36C77624B0013_1.docx

36C77624B0013

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER

2. TYPE OF SOLICITATION

3. DATE ISSUED

PAGE OF PAGES

4. CONTRACT NUMBER

5. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUEST NUMBER

6. PROJECT NUMBER

7. ISSUED BY

CODE

8. ADDRESS OFFER TO

a. NAME

b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) (NO COLLECT CALLS)

10. THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES PERFORMANCE OF THE WORK DESCRIBED IN THESE DOCUMENTS (Title, identifying number, date) 12a. THE CONTRACTOR MUST FURNISH ANY REQUIRED PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS?

(If "YES," indicate within how many calendar days after award in Item 12B.)

12b. CALENDAR DAYS

13. ADDITIONAL SOLICITATION REQUIREMENTS:

STANDARD FORM 1442 (REV. 8/2014)

STANDARD FORM 1442

Prescribed by GSA-FAR (48 CFR) 52.236-1(d)

SOLICITATION, OFFER,

AND AWARD

(Construction, Alteration, or Repair)

SOLICITATION

SOLICITATION

IMPORTANT - The "offer" section on the reverse must be fully completed by offeror.

9. FOR INFORMATION

CALL:

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

11. The Contractor shall begin performance within ____________ calendar days and complete it within calendar days after receiving award, notice to proceed. This performance period is mandatory negotiable. (See _____________________________).

YES

NO

a.

Sealed offers in original and ___________________copies to perform the work required are due at the place specified in Item 8 by _____________ (hour) local time _____________________ (date). If this is a sealed bid solicitation, offers must be publicly opened at that time. Sealed envelopes containing offers shall be marked to show the offeror's name and address, the solicitation number, the date and time offers are due.

b.

An offer guarantee is, is not required.

c.

All offers are subject to the (1) work requirements, and (2) other provisions and clauses incorporated in the solicitation in full text or by reference.

d.

Offers providing less than _______________________ calendar days for Government acceptance after the date offers are due will not be considered and will be rejected.

36C77624B0013 X 04-30-2024 614-22-700 36C776 Department of Veterans Affairs Program Contracting Activity Central 6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence OH 44131 Department of Veterans Affairs Program Contract Activity Central 6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence OH 44131 Sharese McKinney 216-447-8300 In accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 8127 (Public Law 109-461), this project is a competitive Service-Disabled Veteran - Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside.

The contractor shall provide all tools, equipment, materials, labor, supervision, personnel, and shall do all things necessary that will result in the completion of the EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades construction project, in accordance with the attached Specifications and Drawings.

The project is located at the:

Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center 1030 Jefferson Ave Memphis, TN 38104

VAAR Magnitude of Construction: $20,000,000 to $50,000,000 For instructions concerning the organized Site Visit - see Site Visit Instructions

X X 52.211-10 X 12:00 pm E D T 06-26-2024 X

14. NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR

15. TELEPHONE NUMBER

16. REMITTANCE ADDRESS

CODE

FACILITY CODE

17. The offeror agrees to perform the work required at the prices specified below in strict accordance with the terms of the solicitation, if this offer is accepted by the Government in writing within __________ calendar days after the date offers are due.

AMOUNTS

18. The offeror agrees to furnish any required performance and payment bonds.

19. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

AMENDMENT

NUMBER

DATE.

20a. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER 20b. SIGNATURE 20c. OFFER DATE

21. ITEMS ACCEPTED:

22. AMOUNT

23. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

24. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

ITEM

25. OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION PURSUANT TO

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)( 41 U.S.C. 3304(a) (

26. ADMINISTERED BY

27. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

PHONE:

FAX:

28. NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT

29. AWARD

Your Contractor agrees offer on this solicitation is hereby accepted as to the items listed. This to furnish and deliver all items or perform all work requirements identified award consummates the contract, which consists of (a) the Government on this form and any continuation sheets for the consideration stated in solicitation and your offer, and (b) this contract award. No further cont-this contract. The rights and obligations of the parties to this contract ractual document is necessary.

shall be governed by (a) this contract award, (b) the solicitation, and (c) the clauses, representations, certifications, and specifications incorporated by reference in or attached to this contract.

30a. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTOR OR PERSON AUTHORIZED 31a. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

TO SIGN

30b. SIGNATURE 30c. DATE 31b. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 31c. AWARD DATE

BY

OFFER

AWARD

STANDARD FORM 1442 (REV. 8/2014) BACK

(Include ZIP Code) (Include area code) (Include only if different than Item 14.)

