Combined Synopsis Solicitaton - PMC Holders.docx

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Attachments:

A. Price/Cost Schedule B. Statement of Work C. Attachment 1 to the SOW – List of NCA Cemeteries

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial supplies prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 12. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation number 36C78626Q0110 is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ) for Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) Holders. This acquisition is 100% set-aside for Small Businesses (SB).

NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE: The (NAICS) code for this procurement is 322230, Stationery Product Manufacturing, and the business size standard is 750 Employees.

This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. This is an all-or-none requirement, and partial quotes will be deemed unacceptable and will not be evaluated.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), National Cemetery Administration (NCA), anticipates awarding a single-award firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for supplies. The contract will include a one-year base period and four one-year option periods, exercisable at the Government's discretion.

Anticipated Period of Performance:

Base Year: October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 Option Year 1: October 1, 2027 – September 30, 2028 Option Year 2: October 1, 2028 – September 30, 2029 Option Year 3: October 1, 2029 – September 30, 2030 Option Year 4: October 1, 2030 – September 30, 2031

SOLICITATION QUESTIONS:

All questions regarding this solicitation are to be submitted to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist, via email, no later than 3:00 p.m. CST on 08/25/2026. Questions pertaining to this announcement shall be sent by email to: Weston.Worsham@va.gov and Patara.Mcdonald@va.gov. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Associated answers to questions submitted will be provided via a solicitation amendment. Should an amendment not be endorsed by the interested Quoter, the quote may be considered unacceptable and may be excluded from further consideration for award.

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS:

Quoters MUST be registered in System of Award Management (SAM) at http://www.sam.gov and must have completed the applicable representations and certifications at http://www.sam.gov at the time of submission. Failure to comply will result in the Quoter being considered ineligible for award.

RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ): Quotes are due to the Contracting Officer no later than 2:00 p.m. CST on 09/14/2026. The Government intends to make award without discussions. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary, and the Government will not pay for information provided nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided for the Government. Quoters are responsible for obtaining any and all amendments or additional information concerning this announcement at the System for Award Management (SAM) website, www.SAM.gov. Submission shall be in accordance with the Instructions to Offerors and emailed to Weston.Worsham@va.gov and Patara.Mcdonald@va.gov by the date and time listed.

Sample Submission by Potential Quoters Potential Quoters shall submit at contractor expense, one (1) fully assembled PMC Holder sample manufactured strictly in accordance with the specifications identified in the Statement of Work (Attachment B) and Exhibits 1-3, to include, at a minimum:

1. Navy blue exterior color; 9" width x 11-1/2" length with a 1/2" spine;

1. Department of Veterans Affairs seal embossed in gold, centered on the front cover, per Exhibit 1;

1. Double-edged embossed frame outline on the front and rear covers, per Exhibit 2;

1. White silk interior lining with four material corner supports installed to hold a document's corners, per Exhibit 3;

1. One (1) clear 8.5" x 11" acetate document protector inserted in the holder as it would ship.

The sample shall be representative of the material, construction, and finish quality required for production under the contract and shall establish the acceptable product baseline against which production units are compared. Submitted samples become the property of the Department of Veterans Affairs and shall not be returned.

Sample Identification Each sample shall be accompanied by a tag or label, securely attached in a manner that does not deface or damage the product (e.g., a ribbon or string tag looped around the closed holder without puncturing the cover or lining, or a label affixed to a protective sleeve or shipping packaging rather than the holder itself), identifying:

1. Contractor's name

1. Solicitation number

1. Email, physical address, and phone number

Timeliness: A sample is considered timely as long as it was physically received by that solicitation's due date and time. Samples received after the quote submission due date and time will not be considered.

Sample Retention: Submitted samples become the property of the Department of Veterans Affairs and will not be returned. Samples may be retained until award and any post-award administrative actions have been completed. The Government reserves the right to dispose of samples thereafter at its discretion.

Sample Requirements:

Samples must be manufactured, assembled, and packaged to prevent damage during shipment. Any sample that arrives damaged may result in the sample being deemed technically unacceptable. ALL SAMPLES ARE CONSIDERED BEST AND FINAL. NO samples shall be accepted after the submission date and time. Samples must be received by Memorial Products Service (MPS) prior to the submission date and time.

