Attachment B - Statement of Work - MoH - Revised - 15 July 2025.pdf

Attachment B – Statement of Work – Medal of Honor

STATEMENT OF WORK

1.0 Background

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), National Cemetery Administration (NCA) furnishes upright headstones, flat markers, and niche covers (collectively referred to as monuments) for deceased veterans worldwide. Memorial monuments are also furnished to memorialize veterans whose remains are nonrecoverable.

2.0 Purpose

The purpose of this contract is to supply upright Medal of Honor headstones and flat Medal of Honor markers in marble and granite. Distribution will primarily be to locations within the United States, but overseas distribution may occur. Contractor shall complete the inscription, package and crate the product for the Government to pick up (FOB Origin).

3.0 General

The Contractor shall provide all labor and materials necessary to supply and perform inscription services approved, government owned headstones, markers and niche covers, on-site at the cemetery awarded. See Attachments for list of cemeteries, drawings, and cemetery maps for location of vendor area.

3.1 Definitions

Words Used Interchangeably – Niche covers, markers, headstones blank covers and monuments.

Disposal – demolished or pulverized into small pieces with no portion of the inscription remaining legible and subsequent removal. Contractor would be responsible for any inscribed monuments under an on-site inscription contract. Cemetery is responsible for any inscribed rejects that are delivered to the Cemetery, i.e., Nationwide contracts, niche cover inscriptions, but at Contractor expense.

Replacement-in-Kind – The replacement of a government-furnished headstone, marker, or niche cover with one that resembles the original design (i.e., form, size, inscription font, emblem of beliefs, etc.), as closely as possible, within current contract specifications.

Security – Cemetery or on-site Contractor is responsible for storing monuments and equipment thus, preventing theft or damage due to vandalism.

Protection – Monuments should not be stored where they are subject to damage from the weather, i.e., stored inside a building or covered with a tarp or other protective material.

FOB – Free on Board

FOB Destination – Cemetery takes delivery of goods being shipped to it by the Contractor once the goods arrive at the Cemetery or when existing headstone/marker or niche cover located at the cemetery has been inscribed.

FOB Origin – Contractor’s obligation to deliver the product ends with loading of inscribed headstone/marker(s) onto a government transportation vehicle at the Contractor’s facility. A separate contract with a transportation company covers the headstone/marker delivery.

3.2 Performance period: The Contractor shall have ten (10) calendar days following the day an order is sent to the Contractor until the monuments are manufactured, inscribed, packaged, and transferred to a government transportation carrier.

This contract covers the period from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with four (1) year options, if exercised, to extend the term of the contract through September 30, 2030.

3.3 Unit Price: The unit price is all-inclusive and covers the complete inscription ordered, regardless of the total number of lines or characters. The unit price shall be the total price paid for each monument manufactured and inscribed, FOB Origin, Contractor’s facility. This all-inclusive price includes all items, crating, product, and service, as shown on drawings.

