QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS_2.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS – 70FB8026Q00000054

Could you please confirm whether the four Western Shelter CL-ACXE1200 HVAC units at the XYZ location are positioned on the ground level or installed on a rooftop? Units are positioned on the ground. Term RTU will be corrected.

I also wanted to ask whether there is a current incumbent contractor or contractor currently performing these services. If so, would you be able to provide the contractor's name and the previous contract number, if publicly available? The Government previously maintained their own systems.

I am seeking clarification regarding the requirement stating that the contractor must have proven experience servicing mobile/expeditionary tactical environmental systems. Would comparable commercial HVAC service experience satisfy this qualification requirement, or is the Government specifically requiring documented prior experience servicing Western Shelter units or other mobile/expeditionary tactical ECUs? Yes. Commercial HVAC service would satisfy.

Is any Western Shelter manufacturer certification or other specialized certification required to perform the preventive maintenance described in the SOW? Only an EPA Section 608 Certification is required.

Period of Performance Contradiction: SOW Section 6 specifies that all single-site tune-ups, including reporting and final inspections, shall be completed within a window of ninety (90) business days from the formal contract notice to proceed. However, Section F of the commercial clauses states that all work must be completed within forty-five (45) days from the date of award. Could the Government please clarify the official period of performance and confirm if the 90-business-day window governs? 90 days is the correct Period of Performance. Government will update.

Evaluation of Subcontractor/Teaming Partner Experience: SOW Section 7 requires the Contractor to have "proven experience servicing mobile/expeditionary tactical environmental systems." As this is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS 238220 and is evaluated under Lowest-Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) guidelines, will the Government evaluate and credit the technical past performance and qualifications of a proposed first-tier subcontractor or teaming partner to satisfy this requirement? Past Performance cannot substitute for Technical Acceptance. Technical capability evaluates the offeror’s proposed approach, staffing, or solution for the current requirement, while Past Performance assesses the offeror’s historical record and performance on prior projects. Treating Past Performance as part of Technical Acceptance when it was not solicited is improper. This requirement does not request or require Past Performance information.

Electronic Invoicing Method: Section G "Contract Administration Data" outlines two separate invoice pathways: a standard Commercial Clause distribution requiring physical copies, and a Billing Instruction requiring electronic PDF submission of Standard Form 1034 to the FEMA Finance Center (FEMA-Finance-Vendor-Payments@fema.dhs.gov) with carbon-copies to the CO and COR. Could the Government please confirm if electronic PDF submission of Standard Form 1034 is the sole authorized invoicing pathway? Utilizing the email addresses that are in the invoicing instruction shall suffice.

Applicability of Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS): The solicitation does not incorporate SCLS FAR Clause 52.222-41 or attach a Department of Labor (DOL) wage determination. Could the Government please confirm if SCLS wage rate requirements apply to the performing technicians on this contract, and if so, provide the applicable Wage Determination? The FAR Clause 52.222-41 is incorporated via a separate upload, and the Wage Determination has been added.

Can you please confirm that this requirement is not subject to Service Contract Labor Standards/prevailing wage requirements? FAR 52.222-41 does not appear to be selected in FAR 52.212-5(c), and I do not see a wage determination attached. The FAR Clause 52.222- 41 is incorporated via a separate upload, and the Wage Determination has been added.

Could you please provide the complete performance address or specific site location? This information will allow us to accurately calculate travel and mobilization costs and submit a firm-fixed-price quotation inclusive of all mobilization expenses. Address cannot be disclosed due to security purposes. City and zip code provided for this consideration.

Please advise whether a site visit/site walk will be scheduled or made available to prospective offerors prior to the quotation due date. Site visit will not be authorized.

Performance Period Conflict: SOW Section 6 states that all single-site tune-ups, reporting, and final inspections must be completed within a window of ninety (90) business days from the formal contract Notice to Proceed (NTP). However, Section F of Standard Form 1449 states that all deliverables must be completed within 45 calendar days from the date of award. Could the Government please clarify the correct performance period for this effort?

90 days is the correct POP. Government will correct.

CLIN Description vs. SOW Asset Scope: CLIN 0001 of Standard Form 1449 is described as "Routine Maintenance Commercial RTU and Repairs." However, SOW Sections 1 and 2 define the contract scope as seasonal preventive maintenance on four (4) Western Shelter CL-ACXE1200 Environmental Control Units (ECUs). Could the Government please confirm that the scope of work is limited strictly to these four (4) Western Shelter ECUs and does not include any permanent facility commercial rooftop units (RTUs)? All four units are ECUs and not commercial rooftop units. Government will correct.

