36C78619Q0101-001.docx

B. 2. PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

GENERAL INFORMATION:

(a) This is a performance based contract for Interments Services at the Nashville National Cemetery located at: 1420 Gallatin Pike, South in Madison, 37115.

THE NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION (NCA) MISSION: THE NCA HONORS VETERANS WITH A FINAL RESTING PLACE AND LASTING MEMORIALS THAT COMMEMORATE THEIR SERVICE TO OUR NATION.

(b)THE NCA MISSION: The National Cemetery Administration honors veterans with a final resting place and lasting memorials that commemorate their service to our Nation as our nation's heroes and as such, the standards for management, maintenance and appearance of these cemeteries have been established by the National Cemetery Administration to reflect this nation's concern and respect for those interred there. National cemeteries are national shrines. The standards of maintenance, appearance and operational procedures performed by the contractor at these cemeteries shall reflect this nation's concern for those interred there. For this reason, the contractor's strict adherence to the specifications shall be required and shall be essential. The overall responsibility of the Contractor is to plan, coordinate, organize, manage, and perform the activities described herein, which are required to maintain an acceptable appearance of the cemetery grounds to the public.

INTRODUCTION:

This Statement of Objectives describes the basic objectives of the Nashville National Cemetery. The Performance Based Service Contract provides potential offerors the flexibility to develop cost effective solutions and the opportunity to propose innovative alternatives to meet the stated objectives. It also presents the Government with an opportunity to assess the offeror's understanding of all aspects of the effort to be performed by eliminating the "how to" instructions to accomplish the required effort normally contained on the SOW the Government provides to prospective offerors.

The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, supervision, and other items and services necessary to ensure that excavation, interments and inurnments are performed at Nashville National Cemetery in a manner that maintains NCA standards and measures for dignified Contractor shall provide all labor, material, equipment, tools and supplies to complete grave excavations and grounds and facility maintenance services to maintain Nashville National Cemetery, 1420 Gallatin Pike South, Madison, TN 37115 following National Cemetery Administration (NCA) standards.

Contract period will consist of a base period, with four (4) one-year options to extend the term of the contract. Units and services to be in accordance with Performance Work Statement, Technical Specifications, Performance Disincentives, terms and conditions contained in this solicitation. The offers shall include a price for each Contract Line Item Number (CLIN), a total price for the estimated quantities, and a sub total price for all estimated services in the contract base period and each option year. Unit prices shall be all inclusive containing (unit prices for materials, unit prices for labor, any labor burden or fringes, any associated travel costs, profit, overhead, and of the like).

BACKGROUND:

National cemeteries are a resting place for our nation's heroes and as such, the standards for management, maintenance and appearance of these cemeteries have been established by the National Cemetery Administration to reflect this nation's concern and respect for those interred there. The overall responsibility of the Contractor is to plan, coordinate, organize, manage, and perform the activities described herein, which are required to maintain an acceptable appearance of the cemetery grounds.

The Nashville National Cemetery is located at 1420 Gallatin Pike, South in Madison, TN. The cemetery is comprised of 64.5 acres. The cemetery contains the remains of 36,615 veterans, spouses and dependent children. National Cemeteries are National Shrines. The standards of maintenance and appearance at these cemeteries must reflect this nation's concern for those interred there. For this reason, strict adherence to the specifications is required as well as National Cemetery Administration standards.

The Southeast District (SED) Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Area Office, 1700 Clairmont Road., 4th Floor, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4032, has the responsibility for the National Cemeteries. The administration of this contract will be by the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for the contract will be designated in a separate letter under the direction of the Director, Chattanooga National Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

All work shall be performed during the normal working hours (07:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except with the written permission of the COR(s).

In the event climate or weather conditions become unsuitable for work or may induce an environmental hazard, the entire work shall be rescheduled to a date and time satisfactory to the contractor, COR, and Cemetery Management. Postponement due to climate or weather conditions shall not be cause for penalties to the Contractor nor additional costs to the Government.

The Contractor shall phase all work in such a manner as not to impact on or interfere with cemetery operations. Contractor shall cease work within 100 yards of any committal service in progress while performing under the contract. Contractor and contractor's employees shall cease work upon arrival of the funeral party at the committal shelter and shall not start back to work until the funeral service is completed while performing under the contract. The COR may direct and arrange the contractor’s performance in specific areas of the cemetery to coordinate with the cemetery’s mowing operations and/or committal services.

SCOPE OF WORK

GRAVE, EXCAVATION, BACKFILL, AND INTERMENTS/DIS-INTERMENTS

1. GENERAL

Any/all work done in this section is subject to the General Requirements that form a part of these specifications, and the Contractor shall be responsible for and governed by all the requirements there under.

