Post Site Visit QA Session 22 December 2021.pdf

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:

CUSTODIAL SERVICES, AVIANO AIR BASE, ITALY

PRE‐SOLICITATION NOTICE

1. Q. What is the current contract value?

A. The current contract value is $4.9M

2. Q. Who is the incumbent contractor?

A. The incumbent contractor is Dussmann Service srl, Via Papa Giovanni XXIII 4, Italy‐ 34042 Capriate San Gervasio, Bergamo.

3. Q. Is there a Collective Bargaining Agreement in place? Is there staff already in place and we take over the management or we provide all new staff?

A. The possible application of Collective Bargaining Agreements is ruled by the Italian Law (D.Lgs. 81/2015). In addition, see answer to Q 6 below.

4. Q. Are the amounts mentioned on Appendix B expressed in square meters?

A. Yes, figures mentioned in Appendix B are square meters.

5. Q. On Appendix B, what do you mean with non‐carpet? What type of floor do you have at Aviano Air Base?

A. In accordance paragraph 1.1.1 of Draft PWS entitled “Custodial Services, Aviano Air Base, Italy” dated 01 June 2021, “non‐carpeted floors” indicate any hard floors, e.g. vinyl tiles, ceramic tiles, wood, rubber, linoleum, laminated wood etc.

6. Q. As Italian law (clausola sociale), we are bound to hire actual personnel that are currently employed by the incumbent contractor. So please provide a list that includes this information: n. of employees, level, weekly hours.

A. Actual contractor should be furnishing this information. The U.S. Government does not have access to specific Contractor’s employees’ information nor becomes involved with related processes and associated liabilities (included but not limited to indemnifications) that may result in case a transfer of employees from a vendor to another vendor occurs. While the Government fully understands the relevance of this information in drafting the quotation, the responsibility to provide this kind of information rests solely with the incumbent Contractor.

7. Q. You required a “Contractor’s Quality Control Plan (QCP)” during quote phase, can you give us a list of content that you required in the document? Or we can do it independently. The document will be evaluated?

A. The Quality Control Plan will be evaluated based on PWS requirements and evaluation criteria mentioned in the solicitation.

8. What is the procedure of award? QCP will be evaluate? Same magnitude experience will be evaluated? Or you look for only the best price? In the document “DRAFT+Appendix+B+‐ +Facility+Sq+Meters+01+June+2021” we suggest to insert a column where to indicate for every building the days of service required (from Monday to Friday, or all 7 days, etc.).

A. The subject service shall be acquired using FAR Part 12 procedures for the Acquisition of Commercial Items. FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures shall govern this competitive acquisition (FAR 13.500(a)‐as the acquisition is expected to be <$7.5M). More details on how vendors’ quotes will be evaluated will be provided upon posting the solicitation. We acknowledge the suggested addition of the requested days of service but these information are already available in the draft Appendix A to the PWS entitled “DRAFT Appendix A – AFCOLS 01 June 2021” and Appendix C to the PWS entitled “DRAFT Appendix C –Special Facility Operating Hours 01 June 2021.

9. Q. We’d like to give you a recommendation. We think that now is required a contractor that can ensure to US Government the best environment practice. So, we suggest that all solicitation participants should have a quality environment certificate, such as: ISO 14001 or EMAS or the best way in the Europe is Ecolabel certificate.

Information can be found here:

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/products‐groups‐and‐criteria.html.

A. We thank you for this suggestion.

10. Q. For the reason expressed in point 1), we suggest that the number of people employed in the contract and the related working hours be verified by the USA Government in the quotation phase. We suggest indicating a minimum number of hours to be guaranteed under penalty of exclusion from the tender. Each competitor must indicate the number of hours and the number of employees in the quotation phase. The PWS should therefore indicate the minimum number of hours that the contractor will have to guarantee.

A. The resulting contract of this acquisition will be a Firm Fixed Price and PWS contains performance based requirements.

11. Q. Are there any restrictions on the nationality of the workers to enter the base and fulfill their duties?

A. Business/work related Base access is ruled by the Italian Air Force Policy and subject to the Installation Access Request (IAR) Checklist. Restrictions based on the nationality of the applicant(s) may apply. Restricted nationalities may change from time to time, as they depend on specific contingencies / circumstances. One cannot know if the IAR will be accepted prior to the IAR submission to the 31st Security Forces Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy (USAFE).

