USAFA Refuse and Recycle Services Answers.docx

United States Air Force Academy Solicitation FA700023Q0061 Questions for Refuse and Recycling

1. 1.1.1.1Municipal Solid Waste and other services. “there shall be no litter, waste, or recyclable material on the ground within the immediate area of the container(s).”

Q: Will the Government please define “immediate area in terms of feet?

A: Roughly 15-20 feet in a diameter around the Dumpster(s)

2. 1.1.1.2 Food Waste. “Food Waste Containers and pick up days are identified in Appendix A, Table A-2.”

Q: The Food Waste Containers are not clearly identified in Appendix A, Table A-2, please identify the Food Waste Containers.

A: Only one food waste container that is a 30 Cubic Yard open top located at Mitchell Hall (Bldg. 2350)

3. 1.1.2.3 Unscheduled Pickup and Special Events. “The Contractor is Responsible for providing 250 96 Gallon toters to support various special events that take place annually. See Appendix A, Table A-1 for workload data.”

Q1: Item 0008 provides a quantity of 890 Unscheduled Items Pick-up and Special Events/Additional Pick-up, will the Government please break out the number of 96 Gallon toter special event services separately from front load container and roll off special event services?

A1: Item 0008 is an estimate of unscheduled pick-ups and can be more or less. In terms of special events that require toters, there are three firm events that consist of Graduation, Graduation Parade, and all home football games that require toters and these events take place at the Stadium. However, if there is a request that is within the scope of the contract, more events may be required.

Q2: Our understanding is that the contractor provides 96 Gallon toters for Special Events and a third party(ies) empty them into roll off containers provided by the contractor. Is this correct, that the contractor is not responsible to empty the toters?

A2: Yes. The contractor is not required to dump the contents within the toters. The contractor is responsible for storing, delivering, and picking up toters from the customer only.

4. 1.1.2.4. Construction and Demolition Debris (C&D). “The contractor shall recycle or dispose of all C&D at a recycling facility or permitted landfill.”

Q: Will it be acceptable to dispose of C&D at a permitted waste transfer station?

A: Yes, but it would be preferred if it were recycled if able but it is at the contractors discretion as to where they dump the C&D and if the facility takes the materials.

5. 1.1.2.4. Construction and Demolition Debris (C&D). “Clean (uncontaminated) concrete and asphalt may be transported to the base clean fill site as an alternative to off-base recycling or landfill facilities. The contractor must provide weight tickets of all roll-off containers to the COR.”

Q: Will the Government require weight tickets for loads taken to on base clean fill site? If so is there a scale available on base?

A: There is no recycling or dumping points within the United States Air Force Academy.

6. 1.1.2.6. Additional Pickups. In the event unusual conditions cause a container to require pickup before the scheduled time, the CO or COR may request pickup within 24 hours and the contractor will be compensated at a unit rate based on the container size.

Q: Will the Government please provide CLINs for these charges based upon container size and with a Unit of Each?

A: An additional CLIN is not necessary as the current CLIN structure comprises the cost for unscheduled pickups.

7. 1.1.2.12 Government Approved Containers. “Collection of MSW and recycle materials in all areas except residential areas shall be from contractor-provided, CO or COR accepted containers, recycling bins or plastic bags.”

Q: would the Government please expand this description of Containers to allow for the use of the Government Owned containers listed in Appendix C.

A: The current description of the Government Owned Containers is brown, but is non-specific in color.

8. 1.2.3 Recycling Center Collection Point. “The Contractor may transport mixed recyclables to a contractor-owned or third party off-base facility for separation and resale so long as government recyclable materials are sorted and weighed prior to comingling with other customer’s recyclables.”

Q: Currently the Office Pack recyclables are taken to a third-party recycler and are accepted unsorted and the weight of the unsorted material is provided, please confirm that this will continue to be acceptable?

A: That is acceptable.

9. 1.1.2.5 Sales Receipts. “The contractor shall also submit an invoice for reimbursement for costs associated with conducting sales transactions, collection, processing commodities and transportation to commodity buyers.” – The third-party recycler that currently accepts the recyclable materials has quoted a $90.00 per ton processing fee for all recyclables (office Pack, cardboard, paper, glass, metal and plastic cans). For the 1,24 tons of recyclables on Appendix A Table A-1 that would be approx. $112,000 per year

Q1: Please provide a CLIN for the reimbursement of these costs, or further explanation of how this is to be invoiced.

A1: The costs associated to take recycling is not different than the cost associated with tipping fees for regular trash. Both are associated to CLIN 0013 for tipping fees.

10. 1.1.2.14. Vehicle Weighing. “The Contractor shall be reimbursed for tipping fees according to submitted invoices.”

Q: If Contractor is to be reimbursed based on submitted invoices would the Government consider making this CLIN a no bid line item perhaps with a “not to exceed” amount to accurately compare the submittals without the opportunity to low ball this line?

A: The current CLIN (0013) is a not to exceed CLIN and is paid based on actual costs accrued.

11. 1.5. COMPACTORS. “If any compactor is down for maintenance for more than 24 hours, the contractor is responsible to replace the compactor with a substitute of equal capacity and capability.

Q1: Will the current practice of providing open top roll off containers, for use while a compactor is down, continue to be acceptable?

