AG-63PX-S-16-0007_LAWN_CARE_PRINCETON_solicitation.pdf

3 17 792806

241 Mercer Springs Road

PRINCETON

WV 24740

01 10 18

Seasonal groundskeeping Base Period Apr 1- Oct 15, X

1 Yr

SEASONAL TOTAL

BID BASED ON 24

WEEKS

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON 1

Apr Oct 15

Seasonal groundskeeping

Apr 1 Oct 15

Seasonal groundskeeping

Option Period #1

Option Period #2

Total bid plus options

This is an option year contract, reference FAR 52.217-9 contained in this Request for Quotation and resultant contract.

1 Yr

1 Yr

SEASONAL

TOTALS

BID BASED ON 24

WEEKS

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON 2

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON

REQUIREMENTS:

FAR 52.237-1 -- Site Visit (Apr 1984); Offerors or quoters are urged and expected to inspect the site where services are to be performed and to satisfy themselves regarding all general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance, to the extent that the information is reasonably obtainable. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award.

Inspection of the grounds prior to submitting quotation is recommended. For more information, technical questions and to schedule a pre-bid visit at the Princeton Laboratory please contact Betsy Porterfield at 304-431- 2711, email bporterfield@fs.fed.us. The physical address for the grounds is USDA Forest Service241 Mercer Springs Road, Princeton, WV 24740. Located in Mercer County.

Landscaping/Groundskeeping service to improve the appearance of the Forest Service owned grounds and the wildlife habitat by using environmentally beneficial landscaping and groundskeeping that protects the environment as well as adding color and interest to the site.

This project consists of lawn mowing, trimming, weed eating, and possible fall leaf collection, of approximately 13.5 acres on the grounds of the Princeton, WV. Main Lab building at 241 Mercer Springs Road and at the MTP facility on Cornbread Ridge Road. The period of this contract will run from April 1, to October 15, 2016. Work would be done on a weekly basis, every week in this period, unless FS determines mowing is not needed weekly. Contractor will be responsible for collecting any debris necessary to prepare for mowing.

Debris is defined as litter such as cans, bottles, or paper, and tree limbs less than four inches in diameter, contractor can use FS dumpster for debris disposal.

OFFERORS MUST BE REGISTERED TO SAM (https://www.sam.gov) IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 52.204-7 AND RESPOND TO ALL INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED IN SECTION L. OFFERORS WHO FAIL

TO MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR AWARD.

Quoter must respond to the other factors as described under FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation – Commercial Items (Jan 1999). Award will be made on the best value for the Government. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option. It’s the Governments’ intent to make one contract award.

Offers shall be submitted for the total of all items. Offers for less than the total item will not be considered.

The contract awardee must register at the electronic Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) in order to submit invoices for payment. This is a mandatory requirement initiated by the U.S. Department of Treasury and you can find more information at this website: https://www.ipp.gov/index.htm. Please make sure that your company has registered at: https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/enrollment-vendors.htm to establish an account. For IPP assistance contact IPP Customer Support @ (866) 973-3131.

Submit offers electronically to David Easter, Northern Research Station, @ dceaster@fs.fed.us

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON 3

mailto:bporterfield@fs.fed.us.

https://www.sam.gov/ https://www.ipp.gov/index.htm https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/enrollment-vendors.htm mailto:dceaster@fs.fed.us

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATION/STATEMENT OF WORK

LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON NRS

PART 1

GENERAL

1.1 General: This solicitation contains a work statement for a performance based service, this means that the Government has described WHAT is to be accomplished, not HOW to accomplish it, and states a basis for determining whether the finished work meets the Government quality requirements. It does not state detailed procedures for accomplishing the requirement unless there are safety, security or communication requirements.

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that the necessary hours that it will take to meet the performance standards specified are built into their pricing.

The Contractor will be required to maintain a quality control program to ensure that the requirements of this contract are met. This program shall be created to identify and correct deficiencies in the quality of services before performance becomes unacceptable.

It is the scope of this contract to secure Landscaping/Groundskeeping services for Government owned property on the U.S. Forest Service site in strict compliance with the terms, specifications, conditions, and provisions contained herein. The contractor shall provide all management, tools, equipment and labor necessary to accomplish Landscaping/Groundskeeping that protects the environment as well as adding color and interest to the site.

Pre-quote inspection and tour please call Betsy Porterfield at 304-431-2711, email bporterfield@fs.fed.us.

