Atch 10 - Questions and Answers.pdf

Attachment 10

FA2521-20-B-0014

Q&As

IFB Section: Appendix A-Grounds Description/Workload page 21

Paragraph: N/A

PWS Paragraph: N/A

Other (Specify): Item 6 & 7

Question 1: Can you provide exactly which areas on and off base that need to be sprayed and fertilized. Is the Avotec Building and landing areas part of the areas? I see it gives the estimated quantities and # times annually on page 21 of Appendix A-Grounds Description/Workload.

Answer 1: All Improved areas off the main base should be incorporated into the Pest and Weed management program (Item 6). AFTAC (building 10989) is the only area we have scheduled to be fertilized.

Question 2: Once the contract is begins, will the time of payment be every 30 or 60 days?

Answer 2: Payment will be no more frequent than monthly

IFB Section: Instr., Conds, and Notices to Offerors Paragraph: N/A

PWS Paragraph: L-5 BID SUBMISSION

Other (Specify): 4c on page 175

Question 3: 4c states “c. ATTACHMENT 3: Provisions filled in with ALL required information. It is the bidder's responsibility to ensure all required sections have been completed.

Failure to complete the certifications may render the bidder as non-responsive and ineligible for award.” Does this question mean write a comment or answer each FAR Clause from pages 139- 173?

Answer 3: No. Read all the provision when the text in the provision prompts you for a response respond accordingly.

Attachment 3

Question 4: Is a bond required for this contract?

Answer 4: No

IFB Section: Fringe Benefits Required Paragraph: N/A

Other (Specify): page 8

Question 5: Do the wage determinations, health & welfare benefits, and health and welfare EO 13706 apply to a subcontractor’s employees as well in this contract? Do the subcontractor’s employees required for these benefits and pay as well if they are not directly my employee?

Answer 5: Yes. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts/service-contracts

Question 6: Is the occupation code- title for the employees that will be (mowing, trimming, etc) 11210 -Laborer Grounds Maintenance?

Answer 6: Yes

IFB Section: Fringe Benefits Required Paragraph: N/A

Other (Specify): Spread sheets attachments

Question 7: Do I fill out and submit the spreadsheet attachments: Exhibit (A) 2 Pricing Unscheduled Services xlsx & Exhibit A (1) Pricing Schedule- Rv 1.xls as well?

Answer 7: Yes

IFB Section: Directions for Use of the Green Purchasing Program Certification and Exemption Forms

Paragraph: N/A

Other (Specify): N/A

Question 8: Disregard this for correct? ANNEX A to 45 SW PLAN 32-7080 Green Purchasing Program Certification Form and Green Purchasing Program EPA CPG Designated Item Purchase Exemption Form.

Answer 8: Not applicable. No EPA designated guideline items are included in this procurement action

IFB Section: Solicitation FA252120B0014 Paragraph: N/A

Other (Specify): pages_140-145

Question 9: On pages 140-145 on some of the FAR/DFARS clauses there is a little line (_) in front of the clause do I check it or put something there? Why is that (_) there? Also on page 140-141 there are some that say [Reserved], can you tell me what does that mean and if something needs to be written there? On the rest of the FAR’s where there is no (_), do I put my initials to show I read them?

Answer 9: No. 52.212-5 (b) tells the Contractor to comply with the FAR clauses in paragraph

(b) the Contracting Officer has indicated with an X as being incorporated in this contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive orders. Reserve requires no action. FAR clauses incorporated by reference requires no action. FAR clauses incorporated by Full Text may require data to be entered.

Other (Specify): Pages 163-167

Question 10: From pages 163-167 where it states (1) Listed end products, Listed Country/Countries of Origin, if the supplies are not coming from a foreign country do we put N/A. Does this clause apply to equipment like mowers, trimers apply to that as well?

Answer 10: Not Applicable Services are being provided not Supplies.