12. Q. […] Are the above required documents from subcontractors under commitment letter acceptable and evaluated? [ref. Italian Chamber of Commerce Certificate proving the authority of the firm to operate in the custodial cleaning business sector, DURC (Documento Unico di Regolarita’ Contributiva) certifying the payment of host nation security benefits, Self-Certification for Antimafia Communication] Will a JV or teaming agreement be required or accepted and only documentation from the Italian side of the JV be acceptable?

A. Please refer to Addendum to FAR 52.212‐1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS‐ COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JUL 2021) para. B. 1. Part I: Required Documents.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:

CUSTODIAL SERVICES, AVIANO AIR BASE, ITALY

POST SOLICITATION PUBLICATION AND POST SITE VISIT Q&A SESSION

13. A clarification is requested about the correct total amount of Level 4 surfaces as the square meters stated in the "Exhibit + 1 + Price + Schedule + Custodial + Services" file don't correspond with the sqm in "Appendix B" (difference of +970 square meters). / Exhibit 1 Price Schedule Custodial Services.xlsx: Total amount of square meters for Level 4 doesn’t match with same total in Appendix B. Probably building number 170 sm was not included in the total CLIN NO. 14 in the excel data sheet. Should we include building number 170 in line item quotation 0014 and related?

A. This amount of square meters are related to Bldg. 170 CDC in Area 1 that has been added to Appendix B but not showed on the original version of Exhibit 1.

The right amount is 102 sm of Carpet, 837 sm of Tiles, 31 sm of restrooms for a total of 970 square meters, under Level 4.

See Solicitation Amendment 0001 and new version of Exhibit 1 dated 21 December 2021 on which the 970 square meters have been added.

14. Which Areas of Aviano Air Base do the contracted services/tasks cover?

A. IAW Appendix B Custodial Services, Aviano Air Base, Italy‐dated 01 June 2021 cleaning services have to be provided in the following different geographically separated areas of Aviano Air Base, Italy:

Area A1, C, D, E and F.

15. Are specific characteristics required for cleaning personnel working within CDC and/or the Fitness

Center and/or elsewhere?

A. No gender requirements applies to CDC/Youth Activity Center and Fitness Center cleaning services.

Special requirements for personnel providing cleaning services at the CDC and Youth Activity Center are the ones identified under paragraph 1.4.2.1., 1.4.3, 1.4.4 and 1.4.6.

16. How many children usually attend the CDC?

A. Usually an average of 80 children attends the CDC.

17. Is dusting included in the contract task/service? If so, for which AFCOLS?

A. Dusting is included in AFCOLS Level 4 Cleaning (Special Requirements) Child Development Centers (CDC), Level 4 Cleaning (Special Requirements) – Youth Center and Level 4 Cleaning (Special Requirements) Fitness Centers.

18. Will laundry services be available on site for the contract awardee?

A. No, it will not be available.

19. Will the contract awardee be allowed to install and use a washing machine in the office that the customer will make available for the contractor in C Area?

A. No, it will not be allowed.

20. As to contractor furnished restrooms supplies:

• How are the current dispensers branded?

A. We have different kind of dispensers, old and new ones (about 530 dispensers). The new ones are Lucart branded.

• Paper towels and toilet tissues: which size shall the rolls be?

A. We have different kind of dispensers installed on base, old and new ones. For Paper Towels: Brand Lucart. The big paper towels rolls are the L‐One Maxi 450; the single paper towels used in the rest of the normal dispensers are EcoNatural V2, 21x21.8 cm. For Toilet Paper Dispensers: Brand Lucart. Small rolls are Model EcoNatural 10, the medium rolls (only in 10‐15 dispensers) are the Econatural L‐One 180; the big rolls are the L‐One 300.

• Apart from the storage in C Area, can some smaller quantities of items be stored in the serviced buildings to ensure that users have supplies / refilling available between one contractor’s intervention and another?

A. Supplies shall be stored in areas designated by the Government IAW para. 1.2.3 of the PWS.

Storage in CDC and Youth Center is ruled IAW 1.4.6.1 and 1.4.6.2, 1.4.6.15 MIXED DISINFECTING, CLEANING AND SANITIZING SOLUTIONS of the PWS

21. As to Prior Experience Evaluation Factor: Does relevant performance include contracts/projects for similar services conducted in medical areas?

A. In accordance with Solicitation Amendment 0001, medical areas have been added for Technical and Prior Experience Evaluation Factor.

22. Please define what the government means for similar experience. In factor “Prior experience” the firm should describe about similar services in term of size, scope and complexity, conducted in military and /or commercial and/or residential and/or community areas.

• Experience in hospitals will be rated well by Government? See Question 21.

• Experience in malls will be rated well by Government? Reference to commercial areas includes malls, too. The same applies both for Technical and Prior Experience Evaluation Factor.