(Insert any number equal to or greater than the minimum requirement stated in Item 13d. Failure to insert any number means the offeror accepts the minimum in Item 13d.)

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the solicitation -- give number and date of each) (Type or print) (4 copies unless otherwise specified) (Type or print) (Type or print) (Contractor is required to sign this document and return _______ copies to issuing office.)

(Contractor is not required to sign this document.)

(Must be fully completed by offeror) (To be completed by Government)

CONTRACTING OFFICER WILL COMPLETE ITEM 28 OR 29 AS APPLICABLE

See Price Schedule 36C776 Department of Veterans Affairs Program Contracting Activity Central 6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence OH 44131

VAFSC

Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center Invoices to be Submitted Electronically https://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp e-Invoice Setup Info Phone 877-489-6135 877-353-9791 512-460-5429 Richelle N. Gray

VA-VHA-RPOC-2023-0041

Table of Contents

EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades Construction at the Marion, IL VAMC

A.3 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

ITEM INFORMATION

Line Item 0001 (General Construction): The general contractor shall furnish all necessary tools, labor, materials, equipment, permits, license, supervision, and quality control to complete construction, in accordance with the drawings and specifications. Work includes infrastructure upgrades and reconfiguring and renovating existing space impacted by said improvements. Infrastructure upgrades include electrical, bonding, UPS, building management systems interfaces, HVAC, communication, physical security upgrades, and fiber infrastructure backbone campus wide within and between buildings, including modification to impacted roads, walks, grading and drainage, and other existing utilities, data center, WAN updates, and hazardous material abatement. Project buildings include 1, 1A, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10.

The contractor shall complete the entire project no later than 540 calendar days after the contractor receives the NOTICE TO PROCEED.

Contract Period: Base POP Begin:

POP End:

NOTICE

1. Line Item 0001 General Construction contains all the work for this project.

1. Bidders must provide a lump sum price for Line Item 0001 General Construction. Failure to do so may render their bid as nonresponsive.

1. Award will be made on Grand Total (Line Item 0001).

1. Pricing shall be submitted in whole dollar values. Please do NOT include pricing in cents.

1. Contractor is required to fill in their Unique Entity Identifier number associate with SAM.gov in Block No. 14 on Standard Form (SF) 1442.

1. PLEASE NOTE: The Contractor agrees to attend any Post Award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 42.5.

Page 1 of Page 1 of

INFORMATION REGARDING BIDDING MATERIAL, BID GUARANTEE AND BONDS

1.1 BID MATERIAL:

Bid materials consisting of drawings, specifications, and contract forms are included and/or attached as part of this Invitation for Bid (IFB). The VA will not provide printed copies of drawings or specifications. It is the responsibility of the offeror to obtain the bid materials in a time and manner sufficient to respond to this solicitation by the specified due date.

1.2 BID GUARANTEE:

A Bid Guarantee, Standard Form 24 (SF 24), is required in an amount not less than 20 percent of the bid price but shall not exceed $3,000,000. Failure to furnish the required bid guarantee in the proper form and amount, by the time set for receipt of bids, may result in the rejection of the bid. Copies of the SF 24 may be obtained from http://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/type/TOP.

1.3 PAYMENT & PERFORMANCE BONDS:

The offeror to whom award is made will be required to furnish two bonds. A Payment Bond shall be provided on Standard Form 25A (SF 25A) and a Performance Bond shall be provided on Standard Form 25 (SF 25). Both bonds shall be submitted in accordance with FAR 52.228-15 Performance and Payment Bonds – Construction. Copies of SFs 25A and 25 may be obtained from http://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/type/TOP.

1.4 TAXES:

Contractor must take into account FAR 52.229-3; “Federal, State and Local Taxes” and its Special Note in their pricing. The FAR clause and its Special Note provide guidance on taxes being applied to pricing.

INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS TO BIDDERS/OFFERORS

2.1 AVAILABILITY OF SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS:

All solicitation related documents will be published to Contract Opportunities https://Sam.gov.

2.2 INVITATION FOR BID:

This solicitation is being issued as an Invitation for Bid (IFB) in accordance with FAR Part 14.