1.2 License and Insurance: The Contractor shall obtain necessary licenses and insurance needed to perform this contract.

1.3 Estimated Start Date and Contract Time: April 1, 2016 is the estimated start date. Base year period will run from date of contract award through October 15, 2016. There are two Option Years and the total contract time will not exceed 3 years.

1.4 Performance Standards and Guideline Requirements:

Note: All landscaping/groundskeeping under this contract is required to meet the quality and performance standards as identified.

1.5 Quality Control: Quality Control is the responsibility of the contractor. The contractor is responsible for the delivery of quality services/supplies to the Government (see FAR 52.246-1, Contractor Inspection Requirements). A formal Quality Control Plan (QCP) is not required for this commercial service. However, the contractor shall maintain an inspection system commensurate with commercial practices to ensure the Contractor only tenders for acceptance those items or services that conform to the requirements of this contract.

1.5.1 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This plan is a Government only document primarily focused on what the Government must do to assure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the requirements of the contract. The Government reserves the right to inspect or test any supplies or services that have been tendered for acceptance. Non-conforming services shall be re-performed at no increase in contract price. If non-conforming services are recurring, cannot be re-performed, or the services fail to achieve

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON 4

mailto:bporterfield@fs.fed.us.

the Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) acceptable quality level (AQL) (see TE 2), the Government may reject the non-conforming service(s) and document the contractor’s performance record accordingly. The Government may also issue a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) in which the contractor will be required to respond with the development of a corrective action plan (CAP) which identifies the root cause, corrective action (CA) for the root cause, CA for the specific nonconformance, and the date the CAs will be complete. The Government may also reduce the payment to the contractor IAW the PRS, or reduce payment to reflect the value of the services performed, or may perform the services and charge the Contractor for any related cost incurred, or may terminate this contract for default.

1.5.2 Nonconforming Supplies or Services: When a Contractor’s performance does not meet Contract requirements and/or approved work schedules and/or timeframes it is considered a nonconformance.

Nonconformance shall be classified in one of three categories: level I (Minor), level II (Major) or level III (Critical). The Government may re-inspect work designated for re-performance or late performance, and the Contractor may be held liable for any damages sustained by the Government including, for example, the costs associated with re-inspection.

1.5.3 Level I (Minor) non-conformance: is defined as a non-conformance that is not likely to materially reduce the usability of the supplies or services for their intended purpose, or is a departure from established standards having little bearing on the effective use or operation of the supplies or services. Minor non- conformance usually can be corrected on the spot, where no further corrective action (CA) response is necessary, and can be issued by the COR to the contractor either through a verbal or written non-conformance report. Minor non-conforming services shall be re-performed within a specified time frame at no increase in contract price. If minor non-conformances are recurring or re-performance is not completed in full and within the specified time a Level II non-conformance may be issued to the contractor by the Contracting Officer (KO).

1.5.4 Level II (Major) non-conformance: is defined as a non-conformance, other than critical, that is likely to result in failure of the supplies or services, or to materially reduce the usability of the supplies or services for their intended purpose. Recurring Minor non-conformances, or a non-responsive contractor, indicating a trend or failure of the contractor’s quality control, can also be classified as a Major non-conformance. Major non-conformance’s shall result in the issuance of a written CDR from the KO to the contractor requiring the development of a CAP by the contractor which identifies the root cause, CA for the root cause, CA for the specific non-conformance and the date CAs will be completed.

1.5.5 Level III (Critical) non-conformance: is defined as a non-conformance that is likely to result in hazardous or unsafe conditions for individuals using, maintaining, or depending upon the supplies or services; is likely to prevent performance of a vital agency mission; is for a repeated or uncorrected level II CDRs; or is for a non-responsive contractor to a level II CDR. Critical non-conformances shall result in the issuance of a written CDR to the contractor requiring the development of a CAP by the contractor which identifies the root cause, CA for the root cause, CA for the specific non-conformance and the date CAs will be completed.

1.5.6 The contractor will be notified of Government inspection results. The contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the inspection results. The contractor may be notified of inspection results verbally. Verbal notifications of defective work will be confirmed in writing. When Government inspectors are unable to contact the contractor to notify the contractor of inspection results, acceptance or rejection of work will be made on the basis of the initial inspection.

1.5.7 Performance Evaluation Meetings; the Project Manager shall meet with the COR prior to start of the contract. However, meetings will be held whenever deficiencies are noted by the COR. A mutual effort will be made to resolve all problems identified.

1.5.8 Federal Government Holidays: Except as noted in the Schedule of Work, work shall not be performed on the following holidays or on holidays observed in lieu thereof.