• Experience in industrial areas will be rated well by Government? Reference to military and /or commercial and/or residential and/or community and/or medical areas DOES NOT include industrial.

See Solicitation Amendment 0001.

23. For transition purposes, please provide

• the number of incumbent contractor’s employees working under the current contract at

Aviano AB, Italy; 35 employees.

• the following data concerning the employment terms and conditions applicable to the incumbent’s staff:

• grading

• weekly working hours 760 hours.

• Collective bargaining agreement vs. company collective agreements and/or individual agreements (including additional allowances, over and above the minimum wage either absorbable or not. CCNL Multiservizi servizi integrati

NOTE: Incumbent contractor Dussmann agreed to release the abovementioned information. The Government is not liable for the accuracy and completeness of such information. The Government shall not be involved in the transition phase.

24. Please provide the correct information, such as levels, weekly hours, number of people currently working for the cleaning services. The new contractor has to be compliant to Art, 4 of CCNL of the cleaning sector that entails the obligation to hire the personnel performing the current cleaning services, in order to safeguard the occupational side, to guarantee the occupational levels and hourly parameters.

A. See Question 23.

25. Please provide a list of personnel currently employed in the service. The list should include the number of staff, salary level, and weekly hours worked.

A. See Questions 23 and 24.

26. During the pre‐proposal conference, offerors have been told that there are thirty‐two (32) Contractor’s employees currently employed for the performance of this service. We would like to know if the current PWS, frequencies, square meters, types of service to be performed, special requirements (see question 1), are more or less the same of the ones for the new contract, or there are differences that should be brought to the attention of the offerors in order that they can make realistic estimates of the probable costs of performance?

A. See Questions 23 and 24. While requirements differ, PWS has not undergone significant changes in terms of size, scope and complexity of the acquisition.

However, please note that the new acquisition will contain AFCOLS Level 3 and Level 4 which there have never been before in Aviano AB (these levels will apply to facilities identified in Appendix B). Moreover, Periodic Cleaning Services are required only for certain customers, not for all.

27. Are all of the incumbent contractor's employees compliant with Paragraph 1.4.4 IMMUNIZATIONS and 1.4.2.1 BACKGROUNDS & CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK (CARABINIERI BACKGROUND CHECK) of the PWS?

A. At the time when these answers are published, all the incumbent contractor’s employees are holding a valid Base Entry Pass, encompassing the background checks and criminal history checks required by ITAF (Italian Air Force) to release the Base Entry Passes.

As far as employees’ immunization status, the incumbent contractor’s employees meet all the current contract requirements and legal requirement under the Italian Laws.

28. Which are the applicable payment terms?

A. The period available to an agency to make timely payment of an invoice without incurring an interest penalty shall begin on the date of receipt of a proper invoice and shall expire after 30 days. For invoices electronically transmitted, as prescribed in the solicitation at stake, the date of receipt is the date a readable transmission is received by the designated agency office, or the next business day if received after normal working hours. All amounts that become payable by the Contractor to the Government under this contract shall bear simple interest from the date due until paid unless paid within 30 days of becoming due IAW FAR 52.212‐4.

29. Statistical data of annual consumption: 2,000 large rolls paper towels are estimated. Are they 2,000 single pieces or 2,000 packages? If they are packs, how many pieces for each pack? The same question applies for toilet paper in large rolls: are 1,482 single rolls or packages? If packs, how many pieces for each pack?

A. Current updated annual consumption: 5760 large single rolls of paper towels and 1,482 single rolls of toilet paper.

See new version of Appendix D dated 21 December 2021.

30. As a “consortium established in the form of a limited liability consortium” shall we submit the offer (and all the requested documents) as a single firm or as a pool of entities?

A. See Question 38.

31. “Quotation Organization […] Part II: Factor 1‐Technical ‐No more than 15 pages Part III: Factor 2‐

Prior Experience ‐ No more than 15 pages […]

• Does the max page limit include cover and index? Yes it does.

• Can Curricula of the Contract Manager, Alternate, and Quality Control Inspector (QC) be extra pages? No they cannot.

• Can Cleaning Product SDS, cleaning equipment/materials data sheet be extra pages? No they cannot.

• Quality Control Plan could be extra pages or shall we provide a resume? No extra pages allowed.

NOTE: Max page limit for Part II and Part III has been increased from 15 to 25 as per Solicitation Amendment 0001.

Pages exceeding the pages limits will neither be read nor evaluated and may make the offer unacceptable. Pages shall be, letter or A4 size, Font ‐ Times New Roman or Arial 12 pitch.