SUBMISSION ADDRESS FOR SAMPLES ONLY:

Submit sample to the following address and please note that HANDHELD DELIVERIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED:

National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico (Attn: Memorial Products Service) 18424 Joplin Road Triangle, VA. 22172

Samples and quotations will be evaluated in accordance with the Evaluation Sequence identified in this solicitation. A Quoter whose sample is determined technically unacceptable will not be eligible for award.

In addition to the required physical sample, Quoters shall submit the following four (4) separate documents:

Volume A – Company Information (.pdf) Volume B – Price/Cost Schedule, Attachment A (.xlsx) Volume C – Technical (.pdf) Volume D – Past Performance (.pdf) Interested Quoters who fail to submit the four (4) separate documents (3 Adobe Acrobat and 1 Excel) and sample submission will be considered ineligible for award. In the event an Interested Quoter has issues with quote submittal prior to the closing deadline, the Quoter must notify the Contracting Officer of the impending issue via electronic correspondence. The subject header shall be titled “Submittal Issues” and shall include the RFQ number. Interested Quoters must ensure that they have a read and delivery receipt on their email to provide proof, if necessary. Failure to notify the Contracting Officer of such issues may constitute the submittal as unacceptable and ineligible for award. Note: The Contracting Officer may or may not respond to your submittal therefore it is crucial that a copy of the email correspondence be provided. Additionally, failure to provide all Volumes within the Solicitation’s response time may also constitute an Interested Quoter as noncompliant and ineligible for award.

All quotes are to be submitted to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist, via email at Weston.Worsham@va.gov and Patara.Mcdonald@va.gov by no later than 2:00 p.m. CST on September 14, 2026. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE QUOTER TO SUBMIT THEIR BEST OFFER AT THE TIME QUOTES ARE DUE. LATE QUOTES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Company Information (Volume A) The following information shall be included in Volume A:

· Legal Business/Company Name (as listed in www.sam.gov). Should Legal Business/Company Name not coincide with what is listed in the Government’s website www.sam.gov, the Interested Quoter will be ineligible for award.

· Complete Company Address (No P.O. Boxes). Should an Interested Offeror submit the Company’s address as a P.O. Box, the Interested Quoter will be ineligible for award.

· Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

· Company Point of Contact Name and Title

· Telephone Number

· Email Address

· Statement of acknowledgement and receipt of amendment(s) (if any). Failure to acknowledge all subsequent Amendments may result in the Interested Offeror being considered unacceptable and may be excluded from further consideration for award

· Company’s Targeted Capabilities Statement

· Teaming Agreement(s) if applicable Factor 1: Pricing (Volume B) This factor will be used to assess the reasonableness of the Quoter’s quoted price. For this factor, Quoters shall submit their price quote using Attachment A- Price/Cost Schedule.

Options: The Government will evaluate quotes for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

Factor 2: Technical (Volume C) This factor will be used to determine whether the Quoter demonstrates the technical capability and approach necessary to successfully perform the requirements of the Statement of Work (SOW). Technical will be evaluated on an Acceptable/Unacceptable basis.

Subcontractor Management (if applicable): Quoters proposing to use a subcontractor or joint venture shall identify the subcontractor(s) or joint venture partner(s) and describe the role and percentage of performance each will provide — this narrative is what the Technical evaluator uses to assess the proposed approach. The signed teaming agreement or joint venture agreement itself is submitted once, with Volume A; the Contracting Officer will confirm administratively that it is present and compliant (including that a joint venture has its own Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in SAM.gov and meets VAAR 852.219-73) rather than each volume's evaluator independently verifying the document. Failure to submit a required teaming or joint venture agreement with Volume A will result in the Quoter being ineligible for award.

1. Product Sample The sample submitted in accordance with the Sample Submission requirements of this solicitation will be evaluated for conformance with the specifications in the SOW and Exhibits 1–3.

Acceptable: The sample meets the requirements of the SOW and Exhibits 1–3 and demonstrates acceptable workmanship and functionality.

Unacceptable: The sample does not meet the requirements of the SOW and Exhibits 1–3 or contains defects that affect the appearance, quality, or intended use of the PMC Holder.

2. Production and Quality Control Approach The Quoter shall describe its approach for producing and maintaining sufficient quantities of PMC Holders to meet the recurring requirements of the Statement of Work (SOW).

At a minimum, the Quoter shall address:

1. How it will produce and maintain sufficient quantities of PMC Holders to meet the Government's recurring requirements;

1. How Government-directed quantity changes will be incorporated into its production planning to meet the required delivery schedule;

1. How finished PMC Holders will be inspected to ensure they meet the specifications of the SOW prior to shipment; and

1. How defective or nonconforming PMC Holders will be handled to ensure only acceptable products are shipped to the Government.

