36C78620Q0041-002.docx

B.3 STATEMENT OF WORK/SPECIFICATION

1.0 Background

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), National Cemetery Administration (NCA) furnishes headstones, markers and niche covers (monuments) for deceased veterans worldwide. Memorial monuments are also furnished to memorialize veterans whose remains are non-recoverable.

2.0 Purpose

The purpose of this contract is to provide marble columbarium niche covers for Arlington National Cemetery. Blank niche covers must be comparable in color and shading to the existing marble niche covers mounted on existing columbaria. Sources from different states are acceptable if the MPS, Program Support Unit’s evaluation of a sample confirms that a suitable match will result for color, visual texture, finish and testing standards.

· (E1) – Niche Cover, Marble, 11-1/4” x 15-3/4” x 7/8”, Arlington NC

3.0 General

This contract shall include all labor and materials necessary to supply blank marble niche covers, as noted in 2.0, to the cemetery. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing all labor and material needed to manufacture, package, palletize, and deliver FOB destination.

3.1 Performance period: The contractor shall have thirty (30) calendar days following the day a request for delivery is sent to the contractor until the monuments are manufactured, packaged, and delivered to the cemetery.

3.2 Unit Price: The unit price is all-inclusive and covers the finished, blank niche covers delivered FOB Destination. This all-inclusive price includes product and services to provide monuments meeting technical requirements as shown in drawings listed in Sections 4.0 and 5.1.

4.0 Material Specification

4.1 Description: Niche Cover, Marble, Blank, ANC (11-1/4” x 15-3/4” x 7/8”)

4.1.1 Product Code: E1

4.1.2 Drawing No.: A-E1-BNC, Rev. -, dated 07/23/14

4.2 Material: Marble shall be sound and compact, free from cracks, spalls, chips, holes, calcite lines more than two inches in length, open seams, pits or other defects that would impair its strength, durability or appearance.

4.3 Color: The overall color of the marble exclusive of allowable coloration shall be (N9 or higher) judged against the Munsell Neutral Value Scale, Matte 31 – step scale. Various colored veins, no darker than N6 of the Munsell Neutral Value Scale, may blend gradually into the white background. Blotches of color or veining which are in sharp contract with the background whiteness, which would inhibit legibility of the inscription, or which present an objectionable appearance, shall be cause for rejection. Traits causing unacceptable appearance in the top 14” of the marker include:

· marble with multiple, long, straight streaks;

· colors which appear as draining or dripping down the stone;

· coloring which would be mistaken for black microbial growth or, markings which would be mistaken for dirt;

· marble with veining of blatantly dissimilar material susceptible to differential weathering;

· lines likely to be misinterpreted as cracks;

· broad dark markings or splotches that interfere with legibility or that create a strong visual distraction (e.g., resembling paint splatter) --- regardless of where the distraction is located;

· marble which lack a dominant background color (more than 33% is color of veins);

· marble having 5 or more veins that are greater than 1-1/3 inches thick;

· marble having wide (other than pencil-mark thin) veins which do not gradually blend with the background color;

· marble with horizontally oriented veining haphazardly missed with other orientations. Veining should occur across the stone primarily following the long vertical dimension or slanted by as much as ± 45 degrees from the vertical.

4.4 Finish: The face of each niche cover must be uniformly machine honed to a finish utilizing an 80-grit pad, or stone, to a smooth satin finish, free of scratches, saw marks, rust spots and skips. The back of the niche covers shall be a smooth sawn finish. All edges along the front, back and corners shall be uniformly rounded with a smooth 1/16” to 1/8” eased-edge aris (or chamfer). The minimum 1/16” rounding along backside edges is preferred. Four holes are to be core drilled in each cover as shown on the drawing. The holes must be perpendicular to the face of the cover. The holes shall have smooth side walls, with one centerline and no visible change in the side wall from drilling the hole from opposite faces.