2.3 SDVOSB SET-ASIDE:

This procurement is a 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns. Offers received from other than SDVOSB concerns will not be considered. All SDVOSBs must be listed as “certified” by the Small Business Administration (SBA) Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert). Bidders must be certified in the SBA VetCert database (Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov)) at TIME OF SUBMISSION OF BIDS AND TIME OF AWARD. Failure to be certified at the time of bid submission and time of award will result in the offeror’s bid being non-responsive.

2.4 TECHNICAL QUESTIONS:

Questions of a technical nature must be provided in writing and shall be submitted by the prospective offerors to Sharese McKinney. Questions shall be submitted only via e-mail to: sharese.mckinney@va.gov. The subject line must read: Memphis - EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades - Technical Questions. Oral questions of a technical nature are not acceptable due to the possibility of misunderstanding or misinterpretation. THE CUT-OFF DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF QUESTIONS IS May 24, 2024 @ 12:00 pm EDT.

2.5 AMENDMENTS:

Amendments to this solicitation will be posted at https://Sam.gov. Paper copies of the amendments will NOT be individually mailed. No other notification of amendments will be provided. Potential offerors are advised that they are responsible for obtaining and acknowledging any amendments to the solicitation. Failure to acknowledge an amendment may result in your bid being considered non-responsive.

2.6 PRE-BID SITE VISIT:

A formal site visit has been scheduled for this project. This will be the only opportunity for potential bidders to visit the site. See FAR Clause 52.236-27 of this solicitation for further information.

All potential bidders, subcontractors and suppliers are strongly encouraged to attend this site visit.

2.7 PREPARATION OF BIDS:

The Government will not pay for any costs incurred in preparation and submission of bids.

2.8 PROJECT LABOR AGEEMENT:

The Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects (PLAs) is required. In accordance with 52.222-33 Alternate II and 52.222-34 Alternate I, a PLA shall be submitted after award.

2.9 BID SUBMISSION:

A. GENERAL:

1. Offerors shall submit their bids via email to: sharese.mckinney@va.gov

1. Only emailed bids will be accepted. Other-than-emailed bids are not allowed. Any other-than-emailed bid received will be deemed non-responsive out-right and therefore ineligible for award.

1. The bid opening will be conducted via teleconference. An in person bid opening will not be facilitated.

1. The bid bond shall be submitted as part of the electronic submission. In accordance with Class Deviation from the Federal Acquisition Regulation to Eliminate Hard Copy Original Documents, Signatures, Notarization, Seals on Bonds, and Other Seals for Certain Contract Requirements issued by the VA Executive Director, Office of Acquisition and Logistics and the Senior Procurement Executive on May 11, 2020, the requirement for an original bond, with the original signatures, notarization and seals has been eliminated. Also refer to FAR 52.228-15 (DEV APR 2020).

1. Failure to provide electronic bids and the electronic copy of the bid bond on the date and time set for bid opening, may deem the bid non-responsive.

B. BID PACKAGE CONTENTS:

(a) Standard Form (SF) 1442 Solicitation, Offer and Award:

The Offeror shall complete & sign the “OFFER” section of the SF 1442. Please include your company’s Unique Entity Identifier number associate with SAM.gov in Block 14.

(b) Acknowledgement of All Amendments:

The offeror shall acknowledge all amendments by either 1.) Completing block 19 of the SF 1442, or 2.) Returning the signed amendment form(s) with the submission.

(c) Pricing Schedule:

The Offeror shall complete the Price Schedule contained in the solicitation. The Offeror shall submit separate pricing for all items listed.

(d) Bid Guarantee:

The Offeror shall furnish a bid guarantee (see FAR 52.228-1). The bid guarantee shall be provided on Standard Form 24.

(e) Representations & Certifications:

The offeror shall provide their Representations and Certifications or their response to FAR 52.204-8 (2) (i) or (ii) Annual Representations and Certifications.

(f) Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment:

Offeror shall provide their response to FAR 52.204-24 (d) Representation.

(g) Information Regarding Responsibility Matters:

Offeror shall provide their response to FAR 52.209-7 (b) Information Regarding Responsibility Matters.

(h) Violation of Arms Controls Treaties or Agreements:

Offeror shall provide their response to FAR 52.209-13 (b) (1) or (2) Violation of Arms Controls Treaties or Agreements.

(i) Tax on Certain Foreign Procurements:

Offeror shall provide their response to FAR 52.229-11 (d)

(j) Post Award Small Business Program Representations:

Offeror shall provide their response to FAR 52.219-28 (h), if applicable.