Acceptable: The Quoter demonstrates an adequate approach for producing sufficient quantities of PMC Holders, accommodating Government-directed quantity changes, and ensuring products meet contract specifications prior to shipment.

Unacceptable: The Quoter fails to demonstrate an adequate approach for producing sufficient quantities of PMC Holders, accommodating Government-directed quantity changes, or ensuring products meet contract specifications prior to shipment.

3. Distribution and Order Management Approach The Quoter shall describe its approach for managing recurring shipments of PMC Holders to participating NCA National Cemeteries nationwide.

At a minimum, the Quoter shall address:

1. How Government-provided quantities, delivery locations, and subsequent changes will be managed;

1. How the Quoter will ensure the correct quantities are shipped to the correct cemetery locations;

1. How PMC Holders will be packaged for shipment to minimize damage during transit; and

1. How shipments will be tracked and delivery confirmed to ensure the required delivery schedule is met.

Acceptable: The Quoter demonstrates an adequate approach for accurately managing, packaging, and completing recurring nationwide shipments within the delivery requirements of the SOW.

Unacceptable: The Quoter fails to demonstrate an adequate approach for accurately managing, packaging, or completing recurring nationwide shipments within the delivery requirements of the SOW.

Overall Technical Rating Each Technical subfactor will be evaluated on an Acceptable/Unacceptable basis. The Quoter must receive an Acceptable rating for each Technical subfactor to receive an overall Technical rating of Acceptable.

An Unacceptable rating under any Technical subfactor will result in an overall Technical rating of Unacceptable, and the quotation will not be eligible for award.

Factor 3: Past Performance (Volume D) The following shall be included as part of the Quoter's Past Performance submission, Volume D.

This factor will be used to assess the relevancy and quality of the Quoter's past performance in providing products that are similar in size and complexity as the solicitation. List National Cemetery Administration (NCA) contracts first followed by non-NCA contracts. For this factor:

1. Quoters shall provide no more than three (3) references for recent contracts or orders (within the past five (5) years) involving the manufacture and/or assembly, and nationwide or multi-site delivery of comparable finished products. Contracts listed may include those entered with the federal government, state or local agencies, or commercial customers. For each reference, Quoters shall provide the contract/order number, a brief description of the work, the customer point of contact and contact information, and the period of performance. Should a Quoter submit more than three (3) references, only the three most recent will be considered.

1. Quoters may use a subcontractor's past performance only if a teaming agreement was submitted with Volume A; the Contracting Officer will confirm this administratively and advise whether the Quoter is eligible to rely on subcontractor past performance. Quoters need not resubmit the agreement with Volume D (see Volume C for the required narrative on subcontractor/joint venture role and percentage of performance). The Prime Contractor shall provide its own past performance information regardless of any subcontractor past performance submitted; reliance on subcontractor past performance does not substitute for the Prime Contractor's own record.

1. When evaluating a joint venture's past performance, the Government will consider each partner's individual experience and capabilities as well as the joint venture's collective past performance, if any.

1. The Government reserves the right to obtain past performance information from any available source, including CPARS and direct contact with references, and may contact customers other than those identified by the Quoter when evaluating past performance.

Acceptable: Available past performance information provides a reasonable expectation that the Quoter will successfully perform the requirements of the resulting contract.

Unacceptable: Available past performance information demonstrates performance problems of a nature or severity that results in the Government having an unreasonable expectation of successful contract performance.

Neutral (No Relevant/Recent Past Performance): A Quoter with no relevant or recent past performance information available will be assigned a rating of Neutral, which will be evaluated neither favorably nor unfavorably. A Neutral rating satisfies the Past Performance factor for purposes of award eligibility.

EVALUATION: The Government intends to award a Firm-Fixed-Price Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract resulting from this solicitation.

In accordance with the Contracting Officer's discretion under FAR 12.203(c)(2), the Government will evaluate quotations using a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) methodology.

Award will be made to the responsible Quoter whose quotation conforms to the solicitation requirements, is determined technically acceptable, receives an Acceptable or Neutral past performance rating, and offers the lowest total evaluated price determined to be fair and reasonable.

The following evaluation factors will be considered:

1. Price

1. Technical (Acceptable/Unacceptable)

1. Past Performance (Acceptable/Unacceptable/Neutral)

Price Price will be evaluated for completeness and reasonableness based on the requirements identified under Factor 1 – Price (Volume B).