2. SCOPE

Work consists of excavation, backfilling, and preparing for interments specified by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). There will be approximately 60 casketed interments per year. The COR or representative will notify the Contractor 24 hours in advance of gravesite to be opened. Gravesites scheduled over a holiday weekend may not receive the normal notice. Normally interments will be accomplished Monday through Friday during the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 2:00p.m. However, there may be instances where the Contractor shall be required to perform interments on weekends and/or holidays and outside the regular hours. Internments on weekends or holidays are same cost as normal internments.

Limited space is available for storage of equipment and spoils at the Cemetery Maintenance Shop and spoils area. If utilized the shop and spoils area shall be kept clean and neat. The spoils shall be removed monthly at the contractor’s expense to prevent buildup and shall not be visible over the wall.

3. PROCEDURE

A. All gravesite excavations for a casket or cremation shall be completed a minimum of one hour prior to the interment services scheduled time. If an outer container is to be used, the gravesite excavation shall be completed to allow the vault to be pre-set in the grave one hour and fifteen minutes prior to the service. All gravesites shall be ready for viewing by the next of kin within one and one-half hours after the interment service.

B. The operator responsible for excavation of the gravesites shall have a minimum of 5 years of experience operating excavation equipment and 2 years minimum experience excavating gravesites. Excavation of gravesites in existing sections requires great care to avoid damage to internment already in place and to surrounding burials. The contractor is responsible for any damage to previous internments while excavating.

C. Gravesites classified as sensitive burials shall require a Cemetery representative or COR onsite prior to the excavation beginning. The COR shall notify the contractor in advance on these gravesites. These sensitive burials require extreme care during excavation and may require hand excavation to prevent damage to prior internments or surrounding gravesites. Cost for sensitive gravesites is the same as a normal casket internment.

D. It will be the COR's responsibility to notify the Contractor of any underground utilities in the vicinity of gravesite excavation.

E. Graves sites shall measure 5’ x 10’ or 4’x 8’unless otherwise advised by the COR and shall be excavated to five (5) feet or seven (7) feet depth, position shall be either left half (LH), right half (RH) or center line (CL) depending on the number of interments and position of previous interments. Excavation shall be to a minimum width and length of 4 inches greater than the outer burial vault. Normal excavation is 36 Inches wide by 96 inches long. Oversized excavations may require larger dimensions. The COR will notify the contractor of any oversized burials and the dimensions.

F. The COR shall advise the Contractor of the required depth, and position prior to any excavation operation. Contractors Site Supervisor shall probe all interments immediately upon notification of the burial and prior to excavation to assure adequate depth for 2nd interment. Grave shall be probed once at each corner and three (3) times spaced equally apart down the centerline of the previous burial with each depth achieved being recorded and provided to the COR within 24hrs of notification of the burial. Probe shall be able to record up to seven (7) feet of depth. The COR shall be notified immediately of insufficient depth to accomplish interment.

G. Contractors Site Supervisor will also verify all grave sites with the adjacent gravesites at the head, foot, left and right of the gravesite to be excavated with maps provided by the COR. The COR shall be notified immediately of any discrepancies with the gravesite maps and physical placement of headstones. The contractors Site Supervisor shall provide signed proof to the COR that the gravesite to be excavated has been probed and is of sufficient depth and that the maps have been verified with the physical locations of the headstones within 24 hours of receiving the internment notice.

H. Excavator or backhoe shall be less than ten thousand pounds with rubber tracks or turf tires to diminish damage to turf. A digging bucket of a minimum thirty-six (36) inch width shall be used to excavate casket gravesites.

I. All graves will be dug the same day as burial. No graves will be pre-dug prior to day of the internment unless required by the COR due to unusual circumstances. If a gravesite is required to be opened the day prior to the interment service the gravesite must be secured with boards staked to the ground and cordoned off with cones and poles with signs notifying of an open gravesite.

J. When a grave is opened to receive a second interment and is found to be of insufficient depth to permit interment due to a vault not being deep enough or rock formations underneath, the remains of the first interment shall be removed and the grave excavated to a depth to accommodate both interments, whenever possible. The contractor shall be prepared to jackhammer rock out the gravesite if necessary to reach the appropriate depth. On rare occasions, solid rock formations at Nashville National Cemetery make it impossible to excavate deeper. In these instances, the Cemetery Director will find an appropriate grave for the interment. Arrangement and payment for disinterment of the vault of the first decedent is the COR’s responsibility.

K. Excavating the grave to a greater depth to accommodate the second interment is the responsibility of the contractor; and is considered as a part of the regular grave excavation price. COR or his representative will be present and will be responsible for insuring the gravesite is deepened to accommodate both interments. The gravesite shall be screened from the public view during the removal and re-interment of any remains.

L. After excavation no soil is permitted to remain on the gravesite. All spoils will be hauled away from gravesite and returned for burial.

