IAW PWS paragraph Q. Optional Emergency Call-Back Service: Emergency call back service shall be provided in response to requests from the Contracting Officer, the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), or the clinic representative in accordance with instructions in the contract. CLIN 0005 states to refer to this section for information.

This section states that the COR or the clinic representative in accordance with the instruction in the contract... Where are the instructions located that this paragraph is referring to?

A: This is referring to Section Q Optional Emergency Call-Back Service in the Performance Work Statement.

Q: Should the submission be based upon the current Sqft or should we bid based upon the final square footage after building 90's construction is completed?

A: Bid based on the current square footage. We will then do a modification when that construction project is a complete. That information was added in there to make sure all bidders understood that will be occurring eventually.

Q: Will the government provide IDIQ money for a one-time initial deep cleaning for the restroom floors?

A: There are not plans to do so, no.

Q: Is the contractor to bid separately on the additional 12,000 sq. ft. that will be brought in at building 90? Is the contractor to add it to the current bid?

A: Please submit a bid for the current square footage and then when construction concludes, a modification will be made to accommodate this change in square footage. This is because construction can have delays. This information was included on the PWS to give a heads up that this change will be occurring eventually.

Q: Clin x005 is identified as Emergency calls and requests a price for 1 year.

How many hours would you like that estimated to be?

A: Leave at $0.00 and the price will be negotiated when exercised. X005 is now x004 and will act the same. This line item is to allow for any emergency service that is required and will be used if/when needed.

Q: Page 39 & 40 of 84- Section E- is #3 a duplicate of #2? If not, please clarify the intention to have it the same.

A: This was a mistake. They are the same but do not have differing meanings. Bullet 3 has been deleted.

Q: Due to the Continuity of Services clause (C.5 52.237-3, item c on page 18 of the solicitation) regarding allowing current personnel to transfer to the successor along with their earned fringe benefits: Please provide a list of current personnel and their earned Vacation at the time of contract start date so we can account for this.

A: As per FAR 52.237-3, “(c) The Contractor shall allow as many personnel as practicable to remain on the job to help the successor maintain the continuity and consistency of the services required by this contract. The Contractor also shall disclose necessary personnel records and allow the successor to conduct on-site interviews with these employees. If selected employees are agreeable to the change, the Contractor shall release them at a mutually agreeable date and negotiate transfer of their earned fringe benefits to the successor.”

The successor to the contract is the only entity that will be given this information after award is made.

Q: If full service, expectations on current staff/grandfathering?

A: Current government employees will continue their services in other buildings.