Unscheduled Repairs (Task 5) Funding Mechanism: CLIN 0001 is a single Firm-Fixed-Price line item. SOW Section 3, Task 5 describes "Deficiencies and Unscheduled Repairs," requiring the contractor to submit written estimates for parts and labor, but the solicitation does not include a separate time-and-materials (T&M) or parts-allowance CLIN. Will unscheduled repairs under Task 5 be funded and authorized via separate contract modifications, or is the contractor expected to include a contingency for repairs within the FFP of CLIN 0001? The government will place two CLINs in the Award.

• CLIN 0001: Routine Maintenance

• CLIN 0002: Authorized Repairs (T&M) o Repairs will not be associated with this contract. If repairs are recommended, it will be addressed at that time. This action is for Routine Maintenance only.

Prime-Subcontractor Technical Acceptability: SOW Section 7 states that the Contractor must have "proven experience servicing mobile/expeditionary tactical environmental systems." Under our proposed prime-subcontractor model, XXX LLC will serve as the prime contractor for all contract administration, reporting, and compliance, while partnering with an EPA-certified subcontractor who will perform the on-site technical work. Will the Government evaluate and accept the corporate past performance and technical experience of our proposed subcontractor to satisfy the SOW Section 7 experience requirements? Past Performance cannot substitute for Technical Acceptance. Technical capability evaluates the offeror’s proposed approach, staffing, or solution for the current requirement, while Past Performance assesses the offeror’s historical record and performance on prior projects. Treating Past Performance as part of Technical Acceptance when it was not solicited is improper. This requirement does not request or require Past Performance information.

In additional the evaluation will be based on the technical requirements that can be found in section M2 of the solicitation.

The XXX is preparing a prime-contractor quotation for the Solicitation. Our prospective HVAC subcontractor, XXX, has requested a pre-quote job walk at the site today, August 27, or tomorrow, August 28. Site visits will not be authorized.

We found the post-award site-access requirements in the solicitation, but no instructions for a pre-quote visit. Could you please confirm whether a job walk is permitted and, if so, the available time, site contact/check-in details, and any attendee information or forms required? If neither requested date is available, please advise the earliest available option.

Site visits will not be authorized.

Contradiction in Period of Performance (PoP) Timeline Section F (page 6) of the solicitation states that performance must be completed within forty-five (45) days from the date of award. However, Section C (SOW Section 6, page 5) and Section L.2 (page 13) state that all single-site tune-ups, reporting, and final inspections shall be completed within a window of ninety (90) business days from the formal contract notice to proceed (NTP).

• Question: Could the Government please clarify which performance timeline takes precedence, and confirm whether a formal Notice to Proceed (NTP) will be issued to establish the start of the performance period? The Period of Performance (PoP) will be 90 days, for example, 01 September 2026 through 30 November 2026.

The Contractor must provide the full names of all technicians assigned to the project at least 48 hours before requesting site access.

If the Contractor is prepared to perform the required duties, but the Government is not ready to receive the services; Once the work begins, the Government may issue a modification to extend the PoP and provide sufficient time to complete the task, if needed.

Evaluation of Technical Qualifications (Prime vs. Subcontractor Experience) Section C (SOW Section 7, page 5) states that "The Contractor must have proven experience servicing mobile/expeditionary tactical environmental systems".

• Question: Under the Lowest-Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation criteria outlined in Sections M.1 and M.2, will the Government evaluate the past performance and technical experience of a proposed subcontractor to satisfy this qualification, or must this specific experience be held exclusively by the Prime Contractor? Past Performance cannot substitute for Technical Acceptance.

Technical capability evaluates the offeror’s proposed approach, staffing, or solution for the current requirement, while Past Performance assesses the offeror’s historical record and performance on prior projects. Treating Past Performance as part of Technical Acceptance when it was not solicited is improper. This requirement does not request or require Past Performance information.

Government-Furnished Material (GFM) vs. Contractor-Furnished Material (CFM) for Consumables Section C (SOW Task 2, page 4) mandates the replacement of existing air filters with brand-new, correctly oriented 16" x 25" x 1" high-efficiency air filters.