Other (Specify): page 168

Question 11: On page 168 (iii) states: Each service employee who will perform the services under the contract will spend only a small portion of his or her time (a monthly average of less than 20 percent of the available hours on an annualized basis, or less than 20 percent of available hours during the contract period if the contract period is less than a month) servicing the Government contract; Are the subcontractors employees considered a service employee?

Answer 11: Yes, if the occupation code – title is listed on the Register of Wage Determinations Under the Service Contract Act

Other (Specify) pages 130-135

Question 12: Do these pages need to be filled in and submitted as well?

Answer 12: No. Pages 130 -135 do not have to be filled or submitted.

IFB Section: Section Sf 30 Block 14 Continuation Page Paragraph N/A Summary of Changes:

Other (Specify); Amendment sent out on 8/14/2020

Question 13: Does this recent Amendment get sent as soon as possible or by 8/27/2020 at 9:00 am?

Answer 13: If an amendment is issued, normal procedures relating to the acknowledgment and receipt of IFB amendments shall apply.

IFB Section: N/A Paragraph: N/A

PWS Paragraph 1.7.1.2.1

Other (Specify) PWS Appendix A Item 156

Question 14: Please confirm that the quantity of 50 - 100 is for individual mangrove plant pruning and it is not referring to 50 - 100 mangrove swamp areas.

Answer 14: The quantity of 50 – 100 is for individual mangrove plant pruning only.

Other (Specify) PWS Appendix A: Items 14, 156, 16, 17,18,19,20, 21

Question 15: How much of each of the items listed in PWS Appendix A: Items 14, 156, 16, 17,18,19,20, 21 will be guaranteed to be issued as a Task Order each year. We need to know this in order to be able to staff the Task Order work efficiently

Answer 15: Items 14 through 21 are ‘as needed’ based on the conditions of the grounds and or the request of the government. The government does not guarantee any amount of quantities for these items. However item 14 (Tree Pruning) is routinely an annual requirement to prepare for the hurricane season. The quantity in the past has been 2,000 to 3,000 each, but will vary depending on funding.

IFB Section: L-5 Paragraph: 3.b

Question 16: For Attachment 2 are we to use document "Exhibit A(1) - Pricing Schedule" and "Exhibit A(2) Unscheduled Service" spreadsheets or do you also require Pages 3 - 27 of the solicitation?

Answer 16: Yes

IFB Section: L-5 Paragraph: 4.c.

Question 17: Our Rep's & Cert's are available from SAM. Do you just require a document for Attachment 3 stating this?

Answer 17: 52.212-3 The Offeror shall complete only paragraph (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certification electronically in the System for Award Management (SAM) accessed through beta.sam.gov.

If the Offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically, the Offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (v)) of this provision.

IFB Section N/A Paragraph N/A

Questions 18: Are there any special requirements that we need to be aware of regarding Prime and Subcontractor teaming arrangements?

Answer 18: No.

IFB Section L-6 Paragraph N/A

Question 19: At the public bid opening will the apparent awardee be announced

Answer 19: Yes

Other (Specify) N/A

Question 20: From what we can see the current contract is not running the full Base Year plus Four Option Years. Is the current contractor's next Option Year not being exercised?

Answer 20: Correct.

Other (Specify): Exhibit A (2) Unscheduled Services

Question 21: The CLIN numbers do not correspond to those in Exhibit A (1). Please clarify.

Answer 21: Use the CLIN descriptions. The A (1) and A (2) descriptions match.

PWS Paragraph: 1.5

Question 22: What is the length and width of all drainage ditches

Answer 22: Exact information isn’t known at this time.

PWS Paragraph: 1.5

Question 23: Drainage ditches observed on the site visit did not appear to have been maintained. Will these ditches that were overgrown be to correct specification by contract start?

Answer 23: The ‘surface’ drainage ditches shall be corrected by contract start.

PWS Paragraph: 1.1.3. and 1.2.2. Appendix A Workload

Question 24: Does the 186,000 Linear Feet of trimming include fence line trimming? If not, can we please get the linear feet of the fence trimming for both the regular fence and also the concrete wall fence? Is trimming required both sides of each? Will we be authorized to chemically trim the fences?