M. Sod on the gravesite shall remove and shall not be used in the backfill of the gravesite.

N. The open excavation shall be covered with boards such as heavy duty ¾ inches or thicker plywood, plastic, metal or fiberglass to completely cover the open gravesite and capable of holding 300lbs weight. Posts or cones of a minimum three (3) feet in height with poles, chains or rope between the cones and a sign on each side stating, “Caution Open Gravesite Cemetery Staff Only” shall be placed around the gravesite to prevent anyone from accessing the open excavation.

O. All burial vaults and tools staged near internment site shall be placed so as to not interfere with surrounding gravesites and in a visually pleasing manner.

P. Boards or runners will be utilized to access the gravesite and surrounding areas to prevent damage to turf and gravesites pending weather conditions. Boards will be placed and removed same day of burial.

Q. When a grave is opened, the Contractor is responsible for removing any headstone needed to ensure access for the vault and the remains and subsequently replacement. Removal of headstones shall be minimized with proper planning and appropriately sized equipment. All open headstone sockets shall be covered with boards to prevent injury or damage. Contractor will report any headstone damages to the COR. Storage of headstones when not in the socket will be on a board or box to minimize damage to the stone. The stone will not be laid flat on the ground. A mechanical device can be used to remove the headstone from the socket. The area that contacts the headstone must be protected with a rigid fabric/rubber to prevent damage to the marker. Headstones removed for burial shall be replaced and cleaned immediately after burial and are considered part of finishing the burial process.

R. The Contractor shall transfer the remains in a dignified manner from the interment shelter to the proper gravesite following all NCA policies. Transportation of casketed remains shall be by a clean designated use covered casket carrier. Carrier shall be a lightweight machine capable of driving in between headstone rows as close to the internment site as possible. Carrier shall be covered on all four sides so that casket is not visible and shall contain slides or rollers for easy movement of the casket in and out of the carrier. Carrier shall have devices capable of securing the casket in place on the carrier without damaging the casket and shall prevent movement of the casket while in transportation.

S. The Contractor shall be required to lower casketed remains using safety straps, into the gravesite with a mechanical casket lowering device with a minimum capacity of one thousand (1000) pounds in a safe and efficient manner, with dignity, and without damage to casket. The lowering device shall be placed on a stand or carrier allowing level transfer of the casket from the casket transport vehicle to the lowering device. The lowering device shall utilize placer arms with rollers or roller bars with a minimum eight hundred (800) pounds capacity to allow for safe transition to the device. The lowering device, safety straps and stand/carrier shall be inspected monthly and before each use for proper mechanical operation and damaged or deteriorated straps replaced as per manufacturers specifications. Documentation of these inspections shall be maintained onsite and provided to the COR monthly and as requested. At no time will a deficient lowering device, stand or straps be utilized. At no time is hand strapping the casket into the gravesite permitted.

T. If at any time the casket is required to be carried by hand a minimum of four (4) physically capable persons shall carry the casket with two (2) metal carrying bars capable of carrying one thousand (1000) pounds placed under the casket at the head and foot allowing safe dignified level carrying of the casket across the terrain. Personnel shall be supplied to keep carrying ratio under one hundred (100) pounds per person.

U. The safety straps shall have a one thousand (1000) pound capacity for each strap. 2 straps on either end will be utilized with one (1) short strap allowing lowering 1/3 into the gravesite and one (1) long strap allowing 2/3 lowering into the gravesite shall be hooked to the lowering device stand or chassis to prevent the dropping of the casket in case of failure of the lowering device. At no time will a person hold the safety straps. The contractor is responsible for any damages incurred by contract personnel to the casket during the handling and transporting of remains to the gravesite.

V. Cemetery Supplied Poly Vault will be lowered with straps by lowering device or by hand straps over the casket by contractor personnel with dignity. If lowering by hand four physically capable persons shall be required lower vault manually. Vault shall be marked with the Cemetery supplied tag.

W. Backfill around the vault shall be a gravel or sand with maximum nugget size of .25 inches or less free flowing to fill all voids and prevent settling after burial. Material shall be placed around all sides of the vault and to a depth of two (2) inches above the top of the vault. It is the contractor’s responsibility to provide the appropriate gravel to surround the vault.

X. Backfill material above the liner/container shall be sufficiently pliable to allow voids to be filled for more solid compaction to reduce subsequent ground settlement. Backfill shall be brought to established grade in one (1) foot lifts. Each lift shall be thoroughly compacted by means of an approved motorized mechanical trench or jumping jack tamper achieving approximately eighty-five (85%) percent compaction. Use of a vibratory tamper is not permitted. Backfill should not be mounded, but should conform to existing grades. It is the contractor’s responsibility to provide the appropriate soil and top soil to fill the excavated grave. The contractor shall remove all unusable dirt, rocks, roots and other types of objects from the cemetery grounds after the internment is completed. During inclement weather efforts should be made to keep dirt dry so as to be usable for compaction.

