36C78621Q0062.docx

Contract Opportunity Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Notice

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* = Required Field Contract Opportunity Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Notice S208 SED-937-GROUNDS MAINTENANCE-FY21 New - Southeast District - Tallahassee Natl Cemetery - Grounds maintenance contract;

subject to the availability of FY 21 funds 22172 36C78621Q0062 01-20-2021 16:00

EASTERN TIME, NEW YORK, USA

N

SDVOSBC

561730 Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration Contracting Services 18434 Joplin Road Triangle VA 22172 Kenneth Randle

(703) 630-9356 Kenneth.Randle@va.gov 703-630-9356 Tallahassee National Cemetery 5015 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee

FL

32311

USA

https://www.va.gov Department of Veterans Affairs Kenneth.Randle@va.gov Contracting Officer

RFQ FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tallahassee, FL 32311

Attachments: A – Past Performance Questionnaire B – Wage Determination, Leon County FL – 14 Dec 2020

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; offers are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ), solicitation number 36C78621Q0062

This solicitation incorporates provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2021-2.

This is a 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

The applicable North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 561730, with a business size standard of 8 Million.

This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to an acquisition approach.

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, National Cemetery Administration anticipates the award of a Firm Fixed Priced Requirement Contract for Grounds Maintenance Services at Tallahassee National Cemetery.

POST AWARD CONFERENCE: Date and time to be determined (TBD) after contract award.

SITE VISIT: Offerors or quoters are urged and expected to inspect all sites where services are to be performed and to satisfy themselves regarding all general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance. In no event shall failure to inspect a one or all sites constitute grounds for a claim after contract award. All contractors and attendees shall follow CDC guidelines for COVID-19 on government premises and must practice safe social distancing and wear acceptable facial coverings; in addition to any other required personal protective equipment (PPE) outlined for the state of Florida at the time of the site visit.

If you plan to attend a site visit / inspection at Tallahassee National Cemetery, YOU MUST CONTACT the COR Andre Guyton via email at Andre.Guyton1@va.gov to make arrangements

RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR QUOTATION (RFQ): Quotes are due to the Contracting officer no later than 16:00 on 20 January 2021. Responses to this announcement will result in a Firm-Fixed Priced Requirement Contract. The Government intends to make award without discussions. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary and the Government will not pay for information provided nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided for the Government. Offerors are responsible for obtaining any and all amendments or additional information concerning this announcement at beta.sam.gov.

SOLICITATION QUESTIONS:

Questions pertaining to this announcement must be sent by email to Kenneth.Randle@va.gov. by no later than close of business, 11 January 2021. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.

PRICE SCHEDULE: Contractor shall furnish all supervision, labor, equipment, tools, and materials necessary to provide grounds maintenance services (mowing, trimming, edging, trash / debris removal & fall leaf cleanup ,tree pruning & removal) to the Tallahassee National Cemetery located at 5015 Apalachee Parkway. Tallahassee, FL 32311. Services include mowing cemetery turf on a seven (7) day cycle, trimming upright and flat grave markers trimming of fence lines, curbs & trees, headstone cleaning, trash & debris removal and Fall leaf removal.

Term of Contract: The contract term shall be from January 29, 2021 (or date of award – whichever is sooner) to January 28, 2022 - This contract shall be awarded in the format of One (1) - 1-year Base Period and four (4) one-year options periods . All services described in the Work Statement, including technical specifications, schedules, addenda, clauses, terms and conditions of the contract shall form the complete scope of work.

The quantities of services specified in the Price Schedule are estimates only and are not purchased by this contract. The Government reserves the right to add additional line items related to cemetery grounds maintenance. Services can include emergency storm damage cleanup and snow removal. The Government will do so via a modification to the contract and SOW after obtaining fair and reasonable pricing from the contractor.

B.2 PRICE SCHEDULE

The contractor shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, tools and supervision necessary to accomplish the deliverables described in the Statement of Work, except as may otherwise be specified to maintain Tallahassee National Cemetery, 5015 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, Fl. 32311, within all National Cemetery Administration standards (available from the national cemetery).

The contract period shall consist of a base period from Date of Contract Award through, January 28, 2022 with up to four (4) one-year options to extend the term of the contract through January 28, 2026 if exercised.

Units and services to be in accordance with performance work statement, technical specifications, terms and conditions contained in their solicitation. The contractor’s offer includes a price for each Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) noting a unit price, a total price for the estimated quantity of each and a sub total price for all estimated services in the contract base year and each contract option year. Unit prices given under this request for proposals 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. Evaluation for award purposes will be based on total aggregate price. Therefore, offerors shall submit a price for Base Year and each Option Year. Failure to submit an offer on each year may cause an offer to be found non-responsive and be rejected.