4.0 Monument Specification

4.1 Description: Marker, Granite, Flat, 4”, MOH (12”x24”x4”),

4.1.1 Product Code: G6

4.1.2 Drawing No.: A-G6, Rev. A, dated 2019-09-04

4.2 Description: Marker, Granite, Thin, Flat, 3”, MOH (12”x24”x3”)

4.2.1 Product Code: J6

4.2.2 Drawing No.: A-J6, Rev. A, dated 2019-09-04

4.3 Description: Marker, Granite, Small, Flat, 3”, MOH (12”x18”x3”)

4.3.1 Product Code: L6

4.3.2 Drawing No.: A-L6, Rev. A, dated 2019-09-04

4.4 Description: Marker, Marble, Flat, 4”, MOH (12”x24”x4”)

4.4.1 Product Code: F6

4.4.2 Drawing No.: A-F6

4.5 Description: Upright Headstone, Granite, MOH (13”x42”x4”)

4.5.1 Product Code: V6

4.5.2 Drawing No.: A-V6, Rev. -, dated 2003-06-05

4.6 Description: Upright Headstone, Granite, Civil War Union, MOH (13”x42”x4”)

4.6.1 Product Code: V7

4.6.2 Drawing No.: A-V7, Rev. -, dated 2003-06-05

4.7 Description: Upright Headstone, Granite, Spanish American War, MOH (13”x42”x4”)

4.7.1 Product Code: V9

4.7.2 Drawing No.: A-V9, Rev. -, dated 2003-06-05

4.8 Description: Upright Headstone, Granite, Thin, MOH (13”x 42”x 3”)

4.8.1 Product Code: W6

4.8.2 Drawing No: A-W6, Rev. -, dated 2025/03/28 refer to drawing A-V6 for formatting.

4.9 Description: Upright Headstone, Marble, MOH (13”x42”x4”)

4.9.1 Product Code: U6

4.9.2 Drawing No.: A-U6, Rev. -, dated 2003-06-05

4.10 Description: Upright Headstone, Marble, Civil War Union, MOH (13”x42”x4”)

4.10.1 Product Code: U7

4.10.2 Drawing No.: A-U7, Rev. -, dated 2021-04-22

4.11 Description: Upright Headstone, Marble, Spanish American War, MOH (13”x42”x4”)

4.11.1 Product Code: U9

4.11.2 Drawing No.: A-U9, Rev. -, dated 2021/04/22

4.11 Reference Drawings

4.11.1 Description: Letters, Fonts, Numbers, & Other Characters

Drawing No.: A-LFN&OC-1 through 3, Rev. C dated 2016/6/13

4.11.2 Description: Emblems of Belief

Drawing No.: A-EM-Cover Page, Rev. P dated 2021/10/14 A-EM-1, Rev. I dated 2017/12/23 A-EM-2 thru 4, Rev. I dated 2017/12/23 A-EM-5, Rev L dated 2021/04/13 A-EM-6, Rev. P dated 2021/10/14

5.0 Material Specifications

5.1 Marble shall be sound and compact, free from cracks, spalls, chips, holes, calcite lines more than two (2”) inches in length, open seams, pits, or other defects that would impair its strength, durability, or appearance. Marble shall be free of iron rich particles that result in discoloring due to oxidation during outdoor exposure.

5.1.1 Color - Marble: The overall background color of the marble, exclusive of allowable coloration (veining), shall be N8.75 or higher as 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 contrast with the background whiteness, which would inhibit legibility of the inscription, or which present an objectionable appearance, will be cause for rejection. Traits causing unacceptable appearance 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 lacks a dominant white background color.

• 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 mixed 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.

5.1.2 Testing - Marble: 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 Valley) Coosa County, Alabama

• (Marble) Gunnison County, Colorado

• (Danby) Rutland County, Vermont

• (Marble Hill-Tate) Pickens County, Georgia

• (Cochise Marble) Cochise County, Arizona

5.1.3 Marble Testing Specifications

• Abrasive hardness: Marble shall have an abrasive hardness value of 10, minimum, when tested as specified by ASTM C241.

• Absorption: Marble absorption shall be 0.20 percent maximum, by weight when tested for a 48-hour period as specified in ASTM C97.

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

• Modulus of rupture: Marble shall have a minimum modulus of rupture of 1,000 psi when tested as specified in ASTM C99.

• Density: Marble shall have a bulk specific gravity equating to a minimum density of 160 lbs/ft3 per ASTM C97; and a soundness classification of A as defined by the Marble Institute of America.

5.2 Granite shall conform to the definition of Granite as defined by ASTM C119. Granite is to be standard grade, fine to medium-grained material. Granite shall be free from cracks, seams, or starts, chips, pits, or other defects that would impair its strength, durability, or readability.

Headstones or markers containing two or more feldspar phenocrysts, which exceed 6mm in any direction, shall be rejected.

5.2.1 Color - Granite: Granite shall be a uniform shade of light gray color (N6.5-N8) as judged against the Munsell Neutral Value Scale, Matte 31 - step scale.

5.2.2 Testing - Granite: 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 from the following areas:

• (Woodbury/Barre) Washington County, Vermont

• (Elberton) Elbert/Madison/Oglethorpe Counties, Georgia

• (Raymond) Madera County, California

5.2.3 Granite Testing Specifications

• Abrasive hardness: Granite shall have an abrasive hardness value (Ha) of not less than 25 when tested as specified in ASTM C241.

• Absorption: Granite shall absorb not more than 0.20 percent of moisture by weight when tested for a 48-hour period as specified in ASTM C97.

• Compressive strength: Granite shall have a minimum compressive strength of 19,000 psi when tested as specified in ASTM C170.

• Modulus of rupture: Granite shall have a minimum modulus of rupture of 1,500 psi when tested as specified in ASTM C99.

• Density: Granite shall have a bulk specific gravity equating to a minimum density of 160 lbs./ft3 as specified in ASTM C97.