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON 5

New Year’s Day 1st day of January Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday 3rd Monday of January Presidents Day 3rd Monday of February Memorial Day Last Monday of May Independence Day 4th day of July Labor Day 1st Monday of September Columbus Day 2nd Monday of October Veterans Day 11th day of November Thanksgiving Day 4th Thursday of November Christmas Day 25th day of December

1.5.9 Unforeseen Installation Closures: meaning when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings. Contractor will be notified by the COR of an installation closure. For other than firm fixed price contracts, the contractor will not be reimbursed when the government facility is closed for the above reasons. The Contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential. When an unforeseen installation closure occurs on a regularly scheduled day of work, the Government shall have the following options:

1.5.10 To require the Contractor to perform the work on the following day unless the following day is a Saturday or Sunday and routine work is not scheduled for Saturday or Sunday.

1.5.11To reschedule the work on any day satisfactory to both parties.

1.5.12 Hours of Operation: The Contractor shall normally perform work during normal duty hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Arrangements for work performed during other than normal duty hours shall be made with the COR

1.5.13 Key Control: The Contractor shall establish and implement methods of ensuring that all keys issued to the Contractor by the Government are not lost, or misplaced, and are not used by unauthorized persons. No keys issued to the Contractor by the Government shall be duplicated. The Contractor shall develop procedures covering key control that will be included in his/her quality control plan. NOTE: All references to keys include key cards.

1.5.14 In the event keys, other than master keys, are lost or duplicated, the Contractor shall, upon direction of the Contracting Officer, re-key or replace the affected lock or locks; however, the Government, at its option, may replace the affected lock or locks or perform re-keying. When the replacement of locks or re-keying is performed by the Government, the total cost of re-keying or the replacement of the lock or locks shall be deducted from the monthly payment due the Contractor. In the event a master key is lost or duplicated, all locks and keys for that system shall be replaced by the Government and the total cost deducted from the monthly payment due the Contractor.

1.5.15 The Contractor may be required to replace, re-key or reimburse the Government for replacement of locks or re-keying as a result of Contractor losing keys. In the event a master key is lost or duplicated, all locks and keys for that system shall be replaced by the Government and the total cost deducted from the monthly payment due.

1.5.16 The Contractor shall report the occurrences of a lost key immediately to the COR no later than the next Government Business day.

1.5.17 It is the responsibility of the Contractor to prohibit the use of keys issued by the Government by any

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON 6

persons other than the Contractor’s employees. It is also the responsibility of the Contractor to prohibit the opening of locked areas by the Contractor’s employees to permit entrance of persons other than Contractor’s employees engaged in the performance of assigned work in those areas.

1.5.18 Lock Combinations; the Contractor shall establish and implement methods of ensuring that all lock combinations are not revealed to unauthorized persons. The Contractor shall ensure that lock combinations are changed when personnel having access to the combinations no longer have a need to know such combinations.

These procedures shall be included in the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan.

1.5.19 Conservation of Utilities: The Contractor shall be directly responsible for instructing employees in utilities conservation practices. The Contractor shall be responsible for operating under conditions, which preclude the waste of utilities, which shall include but shall not necessarily be limited to:

1.5.20 Lights shall be used only in areas where and at the time when work is actually being performed.

1.5.21 Water faucets or valves shall be turned off after the required usage has been accomplished.

1.5.22 Government telephones shall be used only for emergencies.

1.5.20 Damages Caused by the Contractor: The Contractor shall be held accountable and liable to the Government for any damages to Government facilities, furnishings, equipment or grounds caused by the Contractor or his employees. The Contractor shall instruct his employees to immediately inform the building manager of any damages to property resulting from the performance of their duties.

1.5.21 Parking for Contractor’s Employees and Contractor Vehicles: Contractor employees shall park their personal and Contractor’s vehicles during the times and in the area designated by the COR.

1.5.22 Circumstances to be reported: The Contractor or the Contractor’s employees shall report any circumstances of needed repair of the facility or unusual soiling of an area which may affect the performance of the work, present unhealthy or hazardous conditions, or create any delays or interference with the work caused by the employees of the Government. Such report shall be made immediately upon discovery by the Contractor to the COR.

1.5.23 Hazardous Materials: The Contractor shall provide and post a list of hazardous materials used and disposed of. Material Data Safety Sheets (MSDS) will be maintained in the same location as stored cleaning materials. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to properly train his personnel on the existence and safe use and disposal of hazardous materials.