Options. The Government will evaluate quotations for award purposes by adding the total price for all option periods to the total price for the base period. The Government may determine a quotation ineligible for award if its pricing is materially unbalanced. Evaluation of options does not obligate the Government to exercise any option.

Evaluation Sequence The Government will evaluate quotations in order of total evaluated price, beginning with the lowest-priced quotation.

The Government will first evaluate the lowest total evaluated price for completeness, balance, and price reasonableness. If the lowest-priced quotation is determined fair and reasonable and is not materially unbalanced, the Government will evaluate that Quoter's Product Sample. If the Product Sample is rated Acceptable, the Government will evaluate the remaining Technical subfactors and Past Performance for that Quoter.

If the Quoter receives an overall Technical rating of Acceptable and a Past Performance rating of Acceptable or Neutral, and the Contracting Officer determines the Quoter responsible, award may be made without further evaluation of higher-priced quotations.

If a Quoter is determined ineligible for award based on Price, Technical, Past Performance, or responsibility, the Government may proceed to the next-lowest-priced quotation and continue the evaluation using the same process until a quotation eligible for award is identified.

Technical Technical will be evaluated based on the three subfactors identified under Factor 2 – Technical (Volume C):

1. Product Sample;

2. Production and Quality Control Approach; and

3. Distribution and Order Management Approach.

Each Technical subfactor will be evaluated on an Acceptable/Unacceptable basis. The Quoter must receive an Acceptable rating under each Technical subfactor to receive an overall Technical rating of Acceptable. An Unacceptable rating under any Technical subfactor will result in an overall Technical rating of Unacceptable.

Past Performance Past Performance will be evaluated based on the requirements identified under Factor 3 – Past Performance (Volume D), including the relevance and quality of the Quoter's record of performing efforts similar in size, scope, and complexity.

Past Performance will be rated Acceptable, Unacceptable, or Neutral. A Neutral rating will be assigned when no relevant or recent past performance information is available and will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably. A Neutral rating is eligible for award.

Responsibility Prior to award, the Contracting Officer will make an affirmative determination of responsibility in accordance with FAR Subpart 9.1. For a small business concern, any determination of nonresponsibility subject to the Small Business Administration's Certificate of Competency procedures will be handled in accordance with applicable FAR requirements.

The Government intends to make award without discussions; however, the Government reserves the right to communicate with Quoters or request clarifications or revised quotations when determined necessary by the Contracting Officer.

SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES:

52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions- Commercial Items (NOV 2023) Addendum to FAR 52.212-4 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998) http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html (FAR) and https://www.va.gov/oal/library/vaar/index.asp (VAAR)

FAR Clauses

52.203-19 Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements.

(JAN 2017)

52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance (OCT 2018) 52.204-19 Incorporation by Reference of Representations and Certifications (Dec 2014) 52.209-6 Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting With Contractors Debarred, Suspended, Proposed for Debarment, or Voluntarily Excluded. (JAN 2025) (DEVIATION

NOV 2025)

52.209-9 Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters. (OCT 2018)

(DEVIATION NOV 2025)

52.216-18 Ordering (AUG 2020) (a)Any supplies and services to be furnished under this contract shall be ordered by issuance of delivery orders or task orders by the individuals or activities designated in the Schedule. Such orders may be issued from 01 October 2026 through 30 September 2031.

52.216-19 Order Limitations (OCT 1995) (a)Minimum order. When the Government requires supplies or services covered by this contract in an amount of less than 30 EA, the Government is not obligated to purchase, nor is the Contractor obligated to furnish, those supplies or services under the contract.

(b)Maximum order. The Contractor is not obligated to honor-

(1) Any order for a single item in excess of 75,000 EA;

(2) Any order for a combination of items in excess of 75,000 EA; or

(3) A series of orders from the same ordering office within 15 days that together call for quantities exceeding the limitation in paragraph (b)(1) or (2) of this section.

(c)If this is a requirements contract (i.e., includes the Requirements clause at subsection 52.216-21 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)), the Government is not required to order a part of any one requirement from the Contractor if that requirement exceeds the maximum-order limitations in paragraph (b) of this section.

(d)Notwithstanding paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the Contractor shall honor any order exceeding the maximum order limitations in paragraph (b), unless that order (or orders) is returned to the ordering office within 5 days after issuance, with written notice stating the Contractor’s intent not to ship the item (or items) called for and the reasons. Upon receiving this notice, the Government may acquire the supplies or services from another source.