BASE YEAR (Date of Contract Award – January 28, 2022)

Total Estimated Price Base Year:

OPTION YEAR 1 (January 29, 2022 – January 28, 2023)

Total Estimated Price Option Year 0ne (1) :

OPTION YEAR 2 (January 29, 2023 – January 28, 2024)

Total Estimated Price Option Year Two (2) :

OPTION YEAR 3 (January 29, 2024 – January 28, 2025)

Total Estimated Price Option Year Three (3) :

OPTION YEAR 4 (January 29, 2025 – January 28, 2026)

Total Estimated Price Option Year Four (4) :

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B.3 PRICE SCHEDULE

1. GENERAL INFORMATION:

a. This is a service contract for cemetery grounds and facilities maintenance services at Tallahassee National Cemetery, Tallahassee, FL and hereafter referred to as “Cemetery”. 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.

b. 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 (NCA) to reflect this nation’s concern and respect for those interred there. The NCA mission: The NCA honors veterans with a final resting place and lasting memorials that commemorate their service to our nation.

2. INTRODUCTION:

This Performance Work Statement describes the basic objectives of Tallahassee 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 Statement of Work that the Government traditionally provides to prospective offerors.

3. BACKGROUND:

Tallahassee National Cemetery is located in Leon County, Tallahassee, FL The cemetery’s anticipated burial rate will be 400-500 a year. National cemeteries are National Shrines, and as such 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 NCA standards.

4. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES:

The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, supervision, and other items and services necessary to ensure that grounds maintenance is performed at Tallahassee National Cemetery in a manner that will maintain healthy grass, trees, shrubs, and plants and present a clean, neat, and professional appearance throughout. Services include, but are not limited to maintenance of grounds, regular mowing, weed eating, removal of leaves and debris, as well as, sweeping or blowing off roads and sidewalks, maintenance of gravesites and headstones, and the alignment and washing of headstones, headstone maintenance, turf maintenance, plant and tree maintenance, sunken grave repair, trash removal, and janitorial services. All work will be done during the cemetery’s normal Federal workdays and hours (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) with the exception to rare after hour and weekend occurrences. The cemetery is not closed more than two consecutive days therefore a weekend and holiday burial schedule will be provided by the cemetery.

5. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

a. The Contractor shall be responsible for full management of the facility’s maintenance services described herein. The Government’s objectives are described in the NCA’s “Operational Standards and Measures” contained in Exhibit C. The Contractor shall develop a “Performance Work Plan” that contains solutions to accomplish the same objectives as stated in the NCA “Operational Standards and Measures”, as they are applicable to the services required in the Schedule. The Contractor may use whatever method he/she chooses to meet the objectives, as long as it is dignified, professional, and the end result satisfies the minimum acceptable levels of performance.

b. The Contractor shall be responsible for:

i. Providing all grounds maintenance services including, but not limited to: Maintenance of grounds, regular mowing, edging, trimming, removal of leaves and debris, as well as, sweeping or blowing off roads and sidewalks, and trash removal.

ii. Turf Maintenance: Proper fertilizing, weeding, and sodding of turf.

iii. Turf surrounding a headstone or marker is trimmed to its recommended height.

iv. Plant and Tree Maintenance.

v. Maintenance of gravesites and headstones.

vi. Headstone cleaning and maintenance.

vii. Sunken grave repair.

viii. Provide a safe working environment for Contractor, cemetery staff and general public.

ix. Clean and sanitize public restrooms.

x. Clean PIC/administration and maintenance building to include offices, lunchroom, honor guard building and all restrooms.

xi. Ensuring all work conforms to the NCA’s established National Standards & Measures.

xii. Irrigation Maintenance.

1. 6. CONTRACT OBJECTIVES:

a. To use an innovative and creative technical approach to manage the cemetery facilities maintenance operations at Tallahassee National Cemetery in order to maintain the high standards of appearance as a National Shrine, in accordance with standard commercial practices and the NCA’s “Operational Standards and Measures” (Version 5.1, July 2014).

b. To have the Contractor propose a business solution using performance based contracting techniques with incentives and disincentives designed to reward superior performance.

c. Specifically, the Contractor shall establish a performance plan focusing on criteria such as healthy grass, trees, shrubs, and plants and a clean, neat and professional appearance overall. The plan will include a performance work schedule, list of materials the contractor plans to use, labor and a quality control plan to monitor the contractor’s performance in meeting the cemetery goals.

d. The minimum life of the contract should be one base period with options to extend the term of the contract up to four (4) additional years. The maximum life of the contract, including any options, shall not exceed five (5) years.