1.5.24 Loss of Contractor Property: The Government will not be held liable for any loss of supplies or equipment owned by the Contractor; nor the loss of any personal property belonging to employees of the Contractor.

1.5.25 Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor agrees to attend any post award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 42.5, Post Award Orientation. The Contracting Officer, COR, and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the contractor's performance. At these meetings the Contracting Officer will apprise the contractor of how the government views the contractor's performance and the contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the Government.

1.5.26 Contracting Officer Representative (COR): The COR will be identified by separate letter. The COR

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON 7

monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR is authorized to perform the following functions: assure that the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract;

perform inspections necessary in connection with contract performance; maintain written and oral communications with the Contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract; issue written interpretations of technical requirements, including Government drawings, designs, and specifications; monitor Contractor's performance and notify both the Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies; coordinate availability of government furnished property; and provide site entry of Contractor personnel. A letter of designation issued to the COR, a copy of which is sent to the Contractor, states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR, especially with regard to changes in cost or price, estimates or changes in delivery dates. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resulting order.

1.5.27 Key Personnel: The follow personnel are considered key personnel by the government: Project Manager (PM) and Point Of Contact (POC): The Contractor shall provide a Project Manager (PM) for the overall statewide project and a designated Point of Contact (POC) at each location who shall be responsible for the competent performance of the work required under the specifications of this contract. The name and contact information of the PM and an alternate, who shall act for the contractor when the PM is absent, shall be designated in writing to the Contracting Officer (CO) and COR. The name and contact information for the POC for each location shall be provided to the CO and COR. The PM or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The contract manager or alternate shall be available between 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the government facility is closed for administrative reasons. The Project Manager and POC(s) shall be able to read, write, speak and understand English.

1.5.28 The Project Manager or POC shall meet with Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to discuss immediate problems areas. The Project Manager or POC shall respond to the COR within two (2) hours after notification of deficiencies and correct the deficiency(s) the next business day. The Contractor shall provide the telephone number of the POC to call for each location should the need arise.

1.5.29 Identification of Contractor Employees: The Contractor (to include subcontractors) shall provide each employee an Identification (ID) Badge, which includes at a minimum, the Company Name, Employee Name and a color photo of the employee. ID Badges for Key Personnel shall also indicate their job title. ID Badges shall be worn at all times during which the employee is performing work under this contract. Each Contractor (to include subcontractors) employee shall wear the ID Badge in a conspicuous place on the front of exterior clothing and above the waist except when safety or health reasons prohibit. The Contractor (to include subcontractors) shall be responsible for collection of ID Badges upon completion of the contract or termination of employee. A listing of issued identification cards shall be furnished to the Contracting Officer (CO) and COR prior to the contract performance date and updated as needed to reflect Contractor and Subcontractor personnel changes. All contract personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. They must also ensure that all documents or reports produced by contractors are suitably marked as contractor products or that contractor participation is appropriately disclosed.

1.5.30 Supervision of Contractor Employees: The Government will not exercise any supervision or control over Contractor or subcontractor employees while performing work under the contract. Such employees shall be accountable solely to the Contractor, not the Government. The Contractor, in turn, shall be accountable to the Government for Contractor or subcontractor employees.

1.5.31 Employee Access to Building Facilities: The Contractor will have a law enforcement background check completed for all employees who will be entering USDA Forest Service installations or facilities. Documentation of these checks will be made available to the COR upon request.

1.5.32 The company will provide to the COR, seven days in advance of the event, names and Social Security

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON 8

numbers (or equivalent identification numbers for non-U.S. citizens) of all employees who will be entering Army-controlled installations or facilities.

1.5.33 The company will ensure that its employees entering USDA Forest Service installations or facilities have obtained access badges and passes in accordance with facility regulations and that these badges and passes are obtained in advance so as not to delay the accomplishment of contracted services.

1.5.34 The company will return all issued U.S. Government Common Access Cards, installation badges, and/or access passes to the COR when the contract is completed or when a contractor employee no longer requires access to the installation or facility.

1.5.35 The contractor shall comply with all personnel identity verification procedures. Employees must be accompanied by an authorized Government employee at all times while providing services in secure areas.

1.5.36 Lost and Found Property: It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that all items of possible personal or monetary value found by the Contractor’s employees are turned in to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

PART 2

DEFINITIONS & ACRONYMS

2. Definitions and Acronyms:

2.1 Definitions: As used throughout this performance work statement, the following terms shall have the meaning set forth below:

2.1.1 Contract Administrator: The official Government representative delegated authority by the Contracting Officer to administer a contract. This individual is normally a member of the appropriate Contracting/Procurement career field and advises on all technical contractual matters.

