36C78619Q0006-0001000.docx

FedBizOpps Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

CLASSIFICATION CODE

SUBJECT

CONTRACTING OFFICE'S

ZIP-CODE

SOLICITATION NUMBER

BASE NOTICE TYPE

RESPONSE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)

ARCHIVE

DAYS AFTER THE RESPONSE DATE

RECOVERY ACT FUNDS

SET-ASIDE

NAICS CODE

CONTRACTING OFFICE

ADDRESS

POINT OF CONTACT

(POC Information Automatically Filled from User Profile Unless Entered)

DESCRIPTION

See Attachment

AGENCY'S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT'S EMAIL

ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

ADDRESS

POSTAL CODE

COUNTRY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

GENERAL INFORMATION

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

* = Required Field FedBizOpps Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation Rev. March 2010 S New Contract - Mow & Trim/Grounds Maintenance/Transportation of Remains - Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery.

22556 36C78619Q0006

COMBINE

09-21-2018 N 561730 Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration Contracting Service 75 Barrett Heights Road, Suite 309 John M. Carlock john.carlock@va.gov 317-916-3863 575 N. Pennsylvania Street, Suite 495 Midwest District Indianapolis, IN 46204 Ohio Western Reserve National Cemeteery 10175 Rawiga Road Seville, OH 44273

USA

john.carlock@va.gov john.carlock@va.gov

Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery Questions Sol # 36C78619Q0006

1) 1.3.5 States that leaves will be removed from the cemetery daily. Would it be possible to have a dumpster on site at the contractor’s expense and have this dumped weekly until leaves are finished? No

2) 1.7 Mulching – Historically how many cubic yards of mulch per application have been has been used? Approx. 35 cubic yards

3) 1.7.6 – To clarify the contractor can only use hand devices such as wheel barrows to install mulch that is inside turf areas, an ATV cart with turf tires can not be used. Hand devices only.

4) 1.8.1 Can herbicides be used in conjunction with the hand pulling of weeds? No

5) 1.9 (a) states the # of acers to be over seeded will be determined by the COR. However, the pricing schedule item #0008 list 20 ac and the unit is job. How will this be paid if the acreage is under or over the 20 ac.? Should this line item be a per AC price without minimum or maximum acreage since the qty is undetermined? The contractor is to purchase seed for 20 acres. The cemetery COR will tell him where to apply it.

6) 1.11 (b) States that acreage is to be determined by the COR and can be ordered from 1 – 40 ac. However 0010 of the pricing schedules only allows the contractor to price the job for 40 ac.. Should this be priced by acreage, and how will payment be made if application is under the 40 ac? 40 acres is to be applied.

7) E.1.19 States, “ Subsequent mowing’s of the turf grass areas will occur at a mowing height of 3 inches or as directed by the COR. At no time will more than 1/2 inch of new growth be removed at any single mowing unless directed by the COR. When grass reaches 3 ½ inches anywhere in the cemetery it is to be mowed back to 3 inches.” Item 0012 of the pricing schedule has Qty of 39 for mowing 40 ac. If less acreage is determined to be cut be cut due to the growth rate, how will this be invoiced? Will the contractor be able to invoice for a completed qty of the line item #0012. When a mowing cycle is requested by the COR the entire cemetery is to be serviced.

8) How many acres are there that are to be hand mowed? Approx. 2 acres total.

9) In the bold print at the end of section 3.19 it states that G-3 and areas at the Committal shelter is to be hand mowed. However, in the paragraph above there are several areas that are stated that will be hand mowed. Which is correct? Approx. 2 acres ( 3 Shelters, G-3, And section 15.)

10) E.23 states that “no motorized equipment will be allowed on turf areas”. However, to get equipment to a site may require it go over a turf area to get there. For example, a mechanical roller is to be used to roll all installed sod. This equipment weights several hundred pounds. The question is that, are there exceptions to this rule understanding that the contractor is responsible for repair of any existing turf that is damaged? After all the sod has been installed the Contractor will roll the sod with a mechanical roller to smooth the surface and to help bring the sod layer into a good contact with the soil surface. A mechanical roller is hand operated. Therefor no machine should be needed.

11) O1.1 States, “In addition, the Contractor will not use small truckster units and/or walk-behind, manual application methods when making turf applications in any Specialty Area - so that damage to Government property does not occur.” Industry standard equipment would be a workman cart with turf tires and spray tank with both a boom and spray hose or a hopper for granular applications. The equipment is designed to drive over turf areas and not damage the turf. This equipment also allows for efficient uniform application of the product being applied. What is the approved equipment for the turf applications? Statement should read The contractor will use small truckster/walk behind for this application.

12. On page 3 E 1.3 Leaf Removal – the scope states that daily leaf removal is required and can include more than 1 leaf removal cycle in a day. The unit for this CLIN is job with a quantity of only 26. The requirement is November – April which would be approximately 26 weeks. Is the contractor required to work several times during a week if needed but can only charge for 1 job for that week’s work? Or will the contractor be able to charge per each job requests? Please change clin quantity to -105 Also under this section, will this CLIN be as requested or will the contractor need to inspect the cemetery each day to see if the service is needed and then get approval to do the work? The scope states the committal shelters have to have leaf removal done by 9am daily. Contractor will be notified the day before.