7. STANDARDS OF EMPLOYEE CONDUCT:

a. Contractor and Contractor personnel 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 Title 38, U.S.C., Part I, Chapter 9, Section 901.

b. Be fully clothed at all times, including long slacks or pants and shirt, buttoned up from neck to waist. Clothing shall be clean each day. Any soiled clothing should be cemetery work-related that day. T-shirts and/or tank tops as outer garments are prohibited. Shoes/boots will have no holes or loose soles. Steel-toed shoes or boots will be required in accordance with OSHA requirements. Contractor employees will maintain personal hygiene.

c. Shall not engage in loud or boisterous behavior or use profane or abusive language and will show proper reverence during committal services.

d. Shall neither eat nor drink beverages (except water or non-alcoholic drinks) in the work areas, nor in site of committal shelter during a service. Use of intoxicating beverages and/or drugs is strictly prohibited.

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

f. The only designated smoking area for Tallahassee National Cemetery is located by the maintenance building. All other areas are designated as NO SMOKING. Contractor can work with cemetery director to select an appropriate location in contractor yard however a fire safe & appropriate container must be utilized. All individuals must ensure safety and be out of public view.

8. PARKING AND VA REGULATIONS:

Contractor employees may park privately owned vehicles in the area designated for parking by the COR. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure employees park in the appropriate designated parking areas. The Cemetery will not invalidate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the Contractor’s employees under any conditions. Smoking 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.

9. USE OF CEMETERY FACILITIES:

a. The Government shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, or theft of Contractor items. Contractor shall be responsible for acceptable standards of housekeeping and custodial maintenance of Cemetery facilities used by Contractor's employees.

b. The Government will furnish 3-bay building in the maintenance yard area that the contractor can use for storage of supplies and equipment during the life of the contract. All utilities in this area are the responsibility of the contractor. 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.

c. The Contractor will be responsible for safely storing any chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, cleaning solutions, etc., in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations. An SDS (Safety Data Sheet) is required for all chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and cleaning solutions. A copy of all SDS documents shall also be provided to the COR on a quarterly basis or when any change in chemicals, etc., is made.

d. d. Electric and Phone service will NOT be furnished by the Government for the contractor’s work area.

10. INSPECTION AND CLEANING OF CEMETERY FACILITIES:

a. The Contractor will perform a daily inspection as well as a weekly final. During this inspection the appearance of the cemetery will be observed, and any deficiencies noted within the scope of the contract will be corrected as soon as practicable. Items that need correcting outside the scope of the contract will be reported to the Contracting Officer or his or her representative.

b. The Contractor will be required to submit a daily activity report along with weekly inspection reports and work accomplished to the COR. The COR is located at Tallahassee National Cemetery.

11. SUPERVISION AND TRAINING:

a. The Contractor shall provide a supervisor who speaks fluent English on site at all times.

b. 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.

c. Contractor is responsible for providing their employees with a restroom (port-o-lets), wash station and break room as well as the maintenance of these facilities. Government facilities will not be utilized for these functions.

d. The Contractor shall 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:

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

ii. 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.

iii. 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.

12. PLACEMENT OF ORDERS:

a. Delivery Orders for services at Tallahassee National Cemetery will be placed by the COR through the Contracting Officer and may be placed initially via facsimile (fax) or electronic mail (e-mail). Orders may be followed up with a copy forwarded by either U. S. Mail or a commercial courier service, to ensure legibility.

b. Agents/Branches; if the Contractor maintains agents/branches, the Department of Veterans Affairs will be provided a list containing any information necessary indicating how and with whom orders are to be placed.

13. MAINTENANCE DURING CEMETERY FUNCTIONS:

Contractor personnel shall not operate motorized equipment or conduct other commercial activities within the designated area during interment services. The COR will set the designated area. When possible, the COR or his/her representative shall furnish the Contractor with a schedule of all interments and/or ceremonies no later than the morning of the scheduled interment, and a minimum of three (3) days before any ceremonial events. The cemetery shall also notify the contractor of any scheduling changes.

14. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION MEETING:

a. The issuance of a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) may be cause for the scheduling of a meeting among the Contractor, Contracting Officer, and the COR. A mutual effort will be made to resolve all problems identified. The Government will prepare written minutes of the meeting. The Contractor, Contracting Officer, and the COR will sign minutes of the meeting(s).

b. Should the Contractor not concur with the minutes, he/she will state in writing to the Contracting Officer within ten calendar days any areas he/she does not concur and explain the reasons for non-concurrence. The Contracting Officer will review and consider the reasons submitted for the Contractor's non-concurrence and make a decision. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor of the decision in writing within ten calendar days.

