GS-04P-14-EW-C-0065_Tropical_Plants_Maintenance.docx

REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ)

General Services Administration Interior Tropical Plant Maintenance

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; Request for Quotes (RFQ) are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

SOLICITATION NUMBER: GS-04P-14-EW-C-0065

This is a Request for Quote (RFQ) for Interior Tropical Plant Maintenance. This is a notice that this order is a total small business set-aside, NACIS Code: 561790 Landscaping, Small Business Size Standards $7M. The Government will accept only quotes submitted by small businesses. Any offers submitted by a contractor that is not a small business will not be considered for award.

Offers Due: June 19, 2014 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time Place: All offers are due electronically to: Michael.p.williams@gsa.gov

Attn: Acquisition Department Michael P. Williams GSA/PBS MLK Bldg 77 Forsyth St, Suite T8 Atlanta, GA 30303

Point of Contact:

Michael P. Williams Contracting Officer GSA Public Building Service Office: 404-215-8754 Email: michael.p.williams@gsa.gov

Questions: All questions regarding this requirement shall be submitted in writing not later than 3:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on June 5, 2014 to the GSA Contracting Officer at the following email addresses: Michael.p.willaims@gsa.gov Note: After the closing time and date noted above, the Government will immediately begin review and evaluation; therefore, contractor submissions or information requests received after the RFQ is closed will not be considered.

1. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING REQUEST FOR QUOTE

(2) Offerors shall submit an electronic copy of both the technical and price quote, prepared in accordance with the solicitation requirements and emailed to the following address: Michael.p.williams@gsa.gov

1.2. Evaluation Criteria and Quote Submittal Instructions

52.212-2 -- Evaluation -- Commercial Items (Jan 1999)

(a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

1. Technical

a) Experience

b) Past Performance

2. Price

(b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

(c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

The award will be made based on the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable procedures. A lowest price technically acceptable quotes that offers the best price to the Government after minimum technical requirements have been met. Award may be made without negotiation or discussion. Therefore, offerors are encouraged to initially submit their quote to the Government on the most favorable term from a technical and price standpoint. The evaluation criteria for all written submission shall be broken into two separate documents consisting of: Volume 1 – Technical Quote and Volume 2 – Price Quote.

Volume I – Technical Quote Contents of Technical Quote.

(b) Past Performance: Offerors should give the reference check sheet (Attachment A) contained in this document to a minimum of three companies listed in the Experience and Past Performance submissions The Government will evaluate the technical similarity, quality, timeliness, and customer’s satisfaction of the contractor’s past performance example. In evaluating the past performance, the Government reserves the right to use data obtained from other sources as well as that provided in the quote. This includes information contained in the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS).

Volume II – Price Quote Offer shall submit the price quote for furnishing all management supervision, labor, materials, equipment, G&A, Overhead, and profit for the interior tropical plant maintenance services. The contractor shall submit the price quote using the “Sample Price Quotation Spreadsheet.” Quoters may recreate the sample format in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet but shall include all required data. Quoters shall submit a breakdown of the labor mix, man hours and any other applicable cost used to determine the firm fixed price.

“Sample Price Quotation Spreadsheet”

2. STATEMENT OF WORK

2.1. Standard Services – Interior Tropical Plant Maintenance

The Contractors’ activities shall consist of a regularly scheduled program for maintaining the health and appearance of the plant inventories. The Contractor shall submit to the COR a service report upon each visit. The report shall identify the service performed during the visit and any significant changes or problems with the plants. The Contractor shall submit a monthly record of the condition of all plants to the COR.

Services shall include but not be limited to the following functions to sustain and maintain all tropical trees and plants including potted plants and hanging plants in a healthy, vigorous, attractive, condition at all times. Trained service technicians shall carry out the program.

2.2. Watering: The Contractor shall be responsible for applying water to all tropical trees and plants as necessary to maintain and encourage growth. Any plant or tree found flaccid or under watered will be considered a maintenance deficiency. The government will provide access to water within the building and hereby permits the Contractor to draw such amounts as necessary to maintain the plant inventory at no cost to the Contractor.

2.3. Fertilization: Fertilizing, soil amendments and soil conditioners shall be applied only on an as needed basis to encourage growth, good color and adequate root development.

2.4. Trimming; Pruning, trimming/shaping to include removal of cross branches to obtain an attractive shape and height. Contractor shall trim and clean all foliage as needed. To reduce the amount of material being disposed of in landfills, the Contractor is required to compost all plant waste to the maximum extent possible.

2.5. Insect and Disease: The Contractor shall be responsible for the development and adherence to an insect and disease control program, which shall be preventive as well as remedial. This program shall be submitted to GSA for approval within five (5) days of notice to proceed. The Contractor shall be liable for all reactions and replace any damaged trees or plants. Spraying shall be performed after working hours, with prior arrangements with the COR. Movable plantings are to be moved to outdoors for spraying. The Contractor shall submit names and technical literature including EPA Certification for all chemicals proposed for use.