2.1.2 Contractor: A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or services to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

2.1.3 Contracting Officer (CO): A person with the authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the government. Note: The CO is the only individual who can legally bind the Government.

2.1.4 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the CO to administer the contract. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor as long as that direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change, and has no funding implications. Note: This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

2.1.5 Defective Service: A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

2.1.6 Deliverable: Anything that can be physically delivered, but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes or reports.

2.1.7 Government-Furnished Property (GFP) or Government Property (GP): Property in the possession of, or directly acquired by, the Government and subsequently made available to the Contractor.

AG-63PX-S-16-0007 LANDSCAPING/GROUNDSKEEPING PRINCETON 9

2.1.8 His/Her: Wherever used in the Performance Work Statement, the term “his” is meant to be synonymous with “her” unless otherwise stated. The same shall be true for him and her.

2.1.9 Key Personnel: Contractor personnel that are evaluated in a source selection process and that may be required to be used in the performance of a contract by the Key Personnel listed in the PWS. When key personnel are used as an evaluation factor in best value procurement, an offer can be rejected if it does not have a firm commitment from the persons that are listed in the proposal.

2.1.10 Non-Fixed/Movable Items: Any furnishing weighing less than 250 pounds.

2.1.11 Physical Security: Actions that prevent the loss or damage of Government property.

2.1.12 Quality Assurance: The government procedures to verify that services being performed by the Contractor are acceptable in accordance with established standards and requirements of this contract.

2.1.13 Quality Assurance Specialist: An official Government representative concerned with matters pertaining to the contract administration process and quality assurance/quality control. Acts as technical advisor to the Contracting Officer in these areas.

2.1.14 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP): An organized written document specifying the surveillance methodology to be used for surveillance of contractor performance.

2.1.15 Quality Control: All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to assure that the quality of an end product or service shall meet contract requirements.

2.1.16 Subcontractor. One that enters into a contract with a prime contractor. The Government does not have a privity of contract with the subcontractor.

2.1.17 Work Day: The number of hours per day the Contractor provides services in accordance with the contract.

2.1.18 Work Week: Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays unless specified otherwise.

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2.2. Acronyms:

CFR Code of Federal Regulations CO Contracting Officer CONUS Continental United States (excludes Alaska and Hawaii) COR Contracting Officer Representative COTR Contracting Officer's Technical Representative COTS Commercial-Off-the-Shelf FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 NLT No later than OCI Organizational Conflict of Interest OCONUS Outside Continental United States (includes Alaska and Hawaii) ODC Other Direct Costs PIPO Phase In/Phase Out PM Project Manager POC Point of Contact PRS Performance Requirements Summary PWS Performance Work Statement QA Quality Assurance QAP Quality Assurance Program QASP Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan QC Quality Control QCP Quality Control Program TE Technical Exhibit

PART 3

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND SERVICES

3.1 Utilities: The Government will provide a reasonable amount of utilities, from existing sources, to be used only in connection with the performance of this contract. All utilities in the facility will be available for the contractor’s use in performance of tasks outlined in this PWS. The Contractor (to include subcontractors) shall instruct employees in utilities conservation practices. The contractor shall be responsible for operating under conditions that preclude the waste of utilities, which include turning off the water faucets or valves after using the required amount.

PART 4

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

4.1 Contractor Furnished Items: Contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, materials, supervision, transportation, employee training and incidentals, except those listed under Government furnished, necessary to perform landscape/groundskeeping services in accordance with the terms, conditions and specifications herein.

These supplies and materials shall be of a quality and type customarily utilized by other Contractors engaged in the profession of providing landscape/groundskeeping services. The products utilized will comply with biobased and/or post-consumer/recycled content and EPA certifications. As an

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example (not inclusive of all needs):

Fertilizers - Biobased content Mulch and Compost - Biobased content Oils and Lubricants – Biobased content Printing Paper and Paper Products – Biobased content, Certified Source Office Supplies – Biobased Product Label Power Equipment – Energy Star Certified Sustainable Products – EPA Product Label: WaterSense, Design for the Environment, Safer Choice, SNAP, and Recycled Content

In the performance of this contract, the Contractor shall make maximum use of biobased products (see FAR 52.223-2 Affirmative Procurement of Biobased Products Under Service and Construction Contracts), and see information on Sustainable Operations in Section H, unless the product cannot be acquired:

1. Competitively within a time frame providing for compliance with the contract performance schedule;

2. Meeting contract performance requirements; or

3. At a reasonable price.

4.2 All electrical equipment used by the Contractor shall meet all safety requirements of this contract and shall be UL approved. This equipment must operate using existing building circuits.