A1: No

Q2: How long after the Contractor provides a repair estimate does it take to get approval for the work? This is important as significant truck capacity (time and cost) is utilized when hauling the waste in open top containers vs compactors.

A2: Please refer to para 1.5 in regard to the contractor’s responsibility in repairs of compactors.

12. 1.6 Reports and Records requires reports by the third working day after month end and Vehicle Weighing requires all weight tickets by the 5th day of every month, please clarify the apparent contradiction in reporting deadlines.

A: The reports and records are referring to the invoice, SWARS and any other reports/records and that is what is dues by the 3rd working day to approve invoices and submit monthly reports in a timely manner. Weight tickets are required by the 5th day of each month.

13. Appendix A Table A-1would the government please provide the Annual Estimated Quantity of C&D pick-ups?

A: The estimated quantity in pickups is shown in tons in Appendix A Table A-1.

ATTACHMNET 2 CLIN Schedule

14. CLIN 0008 Unscheduled Items Pick-up and Special Events /Additional Pick-up. Would the government please change the UNIT for this CLIN to EACH so that a price can be provided for each service.

A: With the exception of CLIN 0013 (Tipping Fees), this is a firm fixed price contract.

15. CLIN 0008 Unscheduled Items Pick-up and Special Events /Additional Pick-up. Would the government please provide separate CLINs for front load and roll off container additional services?

A: This is a firm fixed priced contract, an estimated workload is included in Appendix A, Table A-1.

16. CLIN 0009 Construction and Demolition Debris Placement/Pick-up. Would the government please change the UNIT for this CLIN to EACH so that a price can be provided for each service?

A: This is a firm fixed priced contract, an estimated workload is included in Appendix A, Table A-1.

17. CLIN 0009 Construction and Demolition Debris Placement/Pick-up. Should the price of this CLIN include the cost of C&D disposal fees.

A:Yes

18. CLIN 0011 Container Relocations. Would the government please change the UNIT for this CLIN to EACH so that a price can be provided for each service?

A: This is a firm fixed priced contract, an estimated workload is included in Appendix A, Table A-1.

19. Is the government going to replace the current compactors at the Academy prior to start of performance?

A: No.

20. The typical wait time to get through the LVIS inspection area is 1:30 to 2:00 hours which limits how many roll offs or compactors one driver can handle each day. Nearly 50% of a drivers day is spent waiting for access to service the USAFA. The drivers with access badges are required to wait while delivery drivers without badges get vetted. It there any way to speed this process up for the refuse contract?

A: Wait times that have gone into the 1hr+ are due to certain times of the year and depend on special events taking place on USAFA but that is not a common thing. Please consider wait times in quote preparation as security procedures are out of our control.

21. Can you please post the attendees of the site visit?

A list of attendees will not be posted.

22. Are the dumpsters for recycle and cardboard GOV owned or would we need to supply them as a vendor please?

A: Recycling containers are NOT government owned and will need to be provided by the contractor.

23. 1.1.2.3. Unscheduled Pickup and Special Events:

The contractor is responsible for providing 250 96 Gallon toters to support various special events that take place annually.

24. The 96 gallon toters I noticed on the site visit were all blue in color. Is that the standard for all toters on this contract? Are all toters for waste or are some for Recycling? Are there different colors for each?

A: No specific color is needed. Toters are used for trash only.

25. Will the government confirm that all government owned equipment is in working order before contract start or at least compensate for equipment that is nonfunctional and not the fault of the new contractor?

A: Any government equipment that is not if full working capacity will not be expected to be repaired/replaced by the incoming contractor.

26. Is there power at the contractor storage lot?

A: No

27. Can contractor vehicles be stored at the stroage lot?

A: Yes, but is subject change dempending on security concerns.

28. Please clarify if the 8-Yard flat top dumpsters (dock dumpsters) are contractor owned. If so, are they required to be bear resistant?

A: The 8CY dock style dumpsters are government owned.

29. Is there a scheduled painting requirement on dumpsters? Example: all dumpsters are required to be pained yearly or ?

A: There is no required schedule and will be upon governmnet request and covered under CLIN 0012(Maintenance).

30. Are the 6 Yard recycle dumpsters a requirement or will 8 Yard dumpsters with a cardboard slot be considered?

A:The government is okay with the contractor providing larger sized containers as long as they are not less than the required 6 CY capacity.

31. During special events where toters are used is the contractor required to pick up all the waste surrounding the toters that is on the ground. What is the distance limit from the toter is waste is on the ground?

A: The contractor is not required to clean up around the surrounding toters. When the customer is done with the toters, they will be emptied and placed in a consolidated point for pick-up by the contractor.

32. What is the cutoff limit for bulk. I understand a matress near a dumpster is not the resposibility of the contractor but waste is. Is there a weight limit or other factors that determine contractor responsibility.

A: So long as the contractor can safely load and dump the specified container, there is not cut-off. If the container is too heavy, and/or is filled above the walls of the container the government will have the customer downgrade the container in order for the contractor to safely dump it.

33. Is there a Quality Control Inspector provided by the contractor? If so, is this individual strictly prohibited in assistance with waste collection or disposal?

A: The Quality Control Plan (QCP) must meet the requirements in para. 2.1 of the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

34. If the contractor has an issue with a waste collection location, can the contractor take an image of the problem or are all images prohibited.

A: Pictures of any issues regarding the contract are encouraged as this help get a better idea of any issues as well as hold other parties accountable.