(k) Limitations on Subcontracting:

In accordance with VAAR 852.219-75, offeror shall complete the attached Limitations on Subcontracting-Construction and return with their bid submission. Completed form will become part of the official award documentation.

(l) Notice to SDVOSB Joint Venture/Mentor Protegee:

Any offeror submitting a bid as a joint venture must provide a certification from each SDVOSB joint partner, signed by an authorized official of each partner to the joint venture, stating that the parties to the joint venture (1) have entered into a joint venture agreement that fully complies with paragraph (c) of 13 CFR § 128.402 and (2) will perform the contract in compliance with the joint venture agreement. Failure to submit the certification with the offeror’s bid, may deem the bid non-responsive.

C. BID OPENING:

(a) Bids will be publicly read aloud. A conference line will be announced via an amendment to the solicitation approximately seven (7) calendar days prior to the receipt date for bids.

(b) In the event there are any concerns with the bids, in accordance with FAR 14.402-1 (c), Microsoft Teams will be used to assist in the examination of the bid(s).

2.10 DETERMINATION OF NON-RESPONSIVE:

Bids received pertaining to this solicitation will be reviewed for responsiveness. Failure to provide documentation as outlined in the Bid Submission section of the solicitation, at the date and time set for bid opening, may deem the bid non-responsive.

2.11 DETERMINATION OF RESPONSIBILITY:

A Determination of Responsibility will be conducted for the apparent “low bidder/awardee” prior to award of the project. The above information, along with other information obtained from Government systems, such as, but not limited to the OSHA and EPA online inspection history databases, as well as any other information the Contracting Officer has determined to be valid, will be used to make the Determination of Responsibility. NOTE: Any information received by the Government that would cause for a negative Determination of Responsibility may make the Offeror ineligible for award.

2.12 VETS 4212:

Title 38, USC Section 4212(d), codified at 41 CFR Section 61-300, requires that federal contractors report, at least annually, the number and category of veterans who are within their workforce. Submission of the VETS-4212 reporting information can be done electronically at: http://www.dol.gov/vets/vets4212.htm. Award cannot be made unless the awardee has filed their VETS-4212 report. Therefore, all offerors are encouraged to file every year. The Contracting Officer may request a copy of the email confirmation of receipt notification, prior to awarding the project.

2.13 SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM):

Federal Acquisition Regulations require that federal contractors register in the System for Award Management (SAM) database at http://www.sam.gov and enter all mandatory information into the system. Offerors are required to be registered in SAM at the time an offer is submitted in order to comply with the annual representations and certifications requirements (see FAR 52.204-7).

2.14 CONTRACT AWARD:

Award may only be made with the responsible bidder whose bid, conforming to the solicitation, will be most advantageous to the government, considering only price (see FAR 52.214-19). The low price will be evaluated by the Contracting Officer prior to award to confirm that it is “a fair and reasonable price that is most advantageous to the Government.”

2.15 REVIEW REQUIRED REGISTRATION WITH CONTRACTOR

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM (CPARS):

As prescribed in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 42.1502(e), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) evaluates contractor past performance on all construction contracts that exceed $750,000 and shares those evaluations with other Federal Government contract specialists and procurement officials. The FAR requires that the contractor be provided an opportunity to comment on past performance evaluations prior to each report closing. To fulfill this requirement VA uses an online database, CPARS, which is maintained by the Naval Seal Logistics Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. CPARS is available to all Federal agencies and is the system used to collect and retrieve performance assessment reports used in source selection determinations. CPARS also includes access to the federal awardee performance and integrity information system (FAPIIS). FAPIIS is a web-enabled application accessed via CPARS for contractor responsibility determination information.

Each contractor whose contract award is estimated to exceed $750,000 is required to register with CPARS database at the following web address: http://www.cpars.gov/. Help in registering can be obtained by contacting Customer Support Desk @ DSN: 684-1690 or COMM: 207- 438-1690. Registration should occur no later than thirty days after contract award and must be kept current should there be any change to the contractor’s registered representative.

For contracts with a period of one year or less, the contracting officer will perform a single evaluation when the contract is complete. For contracts exceeding one year, the contracting officer will evaluate the contractor’s performance annually. Interim reports will be filed each year until the last year of the contract, when the final report will be completed. The report shall be assigned in CPARS to the contractor’s designated representative for comment. The contractor representative will have thirty days to submit any comments and re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer.

Failure to have a current registration in the CPARS database, or to re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer within those thirty days, will result in the Government’s evaluation being placed on file in the database with a statement that the contractor failed to respond.