Under leaf removal – during each leaf removal are you requesting leaves to be removed from gutters as well? No

13. Page 5 (d) 1. Over-seeding will be done after aeration in early September. Since the Government wants the contractor to do the aeration, what CLIN needs to be used for the pricing? Cemetery will do the aeration.

14. When the acreage increases in 2021 from 40 acres to 70, will there be more landscaping beds that will need mulch? If so, will the request be made at that time for a price? Or would you like the price added in on CLIN 6? If so, what is the expected increase in SQFT to be mulched? Cemetery will mulch any beds in the expansion until the contract goes out for a new bid.

15. How often will mulch be required to be turned? Mulch is to be turned once in between new application.

16. Page 8, E 1.19 – Mowing –states --- “When a mowing is requested and started it must continue uninterrupted until completed.” Does the mean the mowing, trimming, and edging must be completed the same day it begins? Correct

17. For CLINs that will be done as requested, what is the required timeframe to begin work? For example – Mulching beds. This is an item that must be ordered and a contractor has no control over the availability of mulch. Will this be a scheduled task so the mulch can be pre-ordered? 1 week from the date the contractor is notified.

18. Is mowing, trimming, and edging to be an expected weekly service during the growing season? Page 7 states that the cemetery is to be serviced as Priority 1 standards with all grass maintained at 3 inches and once the grass grows to 3 1/5 inches it is to be mowed again. Will mowing and trimming be done by request or a scheduled task with a few requests when needed? If it is by request, what is the expected turn around time to service the cemetery once the contractor is contacted? 1-2 days per stated in the contract. E 1.19 MOWING PRIORITY 1 AREAS (0001) The contractor will begin the mowing season 1-2 days once notified by the COR of and continue throughout entire growing season as directed by the COR with the final mowing occurring as seasonal growth has ceased ending in the fall as directed by the COR. When a mowing is requested and started it must continue uninterrupted until completed. Turf areas consist of different blends and mixtures of cool-season turf grasses (perennial ryegrass, fescues, Kentucky bluegrass).

19. Is floral pick up on a daily or weekly pick up schedule throughout the entire cemetery included within the trash and debris clins? Is emptying all trash receptacles on a daily basis also part of this requirement?

1. U 1.1 Definitions.

1. 11. TRASH AND DEBRIS. Any item, material, or foreign object not permanently attached to or planted within the grounds and boundaries. Items include - but are not limited to - fallen twigs and branches that are under ten (10) inches (25.40 cm) in diameter, paper products, cigarette butts, gum, glass and metal products, plastic and any other synthetic item, plus loose rock and stone over three (3) inches (7.62 cm) in diameter that are not the apparent result of an interment. Also included is the material found within the trash receptacles located on the grounds. Yes, line item for trash pickup qty 144 added

20. Within the contract is there a requirement to spray/treat trees for insects and disease? No spraying of trees. Consist of limb removal/Pruning ext.

1. D 1.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Requirements. (1) Work consists of shrub/tree management, tree removal/replacement, leaf removal, broadleaf herbicide application, pre-emergence herbicide application, fertilization, mulching, weeding, overseeding, soil testing, fungicide and insecticide applications. No storage on cemetery grounds will be permitted. Page 2 of 17 (2) All work described herein are estimated quantities and may be adjusted depending on need and/or at the discretion of the COR. (3) All dates in all the following requirements are for approximate dates only. The COR will make the determination of when each line item of this contract will be performed.

1. E 1.2 Shrub/Tree Management/Perimeter Vegetation/ Tree Removal. No spraying of trees. Consist of limb removal/Pruning ext.

21. What is the square footage for areas the will be needing mulched? What kind and color of mulch is required? Mulch to be used is Approx.. 24 yards and should match what is currently being used brown organic.

1. E 1.7 Mulching (Trees and Planting Beds)

22. Can a greens dumpster and a trash dumpster be staged on the property within the spoils area or maintenance for removal of all trash and debris? As there is no onsite storage in this contract the contractor will need to provide his on refuse facility off site.

1. K 1.1 Contractor-furnished Items.

(g) The contractor will provide his/her own REFUSE FACILITIES. The contractor will be required to dispose of all debris and other waste materials generated by his/her work at a licensed off-site landfill unless otherwise directed by the COR(s).

23. Will there be a need for 2 casket carriers at the same time? Yes at times. Are all urns also transported by the contractor to the internment sites or columbarium locations? yes Does this also include pick ups at the administration building as well? yes How likely or what is the percentage of times there are 2 services going at the same time? As the cemetery cannot predict when burial services will be scheduled. The cemetery schedule is set up to have a service every 15 minutes starting at 0930. The contractor must arrive for pick up no more than 5 minutes once contacted that a service is over. It is the contractor’s responsibility to provide adequate man power so that there are no delays between services.

24. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PRICING USING THE ATTACHED UPDATE PRICE SCHEDULE.

25. Date for offer submission is hereby extended to September 21, 2018 at 12:00 noon.

26. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

Offeror is to understand the quantities stated in the schedule are estimates for pricing purposes only.

SCHEDULE OF UNIT PRICES

Base Period: Date of Award through September 30, 2019

Option Period 1: October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020

Application

Option Period 2: October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021

Estimated Total Cost Option Period 2:

Option Period 3: October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022

Option Period 4: October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023

EA

Total Aggregate Cost Base Period and All Options

End of Document