4.5 Source of supply: All stone shall be obtained from quarries within the United States having adequate capacity and facilities to meet the specified requirements. Cutting and finishing shall be done by a manufacturer equipped to process the material promptly and in accordance with these specifications.

If the contractor changes from the original approved quarry to another quarry during the contract term, an additional sample shall be submitted to the MPS Program Support Unit for approval prior to using the new stone to produce blanks

4.6 Workmanship: Each monument shall be free from defects in workmanship.

· Chips, cracks, open seams, or abraded edges, shall not be permitted and the repair or patching of any such defects is prohibited and shall be cause for rejection.

· Monuments shall be free of ink, oil, crayon marks, dirt, coatings, sealers and stone dust.

· Workmanship and production shall be in accordance with industry standards, practices, and regulatory safety requirements

4.7 Testing: Stone supplied under this contract shall conform to the following specifications and physical requirements. Stone shall be tested, as listed below, by an approved testing laboratory and test results shall be submitted to the Memorial Products Service (MPS), Program Support Unit for approval prior to the production of the sample. Testing is required only once and shall be from a representative sample of the quarry. Testing results are required for new sources of stone.

NOTE: Testing results are not required for sources in the following areas:

· Marble, Gunnison County, Colorado

· Danby, Rutland County, Vermont

5.0 Marble Testing Specifications

5.1.1 Abrasive hardness:

Marble shall have an abrasive hardness value Ha of 10.0 minimum, when tested as specified by ASTM C241.

5.1.2 Absorption:

Marble absorption shall be 0.15 percent maximum, by weight when tested for a 48-hour period as specified in ASTM C97.

5.1.3 Compressive strength:

Marble shall have a minimum compressive strength of 7,500 psi when tested as specified in ASTM C170.

5.1.4 Modulus of rupture:

Marble shall have a minimum modulus of rupture of 1000psi when tested as specified in ASTM C99.

5.2 Applicable Publications

5.2.1 Munsell Neutral Value Scale, Matte (31 - step scale)

617 Little Britain Road, New Windsor, NY Refer to X-Rite, Inc or Pantone LLC for Munsell Color Scale

5.2.2 ASTM, Sections C97, C99, C170, C241

American Society for Testing and Materials 100 Barr Harbor Drive PO Box C700 West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959

5.2.3 Dimension Stones of the World

Marble Institute of America (MIA + BSI) 380 E. Lorain Street, Oberlin, OH 44074

6.0 Submittal by Potential Offerors

Potential offerors shall submit at contractor expense two (2) marble samples (full size) representative of the marble to be used in the production of markers under the contract. The marble sample shall conform to government specifications and shall be submitted for approval. Mark each sample on the back with a permanent marker to show: contractor’s name, telephone number, solicitation number, and email address. Any sample which arrives damaged shall not be accepted.

The sample must be manufactured, inscribed, and packaged to prevent any damage during shipment.

Samples must be accompanied by a statement identifying the brand name and grit rating for the pad or stone used to produce the final finish and the name of the quarry the marble originated from.

Failure to meet any of the requirements shall result in the rejection of the sample.

The sample shall establish the acceptable product for marble to be used in production under this contract and shall be the basis for comparison of those products.

Samples must be received by Memorial Products Service (MPS) prior to closing date. If one or more of the samples are disapproved by MPS, you shall receive notification by MPS (Program Support Unit) and have until the closing date of the solicitation to resubmit another sample.

NO samples shall be accepted after closing date.

Note: All samples should be manufactured using the dimensions noted above.

Once submitted, samples become the property of the Department of Veterans Affairs and shall not be returned. Submit sample and test results to the following address:

Department of Veteran Affairs Memorial Products Service Program Support Unit, Rm. 600 1575 Eye Street, NW Washington, DC 20005

6.1 Full size copies of drawings are available upon request at no additional charge to potential vendors. The request should be e-mailed to the NCA Memorial Products Service (MPS) Program Support Unit at MPSProgSupport@va.gov and shall include the contractor’s name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, and the name / drawing number of the drawing(s). If hard copies of the drawings are desired, e-mail the request to MPS with sufficient time for the drawings to be mailed. MPS recommends vendors use full size drawings for determining work requirements. An extension to the solicitation’s closing date shall not be granted for failure to request the technical drawings with sufficient lead time.