Answer 24: The 186,000 Linear Feet does include the fence line. Trimming is required on both sides. PWS 1.1.3.1 Trimming Herbicides. The use of herbicides for trimming purposes is prohibited.

PWS Paragraph: 4.10.1 Employee Identification

Other (Specify): Driver License

Question 25: Does the Patrick AFB require personnel operating Tractors and ATV or RTV Buggies to have a state Driver’s License? These operators are not normally required to have a state driver’s license.

Answer 25: Yes, any operator of a motorized vehicle must have a valid driver’s license.

IFB Section: 1.1 Paragraph: 1.1.1

PWS Paragraph: 1.1.1

Other (Specify): Mowing

Question 26: Maintain grass height between 2 and 4 inches…., Grass height includes Seed Heads (i.e. Bahia and weeds). Seed heads can appear overnight and exceed the 4” height requirement? Does this require the contractor to mow more frequently than the number of cuts on the bid schedule and will contractor be paid to maintain this height requirement regardless of frequency of cuts needed to keep grass height in tolerance? I can easily see the contractor needing to mow twice a week to keep the grass in the height standard stated here in PWS.

Answer 26: Workload volume is provided as an indication of the amount of work that may be expected.

IFB Section: 1.1 Paragraph: N/A

PWS Paragraph: 1.1.2

Other (Specify): Edge

Question 27: Is edging to be accomplished concurrent with mowing? Or is edging a completely separate operation independent of mowing frequency?

Answer 27: Edging is a two-fold process. The basic function of edging is accomplished concurrently with mowing and as part of the weed/pest management program.

PWS Paragraph: 1.1.5 Remove Debris/police grounds

Other (Specify): N/A

Question 28: Police and remove debris at all times? Is policing concurrent with mowing operations? Is policing debris removal independent of mowing operations? We didn’t see anyone policing the grounds on our site visit? It seems contractor could be written up for defect if any debris is found on the grounds at any time even though policing and debris removal is being accomplished on the grounds but just not on that specific area at that time? Help me understand the reasonableness of the government’s evaluation and method?

Answer 28: This is a two-tier function. The contractor is expected to do both. PWS 1.1 Pick up loose trash/debris before mowing area. PWS 1.1.5. This is a separate task (CLIN 0003) to perform general policing of all improved areas.

IFB Section: PWS Paragraph: 1.1 and 1.2

PWS Paragraph: 1.1.1. Mow and 1.2.1. Mow

Question 29: Both 1.1.1. Mow Improved Grounds between 2 and 4 inches to includes seedheads, weeds, etc. and 1.2.1. Mow Semi-Improved Grass between 4 and 10 inches (Bash 7- 14 inches) to include seedheads, weeds, etc. Is to include Bahia Grass seedheads as well?

Answer 29: Grass height standard includes all vegetation including grass seed heads (i.e. Bahia) and weeds.

PWS Paragraph: APPENDIX A – Grounds Description/Workload

Question 30: PWS Appendix A Item Improved Grounds Mowing estimates mowing 30 times (weekly) in the Growing Season and 11 times (every 2 weeks) in the Non-Growing Season Additionally Items 9 and 10, and Semi-Improved Mowing estimates 15 times (every 2 weeks) in the Growing Season and 5 times (monthly) in the Non-Growing Season. The estimated annual frequencies for Item 1 and 2 are insufficient to maintain the required height specifications, Please Clarify this discrepancy?

Answer 30: Workload volume is provided as an indication of the amount of work that may be

PWS Paragraph 1.1.8.1 Control Weeds

Other (Specify): N/A

Question 31: line two of paragraph 1.1.8.1 “Restore Grounds made barren where weeds are removed to the level of care of the surrounding area. Restorative work and seeds, fertilizer are they paid for under task order?

Answer 31: Yes.

PWS Paragraph 1.2.1 Mow

Other (Specify); 1.2. Maintain Semi-Improved Grounds

Question 32: In order to keep the grass height of 4 to 10” may require mowing frequency of more than every two weeks? Will contractor be allowed to invoice for mowing more frequently to keep the height requirement of the PWS? This could result in more cuts than the bid schedule estimates?