5.3 Applicable Publications

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

617 Little Britain Road, New Windsor, NY 12553-6148 Phone: (800) 622-2384 Refer to X-Rite, Inc or Pantone LLC for Munsell Color Scale

5.3.2 ASTM, Sections C97, C99, C170, C241

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

5.3.3 Natural Stone Institute

2020 Dimension Stone Design Manual 380 E. Lorain Street

Oberlin, OH 44074

5.4 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.

Note: If the Contractor desires to change from the original approved quarry to another quarry during the contract term, a written request with justification and an additional sample from the new quarry shall be submitted to the MPS Program Support Unit for approval prior to using the new stone to produce blanks. MPS and Contracting will have 3 workdays to evaluate the request and sample.

5.4 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.

5.4.1 Finish - Flat Markers (G6, J6, L6, F6): The top surface and all sides of each blank shall be uniformly machine honed with a finishing stone (in the range of 80 grit) to produce a smooth satin finish, free of scratches, saw marks, rust spots, and skips. All edges and corners shall be uniformly rounded with a smooth 3/8-inch eased edge arris. The bottom shall be a smooth sawn finish.

5.4.2 Finish – Upright Headstones (V6, V7, V9, W6, U6, U7, U9): The front, back, top and sides of each headstone shall be uniformly machine honed with a finishing stone or pad (in the range of 80 to 120 grit) to produce a smooth satin finish, free of scratches, saw marks, rust spots, and skips. All edges and corners shall be uniformly rounded with a smooth ¼ inch eased edge Arris. The eased edge radius shall extend down a minimum of 28" from the top of the headstone.

The bottom shall be a smooth sawn finish.

5.5 Lithochrome: The entire inscription for Medal of Honor monuments must have two coats of gold lithochrome followed by a third coat of clear lithochrome. Upright headstones having inscription on the backside must have the backside inscription similarly coated.

6.0 Packaging and Crating: Due to the low volume of orders and the importance of the monuments arriving without damage, all monuments supplied under this contract shall be crated with enough dunnage to minimize movement of the monument in the crate.

6.1 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 crate for its entire height (from top to bottom) and two additional bands shall secure the crate around the width. Colored materials or materials capable of staining the stone (ex. uncoated cardboard, certain kinds of wood) during outdoor storage are not permitted to be used as dunnage.

• 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 crate is in good, usable condition, i.e., no broken or cracked boards, all nail heads shall be below the surface of the wood and the crate is made for heavy loads up to 300 lbs. With stringers mounted on the bottom of the crate for access by hand trucks or pallet jacks.

• Corrugated board that is being used to wrap around the product shall be 350 PSI double wall corrugated board.

• Reinforce and protect edges of the monuments with corner fiber boards.

• Protruding metal fasteners must be replaced to avoid tearing the packaging or scratching the monument 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 headstones 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.

• Each side of the crate 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 case of delivery problems: call 202-461-2695 for guidance. Also notify MPSProgSupport@va.gov.

6.2 Labeling: The Contractor shall provide a packing list or a shipping label for all packaged monuments. The label shall be at least five (5) inches wide by four (4) inches long with the Order Number, and Consignee name and address. Labels must completely adhere to the front of the package and be overcoated with transparent adhesive tape that completely covers the label to prevent removal, smearing, or blurring of the information. Shipping labels shall not be covered or obscured in any way by packaging or banding materials that make the labels unreadable. A label similar to below shall be used for each shipment:

ATTENTION

THIS IS DEPARTMENT OF

VETERANS AFFAIRS CARGO AND A MEMORIAL

TO A U.S. ARMED FORCES VETERAN.

Please handle with exceptional consideration, care, and courtesy

7.0 Government Quality Assurance (QA)

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

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

• Packaging and palletizing of product that promotes damage-free shipments and compliance with contractual requirements.

• Execution of quality control procedures.

• Maintaining QA records as required, with the records indicating the quality of the headstones 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 shall provide assistance lifting, handling and moving of product.

7.2 Quality System: The Contractor shall 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. After an order has been received, weekly reports must be emailed to MPS at MPSProgSupport@va.gov with attention to the designated COR by the close of business on Tuesday of each week and shall continue until one (1) week after the order has been delivered. Should the report day fall on a holiday, the report shall be submitted no later than the next business day.

