36C78618Q0016-00002001.pdf

Solicitation 36C78618Q0016

Total Grounds Maintenance Services for Georgia National Cemetery

FY18 Base plus 4 Option Years

Solicitation Questions:

1. Would you tell me who is the incumbent? How much is the current contract?

Native Contractors, Inc. | DUNS 018295589 | Contract VA786-12-C-0139, Award

Amount $3,340,260.18 for a Base and 3 Option Year Contract.

2. Page 11 under Use of Cemetery Facilities (c) says the Government MAY furnish a building or an area at the cemetery for optional use by the contractor to store supplies and equipment. It also states that if the building has to be torn down the contractor will have to store equipment off site. Will the site on the cemetery grounds be available for storage of equipment and supplies for this contract? The pricing for this job would be affected given if this is actually available or not.

The current on-site storage facility for contractor supplies and equipment is owned and maintained by the incumbent. The incumbent can only make the determination on if they wish to sell their storage site to the new awardee. If the incumbent does not sell their storage facility to the new awardee, then the incumbent must tear down that storage facility. From this, the new awarded contractor can rebuild their own storage facility (at the same location) on-site or they can coordinate another storage facility off-site, that is their determination.

For the purposes of this solicitation, due to the statement of concern of “The pricing for this job would be affected given if this is actually available or not” you can provide two different price quotes:

[1] One price quote reflecting on if your company could utilize the on-site storage facility

[2] One price quote reflecting on if your company couldn’t utilize the on-site storage facility.

3. Page 11 under Use of Cemetery Facilities (e). Will the water and electricity be available to the awarded contractor for cemetery related work?

For contractor duties within the cemetery, such as janitorial duties (cleaning, etc.) water and electricity is available (paid by the cemetery).

For the contractor’s employees, water and electricity is not provided by the cemetery.

4. Pg 39 limitations on sub-contracting says Jan 2017 but the previous limitation rule is listed here -(1) Services (except construction). At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern. The new rule for services is - In the case of a contract for services (except construction), it will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not similarly situated. Any work that a similarly situated subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 50% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded.

What sub-contracting rule applies to this job?

FAR Clause 52.219-14 – Limitations on Subcontracting (Jan 2017) applies to this solicitation/requirement.

5. Will restroom facilities be provided for the contractor?

No

6. Is bonding required? If so, what is the percentage required and will a CLIN be provided for invoicing purposes? Also, if a bond is required, will this be required every year?

There is no bonding required on this requirement.

7. Pg 22 on the scope of work (-003) says -Mowing shall be done a minimum of once a week except during growing season, which is April through October. The growing season usually requires mowing at least twice weekly. April -October the site requires mowing 2 times a week at minimum - is this an accurate requirement for every week during this time?

Mowing requirements are dependent on weather and growing conditions of the grounds/turf.

Can you give historical data on how many times (within the past 5 years) mowing has been required during those months to be done more then 2 times per week?

No historical data can be provided, mowing has not been required more than 2 times per week.

8. The past performance evaluation criteria on Page 50 state that past performance can be viewed negatively if it contains less than "all of the requirements" This limits past performance to those contracts that are identical in scope to this work, and not just similar in scope. Will the government consider removing that language and allowing bidders to submit projects as past performance that in aggregate demonstrate the bidder has performed all of the requirements, rather than requiring a bidder to demonstrate that it has performed all of the requirements on one contract.

The remarks under the Addendum to FAR 52.212-2 EVALUATION—COMMERCIAL

ITEMS (OCT 2014) under “1. Past Performance (a)(i)(1)” (Page 51 of the solicitation) has been removed from this requirement.

Additionally, an updated Past Performance Evaluation Questionnaire has been added to this requirement under the attached document titled “PAST PERFORMANCE

EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE - 36C78618Q0016.” Contractors are to only utilize this document for Past Performance Questionnaires as the prior questionnaire will not be accepted for this solicitation requirement. These evaluation documents shall be completed and emailed directly to the Contracting Officer from the Past Performance evaluating official.

9. Performance Plan -Given the scope of the contract, it is impossible to accurately describe a bidder's approach in only 10 pages, would the Government consider increasing the page limit to 15 pages?

The page limitation is increased to 12 pages.

10. What is the Governments preferred vehicle for transportation's of casket remains?

Van shall be in a discreet color (white, grey or black) with rollers for casket placement.

11. Do you anticipate another extension on the due date?

Yes, the due date is now 8 December 2017 at 0900 AM.