Y. If the excavation is five feet deep or deeper, a worker is prohibited from entering the excavation until all sides of the grave are stored in a safe manner in accordance with OSHA standards. Any gravesite over four (4) feet in depth requiring entry shall have a ladder as a means of egress placed inside the excavation at all times.

Z. If the grave has an existing headstone; it shall be removed and carefully placed in an area near the gravesite and covered with proper protection. The headstone will be placed on or below the vault and buried in the grave. If this is not possible the headstone shall be removed from the gravesite and appropriately destroyed upon approval of COR.

AA. Any headstone requiring destruction shall be broken up into four (4) inch or smaller pieces rendering all lettering unreadable and shall be disposed of in a landfill. Use for any other purpose is prohibited. At no time shall headstones or pieces of headstones be given away or used for any other purpose than to mark a gravesite.

AB. After backfilling is complete and compacted, the remaining 4-6 inches shall be filled with topsoil to appropriate grade to allow for sod placement even with surrounding grade and tamped. Top soil shall be a well-graded soil of good uniform quality. It shall be a natural, friable soil representative of productive soils in the vicinity. Topsoil shall be free of a mixture of subsoil, foreign matter, objects larger than 25 mm (one inch) in any dimension, toxic substances, turf or weeds and any material or substances that may be harmful to plant growth and shall have a pH value of not less than 5.0 nor more than 7.5. Testing for pH will be required by an approved laboratory at the Contractors expense. Copies of the pH tests shall be furnished to the COR PRIOR to topsoil being placed. Amend topsoil not meeting the pH range specified by the addition of pH adjusters. Top-dress is to be organic matter, weed free consistent with irrigation requirements to promote healthy grass. At least 10 days prior to topsoil delivery, notify the COR or designee of the source(s) from which topsoil is to be furnished. Obtain topsoil from well-drained areas.

AC. The temporary marker shall be placed at the grave by the Contractor or his/her representative and the location will be verified by maps provided by the COR.

AD. All floral bouquets and arrangements left at the gravesite by the funeral party shall be neatly arranged upon the grave at completion and removed after 3-4 days. All wooden & metal stands from floral wreaths shall be removed before placing the wreaths flat on the grave. The shelter shall be cleared of all flowers and ready for the next service within 30 minutes of the completion of the committal service.

AE. The Contractor shall lower flag to half-mast at least one hour before the first interment services of the day.

AF. Contractor shall raise flag to full mast 1/2 hour after the last interment service has completed and all family members have departed.

Guarantee: All casket gravesites will be reevaluated by the COR no later than 12 months to ensure the gravesite has not settled. If the gravesite has receded, then the Contractor must correct the sunken grave at no cost to the Cemetery within the 12-month period

4. Unusual conditions may require occasional deviations from the methods indicated. For cases not covered herein, the Contractor shall consult with the CO/COR for advice on determination of action to be taken.

5. Due to the extensive rock formations the contractor may request that graves may be pre-dug the day before a scheduled interment for reservation or set-a-side gravesites, when authorized by Cemetery Director or COR. This will be at no extra cost to the Cemetery.

CREMATION EXCAVATION, BACKFILL & INTERNMENTS/DIS-INTERNMENT

1. GENERAL

Any/all work done in this section is subject to the General Requirements that form a part of these specifications, and the Contractor shall be responsible for and governed by all the requirements there under.

2. SCOPE

Work consists of excavation, backfilling, and preparing for interments specified by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). There will be approximately 145 cremation interments per year. The COR or representative will notify the Contractor at least 24 hours in advance of the gravesite to be opened. Gravesites scheduled over a holiday weekend may not receive the normal notice. Normally, interments will be accomplished Monday through Friday during the hours of 10:00a.m. To 2:00p.m. However, there may be instances where the Contractor shall be required to perform interments on weekends and/or holidays and outside the regular hours. Internments on weekends or holidays are same cost as normal internments.

Limited space is available for storage of equipment and spoils at the Cemetery Maintenance Shop and spoils area. If utilized the shop and spoils area shall be kept clean and neat. The spoils shall be removed monthly at the contractors’ expense to prevent buildup and shall not be visible over the wall.

3. PROCEDURE

A. All gravesites excavations for cremation shall be completed within a minimum of one hour prior to the interment service. If an outer container is to be used, the gravesite excavation shall be completed to allow the vault to be pre-set in the grave one hour and fifteen minutes prior to the service. All gravesites shall be ready for viewing by the next of kin within one hour after the interment service.

