Site_Visit_Q_ _A_22_July_2013.pdf

FA7000-13-R-0009

Grounds Maintenance Services

Pre-Award/Site Visit Questions/Answers

22 July 2013

1. PWS Item 1.1.3. Does trimming around buildings include any grass or weed vegetation in rock and wood mulched beds?

Answer: Refer to section 1.1.3. Trim, and 1.4. Maintain Vegetative Beds, Inert Beds, and

Related Areas of the PWS.

2. Please could we get an explanation of the meaning of:

“1.1.4.2.1 The government does not guarantee that one hundred percent (100%) of all Improved

Grounds are covered by irrigation systems.”

Answer: Some areas of Imporved Grounds are not covered by a central control system.

3. Please could we get an explanation of the meaning of: “1.1.4.2.1………the contractor shall not irrigate any Improved Grounds more than three (3) times per week, EXCEPT for the athletic fields, parade fields, the cemetery, and newly installed sod, which may be irrigated as needed. This three (3) day per week restriction is subject to change by the government at any time.”

Answer: Government has the final say concerning irrigation schedules, currently schedules had to be adjusted due to mandatory watering restrictions by CSU.

When turf conditions become very unsightly, as they will when not receiving a minimum of .25” of daily precipitation during the growing season and in the absence of natural precipitation, will the contractor be receiving unsatisfactory performance observations?

Answer: No, as long as the contractor is following the PWS and guidance from the

COR’s.

4. “1.1.4.2.1……..The contractor shall ensure all irrigation systems are turned off during a rainfall when rain accumulation is one-quarter (1/4) inch or more.

Who determines and how will it be determined if one-quarter (1/4), 0.25” of rain has fallen? With that said, please clarify if the “entire” Academy-wide irrigation system has to be turned off under the above requirement or do specific irrigation areas/regions need to be turned off given the micro-climates on

USAFA (e.g. it could be raining on the cadet area but no rain down by the Wing HQ area.).

Answer: The grounds maintenance contractor is responsible for determining when precipitation has reached ¼ inch. There are three (3) weather stations located at various locations on the Academy which have rain cups for measuring rainfall. It is the contractor’s responsibility to montior the various areas and make those determinations.

5. Who, other than the contractor, is permitted to alter irrigation schedules, both at the field controllers and at the irrigation computers?

Answer: The COR’s

6. Please provide the dates (year) of the last new install of irrigation systems to the following areas:

Answer: See answer is Bold

- Athletic Field # 1-2003

- Athletic Field # 2-1990’s

- Athletic Field # 3-1990’s

- Football Practice Fields-1980’s

- Varsity Soccer Stadium-1990’s

- Cadet Area Parade Field-1990’s

- Terrazzo-1990’s

- Cemetery-2003

- Medians-1980’s

7. Given the age of the Academy infrastructure, including the irrigation system, how much irrigation system maintenance can be expected to be provided by the contractor?

Answer: This is an unknown, potential bidders will have to rely on their industry experience.

8. “1.1.4.3……. the contractor shall update the irrigation drawings or provide new drawings to the

COR(s) with the changes highlighted within ten (10) working days after completion of work giving rise to the need for the drawings.”

How up to date are the current drawings, month and what year? Will a complete set of drawings (as-builts) be provided for all areas of the Academy’s irrigation systems?

Answer: Government will provide all irrigation drawings it has available.

9. How many acres of turf require manual watering and how often?

Answer: Only a small percentage (1-3%) require the systems be manually turned on and off at the timer. All other systems are either RainMaster or MaxiCom systems.

10. How many square feet of vegetative beds require manual watering and how often?

Answer: Only a small percentage (1-3%) require the systems be manually turned on and off at the timer. All other systems are either RainMaster or MaxiCom systems.

11. “1.1.4.2. Maintenance of Irrigation Systems. ………. Replacement of pumps, controllers, clocks/timers, or backflow prevention devices is not included in routine maintenance of irrigation systems, replacement will be on a case-by-case, reimbursable basis.”

If the contractor is to be responsible for the replacement of pumps and backflow prevention devices, please provide a list of the licenses that will be required to submit with the proposal.

Answer: Refer to PWS Section 4.5., it is the contractors responsibility to comply, the government does not maintain a listing.

12. The Cemetery currently has a full time staffing element. Is this a PWS requirement or a customer preference?

Answer: Refer to Page 11, Paragraph 1.1.21, which states, in part, “. . . The contractor shall provide no less than one full time grounds keeper to maintain the grounds at the Cemetery during the growing season, 1 April through 30 September. . . .”

13. Are incumbent employees covered by Executive Order (EO) 13495, “Nondisplacement of Qualified

Workers Under Service Contracts,” where the incumbent employees have first right of refusal to be hired by the new contract awardee?

Answer: Yes, please see solicitation clause 52.222-17 Nondisplacement of Qualified

Workers.

14. Of the three shop locations available, will the awardee be allowed to decide which and how many of the three shops they will use or where they base their operations out of?

Answer: Yes, Contractor may make this decision. Government is providing for the use of all

3 locations but awardee is not required to use any areas.

15. “1.1.5. Remove Debris/Police Grounds.......... The areas for policing and debris removal include the areas beyond the road shoulders, in all directions, for a distance of 50 feet. The contractor shall police the security fence and athletic area fences in the cadet area at least once per week. A width of fifteen (15) feet on both sides of the security fence shall be policed.”

It is very feasible that immediately after policing that debris will blow into these areas. Will this be an automatic negative contract observation by the COR should it happen?

Answer: No, it would not be an automatic negative contract observation but we would expect the contractor remove any litter upon notification since this is part of the cadet area and subject to continual policing as identified in

PWS section 1.1.5.

16. Does the Academy have annual limitations to the amount of pesticide active ingredient that can be applied?

Answer: The USAF Academy does not determine limitations, this would be governed by Federal, State, County, and local laws. Refer to PWS Section 4.5. for contractors responsibilities.

17. Who is responsible for determining the mowing schedule of the Athletic Fields?

Answer: Refer to Appendix M of the PWS, contractor is responsible to mow determine how often and on whatever days are necessary to ensure the prescribed heights are maintained.

18. Is the contractor permitted to communicate directly with the Athletic Department on mowing schedule matters?

Answer: The contractor’s first line of communication and coordination should be the

COR personnel IAW the PWS. The contractor should work with the

Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to communicate with the

Athletic Department on schedules.

19. We noticed on the Site Visit a John Deere tractor which we understand to be government furnished, however, we cannot find it in the list of GFE items. Will this piece of equipment be added as part of the

GFE items?

Answer: Two items will be added to the PWS Appendix G, Section 1.10.1. c, by contract amendment. Four cubic yard spreader* (3750 PLA4) and d. Turf Tractor 29* (3750

P925081). Note both items have an asterisk (*), see note on page 1 of Appendix G for an explanation.

20. Funeral Support Services are currently identified in the solicitation. However, are there plans to amend the contract to have Funeral Support services carried out under a separate contract (Ref para 1.6 of the PWS). If so, which contract year will this be removed from the contract?

Answer: No, there are no plans at this time to remove funeral support from the contract.

21. Can the Government please provide confirmation that this contract requires the performance of PWS

Items 1.1.21.7. through 1.1.21.19?

Answer: Yes, this contract will require performance of PWS Items 1.1.21.7. through 1.1.21.19