22R1006 QA Final dated 14 Feb 22.pdf

FA462522R1006, Airfield Grounds Maintenance Q&A Final

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Q1. Will the awardee contractor be allowed to have bulk fuel tanks w/approved containments staged on base during the course of this contract, in the GPF parking lot area for re-fueling contractor equipment and vehicles?

A1. Yes. The size and location would need to be agreed upon with the Government and Contractor. The storage tanks will need to be commercial grade and approved by the base fire department, environmental, and safety offices. The COR can assist in the coordination of the site and type of tank.

Q2. Will the contractor be able to store fuel on Base for our operations?

A2. See A1

Q3. Please provide clarification at the parking lot area will the contractor have an electrical hook up available for use during this contract?

A3. No electrical hook up is available.

Q4. At the parking lot will the contractor be allowed to place a port-a-potty on site for employee use?

A4. Yes, at the expense of the contractor.

Q5. Will the awarded contractor be allowed to place a shed/Conex on site at the parking lot area for storage of preventive maintenance supplies of the equipment?

A5. Yes, at the expense of the contractor.

Q6. Page 9 section 3.1 Will the contractor be allowed to place a portable type office trailer at this parking area?

A6. Yes, at the expense of the contractor.

Q7. The contract states that the government will provide a Laydown area.

Is there water nearby the laydown area?

Is there electricity nearby the laydown area?

Is the contractor able to have fencing around the laydown area?

Is the laydown area close to the Airfield?

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A7.

a. No

b. No

c. No

d. It is close but not on the airfield.

Q8. Laydown Area. The Government shall furnish or make available parking areas. These parking areas shall only be used in performance of this contract. The Contractor shall return the parking area to the Government in the same condition as received, fair wear and tear and approved modifications excepted. These parking areas shall only be used in performance of this contract. The CO and/or COR may inspect the Contractor’s laydown area at any time and direct the removal of any unsafe or objectionable object(s) from the installation.

The laydown area presented during the site visit did not present any form of security for the contractor. There did not appear to be any power source for the contractor’s maintenance or other needs requiring a power source. These concerns may be vital when preparing a proposal of this magnitude. It was stated during the site visit that there could be other possible locations for a laydown yard.

Please provide a location of other laydown yard possibilities with a point of reference to the Airfield map?

A8. Siting for alternative laydown areas may or may not be available. Plan to utilize the site shown on 8 Feb 22 at the site visit.

Q9. Page 4 section 2.1.6 Airfield Drivers. Training must be completed prior to operating vehicles or mowers on the airfield.

All employees working on airfield grounds shall be required to have an AF Form 483, Certificate of Competency (airfield driver’s license), with them at all times. Vehicles must have a valid POV pass issued by Airfield Management prior to operating on the airfield.

Please provide clarification on who is to the provide the training and issuance of the AF Form 483 for allowance of operating mowers and vehicles on the flightline?

A9. The Airfield Driving Certification training is provided by Airfield Operations and coordinated by the COR through their squadron vehicle NCO.

Q10. Page 5 section2.2.1.1 Some areas retain water and must be kept within the height ranges stated herein to minimize uncontrolled growth during wet weather. Any rutting that occurs as the result of mowing shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to repair to include leveling, backfilling, and seeding

Please provide prospective bidders quantity of areas and the size of areas that a contractor may need to be aware of in performing this requirement?

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A10: 10~15 total acres may retain water at various times throughout the year. Most areas are less than one acre in size. Size and location are dependent on the amount of rainfall during the season. Regardless of the amount of water retained and for any duration, the areas are expected to be maintained per the PWS.

Q11. If areas are too soft and not accessible with mowing equipment to avoid damage to the grounds, such as “rutting” etc. You cannot expect or require the contractor to enter these areas until ground conditions become accessible enough, to support the mowing equipment without creating un-needed additional work to the contractor.

Please clarify the government will or will not provide a reasonable and moderate time line of the government expectations?

A11. Yes, there will be a reasonable amount of time given to access the affected areas if necessary; however, the contractor needs to be prepared to string trim these areas to maintain the 7- 14” height.