B. It will be the COR's responsibility to notify the Contractor of any underground utilities in the vicinity of gravesite excavation.

C. Graves shall be left half (LH), right half (RH) or center line (CL) Top Half (TH) or Bottom Half (BH) depending on the number of interments and position of previous interments. Graves for cremated remains shall be approximately 18 inches square and 36 inches deep. The COR shall advise the Contractor of the required depth, and position prior to any excavation operation. Contractor should probe all full interments prior to excavation to assure adequate depth for 2nd interment. COR should be notified immediately of insufficient depth to accomplish interment.

D. When a grave is opened to receive a second interment and is found to be of insufficient depth to permit interment, due to a vault not being deep enough or rock formations underneath, the remains of the first interment shall be removed and the grave excavated to a depth to accommodate both interments, whenever possible. The contractor shall be prepared to jackhammer rock out the gravesite if necessary to reach the appropriate depth. On rare occasions, solid rock formations at Nashville National Cemetery make it impossible to excavate deeper. In these instances, the Cemetery Director will find an appropriate grave for the interment. Arrangement and payment for disinterment of the vault of the first decedent is the COR’s responsibility.

E. Sod should be removed from the gravesite prior to excavation and shall be reused on the gravesite whenever possible. Any excess backfill shall be hauled and dumped. Sod shall be cut 4” to 6” deep to keep roots healthy. Portable watering device may be required in order to re-establish healthy turf. No soil remaining shall be left at gravesite.

F. When a grave is opened, the Contractor is responsible for removing any headstone needed to ensure access for the gravesite and the remains and subsequently replaced. Contractor will report any headstone damages to the COR by the end of the business day.

G. The Contractor shall transfer the remains in a dignified manner (casket carrier, casket transport van, etc.) from the interment shelter to the proper gravesite following all NCA policies. The Contractor shall be required to lower the remains into gravesite in a safe and efficient manner, with dignity, and without damage to the cremains. The contractor is responsible for any damages incurred by contract personnel to the cremains during the handling and transporting of remains to the gravesite.

H. Backfill material surrounding the cremains shall be gravel or sand with maximum nugget size of .25 inches and sufficiently pliable to allow voids to be filled as well as cover two (2) inches above the cremation. Backfill material will then be added for more solid compaction to reduce subsequent ground settlement. Backfill shall be brought to established grade in one (1) foot lifts. Each lift shall be thoroughly compacted by means of an approved hand tamper. Backfill should not be mounded, but should conform to existing grades. It is the contractor’s responsibility to provide the appropriate backfill and top soil to fill the excavated grave. The contractor shall remove all unusable dirt, rocks, roots and other types of objects from the cemetery grounds.

I. The open excavation must be covered with boards such as heavy-duty plywood, plastic, metal or fiberglass to completely cover the open gravesite and capable of holding 300lbs weight. A cone shall be placed on the gravesite to prevent anyone from accessing the open excavation.

J. After backfilling is complete and compacted, the remaining two inches shall be filled with topsoil for the sod to be replaced and tamped to ground level.

L. All floral bouquets and arrangements left at the shelter by the funeral party shall be neatly arranged upon the grave and removed when they become unsightly. All wooden & metal stands from floral wreaths shall be removed before placing the wreath flat on the grave. The shelter shall be cleaned and ready for the next service within 30 minutes of the completion of the committal service.

Guarantee: All cremation gravesites will be reevaluated by the COR no later than 12 months to ensure the gravesite has not settled. If the gravesite has receded, then the Contractor must correct the sunken grave at no cost to the Cemetery within the 12-month period.

Columbaria Internment

1. GENERAL

Any/all work done in this section is subject to the General Requirements that form a part of these specifications, and the Contractor shall be responsible for and governed by all the requirements there under.

2. SCOPE

Work consists of interring and preparing for interments specified by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). There will be approximately 50 cremation columbaria interments per year on an as needed basis due to shortages of Cemetery staff. The COR or representative will notify the Contractor at least 24 hours in advance of the gravesite to be opened. Gravesites scheduled over a holiday weekend may not receive the normal notice. Normally, interments will be accomplished Monday through Friday during the hours of 10:00a.m. To 2:00p.m. However, there may be instances where the Contractor shall be required to perform interments on weekends and/or holidays and outside the regular hours. Internments on weekends or holidays are same cost as normal internments.

Limited space is available for storage of equipment and spoils at the Cemetery Maintenance Shop and spoils area. If utilized the shop and spoils area shall be kept clean and neat.

A. All columbaria first internments shall be opened within a minimum of one hour prior to the interment service. All gravesites shall be ready for viewing by the next of kin within ten (10) minutes after the interment service.

B. All columbaria second internment shall be opened at the time of internment with the Cemetery Representative as a witness to the opening of the niche. All gravesites shall be ready for viewing by the next of kin within ten (10) minutes after the interment service.