• Question: Could the Government please confirm if these filters, or any other basic maintenance consumables (such as coil cleaning solvents, lubricants, or P-trap clearing agents), are available as Government-Furnished Material (GFM), or if all materials are to be entirely Contractor-Furnished Material (CFM)? All materials are to the Contractor-Furnished Material as outlined in the Objectives and Scope unless additional repair is required outside of the scope of work.

Site Access and On-Site Utilities Conditions Section C (SOW Task 2, page 4) requires the Contractor to clean evaporator and condenser coils and flush condensate lines.

• Question: Could the Government please confirm if pressurized water and electrical power utilities are available at the immediate site for the Contractor's use, or must the Contractor provision and haul mobile water tanks and power generation equipment to the site? Pressurized water will not be provided. Electrical utilities will be provided onsite by commercial generators.

Funding and Mechanism for Unscheduled Repairs Section C (SOW Task 5, page 4) outlines the procedure for documenting deficiencies and submitting written estimates for unscheduled repairs, stating that no repair work outside the basic maintenance scope shall begin without written authorization. However, the schedule of prices in SF 1449 includes only a single line item (CLIN 0001) for routine maintenance.

• Question: Could the Government please clarify how authorized unscheduled repairs will be funded? Will the Government establish a pre-priced, time-and-materials line item with a funded ceiling for minor repairs, or will all repairs be processed through bilateral contract modifications on an as-needed basis? The government will place two CLINs in the Award.

o CLIN 0001: Routine Maintenance o CLIN 0002: Authorized Repairs (T&M)

▪ Repairs will not be associated with this contract. If repairs are recommended, it will be addressed at that time. This action is for Routine Maintenance only.

Discrepancy in Quote Submission Time Zone The combined synopsis/solicitation notice on SAM.gov specifies that quotations are due by September 2, 2026, at 12:00 PM CDT.

However, the SF 1449 (page 1) and Section L.3 (page 13) of the solicitation specify a submission deadline of 12:00 PM Central Standard Time (CST) / Central Time (CT) on the same date.

• Question: Could the Government please confirm the precise time zone governing the submission deadline? Use the current time in Chicago as your point of reference. At 12:00 PM Chicago time on 02 September 2026, this action will close and no other quotes will be accepted.

Does FEMA require a State contractor license or any facility-specific credential in addition to EPA Section 608 certification for the assigned technicians? State specific license not required in addition to the EPA 608 certification

Will FEMA accept documented experience with comparable commercial HVAC/mobile environmental-control equipment, or must the quoter demonstrate prior service specifically on Western Shelter CL-ACXE1200 units? Documented experience will be acceptable

May the quoter use a qualified subcontractor for part or all of the field service, subject to FEMA approval and applicable limitations on subcontracting? FEMA does not issue contracts to subcontractors. If there’s a prime contractor, the prime will be measured by the evaluation criteria set in the solicitations.

Please confirm whether the quotation must include any specific insurance limits, site-access forms, background checks, or security requirements beyond the technician roster, government-issued photo identification, PPE, and closed-toe shoes described in the SOW.

None of these are required to win the contract, but they may be required after the contract is issued.

Please confirm whether the four unit service reports are the only technical deliverables required with the base maintenance price, with any repair work handled separately only after written Contracting Officer authorization. What’s listed in the solicitation is the only items that will be associated with this requirement.

The SF-1449 appears to identify the acquisition as a WOSB set-aside, while the synopsis describes it as a 100% small-business set-aside. Is active WOSB certification required for award, or is any eligible small business under NAICS 238220 permitted to quote? The SF 1449, block 10, has Set-aside 100% and Small Business blocks checked. WOSB is not checked in that block.

Please confirm the required quotation submission method and email address, including whether a completed SF-1449, price schedule, technical approach, warranty information, or other forms must be submitted. Please see section L and section M of the solicitation.

Please confirm that the base price should include one preventive-maintenance visit for each of the four listed units, four 16 x 25 x 1-inch filters, consumables, testing, and four field service reports. Should unscheduled repairs be quoted only as separate estimates after inspection? There will be no repairs associated with this requirement. Quoters shall only have pricing for CLIN 0001 only.

Please provide or confirm the refrigerant type and any unit-specific maintenance history, known deficiencies, or required replacement parts that should be included in the base quotation. There are no maintenance record on file.

Please confirm whether the Government requires a specific minimum insurance level, technician background screening, or additional federal training beyond EPA Section 608 certification and the access requirements stated in the Statement of Work. Background screening not required.