2.16 BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS AND SPECIAL AGREEMENT CHECKS:

All contractor employees are subject to the same level of investigation as VA employees who have access to VA Sensitive Information. The level of background investigation is commensurate with the level of access needed to perform all work as identified in the solicitation documents. This requirement is applicable to all subcontractor personnel requiring the same access. As per VA Directive 0710, costs of background investigations will be borne by the contractor. Please be advised that the awardee will need to coordinate with the VA Medical Center concerning badging requirements. If the site requires an investigation, the contractor shall follow VA Directive 0710.

2.17 REFERENCES TO VA ENGINEER, RESIDENT ENGINEER OR PROJECT MANAGER:

Any reference contained within the solicitation/contract specifications and/or drawings to the “VA Engineer,” “Resident Engineer,” or “Project Manager” or their abbreviations shall be replaced with “Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).”

2.18 52.201-1 ACQUISITION 360: VOLUNTARY SURVEY (SEP 2023)

(a) All actual and potential offerors are encouraged to provide feedback on the preaward and debriefing processes, as applicable. Feedback may be provided to agencies up to 45 days after award. The feedback is anonymous, unless the participant self-identifies in the survey. Actual and potential offerors can participate in the survey by selecting the following link: https:// www.acquisition.gov/360.

(b) The Contracting Officer will not review the information provided until after contract award and will not consider it in the award decision. The survey is voluntary and does not convey any protections, rights, or grounds for protest. It creates a way for actual and potential offerors to provide the Government constructive feedback about the preaward and debriefing processes, as applicable, used for a specific acquisition.

(End of Clause)

2.19 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

The Government contemplates award of a Firm-Fixed-Price contract resulting from this solicitation.

(End of Provision)

2.20 52.222-5 CONSTRUCTION WAGE RATE REQUIREMENTS—SECONDARY SITE OF THE WORK (MAY 2014) (a)(1) The offeror shall notify the Government if the offeror intends to perform work at any secondary site of the work, as defined in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of the FAR clause at 52.222-6, Construction Wage Rate Requirements, of this solicitation.

(2) If the offeror is unsure if a planned work site satisfies the criteria for a secondary site of the work, the offeror shall request a determination from the Contracting Officer.

(b)(1) If the wage determination provided by the Government for work at the primary site of the work is not applicable to the secondary site of the work, the offeror shall request a wage determination from the Contracting Officer.

(2) The due date for receipt of offers will not be extended as a result of an offeror's request for a wage determination for a secondary site of the work.

(End of Provision)

2.21 52.222-23 NOTICE OF REQUIREMENT FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TO ENSURE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSTRUCTION (FEB 1999)

(a) The offeror's attention is called to the Equal Opportunity clause and the Affirmative Action Compliance Requirements for Construction clause of this solicitation.

(b) The goals for minority and female participation, expressed in percentage terms for the Contractor's aggregate workforce in each trade on all construction work in the covered area, are as follows:

These goals are applicable to all the Contractor's construction work performed in the covered area. If the Contractor performs construction work in a geographical area located outside of the covered area, the Contractor shall apply the goals established for the geographical area where the work is actually performed. Goals are published periodically in the Federal Register in notice form, and these notices may be obtained from any Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs office.

(c) The Contractor's compliance with Executive Order 11246, as amended, and the regulations in 41 CFR 60-4 shall be based on (1) its implementation of the Equal Opportunity clause, (2) specific affirmative action obligations required by the clause entitled "Affirmative Action Compliance Requirements for Construction," and (3) its efforts to meet the goals. The hours of minority and female employment and training must be substantially uniform throughout the length of the contract, and in each trade. The Contractor shall make a good faith effort to employ minorities and women evenly on each of its projects. The transfer of minority or female employees or trainees from Contractor to Contractor, or from project to project, for the sole purpose of meeting the Contractor's goals shall be a violation of the contract, Executive Order 11246, as amended, and the regulations in 41 CFR 60-4. Compliance with the goals will be measured against the total work hours performed.

(d) The Contractor shall provide written notification to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Federal Contract Compliance, U.S. Department of Labor, within 10 working days following award of any construction subcontract in excess of $10,000 at any tier for construction work under the contract resulting from this solicitation. The notification shall list the—

(1) Name, address, and telephone number of the subcontractor;

(2) Employer's identification number of the subcontractor;

(3) Estimated dollar amount of the subcontract;

(4) Estimated starting and completion dates of the subcontract; and

(5) Geographical area in which the subcontract is to be performed.

