Amendment_0002_RFIs_and_Answers.pdf

Denver Federal District Landscaping Solicitation Amendment 0002 RFI’s and Answers

05/15/2018

1. Are there any plans or drawings that the contracting team can share with bidders related to the placement of the various planter boxes and areas of work covered in the solicitation?

Answer: No there are no drawings of the placement of the planters.

2. We see that clause 52.222-17 has been activated, and that work under a past contract is referenced in the solicitation documents. If the contracting team is able, we would be interested in learning who the incumbent vendor is and what the past award amount was.

Answer: The previous contractor was the Downtown Denver Partnership. The contract amount was $59,859.12 for the 2013 base year.

3. Based on the quantities of materials referenced, we would anticipate that the scope has not changed significantly from the last contract to the currently proposed contract, but can the contracting team please confirm that this is the case?

Answer: Confirmed. The scope has not changed significantly. Any changes to the base contract will be addressed in a modification of the contract.

4. This contract is a set aside for total small business. Will any additional considerations be given to groups that hold other designations; such as being a certified SDVOSB, in addition to the Small Business designation/qualification?

Answer: This procurement is a total small business set-aside. Further consideration is not being given for any of the Small business socio-economic sub categories. The contract will be awarded based on the lowest price proposal received that conforms to the solicitation requirements.

5. Who is the incumbent Contractor?

Answer See question #2.

6. What is the approximate annual value of the existing contract?

Answer: See question # 2.

7. A due date of 4/3/18 is indicated. Even a 5/10/18 date represents short notice. Can this be extended until 5/30/18?

Answer: The due date for proposals is 05/28/2018 at 4:00PM Mountain time.

8. I see that we are to bill for progress payments for the services provided, but it puts a small business in a unique position if we can't bill for spring/summer & fall/winter maintenance until the service is complete. For example, if we can't bill spring services until the end of summer, then it's going to take us 4 months to get paid for services provided. Also for the fall/winter months it will take us 8 months to get paid. This is based on the verbiage that we can bill when 100% of the work is complete. Since this set aside is for Small Business that it's fair for a small business to bill per month as long as monthly services are acceptable. Asking a small business 8 months to get paid is a financial burden.

Answer: We pay after work has been satisfactorily completed. It is up to the contractor to submit invoices based on work completed. This can be in partial payments for partial work. But the work must be completed before payment is made.

9. Can we get further clarification on the spring and fall planting. Mainly, are we to assume that the quantities and species of plants listed in Attachment 1 are to be planted every contract year in Spring? If so, what quantities and species are to be plated in Fall?

Answer: Correct, the plantings are to be planted each spring and fall. The list gives what was planted in previous years. It is up to the contractor to determine based on the contract requirement (including meeting the city standard as set by the Downtown Denver Partnership as stated in 3.2 General Requirements) exactly they type amounts needed.

10. The FBO description mentions mowing and possible tree work (arborist services). Does this contract include mowing or tree work for any or all of the locations?

Answer: Any mowing or tree work would be limited to the planters and/or planting beds only and not any other lawn areas.

11. Do you know or have a map of the water service locations for each of the buildings?

Answer: No, there are no maps showing the locations for water sources. The solicitation states that water is to be provided on site. To clarify this statement as it was not written well, the water is to be provided on site by contractor and not from GSA.

12. Is terrorism insurance required?

Answer: No this is not required.

13. The US Customs House (721 19th St) has shrubs (boxwoods) on the SW side and junipers interspaced around the building. The solicitation says that all visits are for annual beds only. Are the shrubs on the SW side of the building and the Junipers included in this maintenance contract?

Answer: No the junipers are not part of the maintenance.

14. Is there a specific fertilization schedule for desired for annual beds, perennial beds, and shrubs?

Answer: No there is not a schedule for fertilization. The contractor shall determine the need for fertilizer to keep all plants in vigorous health.

15. Is fertilizing the trees and shrubs required?

Answer: No fertilizing for trees and shrubs are not required unless in a planter or planting bed.

16. Under ‘Fertilization’ it says “Contractor shall apply weed killer”, but under ’Maintenance Services’ it says “The contractor may use weed-killing chemical”. Is the application of weed killer required? If so, is there a specific application schedule?

Answer: There is not a weed killing schedule. The contractor is expected to have the expertise to determine the need and type for weed mitigation.

17. Is removing leaves from the lawn areas required?

Answer: No, leaf removal shall be limited to the planters and planting beds only.

18. Is mitigating weeds or fertilizing the lawn areas required?

Answer: No, weeding or fertilization shall be limited to the planters and planting beds only.

19. The Alfred A Arraj Courthouse requires two visits per month and specifies “Perennials beds only”. Upon visit to the site there are 4 annual beds in NW garden area of the site.

Are these included?

Answer: Correct the 4 planting beds in the NW garden area are included.

20. The Alfred A Arraj Courthouse requires two visits per months. Upon inspection, the courthouse appears to have a large amount of perennials beds, including extensive vinca beds on the SE and NE sides of the building. Is the two visits per month correct?

Answer: Yes these beds are part of the bedding requirement.

21. Do all buildings have exterior water spigots? If so, do you know the maximum distance required to reach all plants?

Answer: The solicitation states that water is to be provided on site. To clarify this statement as it was not written well the water is to be provided on site by contractor and not from GSA.

22. Is any parking provided, or permits given that facilitate parking on or around the buildings?

Answer: GSA will work with the contractor for site access and will allow parking around the buildings. The make, model and license plate # will be required for any vehicles and submitted to the Federal Protective Office or the U.S. Marshal Office as appropriate.

23. There seems to several inconsistencies in the planting schedule, especially with quantities. For example:

It from the middle of page 32, but the errors seems to be consistently throughout the entire schedule of plantings.

I suspected that on page 31 the first two columns were trying to denote plant size, i.e.

6” pots (instead of pints). And it seems to work for that page, but on 32, it changes to what appears to be quantities for the first two columns, that would then conflict with the listed quantities in columns 4 and 5. Please confirm whether the quantities are correct as listed.

Answer: You are correct. The quantities are correct but the contractor should verify the amounts and necessary.

24. The quantities on the left are different then the right. Can you clarify the size and quantity of the plants?

Answer: See #23

25. In the planting schedule. Do the numbers before the work “pints” refer to the inch size of the pot? For example. 6 pints = 6” pot. If not, what do the first two columns mean?

Answer: The general industry standard is a pint is 16 ounces and generally translates to a 5”-6” pot.

26. Are planting substitutions allow based on some plants maybe being unavailable?

Answer: Yes but all plantings must meet the district standards as determined by the Downtown Denver Partnership. GSA will need for all planters to be the same planting materials used for all planters in the Business Improvement District to be consistent with downtown and the surrounding businesses.

27. Who is in charge of the irrigation system for the planting beds?

Answer: GSA is in control of the sprinkler system

28. Would maintenance workers for this contract be classified as 11090- Gardener or 11210- Laborer, grounds maintenance?

Answer: This is up to the contractor to determine based on what they will provide to meet the contract requirements. It may be one or the other or a combination.

29. Is this contract covered by (EO) 13706 and subject to the service contract act (SCA)?

Answer: Yes, this contract is covered by EO 13706 and subject to the Service Contract Act.

30. Would a monthly payment schedule be considered for this contract as opposed to a 100% after acceptance of Spring and Summer Maintenance?

Answer: No we will make payment after work is completed satisfactorily. The contractor can ask for incremental payments but only after work has been completed. It will be up the contractor to determine how often to invoice and to ask for a payment schedule other than what is in the contract.