S02 - RFQ Amendment Questions and Answers.docx

SUBJECT*

Pest Management Services base plus four option years

GENERAL INFORMATION

Network Contracting Office 22 4811 Airport Plaza Drive Suite 600 Long Beach CA 90815

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation Questions and answers

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Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

1. Transition & Incumbent

0. Will there be a transition period from an incumbent contractor? No, there will not be a transition period.

0. If so, can you provide incumbent information and any known existing pest conditions or service history that may impact initial performance?

1. Approved Chemicals

1. Is there an approved chemicals list available for contractor review?

1. If so, are contractors permitted to propose alternative chemicals for approval? The vendor will be required to provide SDS for all chemicals that will be used at the facility for any type of treatment. The list will then be submitted to safety for approval.

1. Fly Lights

2. Is there a required brand and model for fly lights at each location? Garner WS-95 White to ensure that they fit properly without having to patch and paint upon replacement.

2. If applicable, please specify the required equipment standards.

1. Building 500 Netting

3. During the site visit, the netting at Building 500 appeared to be in deteriorating condition.

3. If full replacement is required, will this fall within the contractor’s base scope, or would it be handled as a modification/change order? It will fall withing the base scope.

1. On-Site Presence / Workspace

4. Under the SOW, Contractor Responsibilities, Section 1.c, it is noted that the contractor must be present on campus at all times. The technician must attend to all service calls daily plus all routine checks/inspections.

4. Will a dedicated office or workspace be provided for contractor personnel, or is the contractor expected to operate without assigned space?

1. During evaluation and technical review due to concerns of public safety for pesticides applications and dealing with some public health related pests while performing IPM Pest Management services as outlined within the Statement of Work, will the government require Prime Contractors to have direct pest industry experience as well as maintain proper pesticide General Liability insurance to include pesticide pollution coverage as per National Pest Management Association Standard of Care and Best Practices guidelines in alliance of the VHA Directive 1850.02 Pest Management Operations and VAAM Appendix M815-A Department of Veterans Affairs Source Selection Guide or will the government permit subcontractors to qualify Prime Contractors that do not have pest industry experience and/or pesticide related insurance? The prime contractor must have the required insurances and meet all VHA Directives.

1. Has any part of the Statement of Work (SOW) changed in this solicitation compared to the last awarded contract? If so, what changed or was added? No changes to SOW.

1. Can the government clarify how many emergency/unscheduled service requests there have been in the past 12 months at the below listed locations?

a. West Los Angeles Medical Center (WLA) 77 Calls

b. Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center (SACC) 4 Calls

c. Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) 2 Calls

9 Can the government confirm the number of exterior rodent bait stations that are present at the below listed locations? Will the government require these to be provided by the contractor upon award?

a. West Los Angeles Medical Center (WLA) 128 bait stations

b. Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center (SACC) 53 bait stations

c. Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) 9 bait stations

10. Can the government provide how many bed bug service requests have occurred in t he past 12 months?

a. West Los Angeles Medical Center (WLA) 23 services

b. Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center (SACC) 0 services

c. Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) 2 services

11. The SOW references netting installation on Building 500 stairwells and inner courtyards, floors 3–6. Is there an existing netting system currently in place that requires repair or replacement, or is this a full new installation? Is as-built documentation or current netting specifications available for review? If installation is required, is the full cost of materials and labor expected to be absorbed within the monthly unit price, or will the government address installation costs separately outside of the monthly price? It should be added with each yearly firm-fixed-price.

12. The SOW states estimated quantities of WLA (160), SACC (60), and LAACC (25). Are these the contractor's responsibility to provide, or will existing units be transferred from the incumbent? If the government currently has fly lights installed, will the incoming contractor be required to assume, replace, or supplement those units? The current fly lights are purchased by EMS and contractor will be required to replace or install them.

13. What is the number of termite service requests that have been performed for this solicitation over the past 12 months at the below listed locations?

a. West Los Angeles Medical Center (WLA) 0 services

b. Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center (SACC) 0 services

c. Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) 0 services

14. The SOW requires annual termite inspection of every building. How many total buildings are subject to annual termite inspection across all three campuses (WLA, SACC, LAACC)? Is a building list or campus map available for offerors? Campus maps were provided during job walk and all buildings identified.

15. If termites are confirmed and immediate treatment is required, is any treatment method restricted or pre-approved by the VA? Are structural repairs associated with termite damage in scope, or limited to treatment only? Treatment only upon approval of chemical being used by Safety.

16. The SOW requires pest control treatment for government vehicles when needed. Approximately how many government vehicles are subject to treatment, and where are they garaged or stored across the three campuses? The technician would be provided that information at time-of-service request.

17. The SOW references cats, dogs, coyotes, raccoons, and snakes among miscellaneous pests. Does the VA expect the contractor to perform live trapping and relocation for these species? The contractor shall perform removal/relocation of live or dead animals off VA grounds as required and shall include but not limited to site clean-up/removal disposal of all debris, den, nest, carcass, waste/fecal matter.

18. Is the Stephens Kangaroo Rat a confirmed protected species concern? Are there known active colonies or buffer zones on or adjacent to the campus that would affect rodent control methods? None have been identified at this time.