See Solicitation Amendment 0001.

32. AFCOLS ‐ As required by the COR: by “As required by the COR” frequency, shall we consider an extra price task?

A. No extra pricing applies. See Question 33.

33. In the document “Appendix A ‐ AFCOLS 01 June 2021” please clarify when frequency is “as required by the COR”.

A. Appendix A‐AFCOLS 01 June 2021 makes reference to the Emergency cleaning requirement described under para. 1.1.1 and 1.1.2. of Custodial Services PWS version 21 December 2021. The amount of square meters of Emergency Floor Cleaning are 500 per month.

34. AFCOLS TRASH COLLECTION REMOVAL: Can you confirm the task consists in collecting trash from trash can to central point within the same building (and not from the building to another collection point in the Base area)?

A. IAW para. 1.1.5 PWS, removal of trash consists in collecting the refuse placed in plastic bags from an indoor centralized area (where facility occupants place the recycling bins), move the trash bags to the collection point (large trash cans) placed outside, near the building and place the bags in the correct recycling trash cans, according to recycling Italian rule.

35. Making reference to PWS, PARA 1.1.5 TRASH COLLECTION/REMOVAL (CENTRALIZED LOCATIONS), what is meant by disposal (definition of disposal by Merriam‐Webster: destruction or transformation of garbage)?

A. See Question 34.

36. The current contract requires the contractor to provide at least one (1) employee to cover the working hours requested in each building 170 and 1476, and at least one (1) employee to cover the working hours requested in building 116 (constant presence of staff). Is this special requirement also applicable to the new contract? If yes, please indicate the number of the building(s) that require the constant presence of Contractor’s personnel and the minimum number of personnel required.

A. The new contract does not contain this requirement.

37. “Stand by services” (servizio di presidio) are required in this solicitation?

A. The new contract does not specifically contain this requirement. The contract is a performance based one and requirements are described in the Performance Work Statement in terms of results. It is up to the contractor based on its knowledge and commercial standards to identify the methods by which provide the service in compliance with the levels of cleaning service required by the AFCOLS.

38. Are Contractor’s team arrangements (i.e., subcontracting) allowed? If yes, can arrangements entered into after submission of an offer, be identified and company relationships fully disclosed to the Contracting Officer before the arrangement becomes effective or the Government will accept team arrangements fully disclosed only in the offer? Is there any subcontracting percentage limitation?

A. If a quoter can meet all the requirements and if it holds all the minimum evaluation factors by its own, it is not required to identify possible subcontractors/joint venture partners.

On the contrary, if requirements and evaluation factors can be met by the quoter only by means of subcontractors, joint‐venture partners or other kinds of corporate pooling structures, then the quoter shall identify the subcontractors or the members of the pool of entities not later than upon submission of its quotation.

39. Could you please provide us the headcount of the Air Base so we can include a reasonable amount of consumables (for resupplying restrooms) into our calculation?

A. We cannot release this information. Estimated amount of supplies are available in Appendix D‐ Contractor Furnished Restroom Supplies dated 21 December 2021. See Amendment 0001.

40. Making reference to Paragraph 1.2.3 STOCK RESTROOM SUPPLIES of the PWS, it reads as follows:

The Contractor shall also stock a sufficient number of dispensers as per Appendix D and they must be immediately replaced if they are no longer functional. How does the Government intend to reimburse the contractor for the dispenser(s) and the effort(s) to install it (them)?

A. Neither extra pricing nor costs reimbursement apply for the removal of the dispenser(s) and the installation of new ones.

41. Level 4 Cleaning (Special Requirements) Child Development Centers (CDC), AREAS CLASSROOMS.

What is the size of the BLDG for CHILDREN UNDER 2 YEARS and the BLDG for CHILDREN OVER 2

YEARS?

A. CDC square meters are available under Appendix B Facility Square Meters 01 June 2021.

42. Please confirm that the declarations referred to Attachment 3 “Prohibition on Buying, Using, or Contracting with any Entity that Uses Telecommunication Equipment or Services from Five Named Chinese Companies” is requested and refer only to the contract for which the offer is submitted.

A. No, it does not refer only to the subject solicitation and resulting contract.

Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115‐232) indeed, prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2020, from entering into a contract, or extending or renewing a contract, with an entity that uses any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system, unless an exception at paragraph (c) of this clause [FAR 52.204‐25] applies or the covered telecommunication equipment or services are covered by a waiver described in FAR 4.2104. This prohibition applies to the use of covered telecommunications equipment or services, regardless of whether that use is in performance of work under a Federal contract.