(e) As used in this Notice, and in any contract resulting from this solicitation, the "covered area" is Memphis, TN - Shelby County

(End of Provision)

2.22 52.222-33 NOTICE OF REQUIREMENT FOR PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT (JAN 2024) ALTERNATE II (JAN 2024)

(a) Definitions. As used in this provision, the following terms are defined in clause 52.222–34, Project Labor Agreement, of this solicitation “construction,” “labor organization,” “large-scale construction project,” and “project labor agreement.”

(b) If awarded the contract, the Offeror shall—

(1) Negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations for the term of the resulting construction contract; and

(2) Require its subcontractors to become a party to the resulting project labor agreement.

(End of Provision)

2.23 52.225-12 NOTICE OF BUY AMERICAN REQUIREMENT—CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS UNDER TRADE AGREEMENTS (MAY 2014)

(a) Definitions. "Commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) item," "construction material," "designated country construction material," "domestic construction material," and "foreign construction material," as used in this provision, are defined in the clause of this solicitation entitled "Buy American—Construction Materials Under Trade Agreements" (Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.225-11).

(b) Requests for determination of inapplicability. An offeror requesting a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American statute should submit the request to the Contracting Officer in time to allow a determination before submission of offers. The offeror shall include the information and applicable supporting data required by paragraphs (c) and (d) of FAR clause 52.225-11 in the request. If an offeror has not requested a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American statute before submitting its offer, or has not received a response to a previous request, the offeror shall include the information and supporting data in the offer.

(c) Evaluation of offers.

(1) The Government will evaluate an offer requesting exception to the requirements of the Buy American statute, based on claimed unreasonable cost of domestic construction materials, by adding to the offered price the appropriate percentage of the cost of such foreign construction material, as specified in paragraph (b)(4)(i) of FAR clause 52.225-11.

(2) If evaluation results in a tie between an offeror that requested the substitution of foreign construction material based on unreasonable cost and an offeror that did not request an exception, the Contracting Officer will award to the offeror that did not request an exception based on unreasonable cost.

(d) Alternate offers.

(1) When an offer includes foreign construction material, other than designated country construction material, that is not listed by the Government in this solicitation in paragraph (b)(3) of FAR clause 52.225-11, the offeror also may submit an alternate offer based on use of equivalent domestic or designated country construction material.

(2) If an alternate offer is submitted, the offeror shall submit a separate Standard Form 1442 for the alternate offer, and a separate price comparison table prepared in accordance with paragraphs (c) and (d) of FAR clause 52.225-11 for the offer that is based on the use of any foreign construction material for which the Government has not yet determined an exception applies.

(3) If the Government determines that a particular exception requested in accordance with paragraph (c) of FAR clause 52.225-11 does not apply, the Government will evaluate only those offers based on use of the equivalent domestic or designated country construction material, and the offeror shall be required to furnish such domestic or designated country construction material. An offer based on use of the foreign construction material for which an exception was requested—

(i) Will be rejected as nonresponsive if this acquisition is conducted by sealed bidding; or

(ii) May be accepted if revised during negotiations.

(End of Provision)

2.24 52.228-1 BID GUARANTEE (SEP 1996)

(a) Failure to furnish a bid guarantee in the proper form and amount, by the time set for opening of bids, may be cause for rejection of the bid.

(b) The bidder shall furnish a bid guarantee in the form of a firm commitment, e.g., bid bond supported by good and sufficient surety or sureties acceptable to the Government, postal money order, certified check, cashier's check, irrevocable letter of credit, or, under Treasury Department regulations, certain bonds or notes of the United States. The Contracting Officer will return bid guarantees, other than bid bonds—

(1) To unsuccessful bidders as soon as practicable after the opening of bids; and

(2) To the successful bidder upon execution of contractual documents and bonds (including any necessary coinsurance or reinsurance agreements), as required by the bid as accepted.

(c) The amount of the bid guarantee shall be 20% percent of the bid price or $3,000,000, whichever is less.

(d) If the successful bidder, upon acceptance of its bid by the Government within the period specified for acceptance, fails to execute all contractual documents or furnish executed bond(s) within 10 days after receipt of the forms by the bidder, the Contracting Officer may terminate the contract for default.

(e) In the event the contract is terminated for default, the bidder is liable for any cost of acquiring the work that exceeds the amount of its bid, and the bid guarantee is available to offset the difference.