19. Weed control is listed as part of the SOW. Can the government provide the specific areas, plant species, approximate acreage or square footage of grounds requiring weed control across the three campuses? Upon needed services or special request from COR.

1. Transition & Incumbent

8. Will there be a transition period from an incumbent contractor? No, there will not be a transition period.

8. If so, can you provide incumbent information and any known existing pest conditions or service history that may impact initial performance?

1. Approved Chemicals

9. Is there an approved chemicals list available for contractor review?

9. If so, are contractors permitted to propose alternative chemicals for approval? The vendor will be required to provide SDS for all chemicals that will be used at the facility for any type of treatment. The list will then be submitted to safety for approval.

1. Fly Lights

10. Is there a required brand and model for fly lights at each location? Garner WS-95 White to ensure that they fit properly without having to patch and paint upon replacement.

10. If applicable, please specify the required equipment standards.

1. Building 500 Netting

11. During the site visit, the netting at Building 500 appeared to be in deteriorating condition.

11. If full replacement is required, will this fall within the contractor’s base scope, or would it be handled as a modification/change order? It will fall withing the base scope.

1. On-Site Presence / Workspace

12. Under the SOW, Contractor Responsibilities, Section 1.c, it is noted that the contractor must be present on campus at all times. The technician must attend to all service calls daily plus all routine checks/inspections.

12. Will a dedicated office or workspace be provided for contractor personnel, or is the contractor expected to operate without assigned space?

1. During evaluation and technical review due to concerns of public safety for pesticides applications and dealing with some public health related pests while performing IPM Pest Management services as outlined within the Statement of Work, will the government require Prime Contractors to have direct pest industry experience as well as maintain proper pesticide General Liability insurance to include pesticide pollution coverage as per National Pest Management Association Standard of Care and Best Practices guidelines in alliance of the VHA Directive 1850.02 Pest Management Operations and VAAM Appendix M815-A Department of Veterans Affairs Source Selection Guide or will the government permit subcontractors to qualify Prime Contractors that do not have pest industry experience and/or pesticide related insurance? The prime contractor must have the required insurances and meet all VHA Directives.

1. Has any part of the Statement of Work (SOW) changed in this solicitation compared to the last awarded contract? If so, what changed or was added? No changes to SOW.

1. Can the government clarify how many emergency/unscheduled service requests there have been in the past 12 months at the below listed locations?

a. West Los Angeles Medical Center (WLA) 77 Calls

b. Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center (SACC) 4 Calls

c. Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) 2 Calls

9 Can the government confirm the number of exterior rodent bait stations that are present at the below listed locations? Will the government require these to be provided by the contractor upon award?

a. West Los Angeles Medical Center (WLA) 128 bait stations

b. Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center (SACC) 53 bait stations

c. Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) 9 bait stations

10. Can the government provide how many bed bug service requests have occurred in t he past 12 months?

a. West Los Angeles Medical Center (WLA) 23 services

b. Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center (SACC) 0 services

c. Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) 2 services

11. The SOW references netting installation on Building 500 stairwells and inner courtyards, floors 3–6. Is there an existing netting system currently in place that requires repair or replacement, or is this a full new installation? Is as-built documentation or current netting specifications available for review? If installation is required, is the full cost of materials and labor expected to be absorbed within the monthly unit price, or will the government address installation costs separately outside of the monthly price? It should be added with each yearly firm-fixed-price.

12. The SOW states estimated quantities of WLA (160), SACC (60), and LAACC (25). Are these the contractor's responsibility to provide, or will existing units be transferred from the incumbent? If the government currently has fly lights installed, will the incoming contractor be required to assume, replace, or supplement those units? The current fly lights are purchased by EMS and contractor will be required to replace or install them.

13. What is the number of termite service requests that have been performed for this solicitation over the past 12 months at the below listed locations?

a. West Los Angeles Medical Center (WLA) 0 services

b. Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center (SACC) 0 services

c. Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) 0 services

14. The SOW requires annual termite inspection of every building. How many total buildings are subject to annual termite inspection across all three campuses (WLA, SACC, LAACC)? Is a building list or campus map available for offerors? Campus maps were provided during job walk and all buildings identified.

15. If termites are confirmed and immediate treatment is required, is any treatment method restricted or pre-approved by the VA? Are structural repairs associated with termite damage in scope, or limited to treatment only? Treatment only upon approval of chemical being used by Safety.

16. The SOW requires pest control treatment for government vehicles when needed. Approximately how many government vehicles are subject to treatment, and where are they garaged or stored across the three campuses? The technician would be provided that information at time-of-service request.

17. The SOW references cats, dogs, coyotes, raccoons, and snakes among miscellaneous pests. Does the VA expect the contractor to perform live trapping and relocation for these species? The contractor shall perform removal/relocation of live or dead animals off VA grounds as required and shall include but not limited to site clean-up/removal disposal of all debris, den, nest, carcass, waste/fecal matter.

18. Is the Stephens Kangaroo Rat a confirmed protected species concern? Are there known active colonies or buffer zones on or adjacent to the campus that would affect rodent control methods? None have been identified at this time.

19. Weed control is listed as part of the SOW. Can the government provide the specific areas, plant species, approximate acreage or square footage of grounds requiring weed control across the three campuses? Upon needed services or special request from COR.