C. No columbaria niches containing a cremation will be opened by the contractor without a Cemetery Representative present. Any niches opened and containing an inurnment shall be attended by a Cemetery Representative as long as it is open.

D. Location for Columbaria inurnment shall be verified by Wall, Column and row.

E. Niches shall be removed and installed using the appropriate security bit so as to prevent damage to the screws, rosettes and washers.

F. Niches shall be carefully removed by unscrewing the 4 screws while supporting the niche so as to prevent damage.

G. The niche shall be cleaned out by sweeping out and dust or debris. If an existing urn is in the niche care shall be made to not touch it.

H. All brackets and fasteners shall be checked for tightness and tightened as needed. Any items not functional shall be immediately shown to the COR for replacement.

I. The niche cover shall be placed carefully beside the niche as designated by the COR.

J. The screws, rosettes and washers shall be carefully removed cleaned and placed to the side for reinstallation. Any items that are unserviceable shall by shown to the COR for replacement.

K. The cemetery representative shall place the urn in the niche.

L. After the niche is placed the contractor shall reinstall the niche carefully by attaching the niche in all four corners securely with the screws, rosettes and washers with a temporary tag placed at the top left corner under the screw, rosette and washer.

M. Care shall be taken to ensure the niche is aligned and spaced evenly with the surrounding niches both niches vertically and horizontally.

N. The niche shall be cleaned of any dirt debris or handprints by washing or sanding to maintain the original finish. Any chips or nicks shall be sanded out to maintain the original finish and shape.

L. All floral bouquets and arrangements left at the shelter by the funeral party shall be neatly arranged at the foot of the column containing the inurnment. All wooden & metal stands from floral wreaths shall be removed before placing the wreath flat on the ground. The shelter shall be cleaned and ready for the next service within 30 minutes of the completion of the committal service.

O. Contractor shall be responsible for the cost to replace any niches damaged during and inurnment if the damage is found to be the fault of the contractor.

Federal workdays in daylight hours and may require work on selected Federal Holidays or weekends.

NCA Standards:

MONITORING PROCEDURES

(a) In addition to any other documentation required in this solicitation, after training by the COR, the Contractor shall complete and maintain the following documents:

· Interment slip/ dig slip for each interment

· Sample document of the Interment/ Dig slip is included as APPENDIX B to this solicitation. Post-award, the COR will instruct the Contractor on the method of completing and maintaining the document.

CONTRACTOR STAFFING REQUIREMENTS:

Contractor will supply a minimum of one (1) headstone employee and one (1) Site Supervisor dedicated to performing all services outlined in this SOW.

Contractor employee work may be supplemented with additional employees to accomplish ALL CLIN items successfully in a timely manner if required.

The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of personnel conduct and work performance and shall administer disciplinary action as required. The Contractor shall remove employees for cause, to include, but not limited to, misconduct in performance of duty under these specifications and/or conduct contrary to the best interests of the Government.

SITE SUPERVISOR REQUIREMENTS:

Site Supervisor: A competent and experienced English-speaking Site Supervisor shall be provided by the Contractor at all times work is being performed. The Site Supervisor shall be knowledgeable in all areas of the contract and shall direct all work being performed as part of the contract and shall have direct supervision over all contractor employees. The Site Supervisor shall provide daily onsite quality control over all work performed as part of the contract. The Site Supervisor shall have regular communication with the COR’s and shall submit daily, weekly and monthly inspection reports to the COR’s.

The Site Supervisor must have at least three (3) years of experience as a direct supervisor of gravesite excavation and burial.

The Site Supervisor shall ensure all specifications are being met, ensure contract work does not conflict with ceremonies and funerals, and ensure employees are adequately supervised and proper conduct is maintained.

Site Supervisor shall prevent any disruption to the cemetery operations, including funerals, visitor privacy, internal traffic, and utilities.

EMPLOYEE REQUIREMENTS:

The operator responsible for excavation of the gravesites shall have a minimum of 5 years of experience operating excavation equipment and 2 years minimum experience excavating gravesites Contractor shall provide employees with at least 1-year of experience in excavation and burial, experience working in a National Cemetery contract or similar projects. Employees shall have demonstrated education in excavation and burial.

Employees shall be fully trained in safe equipment operations and Cemetery etiquette.

The Contractor shall be aware of the intensive labor and equipment requirements needed to meet contract specifications. The Contractor shall be responsible to provide all labor and equipment as necessary to meet deadlines. The Contractor will provide all necessary resources to complete the efforts assigned under the scope of this contract.

Employee Identification: The Contractor’s employees shall wear visible Company and employee name identification always while on the premises of the Cemetery.