(End of Provision)

2.25 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006)

Protests, as defined in section 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgment of receipt from:

Richelle N. Gray

Hand-Carried Address:

Program Contracting Activity Central

6100 Oak Tree Blvd. Suite 490 Independence OH 44131 Mailing Address:

Same as above

(b) The copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO.

2.26 52.236-27 SITE VISIT (CONSTRUCTION) (FEB 1995) ALTERNATE I (FEB 1995)

(a) The clauses at 52.236-2, Differing Site Conditions, and 52.236-3, Site Investigations and Conditions Affecting the Work, will be included in any contract awarded as a result of this solicitation. Accordingly, offerors or quoters are urged and expected to inspect the site where the work will be performed.

(b) An organized site visit has been scheduled for— May 14th, 2024 @ 12:00 pm CDT

(c) Participants will meet at— See attached - Site Visit Instructions (End of Provision)

2.27 52.244-6 SUBCONTRACTS FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES (FEB 2024)

(a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Commercial product, commercial service, and commercially available off the-shelf item have the meanings contained in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 2.101.

Subcontract includes a transfer of commercial products or commercial services between divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliates of the Contractor or subcontractor at any tier.

(b) To the maximum extent practicable, the Contractor shall incorporate, and require its subcontractors at all tiers to incorporate, commercial products, commercial services or nondevelopmental items as components of items to be supplied under this contract.

(c)(1) The Contractor shall insert the following clauses in subcontracts for commercial products or commercial services:

(i) 52.203–13, Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (NOV 2021) (41 U.S.C. 3509), if the subcontract exceeds the threshold specified in FAR 3.1004(a) on the date of subcontract award, and has a performance period of more than 120 days. In altering this clause to identify the appropriate parties, all disclosures of violation of the civil False Claims Act or of Federal criminal law shall be directed to the agency Office of the Inspector General, with a copy to the Contracting Officer.

(ii) 52.203-15, Whistleblower Protections Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (JUN 2010) (Section 1553 of Pub. L. 111-5), if the subcontract is funded under the Recovery Act.

(iii) 52.203–17, Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights (NOV 2023) (41 U.S.C. 4712); this clause does not apply to contracts of DoD, NASA, the Coast Guard, or applicable elements of the intelligence community—see FAR 3.900(a).

(iv) 52.203-19, Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements (JAN 2017).

(v) 52.204-21, Basic Safeguarding of Covered Contractor Information Systems (NOV 2021), other than subcontracts for commercially available off-the-shelf items, if flow down is required in accordance with paragraph (c) of FAR clause 52.204-21.

(vi) 52.204–23, Prohibition on Contracting for Hardware, Software, and Services Developed or Provided by Kaspersky Lab Covered Entities (DEC 2023) (Section 1634 of Pub. L. 115–91).

(vii) 52.204–25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment. (NOV 2021) (Section 889(a)(1)(A) of Pub. L. 115–232).

(viii) 52.204–27, Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application (JUN 2023) (Section 102 of Division R of Pub. L. 117–328).

(ix)(A) 52.204–30, Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act Orders— Prohibition. (DEC 2023) (Pub. L. 115–390, title II).

(B) Alternate I (DEC 2023) of 52.204–30.

(x) 52.219–8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (FEB 2024) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(2) and (3)), if the subcontract offers further subcontracting opportunities. If the subcontract (except subcontracts to small business concerns) exceeds the applicable threshold specified in FAR 19.702(a) on the date of subcontract award, the subcontractor must include 52.219–8 in lower tier subcontracts that offer subcontracting opportunities.

(xi) 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (APR 2015).

(xii) 52.222–26, Equal Opportunity (SEP 2016) (E.O. 11246).

(xiii) 52.222–35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans (JUN 2020) (38 U.S.C. 4212(a)).

(xiv) 52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (JUN 2020) (29 U.S.C. 793).

(xv) 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (JUN 2020) (38 U.S.C. 4212).

(xvi) 52.222-40, Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (DEC 2010) (E.O. 13496), if flow down is required in accordance with paragraph (f) of FAR clause 52.222-40.

(xvii)(A) 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (NOV 2021) (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O. 13627).

(B) Alternate I (MAR 2015) of 52.222-50 (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O. 13627).

(xviii) 52.222-55, Minimum Wages for Contractor Workers under Executive Order 14026 (JAN 2022), if flowdown is required in accordance with paragraph (k) of FAR clause 52.222-55.