Answer 32: Workload volume is provided as an indication of the amount of work that may be

PWS Paragraph: 1.2.2 Trim

Question 33: Trim of airfield lights and signage using herbicides (Glyphosate) allowed?

Air Field Lights appeared to be obstructed in the grass?

Answer 33: Roundup would be allowed within reason.

PWS Paragraph: 1.2.3.2

Question 34: PWS 1.2.3.2 Airfield Tower Communications. Radio equipment to be contractor furnished? What kind of radio? Can a Phone be used for this purpose? Is the Radio our choosing?

Answer 34: A radio will be provided.

PWS Paragraph: 1.1.3 Trim and 1.1.3.1 Trimming Herbicides Other

(Specify): N/A

Question 35: Is the Contractor required to maintain (trim) the entire perimeter fence line? If so, can the Contractor utilize chemical control along the fence line? What is the linear feet of fence line to be maintained by the Contractor?

Answer 35: All perimeter fence line trimming is encompassed as part of the Improved/Semi Improved grounds. The use of herbicides for trimming is prohibited unless identified otherwise.

PWS Paragraph: 1.1.8 Pest and Weed Control

Question 36: How many occurrences per square foot (or other unit of measure) is considered acceptable control of each of the following: insects, fire ants, moles, chinch bugs, mole crickets, slugs, snails, and fungus?

Answer 36: The contractor shall employ IPM practices such as surveying, identification of pest(s), cultural control, physical controls, biological control, when required, use of chemical control methods IAW DoDI 4150.07. The Contractor shall use only approved pesticides as stated in DOD Instruction 4150-07, DOD Pest Management Program, Encl 4.6 and AFI 32-1053, Pest Management Program, para 4.7. All pesticides are defined in DoD and Air Force documents.

Treatment will be limited to the specific areas where they are located.

PWS Paragraph: 1.5 Maintain Surface Drainage Ditches

Question 37: Can you confirm that the Contractor is not responsible for trimming or otherwise controlling vegetation in the surface drainage ditches?

Answer 37: Contractor is responsible for keeping ditches free of trash and debris, to include vegetation that could interfere with the intended purpose of ‘surface’ drainage ditches. The canals are not the contractor’s responsibility.

PWS Paragraph: 1.7.1.4 Tree and Stump Removal

Question 38: The PWS states “large trees: diameter 36” and above: not applicable” however Exhibits A(1) Scheduled Pricing and A(2) Unscheduled Pricing have line items for large tree and stump removal. Can the Government confirm that the Contractor will not be asked to remove large trees over 36” in diameter?

Answer 38: The contractor may be required to remove large trees through a task order.

PWS Paragraph: 3.6 Solid Waste Collection and Disposal

Question 39: Can the Contractor maintain their own dumpster at the on-site, Government-provided facility?

Answer 39: No. Existing container shall be used.

Other (Specify): General Contract Question

Question 40: What is the current annual contract price?

Answer 40: https://beta.sam.gov/awards/77343268%2BIDV?keywords=FA252117D0005&sort=‐ relevance&index=&is_active=true&page=1

PWS Paragraph: 1.5 Maintain Surface Drainage Ditches

Other (Specify): General Contract Question

Question 41: Are the current levels of service and quality of the grounds maintenance considered acceptable to the Government?

Answer 41: The grounds requirement requires constant surveillance and a correct forecasting of the needed laborers and equipment. To keep up with the requirement, particular attention should be made to the workload estimates as indicated in the PWS.

IFB Section: PWS &, Exhibit A1 & A Paragraph: N/A

PWS Paragraph: 1.7.5 Planting trees, shrubs, and vegetative beds.

Other (Specify) N/A

Question 42: PWS 1.7.5 / CLIN 20: Does not state full burdened. Are the cost plants included in CLIN pricing or does the Govt. pay for plants?