Q12. 2.2.1.1 Some areas retain water and must be kept within the height ranges stated herein to minimize uncontrolled growth during wet weather. Any rutting that occurs as the result of mowing shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to repair to include leveling, backfilling, and seeding within 15 days of notification (weather permitting). Seeding shall be with Kentucky 31 fescue.

It was observed during the site visit, there are indeed low lying wet areas as well as continuous flow of water throughout several of the ditches. During wet times of the growing season, there will be areas that will not be able to be maintained until the ground conditions allow access.

Please provide a timeframe threshold the government intends on allowing for the maintenance of these areas identified?

A12. All areas of the airfield, including any that retain water, are expected to be maintained 7- 14" tall.

Q13. Page 6 section 2.2.3.1 What is the total linear footage of the Perimeter fence line and any other interior fence lines within the contractors areas of requirement?

A13. The contractor would be responsible for maintaining approximately 35,500 linear feet of perimeter fence.

Q14. 2.2.3.1 Perimeter Fence Line. The Contractor shall maintain the inside of the perimeter fences in semi-improved grounds. Perimeter fence lines shall be mowed up to the fence to prevent vegetation growth in the fence and all areas shall be trimmed concurrent with mowing. Application of nonselective herbicides to control grass, weeds, and vegetation around obstacles to include fence lines, fire hydrants, light poles, etc., is not allowed.

In this section, it states that mowing shall be completed up to the perimeter fence line as well as

1 4 F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 2 P a g e 4 | 10 areas to be trimmed concurrent with mowing.

Please clarify trimming is to include the perimeter fence line?

A14. Yes. Trimming is included.

Q15. Page 7 section 2.3 The Contractor shall maintain surface drainage ditches systems and their banks and beds free of all debris, cattails, limbs, trees, scrub brush, trash, and seedlings throughout the entire ditch (beds and banks) to prevent erosion and ensure continuous flow of water.

This section is stating to prevent erosion of ditch beds and banks by eliminating debris if all the items stated above. The concern is if there is not a well-established stand of grasses in the beds and on the bank’s erosion will not be preventable. As long as any free laying debris is removal from within the ditches boundaries continuous flow will become achievable and comply with the required standards.

Please provide clarification if all ditch banks and beds have an establish stand of grass throughout all the ditches requiring this maintenance standard?

Please provide clarification that the existing ditches do not have erosion issue presently prior to award of this contract?

During the Site visit if possible to show areas of ditches with bank incline’s, that are requiring the use of Boom Mower as you have stated/suggested in the Solicitation?

A15. Most ditches have a stand of grass in them but there are some that do not. There are drainage ditches that are deep with steep banks that will need to be kept clear of scrub brush and weeds. The areas were pointed out during the site visit.

Q16. 2.3 Maintain Surface Drainage Ditches. The Contractor shall maintain surface drainage ditches systems and their banks and beds free of all debris, cattails, limbs, trees, scrub brush, trash, and seedlings throughout the entire ditch (beds and banks) to prevent erosion and ensure continuous flow of water. These drainage systems shall include but are not limited to open culverts, swales, wet and dry creek beds, draws, gulches, hollows, trenches, fords, basins, and overflows. Furthermore, the Contractor shall maintain roadway banks and hillsides. NOTE: Some of the banks and hillsides may require a Side Mounted Boom Mower but method of accomplishment is at the Contractor’s discretion. This will be accomplished concurrent with mowing. Drainage ditches to be maintained are identified in Attachment 1. Any rutting that occurs as the result of maintaining surface ditches shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to repair.

This includes returning the ditch to allow for appropriate drainage as well as making the area level and free of ruts.

This section states the maintenance of drainage ditches can include culverts, swales, creek beds, ect., but not limiting to any specific obstacle. A large “rip rap” area that can be identified in WSA ditch map is located on either side of a bridge. This PWS states that no non-selective herbicides

1 4 F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 2 P a g e 5 | 10 can be used for the maintenance requirements. In our experience, the vegetation maintenance within rip rap areas cannot be safely maintained by any means other that herbicide application.

Please provide clarification to the contractor how rip rap areas within ditches throughout are to be maintained, manual means or herbicide application?

If herbicide application within rip rap areas is to be allowed for maintenance to limit/control vegetation growth, please provide the herbicide product the contractor is to use?