(xix) 52.222-62, Paid Sick Leave Under Executive Order 13706 (JAN 2022) (E.O. 13706), if flow down is required in accordance with paragraph (m) of FAR clause 52.222-62.

(xx)(A) 52.224-3, Privacy Training (JAN 2017) (5 U.S.C. 552a) if flow down is required in accordance with 52.224-3(f).

(B) Alternate I (JAN 2017) of 52.224-3, if flow down is required in accordance with 52.224-3(f) and the agency specifies that only its agency-provided training is acceptable.

(xxi) 52.225–26, Contractors Performing Private Security Functions Outside the United States (OCT 2016) Section 862, as amended, of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008; 10 U.S.C. Subtitle A, Part V, Subpart G Note).

(xxii) 52.232-40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (MAR 2023), if flow down is required in accordance with paragraph (c) of FAR clause 52.232-40.

(xxiii) 52.247-64, Preference for Privately Owned U.S.-Flag Commercial Vessels (NOV 2021) (46 U.S.C. 55305 and 10 U.S.C. 2631), if flow down is required in accordance with paragraph (d) of FAR clause 52.247-64.

(2) While not required, the Contractor may flow down to subcontracts for commercial products or commercial services a minimal number of additional clauses necessary to satisfy its contractual obligations.

(d) The Contractor shall include the terms of this clause, including this paragraph (d), in subcontracts awarded under this contract.

(End of Clause)

2.28 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html http://www.va.gov/oal/library/vaar/

(End of Provision)

2.29 VAAR 852.233-70 PROTEST CONTENT/ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (OCT 2018)

(a) Any protest filed by an interested party shall—

(1) Include the name, address, fax number, email and telephone number of the protester;

(2) Identify the solicitation and/or contract number;

(3) Include an original signed by the protester or the protester’s representative and at least one copy;

(4) Set forth a detailed statement of the legal and factual grounds of the protest, including a description of resulting prejudice to the protester, and provide copies of relevant documents;

(5) Specifically request a ruling of the individual upon whom the protest is served;

(6) State the form of relief requested; and

(7) Provide all information establishing the timeliness of the protest.

(b) Failure to comply with the above may result in dismissal of the protest without further consideration.

(c) Bidders/offerors and Contracting Officers are encouraged to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures to resolve protests at any stage in the protest process. If ADR is used, the Department of Veterans Affairs will not furnish any documentation in an ADR proceeding beyond what is allowed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(End of Provision)

2.30 VAAR 852.233-71 ALTERNATE PROTEST PROCEDURE (OCT 2018)

(a) As an alternative to filing a protest with the Contracting Officer, an interested party may file a protest by mail or electronically with: Executive Director, Office of Acquisition and Logistics, Risk Management and Compliance Service (003A2C), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420 or Email: EDProtests@va.gov.

(b) The protest will not be considered if the interested party has a protest on the same or similar issue(s) pending with the Contracting Officer.

(End of Provision) PLEASE NOTE: The correct mailing information for filing alternate protests is as follows:

Or for solicitations issued by the Office of Construction and Facilities Management:

2.31 VAAR 852.239-75 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE (FEB 2023)

(a) Any offeror responding to this solicitation must comply with established VA Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (formerly Electronic and Information (EIT)) accessibility standards. Information about Section 508 is available at http://www.section508.va.gov/.

(b) The Section 508 accessibility standards applicable to this solicitation are stated in the clause at 852.239–75, Information and Communication Technology Accessibility. In order to facilitate the Government’s determination whether proposed ICT supplies meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, offerors must submit appropriate VA Section 508 Checklists, in accordance with the checklist completion instructions. The purpose of the checklists is to assist VA acquisition and program officials in determining whether proposed ICT supplies, or information, documentation and services conform to applicable Section 508 accessibility standards. The checklists allow offerors or developers to self-evaluate their supplies and document—in detail—whether they conform to a specific Section 508 accessibility standard, and any underway remediation efforts addressing conformance issues.

(c) Respondents to this solicitation must identify any exception to Section 508 requirements. If an offeror claims its supplies or services meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, and it is later determined by the Government, i.e., after award of a contract or order, that supplies or services delivered do not conform to the described accessibility standards, remediation of the supplies or services to the level of conformance specified in the contract will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its expense.

(End of Provision)

REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

3.1 52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS (FEB 2024)

(a)(1) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code…