2.6. Integrated Pest Control: The Contractor shall be responsible for developing and adhering to a low environmental "Integrated Pest Management" (IPM) Program as using guidance from GSA’s publication IPM references and approved by the COR. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is "a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks" (7 USC 136r-1). IPM is a preventive maintenance process that coordinates various programs to reduce sources of pest harborage, food, and access on a long-term basis. Pesticides use and risk are minimized by eliminating scheduled applications and by selecting the most precise products (primarily bait formulations) with the lowest potential hazard to humans and the environment. Thus, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is "a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks" (7 USC 136r-1). Plant material should be healthy, robust, and in good appearance as a result of pest control. The IPM program must include the following:

(a) Certification: The company(ies) and all personnel performing on-site pest and disease control service shall be certified as Commercial Pesticide Applicators and provide proof of certification to the CO. Uncertified individuals working under the supervision of a Certified Applicator will not be permitted to provide service under this contract.

(b) Application and Handling: The Contractor shall not apply any pesticide product that has not been included in the IPM program and/or approved in writing by the COR. Pesticide application shall be according to need and not by schedule. The Contractor shall be responsible for application of pesticides according to the label.

All pesticides used by the Contractor must be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state, and/or local jurisdiction. Transport, handling, and use of all pesticides shall be in strict accordance with the manufacturer's label instructions and all applicable Federal, state, and local laws and regulations. No pesticides shall be applied in and immediately adjacent to childcare and playground areas, food services areas or areas frequented by the public and building tenants.

(c) Insect and Disease Control As determined through IPM surveys, only those specific ornamentals that have pest or disease problems shall be treated according to accepted IPM practices.

(d) Public Communication A communication strategy is required for building custodial staff, occupants and/or tenants explaining the description of the integrated pest management system, list of chemical pesticides to be used, name, address, telephone number of a knowledgeable contact person for the building, a statement that the knowledgeable person maintains the product labels and MSDS of each pesticide used in the building, and that these documents and the knowledgeable person are available for information and comment. The communication strategy will include a “Universal Notification” which requires a 72 hour notice before a chemical pesticide is applied in the building. Also, the communication strategy shall include an emergency clause to address under what circumstances an emergency application of pesticides can be made without complying with the advance notice listed above. However, at no time will pesticides be applied without a 24 hour notice.

2.7. Container Maintenance: Dust, soil, fingerprints and smudges shall be removed from all planters. All planters shall be cleaned to maintain an attractive appearance.

2.8. Replacement Materials: The contractor shall replace any peat moss, soil or shredded cypress as needed.

2.9. Plant Rotation: Plants shall be rotated as possible and necessary, relative to any predominant light source in order to maintain attractive shape.

2.10. Trash and Debris: The contractor is responsible for the removal of any dead leaves, trash, and debris that accumulate in planters. The area where plants/trees are located shall be clean and free of debris after each service. The contractor shall be responsible for any damage to floors that may occur during service.

2.11. Delivery and Storage: Storing, positioning or use of equipment, tools, materials, scraps, and trash in a manner likely to present a hazard to the public or building occupants by its accidental shifting, ignition, or other hazardous qualities is prohibited.

3. Period of Performance

4. Place of Performance

1. Peachtree Summit Federal Building 401 W. Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA 30303

2. IRS Customer Service Center 2385 Chamblee-Tucker Road Chamblee, GA 30341

5. Tropical Plant Inventory List

SUMMIT FB PLANT INVENTORY ATRIUM LEVEL

Size

2ND FLOOR

3RD FLOOR

19TH FLOOR

31ST FLOOR

IRS CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER FB PLANT INVENTORY

Size

6. INSPECTION OF FACILITY

7. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS (HSPD-12)

7.1 All GSA procurements are subject to the Homeland Security Presidential Directive -12 (HSPD-12). This requires all Contract employees to have received a Favorable security clearance prior to working on any GSA project. Unless otherwise specified, the Contractor will submit to the COR the following forms at least five workdays before the starting date of the contract.

(1) Two (2) completed Forms FD258, "Fingerprinting Cards" and

(2) *One (1) DHS Form 176, "Statement of Personal History” OR One (1) SF 85P, “Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions” *The CO/COR will indicate with form is required of the Contractor after award

7.2 The Government will furnish all forms. It will be the Contractor’s responsibility to obtain fingerprinting. The Government has full and complete control over granting, denying, withholding or terminating clearances for employees. The Government may authorize and grant temporary clearance to employees of the Contractor. However, the granting of a temporary clearance shall not be considered, as assurance that full clearance will follow. The granting of either temporary or full clearance shall not prevent, preclude, or bar the withdrawal or termination of any such clearance by the Government. Once GSA receives notice from DHS of a Favorable clearance, the Contractor will be notified to obtain an identification badge. Contractors without identification badges must be escorted at all times by an individual with a valid building identification badge and they must be within sight of those “cleared” individuals at all times.