15. ACTIONS:

a. 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.

b. 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.

c. 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 a CDR at the end of the period, or as soon as the limits of satisfactory performance are exceeded.

d. When a CDR is issued for a service, the Contracting Officer must deduct from the periodic payment, a percentage of that payment as indicated in the Performance of Work Requirements Summary as attached hereto.

e. If the Contractor does not achieve satisfactory performance by the end of the next period or agreed suspense date, another CDR will be issued and the appropriate amount deducted from the periodic payment in accordance with the disincentive rate listed in the attached Performance Requirements Summary.

f. A third CDR will be the cause for a Cure Notice. However, the Contracting Officer may issue a Cure Notice at any time he/she deems appropriate. Depending on the overall performance of the Contractor, an unsatisfactory reply to the Cure Notice should require a Show Cause letter to be issued, followed by consideration of termination of the contract.

16. CONTRACTOR’S QUALITY CONTROL PLAN (QCP):

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 quotation. 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:

i. An inspection plan covering all services required by this contract. The inspection plan must specify the areas to be inspected on both 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.

ii. 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.

iii. Incorporation of either active or established internal policy and procedures for updating equipment and procedures that may affect performance of contract.

iv. 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.

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

vi. 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.

vii. 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.

17. HISTORIC PRESERVATION:

Where the Contractor or any of the Contractor's employees, prior to, or during the service work, are advised of or discover any possible archeological, historical and/or cultural resources, the Contractor shall immediately notify the COR verbally, and then with a written follow up.

SECTION D - CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, OR ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A

UNDERGROUND SPRINKLER SYSTEM INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

GENERAL

All work performed under this section is subject to the General Requirements and Contract Documents to bidders which form a part of these specifications, and the Contractor shall be responsible for and governed by all the requirements there under.

SCOPE

Work consists of periodic inspection and maintenance of the installed sprinkler system.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

a. Description

The work specified herein shall be provided to facilitate the successful and ongoing operation of an automatically controlled underground landscape irrigation system, including system controllers and control devices, control valves, sprinkler heads, decoders, solenoids and wiring. Buried and inaccessible system piping and wiring are included under the inspection and maintenance requirements of this document.

b. Inspection and Maintenance

This contract will cover periodic diagnostic, troubleshooting, and repair service, which includes emergency callback service, periodic inspections and preventative maintenance of all above ground irrigation system components, controllers, control devices, and pump stations. The contractor shall be required to perform the following:

i. Underground Irrigation Systems:

a. Provide monthly examination of irrigation system by walking site and performing a thorough inspection of grounds and irrigation components.

b. During each inspection, prepare a list of all trouble spots and problem issues that are visibly identifiable. In addition, review system operation with on-site operators to determine and record additional issues experienced during daily operation that may not be readily observable.

c. In accordance with inspection notes, physically inspect all field controllers, including visible wiring in controller cabinet. Adjust controller programs to reflect site specific requirement, seasonal changes, and cemetery staff needs.

d. Visibly inspect controller grounding grid for good mechanical connection.

e. Verify operation of all irrigation valves and spray devices by manually running each station on each controller.

f. When necessary, adjust spray devices to assure proper spray pattern and radius of water pattern.

g. When necessary, repair or replace broken or malfunctioning spray devices, decoders solenoids. Repair and replacement parts shall be furnished by the contractor.

h. If installed, verify that all flow sensors are operating properly. Recalibrate as required to meet manufacturer’s recommendations.

i. If installed, verify that all system master valves are operating properly. Perform preventative maintenance service to valves to meet manufacturer’s recommendations.

j. As required, clean all filtering devices on irrigation system, including by not limited to mainline filters, drip line filter, and spray head filter devices.

k. At least once annually, test all controller grounding for proper resistance according to equipment manufacturers recommendations. Provide written report detailing grounding resistance for each controller, highlighting deficient found locations and notifying the site manager of required action.

l. Where site conditions require, provide annual Spring Start-up and Winterization for the entire irrigation system.

m. Ensure water treatment system utilized is functioning properly; proper amount of chemicals added to the water to prevent headstones turning an unnatural color such as a rustic color. Contractor is responsible for purchasing necessary water treatment products/ chemicals.

n. Ensure irrigation heads are ground level and do not present a trip hazard. Will raise or lower irrigation heads as necessary.

o. Repair and replace all 6-inch diameter PVC and less irrigation breaks to include normal wear and tear.

(ii) Underground Irrigation Systems with Computer-based Central Control

a. Perform all system inspection and maintenance tasks as outline in the previous section for Underground Irrigation Systems with Stand-Alone Controllers.

b. Check software event logs to verify system has been operating properly. Adjust program settings in the software and make required program modifications to respond to site issues or problems as necessary.

c. Verify communication is intact between Central Control computer and all field controller devices. Check program schedules for proper operation and adjust if necessary.

d. Verify system back-up function is programmed and working properly. Perform system back-up, provide back-up storage device to site manager for safe storage in remote locations.

e. Verify all field…