7.0 Packaging and Palletizing

7.1 Materials: All monuments shall be packed in accordance with normal industry standards and commercial best practices to assure acceptance by the common carrier.

Non metal bands shall be secured around the pallet or crate for its entire height (from top to bottom) and two additional bands shall secure the pallet or crating around the width. Banding pressure shall be such that it causes no damage to the edges of the stone when packaged. Colored materials or materials capable of staining the stone (ex. uncoated cardboard, certain kinds of wood) during outdoor storage are not permitted.

The packaging and crating shall protect the monuments throughout the handling process and during shipment and comply with the National Motor Freight Classification:

· Ensure the pallet or crate is in good condition.

· All niche covers shall be packed on edge in a single course within each crate. Do not stack covers on top of each other with the crates.

7.2 Palletizing: Each pallet shall not exceed 1,500 lbs. Banding shall be in cross-directional pairs, four per pallet ensuring that the banding is routed through the pallet to minimize any movement of the markers while in transit. Non-staining corner cards are to be provided between the band and the monument at each corner of the banding (uncoated cardboard against the stone is unsatisfactory due to the tendency for discoloration). The following specifications shall be used in conjunction with standard 42” x 48”, 4-way wood pallets.

Protruding metal fasteners must be replaced to avoid tearing the packaging or scratching the monument’s surface.

The contractor shall ensure non-coloring materials are used for packing and that packing materials are not prone to compression which may cause load shifts or damage from the ensuing loose banding.

The monuments shall be packed in such a manner that any adhesive, glue, or coloring from the packaging does not transfer and adhere to the stone during shipment or during interim storage prior to use.

The contractor shall replace monuments at no additional cost to the Government if damage is incurred during transport. The MPS Program Support Unit reserves the right to notify the contractor by email within 5 days of any markers damaged during transportation. Upon notification, the contractor shall replace the damaged monuments within ten (10) calendar days from the date the e-mail was sent by MPS to the contractor.

The front and back of each individual package or on each side of a pallet shall be labeled with the words, HANDLE WITH CARE, in one-inch high red letters. Use of commercially available labels can be used for this requirement.

In addition, the contractor shall ensure the commercial bill of lading is notated with the following statements:

· “the palletized markers must be moved to the rear of the delivery vehicle to ensure the ability of the receiving business to offload the pallet using a forklift”.

· “In case of delivery problems: call (202)-461-4132 or 202 501 2696 for guidance and follow-up notification with email to MPSProgSupport@va.gov.

· Items damaged during transport must be reported by email to MPSProgSupport and the damaged items must be positively destroyed by the transporter or transporter’s agent. The contractor shall document such monuments were, “… demolished or pulverized into small pieces and no portion of the inscription remained legible”.

9.0 Government Quality Assurance (QA)

9.1 Inspections: Quality assurance (QA) inspections of the contractor’s manufacturing facility and products may be performed by the designated COR of the Memorial Programs Service to assure satisfactory contract performance. The Government reserves the right to inspect the quality of blanks and the manufacturing process without prior scheduling or notifications to the contractor.

During each QA visit at production sites, a complete assessment of the contractor’s operation shall be made, to include the following areas:

· Packaging and palletizing of product that promotes damage-free shipments and compliant with all contractual requirements.

· Execution of quality control procedures.

· Maintaining QA records as required, with the records indicating the quality of the headstones or markers as shipped.

When at the contractor’s production facility, the contractor shall assist the designated COR by providing an adequate, well lighted inspection area. Contractor personnel must provide assistance lifting, handling and moving of product.