Answer 42: Unit price shall include labor, materials, supplies, supervision, overhead and profit for each item listed (FULLY BURDENED).

IFB Section: PWS Paragraph: N/A

PWS Paragraph: 1.1.9 Lawn Renovation

Question 43: Do we include sod in CLIN pricing or does Govt. pay?

Answer 43: Unit price shall include labor, materials, supplies, supervision, overhead and profit for each item listed (FULLY BURDENED).

IFB Section N/A Paragraph: N/A

PWS Paragraph N/A

Other (Specify) Historical Contract Data

Question 44: Why did the current contract that was awarded for a full five years only complete three? Can the government explain why the contract was cut short?

Answer 44: The Government elected not to exercise the option.

PWS Paragraph: 1.1.1. Mow and 1.2.1. Mow

Question 45: Both 1.1.1. Mow Improved Grounds between 2 and 4 inches to includes seedheads, weeds, etc. and 1.2.1. Mow Semi-Improved Grass between 4 and 10 inches (Bash 7- 14 inches) to include seedheads, weeds, etc. Is to include Bahia Grass seedheads as well?

Answer 45: Grass height standard includes all vegetation including grass seed heads (i.e. Bahia) and weeds.

PWS Paragraph: APPENDIX A – GROUNDS DESCRIPTION/WORKLOAD

Question 46: PWS Appendix A Item Improved Grounds Mowing estimates mowing 30 times (weekly) in the Growing Season and 11 times (every 2 weeks) in the Non-Growing Season Additionally items 9 and 10, and Semi-Improved Mowing estimates 15 times (every 2 weeks) in the Growing Season and 5 times (monthly) in the Non-Growing Season. The estimated annual frequencies for Item 1 and 2 are insufficient to maintain the required height specifications, please Clarify this discrepancy?

Answer 46: Workload volume is provided as an indication of the amount of work that may be

IFB Section: FA252120B0014 Paragraph: N/A

Question 47: Vegetation Beds. Does this require contractor to irrigate? Is there an irrigation system or do we transport water for these beds? Where is the water source?

Answer 47: See PWS 1.4 Maintain Vegetative Beds.

Other (Specify): Vegetation Trim?

Question 48: What is the meaning or definition of Vegetation Trim?

Answer 48: See PWS 1.1.10 and Appendix B-2

Other (Specify): Facilities 79acres?

Question 49: What is facilities 79 acres? Is this high visibility? On the site visit there was mention of high visibility, but I don’t see it mentioned in the PWS?

Answer 49: The phrase ‘high visibility’ was a general reference to areas of high usage and or special interest. Not a bidding point of concern.

IFB Section: PWS Paragraph

PWS Paragraph Appendix A PWS

Other (Specify): Airfield 214 Acres

Question 50: The Airfield is listed as being 214 acres, and again as 502 acres in the PWS?

Which is correct. This could result in a big difference.

Answer 50: Both fall under PWS 1.2 Semi-Improved Airfield (Grass and Hard Surfaces)

IFB Section FA252120B0014 Paragraph: N/A

PWS Paragraph Appendix A

Other (Specify): Bid Item

Question 51: Driveway 28 acres, is not listed in appendix A of PWS? Where is this in the bid requirement? Parking Lot 135 acres? Where are these? NO such listing in the Appendix A of PWS? Is this acreage included in some of the acreage listed under another item? Is this Pavement or is it grassy areas needing mowing and trimming?

Roadway acres listed as 148 acres but are not listed in Appendix A of PWS? Does this mean we don’t mow these areas or are these acreage part of another Clin? Sidewalk 21 acre is also not listed on Appendix A of PWS, is this acreage part of another Clin item and included in that acreage? What item is it included in? Water, Ponds and Canals.

Answer 51: All hard surfaces fall under the scope of Improved or Semi-Improved grounds (Edging)

PWS Paragraph: Maps

Other (Specify): Appendix A, PWS

Question 52: Water Course 36 acres. What is our responsibility for Water Course? I don’t see it listed in Appendix A of PWS?

Answer 52: No responsibility.