A16. No herbicides can be used on base by the Contractor. This area has been effectively controlled without using herbicides to date.

Q17. Using a nonselective herbicide to control vegetation growth is not allowed. There are selective herbicides that can be used to accomplish this.

Please clarify if the government will allow selective herbicides to be used to control vegetation growth of the areas identified above?

A17. No herbicides will be used on base by the Contractor.

Q18. 2.3 Maintain Surface Drainage Ditches. The Contractor shall maintain surface drainage ditches systems and their banks and beds free of all debris, cattails, limbs, trees, scrub brush, trash, and seedlings throughout the entire ditch (beds and banks) to prevent erosion and ensure continuous flow of water. These drainage systems shall include but are not limited to open culverts, swales, wet and dry creek beds, draws, gulches, hollows, trenches, fords, basins, and overflows. Furthermore, the Contractor shall maintain roadway banks and hillsides. NOTE: Some of the banks and hillsides may require a Side Mounted Boom Mower but method of accomplishment is at the Contractor’s discretion. This will be accomplished concurrent with mowing. Drainage ditches to be maintained are identified in Attachment 1. Any rutting that occurs as the result of maintaining surface ditches shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to repair.

This includes returning the ditch to allow for appropriate drainage as well as making the area level and free of ruts.

Our concern of this section refers to the south ditch map. There are 2 areas located close to the perimeter fence that are not accessible without the use of ramps in order to get equipment into these areas. It was stated during the site visit, the government has provided these “ramps” to the incumbent contractor to access these areas. It was also stated that there was a weight limit to these ramps that would restrict access to certain types of equipment.

Please confirm the weight limit of these ramps that will be provided by the government?

If these provided ramps to indeed “fail” throughout the newly awarded contract, what does the government intend on providing as a solution to access these areas safely?

As these areas are established a part of the mowing contract and are presently not accessible without a “bridge/ramp” provided by the government. The contractor should not be held liable to place or relocate these bridges/ramps to access areas that are to be maintained on a regular basis.

As two different areas are of concern, will the government relocate these ramps as needed?

Will these ramps stay in place permanently for both areas?

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A18. The system presented at the site visit will be the system in place. The system in place has worked satisfactorily over the last 10+ years. The contractor needs to be prepared maintain these areas to the 7-14” height IAW the PWS.

Q19. 2.4.2 Ruts. All rutting or damage caused by the Contractor or its employees to Government property and personal property (to include facilities, fences, equipment, trees and shrubs, etc.) due to Contractor operations shall be repaired or replaced by the Contractor within 15 days after identification/notification (weather permitting) at no additional cost to the Government. A rut is defined as any marks or tracks made in the earth

It was observed during the site visit, that certain areas have significant rutting from the incumbent contractor as well as several bare areas located on embankments. It was stated during the site visit by a government official that the incumbent contractor is to be held to the same standards written in this PWS.

It is obvious that these areas are currently out of compliance. Will these areas of concern be brought into compliance before award?

If these areas will not be brought to standards, how does the government intend on documenting these areas prior to the newly awarded contract?

A19. The airfield is as it was presented on 8 Feb 22. The Government does not intend to make any changes to the grounds condition before award. The incoming Contractor will not be held accountable for conditions that existed prior to their assuming the current contract effort.

Conditions will be jointly validated at the pre-performance conference.

Q20. Page 4 section 2.4.4 Topping and de-horning are not permitted. Trimming or pruning of trees that touch or hang over energized utility poles or power lines is the responsibility of the Contractor. Minimum clearance from primary lines (over 600 volts) shall be eight feet. Minimum clearance from secondary lines (under 600 volts, i.e. electric service drops, telephone, and cable TV) shall be four feet.

The clearance requirement of primary energized power line over 600 volts normally requires a trained and licensed technician to perform this required task, and specialized equipment.

Please provide clarification as to if this primary line clearance of over 600 volts requires a trained and license technician?

Please provide clarification that the contractor will need the have specialized equipment?

A21. There are no primary power lines (600 volts) above ground included within the area to be maintained by the contractor on this PWS.

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Q22. Page 7 section 2.4 All work under this section shall be executed via a verbal or written request (email) by the CO or

COR.