52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity (OCT 1995) (DEVIATION NOV 2025)

52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (MAR 2000)

(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within 5 days provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 15 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed five (5) years.

52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (NOV 2020) 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting (OCT 2022) 52.219-28 Post Award Small Business Program Representation (JAN 2025) 52.219-33 Nonmanufacturer Rule (SEP 2021) 52.222-3 Convict Labor (JUN 2003) 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans. (JUN 2020) (DEVIATION NOV 2025) 52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities. (JUN 2020) (DEVIATION NOV 2025) 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans. (JUN 2020) (DEVIATION NOV 2025) 52.222-40 Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act. (DEC 2010)

(DEVIATION NOV 2025)

52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons. (NOV 2021) (DEVIATION NOV 2025) 52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification. (JAN 2025) (DEVIATION NOV 2025) 52.222-90 Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors 52.223-23 Sustainable Products and Services (MAY 2024) 52.225-1 Buy American – Supplies (OCT 2022) 52.226-8 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving. (MAY 2024) 52.229-3 Federal, State, and Local Taxes (FEB 2013) (DEVIATION SEP 2025) 52.232-18 Availability of Funds (APR 1984) 52.232-19 Availability of Funds for the Next Fiscal Year (APR 1984) Funds are not presently available for performance under this contract beyond September 30, 2026. The Government’s obligation to the performance of this contract beyond that date is contingent upon the availability of appropriate funds from which payment for contract purposes can be made. No legal liability on the part of the Government for any payment may arise for performance under this contract beyond September 30,2026. until funds are made available to the Contracting Officer for performance and until the Contractor receives notice of availability, to be confirmed in writing by the Contracting Officer.

52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors. (MAR 2023) 52.233-3 Protest After Award (AUG 1996) 52.233-4 Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim. (OCT 2004) (DEVIATION NOV 2025) 52.240-91 Security Prohibitions and Exclusions. (DEVIATION NOV 2025) 52.242-13 Bankruptcy (JUL 1995) 52.242-15 Stop-Work Order (AUG 1989) 52.244-6 Subcontracts for Commercial Products and Commercial Services. (JAN 2025) (DEVIATION OCT 2025) 52.252-6 Authorized Deviations in Clauses (NOV 2020)

VAAR Clauses 852.201-70 Contracting Officer’s Representative (DEC 2022) 852.203-70 Commercial Advertising (MAY 2018) 852.222-71 Compliance with Executive Order 13899(DEVIATION)(APR 2025) 852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (NOV 2018) 852.242-71 Administrative Contracting Officer (OCT 2020) 852.247-71 Delivery Location (OCT 2018) Shipment of deliverable items, other than reports, shall be to: Participating NCA National Cemeteries at the delivery locations identified in Attachment 1 to the Statement of Work.

852.247-72 Marking Deliverables (OCT 2018)

(a) The contract number shall be placed on or adjacent to all exterior mailing or shipping labels of deliverable items called for by the contract.

(b) Mark deliverables, except reports, for: Participating NCA National Cemeteries at the delivery locations identified in Attachment 1 to the Statement of Work.

(End of Addendum to 52.212-4)

FAR Provisions 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (SEP 2023)

Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 52.252-1 Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998) http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html (FAR) and http://www.va.gov/oal/library/vaar/index.asp (VAAR) 52.203-11 Certification and Disclosure Regarding Payments to Influence Certain Federal Transactions.

(SEP 2024)

52.204-7 System for Award Management—Registration (NOV 2024) (DEVIATION NOV 2025) 52.209-7 Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (OCT 2018) 52.209-10 Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations 52.216-1 Type of Contract (APR 1984) (DEVIATION NOV 2025) The Government contemplates award of an IDIQ contract resulting from this solicitation.

52.225-2 Buy American Certificate (OCT 2022) 52.225-18 Place of Manufacture (AUG 2018) 52.233-2 Service of Protest (SEPT 2006)

VAAR Provisions 852.233-70 Protest Content/Alternative Dispute Resolution 852.233-71 Alternate Protest Procedure 852.252-70 Solicitation Provisions or Clauses Incorporated by Reference (JAN 2008)

(End of Addendum to 52.212-1)

Enclosures:

A. Price/Cost Schedules B. Statement of Work C. Attachment 1 to the SOW – List of NCA Cemeteries

End of Document