9.2 Quality System: The contractor must develop and maintain a written inspection system that documents the quality and timeliness of finished products. The Contractor shall provide, to the designated COR of the MPS Program Support Unit, reports on the Contractor’s processing and delivery of orders to the carrier. Weekly reports must be emailed to MPS at MPSProgSupport@va.gov, attention to the designated COR by the close of business, Tuesday of the next week. Should this day fall on a holiday, the report must be submitted no later than the next business day. Each report must include the following information:

· Date order was received

· Obligation number

· Date shipped

· Carrier’s name

· Carrier’s tracking number

· Quantity of orders shipped

· Items damaged during transport and subsequently destroyed

If an order is delinquent at the time that the status report is emailed to the MPS Program Support Unit, the contractor must provide, in the same email with the report, the reason(s) for the delinquency, what measures the contractor is undertaking to remedy the causes of the current delinquency, and the date the contractor expects to become current with orders.

9.3 Quality Complaints

The receipt of complaints concerning unsatisfactory quality or non-compliance with the contract specifications shall be considered reason for an immediate visit and review of the contractor’s quality assurance program. The Government reserves the right to inspect 100% of the production for an indefinite period due to quality problems. Indicative, but not all-inclusive, examples of issues meriting inspection are:

· Nonconforming product shipped to fill Government orders.

· The COR rejecting product that passed the contractor’s inspection system but product is still awaiting shipment.

· Deficiencies that adversely affect performance of the contract in areas such as:

o Inspection system o Inspection personnel o Manufacturing process o Production control o Planning and scheduling o Employee training o Craftsmanship o Safety o Knowledge/training of processes and measuring tools o Multiple reorders of same order due to loss or damage from inadequate labeling or palletizing.

The designated COR of the MPS Program Support Unit or a designated inspector for this contract shall inform the Contractor of the deficiencies. A site inspection report shall be generated by the inspecting COR and the COR shall discuss with the contractor what corrective action(s) shall be taken and when the corrective action shall be taken. When an issue(s) arise regarding a monument not meeting the specified standards and the issue(s) cannot be resolved between the contractor and the Government, the Contracting Officer shall make a final determination as to whether the monument shall be replaced at the contractor’s expense or at the Government’s expense.

11.0 Government Headstone and Marker Drawings

The Contractor shall ensure that copies of all relevant Government-provided drawings for production of headstones/markers under each contract are maintained on file and are available to the designated COR, upon request, during on-site Quality Assurance inspections.

11.1 The contractor and the cemetery shall ensure that APPENDIX B – TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED HEADSTONES, MARKERS, OR NICHE COVERS is completed, signed and dated, and a copy kept in the contractor’s and cemetery’s files whenever possession of product is transferred between the two parties.

12.0 Procedures (Administrative and Other)

12.1 Government Responsibilities: Notwithstanding the Contractor’s responsibility for total management during the performance of this contract, the administration of the contract shall require coordination between the Government and the Contractor. The Centralized Contracting Division shall provide, at the time of the contract’s award, the name of one or more individuals authorized to act as Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs) during the coordination.

12.2 Contractor Records and Files: The contractor shall maintain records and files of all documents relating to each order filled under each Government Headstone and Marker contract. These records shall include, at minimum, copies of all orders, quality assurance records, inspection results, shipping documents (bearing carrier’s name and PRO tracking numbers) and invoices. These records shall be made available, upon request, to the designated MPS Program Support Unit COR during on-site Quality Assurance inspections.

12.3 Government Headstone and Marker Drawings: The contractor shall ensure copies of all relevant Government drawings for production of monuments are maintained on file and are available to the designed COR, upon request, during on-site Quality Assurance inspections.

12.5 Completion point for invoicing products delivered FOB destination: The contractor’s responsibilities are deemed complete when satisfactorily prepared orders are delivered to the ordered destination (consignee’s address). The contractor shall bear all charges to the point of destination.

12.6 Point of Contact at MPS: E-mail to: MPSProgSupport@va.gov

END STATEMENT OF WORK

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