It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to prevent the operation or attempted operation of electrical equipment, or combinations of equipment, which require power exceeding the capacity of existing building circuits.

4.3 Subcontracting. The Government reserves the right to approve or disapprove any subcontractors selected. Therefore, the Contractor shall obtain approval from the Contracting Officer for all subcontractors prior to entering into any subcontracts for the performance of work under this contract. The notification shall include as a minimum:

a. The name, address, and telephone number of the subcontractor.

b. The date upon which the subcontract was entered into and its duration.

c. A detailed description of the work being subcontracted including a listing of contract items, units, etc., as appropriate.

PART 5

SPECIFIC TASKS

5.1 Specific Tasks:

All work performed on-site shall take place during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, work can be done on Saturday if necessary, with prior agreement between FS and Contractor.

Specific start times to be addressed prior to mowing season. Contractor shall notify COR at least two days before arriving to confirm rate of grow and necessity for mowing.

Frequency of mowing is based on rate of growth of the lawn. No more than one-third of blade area should be removed at one time. The lawn will be maintained at a height of about 2.5 inches. String trimmer shall be used to trim around trees and features. Dry clippings will remain on the cut area.

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Mowing will not take place when the grass is wet. Trucks and other heavy equipment will not be parked or driven on the lawns. Equipment with low-pressure turf tires is permissible. The Contractor will not bump trees with lawn mowers/string trimmers, or skin lawn areas. Contractor is responsible for repair and replacement of any damaged vegetation, building materials (siding, etc.)

and any parked vehicles damaged by mowing equipment.

Contractor will be responsible for clearing grass cuttings, or debris from all sidewalks and parking areas.

The Contractor will promptly remove from the premises and dispose of all debris. Items that will fit in the FS dumpsters are acceptable for disposal in this manner. If dumpsters will not hold debris, contractor will be responsible for removal of debris from premises.

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION

A. Although the performance of all work requirements is under the responsibility and management of the Contractor, the Government reserves the right to review and approve all work items before their accomplishment.

B. The Contractor is required to discuss with the COR the scheduling of daily work requirements.

C. Work shall not be considered completed until the Contractor has removed from the premises all trash, debris, litter, etc., which accumulate in the performance of work. This includes clearing sidewalks and parking areas of clippings.

D. The Contractor shall restore any damage caused by his operations, including the replacement of plant material damaged as a result of negligence, at no cost to the Government.

PART 6

CONDUCT

6.1 All work under this contract shall be performed in a skillful and workmanlike manner. The Contracting Officer may, in writing, require the Contractor to remove from the work any employee the Contracting Officer deems incompetent, careless, or otherwise objectionable, or for theft, possession and/or removal of materials, supplies, equipment, or any Government-owned property.

The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of employee competency, conduct, appearance and integrity, and shall be responsible for taking such disciplinary action with respect to the employee(s) as may be necessary.

The Contractor will be notified of non-compliance and will be requested to correct the condition at the Contractor’s expense.

The Contractor will not be allowed to have any persons (family members or otherwise) under the age of 16 years on the premises to either work or accompany the Contractor or his/her employees during performance of the contract.

6.2 Specific Conduct. The following restrictions apply to the Contractor and Contractor’s

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employees:

a. Smoking: All buildings are non-smoking buildings. The Contractor shall not smoke inside the building.

b. Gambling: The Contractor shall not participate in games for money or personal property while on Government property.

c. Alcoholic Beverages and Narcotics: The Contractor shall not be under the influence of, use, or be in possession of any narcotic drug, hallucinogenic, marijuana, barbiturate, amphetamine, or alcohol while entering on or on Government property. This prohibition will not apply in cases where the drug is being used as prescribed for a patient by a licensed physician.

d. Soliciting or Vending: The Contractor shall not solicit or sell any items while on Government property.

e. Firearms: The Contractor shall not be in possession of any firearms in any of the buildings.

f. Pets: Contactor may not bring pets into the buildings.