This statement could possibly cause an unnecessary dilemma, work can become executed vis verbally. To avoid any dispute issuance to back up the official ordered request by paperwork by email or fax should be follow up and executed by the requesting party.

Please provide clarification as how a verbal request will be followed up officially for properly maintaining work load records for special requirement tasking?

A22. Yes, any verbal request for special requirements will be followed up with an email or modification to the contract.

Q23. Page 9 section 3.2 Solid Waste Collection and Disposal. The Contractor shall use existing bulk containers to dispose of trash or solid waste generated from accomplishment of services detailed in this PWS. The Contractor shall adhere to all base level recycling programs. All tree trimmings, stumps, branches, and leaves will be taken off WAFB for disposal.

Our concern is, will any debris collected during a mowing/drainage ditch operation, man-made or natural debris will it adhere to this section as the governments will provide the disposal service.

<><> Any debris collected during a tree trimming, tree removal, and stump removal procedures the contractor is to provide disposal to an off-base location. <><>

Please provide clarification as to in collection of trash and solid waste debris disposal, in performance of mowing and drainage ditch requirements to this contract, that the Government will provide a bulk container/dumpster?

A23. Refer to section 3.2 of the PWS.

Q24. Febr 9th posting on SAM shows a new PWS with it section 3.2 still show contractor shall use existing bulk containers in disposal of waste generated in accomplishment of contract services detailed in this PWS.

A24. Paragraph 3.2 has been edited (Amendment 4) to clarify after recycling, normal office-type waste generated on base in conjunction with this contract can be disposed of in any base dumpster.

Vegetative or organic material is to be disposed of off base at the Contractor’s expense.

Q25. In reviewing the Bid Schedule sheets it shows for the mowing and drainage ditch requirements bid/prices are to be inserted and calculated at; 12 units, quantity 12, Cost$/Unit, Monthly Cost. So, are we to assume you are requesting our bid/proposal total as inserting it as a per

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1 a single-mow cycle with 2-mowing cycle per month? (Example in Colum = Cost$/Unit @ $1,000.00 per cycle/event = Monthly cost $2,000.00 thus showing an annual total of $12,000.00 for the 6 months) So we assume that mowing and drainage portion of funding to this contract is being paid/allocated monthly in Six months and not in 12 months.

Please provide clarification on the question/concern listed above as to your intent on how the contractor is to insert the unit costing and annual totals in CLINs 0001, 1001, 2001, 3001, 4001?

A25. The Price Schedule document has been corrected (Amendment 2) to reflect a seven-month billing cycle correlating to the seven months of the mowing season (1 April – 31 October) (Amendment 3).

Vendors should price seven months of maintaining approximately 1,744.77 acres of semi-improved grounds and approximately 14,750 linear feet of surface drainage ditches to meet the standards as called out in the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

Q26. You state price schedule document has been changed to reflect a seven-month billing to correlate with the seven-month growing season, that correction of change has not been posted on SAMs reflecting the change.

As you posted a new PWS you did not mark or identify any additions, deletions, or changes within the February 9, 2022 posting.

Also we have not seen a Amendment 0001 posted with February 9 posting for purposes of acknowledgement the Febr 9th posted documents.

A26. There appears to be a delay with when things are posting to SAM. It is all there. Changes to the PWS were called out in the Description field in SAM. Also, SAM does not post Amendments separately as FBO did. It is important for interested parties to read the entire posting.

Q27. What is the estimated start date of the contract?

A27. The contractor shall begin performance on 1 April 2022. The mowing season is 1 April – 31 October (seven months). The Government has elected to have month options prior to the beginning (March) and after the end (November) of the mowing season to account for unusual growth. The Government shall give the contractor at least 30 days’ notice if exercising those options. Pricing for the monthly options would be the same as pricing for the contract year (1 April – 31 March). REF: Combo document, page 1, paragraph 4. At this time, the Government intends to award the contract on or around 4 March 2022.

Q28. Who is the incumbent contractor and what is their annual price?

A28. The previous contractor was Acuity Exemplar Joint Venture, FA462521C0005. Initial award value $1,177,955.00.

Q29. Was there a previous incumbent? If there was a former incumbent, what is the award

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A29. See A28.

