SOW FY27 Sod HNC .docx

SCOPE OF WORK

National Cemetery Administration Houston National Cemetery Houston, TX 77038 Sod Delivery and Installation

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

The Department of Veteran Affairs, National Cemetery Administration intends to award an IDIQ contract for the procurement of sod delivery and installation services at Houston National Cemetery and hereafter referred to as “Cemetery”. The Contractor shall provide all necessary expertise, supervision, labor, equipment, and supplies to accomplish the delivery and placement of hybrid bermudagrass sod for grave sites at the Cemetery.

1. Location:

These services will be performed at the following location:

Houston National Cemetery 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive Houston, TX 77038

2. Order Procedures The grass sod shall be delivered and installed within three (3) business days of order from the COR. The COR will be responsible for requesting delivery of the material from the vendor. All requests will be made via email and follow up phone call to verify request with the vendor (the contracting office will be copied on all emails). The request will be placed in time for the vendor to meet the delivery timeframe outlined above.

Note: The email will contain a minimum of vendor name, contract number, cemetery name, address, and phone number of POC. Request the delivery of [specify CLIN and pallets] and estimated delivery date.

3. Work Hours All work shall be performed during the normal working hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), Monday through Friday. No work will be allowed to be performed on weekends and official government Holidays, without advance written consent of the COR. All work shall be scheduled and coordinated with the COR.

4. Submittals The contractor shall submit the following documents or information in accordance with the table A.1 to the COR.

For the sod, the sod provider’s specification sheet and/or third-party certification shall be submitted prior to each delivery. The information shall contain the company name, company address, and bermudagrass cultivar.

A delivery ticket shall be provided with each delivery.

Table A.1. Houston National Cemetery submittals for sod delivery and installation.

B. SOD DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION

1. CLIN 001 Sod Installation and Delivery per COR instructions Grass sod shall be ordered, delivered, and installed on all first and second internment sites within the cemetery as directed by the COR. Orders will occur approximately once or twice a month during growing season (typically from February to November); March and April will have multiple sod installation orders to catch up on winter / dormant season interments.

The amount of grass sod to be delivered and installed may vary depending on the interment rate but will be approximately 8,100 square feet (18 pallets) per order as directed by the COR. For each placed order, the US Government guarantees a minimum order of 1,350 square feet (3 pallets). The maximum amount of sod ordered under each task order shall not exceed 12,150 square feet (27 pallets).

2. CLIN 002 Deliver Sod (materials only) Grass sod shall also be ordered and delivered in several intervals through the year. There will be no installation included in this order of sod.

For each order placed, the US Government guarantees a minimum order of 900 square feet (2 pallets). The maximum amount of sod ordered under each task order shall not exceed 2,700 square feet (6 pallets).

3. OPTION CLIN 003 Sod Installation and Delivery per COR instructions (for smaller turf repair projects) Grass sod shall be ordered, delivered, and installed within the cemetery as directed by the COR. Orders will occur as needed.

For each order placed, the US Government guarantees a minimum order of 900 square feet (2 pallets). The maximum amount of sod ordered under each task order shall not exceed 9,000 square feet (20 pallets).

C. SOD SPECIFICATIONS

1. Certified Bermudagrass Grass sod shall be certified TifTuf Bermudagrass (see Table A.1 on submittals).

2. Sod Quality The sod will be delivered freshly cut, weed, disease, and insect free, and of healthy appearance with uniform color, leaf texture, and shoot density. Grass sod shall be relatively free of thatch, less than 0.5 inch (uncompressed). Grass sod shall be machine cut at a uniform soil thickness of 0.60 inch, plus or minus .25 inch, at the time of cutting. Measurement for thickness shall exclude top growth and any thatch. Irregular sized pads, broken pads, and torn or uneven ends will not be acceptable. Standard sized sections of grass sod shall be strong enough that it can be picked up and handled without damage. Grass sod shall not be harvested or transplanted when its moisture content (excessively dry or wet) may adversely affect its survival.

D. SOD INSTALLATION

1. Location Grass sod shall be installed per COR’s instructions at grave site locations specified in writing by COR.

2. Timeline Grass sod shall be harvested, delivered, and installed within a 24-hour period, unless a suitable preservation method is approved prior to delivery.

3. Installation Specifications Grass sod shall be installed to match existing grade of turf (cemetery responsible for correct soil preparation and finish grade). All joints shall be butted tightly. Lateral joints shall be staggered to promote more uniform growth and strength. Care shall be exercised to ensure that sod pieces are not stretched or overlapped. Installed grass sod shall be properly rolled with sod roller to correct firmness.

4. Inspection Once grass sod is installed, contractor shall notify COR for inspection and acceptance of work, prior to submitting invoice(s). Contractor is responsible for replacing any grass sod delivered and installed that does not meet the requirements stated in this scope of work within two (2) weeks after planting.

E. CONTRACTOR EQUIPMENT, PERSONNEL, AND CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Damage Contractor shall not damage any property within the cemetery grounds. Any damage incurred by contractor shall be repaired or replaced at contractor expense with no additional charge to the government. This damage includes, but not is not limited to, rutting of grounds caused by contractor equipment, headstone and marker damage, and any other damage to cemetery property and grounds caused by contractor.

2. Heavy Equipment Contractor shall not use any heavy equipment (i.e. back hoes, forklifts, dump trucks, etc.) within burial sections. Contractor will be allowed to use light duty motorized utility carts for the transport of grass sod and tools, as needed, and at contractor expense.

3. Site Cleanup Contractor shall clean up and/or pick up any trash, debris, dirt, mud, tire marks or any other related items upon completion of work in that area on any given work day.

4. Storage Contractor shall not store any materials, tools, or equipment overnight on the cemetery grounds.

5. Contractor Foreman / Work Leader Contractor shall provide an English-speaking Foreman or Work Leader for this contract.

F. CEMETERY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Site Preparation The cemetery is responsible for preparing a suitable sod bed for sod installation.

2. Damage The cemetery is responsible for grass sod damaged by cemetery personnel, third parties, storms, flood, frost, freeze, animals on cemetery grounds, or related.

3. Maintenance The cemetery is responsible for the required maintenance (including watering) of the grass sod once it is delivered, correctly installed, and accepted.

End of Scope of Work Wednesday