6.3 Miscellaneous:

a. Report fires and hazardous conditions either in person, by phone, or by note, depending on severity.

b. Turn in items found to the COR.

c. Report any unusual traffic in parking lots to the COR.

d. Protect Government property, buildings, materials, equipment, supplies, records, and data against unauthorized access, loss, or damage.

e. Establish a system for groundskeeping workforce personnel to report potentially hazardous conditions.

f. Prepare reports of accidents and fires and submit to the COR; maintain and make available all records in connection with protection activities.

g. In the event of emergency or unusual occurrences adversely affecting the interest of the

Government, summon appropriate assistance, such as the fire and/or police department, and immediately thereafter notify the COR.

PART 7

SUPERVISION

7.1 The Contractor shall arrange for satisfactory supervision of the contract work. The Contractor or one of its supervisors shall be available at all times, when the contract work is in progress, to receive notices, reports, or requests from the Contracting Officer or COR.

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The Contractor shall provide in writing to the COR at least five (5) days prior to the contract starting date the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of on-site supervisors. The term “on-site supervisor” and “alternate on- site supervisor” means a person designated in writing by the Contractor who has the authority to act for the Contractor on a day-to-day basis at the work site and to accept and sign for notices of deductions, inspection reports, and all other correspondence on behalf of the Contractor. The on-site supervisor is required to be fully conversant in English.

PART 9

PROPERTY AND PERSONAL DAMAGE

9.1 The Contractor shall assume all risk of loss or damage to his/her equipment and injury to himself/herself or his/her employees, and shall hold and save the Government and its employees harmless from liability of any nature or kind resulting from performance of this contract, except for negligent acts of Government employees.

9.2 The Contractor shall be responsible for all damage to property and to persons, including third parties that occur as a result of his/her agents or employee's fault or negligence. The term "third parties" is construed to include employees of the government.

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SECTION D- PACKAGING AND MARKING

{For this Solicitation, there are no clauses in this Section}

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SECTION E- INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

AGAR 452.246-70 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

(a) The Contracting Officer or the Contracting Officer’s duly authorized representative will inspect and accept the supplies and/or services to be provided under this contract.

(b) Inspection and acceptance will be performed randomly at the USDA Forest Service, Princeton Service Station.

(End of Clause)

GOVERNMENT INSPECTION

The Government will visually inspect the Contractor’s performance on a random basis under this contract to ensure compliance with contract guidelines. The COR will record inspection observations and will document deficiencies through a written inspection report provided to the Contractor. When unacceptable performance is observed, the COR will meet with the Contractor’s on-site supervisor to review the inspection report and ensure that the Contractor has an understanding of the unacceptable services. The preferred method to resolve deficiencies is to allow re-performance to correct the deficiencies. The Contractor shall be provided with the opportunity to correct substandard performance within one business day. When substandard performance is not corrected within the specified timeframe or the Contractor refuses to re-perform the service, the unsatisfactory service is then logged as a deficiency.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

The Contractor service requirements are summarized into performance objectives that relate directly to the essential services provided. The stated performance thresholds are the minimum acceptable levels of service for each stated requirement. All aspects of Contractor performance are subject to Government surveillance, and absence of any contract requirements from the Performance objectives identified below will not detract from the enforceability, nor limit the rights or remedies of the Government under other contract clauses.

Performance Objective Performance Threshold

Perform all services required in accordance with the Statement of Work on weekly basis

Not to exceed 1 valid complaint of unsatisfactory per week

CONTRACTOR QUALITY CONTROL PLAN

A. Quality Control Plan

The Contractor shall provide a Quality Control Plan (QCP) as part of this Technical Proposal. The Plan must demonstrate how the Contractor shall assure that quality of performance meets the objectives and requirements of the contract. The QCP shall specify:

- How quality will be monitored to ensure performance standards are met.

- How the work will be supervised.

- Identify the personnel responsible for performing quality control.

- How results of the monitoring will result in quality performance.

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- Create a checklist for inspection of the building that covers all services stated in the “Performance Standards and Guidelines”.

- A system to ensure that the Contractor’s employees are notified of any deficiencies in their area of responsibility.

- A plan to monitor and correct customer complaints.

- A plan for immediately forwarding customer complaints that are not the responsibility of the Contractor to the COR.

B. Contractor Quality Control Inspection

The Contractor shall assure themselves that performance meets contract specifications, in accordance with FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, paragraph (a), prior to requesting the Government to inspect for payment or acceptance. The Contractor shall contact the Contracting Officer upon completion of a unit. The Contracting Officer may observe the Contractor’s inspection at any time and shall otherwise have unlimited access to the inspection data.

Failure by the Contractor to implement the approved plan and pursue it diligently from the commencement of the contract may be considered grounds for default.