Training: The Contractor shall also be responsible for training and safety precautions for Contractor employees performing work under these specifications. OSHA standards shall be observed by the Contractor in all work performed. Appropriate safety equipment shall be furnished by the Contractor to Contractor personnel and shall be used as prescribed by OSHA standards, including hard hats, safety shoes, safety glasses, and hearing protection devices. The following OSHA and NFPA standards and codes are to be adhered to:

1. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): 10-1998 Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers

2. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 CFR 1910 Safety and Health Regulations for Personal Protection, Safety Color Codes, Portable Power Tools, Electrical Safety and Portable Electric Equipment.

3. Site and Building Access: Maintain free and unobstructed access to facility emergency services and for fire, police and other emergency response forces in accordance with NFPA 241.

STANDARDS OF EMPLOYEE CONDUCT:

A. Contractor and Contractor personnel, to include all contractors’ temporary workers, shall be required to adhere to the following standards of dress and conduct while performing work in the National Cemetery. These standards and regulations are enforceable under CFR-2017-Title 38 Vol 1- Sec 1-218 See Attachment A.

1. An approved uniform consists of:

Long slacks or pants and shirt, buttoned up from neck to waist. Shirt shall have company name and or logo and Employee name. Hats shall be plain or bear the company name or logo only. Clothing shall be clean each day. Any soiled clothing should be cemetery work-related to that day. No ripped or torn clothing shall be worn. T-shirts and/or tank tops as outer garments are prohibited as are any garments which have a message or slogan affixed thereto. Shoes/boots shall have no holes or loose soles. Steel-toed shoes shall be required in accordance with OSHA requirements. Contractor employees shall maintain personal hygiene.

2. Contractor personnel must maintain a neat and professional appearance throughout the workforce, vehicles, equipment, and staging areas. Matching uniforms (pants and shirt, plus jacket in the cool season) for all employees are required- in addition to all state and federally mandated Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliant protective gear.

3. Contractor personnel shall not engage in loud or boisterous behavior or use profane or abusive language. Shall show proper reverence during committal services.

4. Contractor personnel shall not eat or drink beverages except water or non-alcoholic drinks while in work area nor in site of committal shelter during a service. Use of intoxicating beverages and/or drugs is strictly prohibited.

5. Contractor personnel shall not lean, sit or stand on or against headstones or monuments. No tools, equipment or other items shall be placed or leaned on headstones or monuments.

6. The only designated tobacco use areas for the Nashville National Cemetery is located by the maintenance building. All other areas to include all interment sections are designated as tobacco free, this includes vaping and all forms of electronic cigarettes.

PARKING, AND VA REGULATIONS:

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure his employees park in the appropriate designated parking areas. Contractor employees may park privately owned vehicles in the area designated for parking by the COR at their own risk. The Cemetery will not invalidate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the Contractor’s employees under any conditions. Tobacco use is prohibited inside any buildings at the Cemetery. Possession of weapons is prohibited. Enclosed containers, including tool kits, shall be subject to search. Violations of VA regulations may result in citation answerable in the United States (Federal) District Court, not a local district, state, or municipal court.

USE OF CEMETERY FACILITIES:

The Government will not be responsible for any loss, damage, or theft of Contractor items, nor shall free telephone service be provided. Contractor shall be responsible for acceptable standards of housekeeping and custodial maintenance of Department of Veterans Affairs facilities used by Contractor's employees.

A. The Government may allow the use of the maintenance building at the cemetery site for optional use by the Contractor to store supplies and equipment. However, the Government will not be responsible for any damage to or loss of the Contractor's equipment and supplies stored on the Government's premises. The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining fire extinguishers and other safety equipment. Should the maintenance building become unavailable, the Contractor will be given a minimum of 60 days from the notice of building unavailability to find storage off the cemetery grounds. The Contractor would then be responsible for delivering and removing all necessary equipment and supplies daily. Inability to use the maintenance building will in no way alter the contract.

B. While utilizing the maintenance building the contractor shall maintain the building to NCA Standards. Building shall be cleaned daily and documented on required checklists that shall be maintained by the contractor and sent to the COR on a weekly basis. Daily Cleaning shall include sweeping the floor, emptying trash, removing cobwebs from all areas. All items stored in service building shall be in a neat orderly safe fashion.

C. The Contractor shall be responsible for safely storing any chemicals in accordance with manufacturers recommendations.

D. Only the designated restroom facilities in maintenance shop will be available to Contractor personnel. Locations will be COR identified at time of contract award.

E. Electricity and water will be furnished by the Government except for any additional water needed other than on site water.

CONTRACTOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS:

The Contractor shall obtain all necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform this work. The Contractor shall take all precautions necessary to protect persons and property from injury or damage during the performance of this contract. The Contractor shall be responsible for any injury to themselves, their employees, or others, as well as for any damage to personal or public property that occurs during the performance of this contract that is caused by their or their employees’ fault or negligence. Further, it is agreed that any negligence of the Government, its officers, agents, servants and employees, shall not be the responsibility of the Contractor hereunder with the regard to any claims, loss, damage, injury, and liability resulting therefrom. The Contractor shall maintain workmen’s compensation, personal liability, automobile liability, and property damage insurance, as prescribed by the laws of the state of Tennessee, and in accordance with FAR 52.228-5, Section B. Evidence of coverage is required before commencing work under this contract (copy of Certificate of Insurance), and it may not be changed or cancelled without thirty calendar days prior written notice to the Contracting Officer.

INSPECTION AND CLEANING OF CEMETERY FACILITIES:

A. The Contractor shall perform an inspection on days when excavations and burials occur. During this inspection the appearance of the cemetery will be observed, and any deficiencies noted within the scope of the contract will be documented by the COR on a weekly inspection sheet.

B. Items that need correcting outside the scope of the contract will be reported to the Contracting Officer or his representative.

C. The Contractor shall be required to submit inspection reports and work accomplished to the COR after each interment. The inspection forms will document date, location and type of work completed, certification of inspection for quality control by site supervisor and other issues.

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICER:

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) shall be under the supervision of the Foreman and Director, Chattanooga National Cemetery. Only the Contracting Officer can make changes in the scope of work. The Contractor shall contact the Contracting Officer on all matters pertaining to administration. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make commitments or issue changes, which will affect the price, quantity or delivery terms of this contract.

MAINTENANCE DURING CEMETERY FUNCTIONS:

Contractor personnel shall not operate motorized equipment or conduct other commercial activities during interment services. The COR or his/her representative shall furnish the Contractor with a schedule of all interments and/or ceremonies no later than the close of business of the day prior to the scheduled internment, and a minimum of three (3) days before any ceremonial events.

CONTRACTOR’S QUALITY CONTROL PLAN (QCP):

(a) The Contractor shall establish and maintain a complete QCP to assure the requirements of this contract are provided as specified. This QCP will be forwarded to the CO along with the requested initial proposal. The CO will review the QCP and list any needed clarifications, and return to Contractor for response, if necessary. The Contractor’s QCP shall include the following or have incorporated into during performance of contract, at a minimum:

(b) An inspection plan covering all services required by this contract. The inspection plan must specify the areas to be inspected on either a scheduled or unscheduled basis, how often inspections will be accomplished and documented, and the title of the individual(s) who will perform the inspections.

(c) On-site records of all inspections conducted by the Contractor noting necessary corrective action taken. The Government reserves the right to request copies of any and/or each inspection.

(d) Incorporation of either active or established internal policy and procedures for updating equipment and procedures, that may affect performance of contract.

(e) The methods for identifying and preventing deficiencies in the quality of service performed, before the level of performance becomes unacceptable, and organizational functions noting intermediate supervisory responsibilities and overall management responsibilities for ensuring total acceptable performance.

(f) On-site records identifying the character, physical capabilities, certifications and ongoing training of each employee performing services under this contract.

(g) A log to account for all requests for immediate service. The log shall indicate the date and time of services, and description of results and completion of these services and a name and signature of the person inspecting and certifying the work as completed.

(h) On-site records of any complaints or problems, with procedures taken to allow for corrections and/or elimination before effects caused interruption of performance of contract.

Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR)

a) The issuance of a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) shall be issued when work is found to be below the Minimally Acceptable Level listed in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan or if found to be unsafe, or in violation of Contract Requirements.

b) The CDR will require the Contractor to explain in writing why performance was unacceptable, how performance will be returned to an acceptable level, and how recurrence of the problem will be prevented in the future. The Contractor will not be paid for services not rendered in accordance with the standards set forth in this contract.

c) If the Government created any of the discrepancies, these will not be counted against the Contractor's performance. When the Government has caused the Contractor to perform in an unsatisfactory manner, the COR will forward a written notice to the responsible organizational element requesting corrective action be taken.

d) Normally, the COR will verbally advise or give a written inspection report to the Contractor of discrepancies the first time they occur and ask the Contractor to correct the problem. A notation will be made on the COR checklist of the date and the time the deficiency was discovered and the date and time the Contractor was notified. Failure to correct discrepancies in the required time frame or repeated occurrences of discrepancies will result in issuance of a CDR.

e) When the Contractor is not meeting the limits of satisfactory performance, a CDR will be issued to the Contractor. The seriousness of the failures should govern whether to issue CDR at the end of the period, or as soon as the limits of satisfactory performance are exceeded.

f) A CDR will be prepared by the COR and forwarded to the CO and Contractor.

g) The Contractor shall respond to any complaints and/or ratings of deficient…