The following information for a Weekly Status Report is required only during weeks in which an order is underway and continuing until one (1) week after the order has been delivered. When a report must be submitted, list the history of order that have accumulated through the current reporting period:

Complete top portion of report:

• Contractor name

• Contract #

• Obligation #

Data from daily orders:

• Location: (cemetery name)

• First Name: (Veteran)

• Last Name: (Veteran)

• CBL: (i.e., VVU)

• Order #: (i.e., 13111)

• Date Order Received: (date email received from MPS) mailto:MPSProgSupport@va.gov

Data from Contractor:

• Date Est Cmp: (estimated completion date)

• Date Cancelled: (date notified by MPS to cancel order)

• Date Completed: (completion = date delivered to consignee)

• Tracking Number: (assigned by the transportation carrier)

• Delivery Date: (date consignee signed for shipment)

• Received By: (individual who signed for shipment)

• Notes: (use this for any exceptions or issues)

If any order is completed late or projected to be completed beyond the contractually required due date, the Contractor shall identify the reason(s) for the delinquency, what actions are underway to resolve the tardiness, and the projected future date for completion (projected completion dates which are before the reporting date are unacceptable).

All weekly status report shall include an Aging Report which lists the following information:

• Quantity of pending orders on-hand

• Quantity of pending orders completed

• Percent of orders pending and completed

Upon award, MPS will provide assistance setting up the aging report which will be used for the duration of the contract. The Aging Report is a mandatory requirement.

7.3 Quality Complaints

The receipt of complaints concerning unsatisfactory quality or non-compliance with the specifications shall be considered reason for an immediate visit and review of the Contractor’s quality control 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

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 will be generated by the inspecting COR, and the COR will discuss with the Contractor what and when corrective action(s) shall be taken. When an issue(s) arises 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.

7.4 Cancellations of Orders: Occasionally, it shall be necessary to request from the Contractor that an order be cancelled. These cancellations shall be forwarded by e-mail to the Contractor only by the MPS Program Support Unit and within three (3) calendar days of receipt of the order. The Contractor shall be required to respond to each emailed request from the MPS Program Support Unit within one (1) business day from the date the request was sent.

Stencils: Charges for stencils from order cancellation requests will not be authorized. Such cancellations, which are usually 1% or less annually, shall be included in the unit price submitted by the Contractor.

Products: The all-inclusive contract unit price shall be authorized for canceled order(s) if the monument has been manufactured but not shipped. A photo of the inscribed monument is required to support the cancellation charge and included in the cancellation request confirmation reply. The email reply from the Contractor shall be sent to MPS within 24 hours of receipt of the cancellation request.

Weekly Status Report shall be annotated with the date of all cancellations in the Notes column and the Summary tab shall be annotated with the date that cancellation photo was sent to MPS.

For payment and invoicing purposes of the cancellations above:

• For cancelled finished products charges - the shipment number, Veteran(s) name and a copy of the photo submitted to MPS shall be included on the invoice.

This information will be a separate line item which will include the unit price.

8.0 Procedures (Administrative and Other)

8.1 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. Contracting Services will 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 contract period.

8.2 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 control 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.

8.3 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.

8.4 Timeliness and Delivery Performance

The Government will monitor Contractor performance through routine inspections, documented observations, and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) oversight. Upon identification of a performance deficiency, the COR will verbally or in writing notify the Contractor. The COR will record the issue, date/time of observation, and Contractor notification. This notice provides an opportunity for immediate correction. If deficiencies persist or are significant, the Contracting Officer (CO) will issue a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR). The Contractor shall respond within three (3) calendar days, providing an explanation and a corrective action plan. The CO will review the response and determine next steps. Following a CDR, the CO may convene a meeting with the Contractor and COR. The Government will document the discussion and circulate meeting minutes. If the Contractor disagrees with the minutes, objections shall be submitted in writing within three (3) calendar days. The CO will respond in writing with a final determination. Upon acceptance of a corrective action plan, the Contractor will have seven (7) calendar days to implement it. Continued deficiencies may lead to further remedies in accordance with FAR 52.212-4, up to or including termination for cause or default. Performance issues resulting from Government error, Government delay, or Acts of God will not be attributed to the Contractor.

9.0 Completion point for products delivered FOB Origin.

The Contractor’s responsibilities are deemed complete upon the pickup of the monument from the Government carrier.

10.0 Invoicing

Invoicing in arrears after acceptance.

At a minimum, invoices shall contain the following information:

• Contractor’s information (Name, Complete Address, Telephone Number, Taxpayer Identification Number)

• Contract Number

• Date of Invoice

• Date of Period of Invoice Performance

• Invoice Number

• Obligation Number (Only one purchase order may be included on each invoice submitted)

• Cemetery Name

• Shipment #

• Veterans Name

• Quantity

• Unit Price

• Total Amount

• Service/Item(s) provided

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

END STATEMENT OF WORK

mailto:Cemcompsps.cemcompsps@va.gov

10.0 Invoicing