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SECTION F – DELIVERIES AND PERFORMANCE

FAR 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these addresses:

https://www.acquisition.gov/

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR CHAPTER 1) CLAUSES

52.242-15 Stop Work Order (AUG 1989) 52.242-17 Government Delay of Work (APR 1984)

AGAR-452-211-74 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE (FEB 1988)

Base Period: April 1, 2016 to October 15, 2016 Optional Period 1: April 1, 2017 to October 15, 2017 Optional Period 2: April 1, 2018 to October 15, 2018

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SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

AGAR 452.215-73 POST AWARD CONFERENCE (NOV 1996)

A post award conference with the successful offeror is required. It will be scheduled and held within 15 days after the date of contract award. The conference will be held at the USDA Forest Service, 241 Mercer Springs Road, Princeton, WV 24740.

DESIGNATION OF CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE

The Contracting Officer designates the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).

The COR is responsible for administering the performance of work under this contract. In no event, however, will any understanding, agreement, modification, change order, or other matter deviating from the terms of this contract be effective or binding upon the Government unless formalized by proper contractual documents executed by the Contracting Officer prior to completion of the contract.

The Contracting Officer should be informed as soon as possible of any actions or inactions by the Contractor or the Government, which will change the required delivery or completion times stated in the contract, and the contract will be modified accordingly. (This does not apply to individual task assignments which were issued by the COR provided they do not affect the delivery schedule or performance period stated in the contract.)

On all matters that pertain to the contract terms the Contractor must communicate with the Contracting Officer.

Whenever, in the opinion of the Contractor, the COR requests effort outside the scope of the contract, the Contractor should so advise the COR. If the COR persists and there still exists a disagreement as to proper contractual coverage, the Contracting Officer should be notified immediately, preferably in writing if time permits. Proceeding with work without proper contractual coverage could result in nonpayment or necessitate submittal of a contract claim.

CONTRACTOR'S REPRESENTATIVE

The Government may, at its option, suspend work with full count of contract time continuing, if the Contractor fails to provide a Contractor's Representative (1) conversant in the English language and (2) able to read and understand the contract.

SUPERVISION

The Contractor shall arrange for satisfactory supervision of the contract work. The Contractor or one of its supervisors shall be available at all times, when the contract work is in progress, to receive notices, reports, or requests from the Contracting Officer or COR. The Contractor shall provide in writing to the COR at least five

(5) days prior to the contract starting date the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of on-site supervisors.

The term “on-site supervisor”, “alternate on-site supervisor”, “superintendent”, or “Contractor Representative” means a person designated in writing by the Contractor who has the authority to act for the Contractor on a day-to-day basis at the work site and to accept and sign for notices of deductions, inspection reports, and all other correspondence on behalf of the Contractor.

PAYMENT

Payment will be made on a monthly basis for landscape/groundskeeping services that have been satisfactorily

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provided. The Contractor will submit an invoice each month and provide the COR with the completed inspection checklist from the Quality Control Plan. The Government will review the performance as compared to contract standards, the Quality Assurance Plan and the Performance Objectives. Monthly payments to the Contractor will be reduced for logged deficiencies, as described in the Inspection clause. Deductions for deficiencies shall be calculated as 1/30th of the unit price for each day the Contractor fails to correct the deficiency.

INVOICE PROCESSING PLATFORM

NOTE: The paragraph below replaces the paper invoice copies requirement referenced on FAR 52.212-4 (g) invoices.

The "Submit Invoice-to" address for USDA orders is the Department of Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). The contractor must follow the instructions on how to register and submit invoices via IPP as prescribed in the previous communications from USDA and Treasury. All invoices are to be submitted via the electronic Invoice Processing Platform. This is a mandatory requirement initiated by the U.S. Department of Treasury and you can find more information at this website https://www.ipp.gov/index.htm. Please make sure that your company has registered at https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/enrollment-vendors.htm to establish your account.

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https://www.ipp.gov/index.htm https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/enrollment-vendors.htm

SECTION H – SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

AGAR 452.228-71 INSURANCE COVERAGE

Pursuant to FAR clause 52.228-5, Insurance-Work on a Government Installation, the Contractor will be required to present evidence to show, as a minimum, the amounts of insurance coverage indicated below:

(a) Workers Compensation and Employer's Liability. The Contractor is required to comply with applicable Federal and State workers' compensation and occupational disease statutes. If occupational diseases are not compensable under those statutes, they shall be covered under the employer's liability section of the insurance policy, except when contract operations are so commingled with a Contractor's commercial operations that it would not be practical to require this coverage.