Q30. Will the new contract be allowed to stage equipment on Base prior to the start of the contract?

A30. Staging would be appropriate after receiving the fully signed awarded contract.

Q31. Page 9 section 2.3.1.5 Emergency and Special Events Services. Upon notification of an emergency, the contract manager shall respond within one hour to meet with the CO and Government evaluator and initiate emergency services. Upon receiving direction by the CO, Contractor personnel shall begin emergency work within two hours. Oral task assignments for emergency services to minimize damages or mitigate hazardous conditions will be confirmed in writing via email.

Three concerns with this section number (1); this section numerical is out of sequence, it is below section 2.4.8.1 this 2.4 section is only referencing tree work requirements, section 2.3 is related to maintain surface drainage ditch requirements. Number (2) What is Emergency service requests to be assigned to mowing, drainage ditches, or tree work. Number (3) any oral task assignment should be followed up with a written or email document for official documentations and recording purposes. The only reference of emergency service request is mention is in tree work type service.

Please provide clarification on section 2.3.1.5 what workload requirement emergency service is for or to be assigned to?

Please provide clarification that any oral request should be followed up with an official document via word document or email?

A31. The number was out of sequence. This paragraph has been renumbered to 2.4.8.2. and is only related to tree removal. The “special event” is the emergency tree removal. A correction to the PWS has been posted.

Q32. Per section 2.1.1 of the PWS it states that the MECSP will be provided with the offer and the clause fill-in at DFARS 252.237-7023(b) shall be completed with the Contractor’s offer. The only fill-in that we could identify at DFARS 252.237-7023(b) is the following ((b) The Government has identified all or a portion of the contractor services performed under this contract as essential contractor services in support of mission essential functions. These services are listed in attachment ____, Mission-Essential Contractor Services, dated ____.

Please clarify if this is what is being asked to be filled-in? Seems this should be filled-in by the Government? We also found that DFARS 252.237-7024(b) has the same requirement. Shouldn't the Government tell the offeror exactly what services and what attachment for this Solicitation are Mission Essential Contractor Services?

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A32. Performance of the Airfield Grounds Maintenance service contract – in its entirety – is a mission essential service. No part of the service is severable. All aspects are to be performed if unforeseen events occur. There is no fill in Offerors’ are required to complete in these specific clauses. DFARS 252.237-7023(c) lists three things of note that are being called to the Offerors’ attention. Additionally, 252.237-7024(b) lists two items, one of which has detailed sub-items.

These sub-items encapsulate the information the Government requires from the Offerors’ to determine understanding of the contract requirements and are a precursor to successful performance of the service contract. They are a part of the technical proposal. Reference the Combo document for evaluation details. Yes, when the contract document is created, the Government will fill-in the date of the approved MECSP in DFARS clause 252.237-7023.

Q33. Q1. Specific Instructions state "Do not include cover pages for Parts I, II, and III" Question: Please confirm that the Government does not want any type of Cover/Title page with Offerors submission. Or does the Government desire one Cover page at front of Parts I,II,III?

A33. That is correct. The Government does not desire, but an Offeror may include, a single cover page for the entire proposal. It should be on its own single sheet of paper and severable from the rest of the document(s).

Q34. Question: There is no mention of Table of Contents, List of Figures, Glossary of Abbreviations etc. Should offerors assume then that none of these are required to be submitted along with Parts I, II, III?

A34. Yes, none of those items (table of contents, list of figures, glossary of abbreviations, etc.)

are required to be submitted with a proposal. As a reminder, per the Combo document, Specific Instructions section, under Part II – Technical Capability (page 4) it states, “the entire Technical Capability shall not exceed ten (10) pages.”

Q35. We can not find the SF30 for the amendments SAM.gov. Please post the SF30's for Amendments 1-3. Thank you

A35. This requirement utilized a Combined Solicitation/Synopsis format. There is no SF30. The Price Schedule and Bid Acknowledgements document (Atch 5, dated 1 Feb 22) serves to record your proposal and your acknowledgement of the amendments.

END QUESTIONS

NOTE: This list comprises all of the questions received by the Government by the deadline.

Questions have been grouped by subject. Numbering may have changed since the first list of questions was published. tsc