8. CONTRACT CLAUSES

52.204-4 PRINTED OR COPIED DOUBLE-SIDED ON POSTCONSUMER FIBER CONTENT PAPER (MAY 2011)

52.204-9 PERSONAL IDENTITY VERIFICATION OF CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL (JAN 2011)

52.204-13 SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT MAINTENANCE (JULY 2013)

52.212-4 -- CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS. (Sep 2013)

52.219-28 POST-AWARD SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM REPRESENTATION (JUL 2013)

52.222-26 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY (MAR 2007)

52.222-35 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR VETERANS. [SEP 2010]

52.222-36 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION FOR WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES (OCT 2010)

52.222-37 EMPLOYMENT REPORTS VETERANS (SEP 2010)

52.222-41 SERVICE CONTRACT ACT OF 1965 (NOV 2007)

52.222-43 FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT AND SERVICE CONTRACT ACT--PRICE ADJUSTMENT

MULTIPLE YEAR AND OPTION CONTRACTS) (SEP 2009)

52.222-50 COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (FEB 2009)

52.223-2 AFFIRMATIVE PROCUREMENT OF BIOBASED PRODUCTS UNDER SERVICE AND CONSTRUCTION

CONTRACTS (SEP 2013)

52.223-3 HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION AND MATERIAL SAFETY DATA (JAN 1997)

52.223-4 RECOVERED MATERIAL CERTIFICATION (MAY 2008)

52.223-5 POLLUTION PREVENTION AND RIGHT-TO-KNOW INFORMATION (MAY 2011)

52.223-6 DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (MAY 2001)

52.223-9 ESTIMATE OF PERCENTAGE OF RECOVERED MATERIAL CONTENT FOR EPA-DESIGNATED ITEMS

(MAY 2008)

52.223-11 OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES (MAY 2001)

52.223-15 ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN ENERGY-CONSUMING PRODUCTS (DEC 2007)

52.223-17 AFFIRMATIVE PROCUREMENT OF EPA-DESIGNATED ITEMS IN SERVICE AND CONSTRUCTION

CONTRACTS (MAY 2008)

52.223-18 ENCOURAGING CONTRACTOR POLICIES TO BAN TEXT MESSAGING WHILE DRIVING (AUG 2011)

52.228-5 INSURANCE--WORK ON A GOVERNMENT INSTALLATION (JAN 1997)

52.232-1 PAYMENTS (APR 1984)

52.232-8 DISCOUNTS FOR PROMPT PAYMENT (FEB 2002)

52.232-25 PROMPT PAYMENT (JUL 2013)

52.232-33 PAYMENT BY ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER--SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (JUL 2013) 552.203-72 DEVIATION (See AL MV-12-06) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Class Deviation - Prohibition Against Contracting with Corporations that have an Unpaid Federal Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction Under Federal Law 552.228-5 GOVERNMENT AS ADDITIONAL INSURED (May 2009) 552.229-70 FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TAXES (Apr 1984)

(See Attachment 1 - Clause and Provisions in Full Text) for the following clauses

52.212-3 -- OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS (NOV 2013) 52.212-5 -- CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT STATUTES OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS - COMMERCIAL ITEMS (Jan 2014)

52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

52.217-9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT (MAR 2000)

RELATED COMPANY EXPERIENCE

Address:

City/State

Phone:

B. Facility Name:

Location

C. Point of Contact:

Phone:

D. Service provided

E. Performance period

F. Contract size:

Address:

City/State

Phone:

B. Facility Name:

Location

C. Point of Contact:

Phone:

D. Service provided

E. Performance period

F. Contract size

Address:

City/State

Phone:

B. Facility Name:

Location

C. Point of Contact:

Phone:

D. Service provided

E. Performance period

F. Contract size:

ATTACHMENT A

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Firm Information:

Name of Firm:

Address:

City, State, Zip Code:

Primary Point of Contact:

Evaluator’s Information:

Name of Evaluator:

Address:

City, State, Zip Code:

Primary Point of Contact:

The above firm is submitting a response to a solicitation issued by the U.S. General Services Administration. We appreciate the time and effort you take to complete our questionnaire. The evaluation will be used in our evaluation of past performance and experience. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Michael Williams, Contracting Officer, on 404-215-8754 or via email at michael.p.williams@gsa.gov.

Past Performance Evaluation

Contract Number:

Contract Term:

Size of Area Contractor is Responsible For:

Service Provided

1. Was your contract considered to be prescriptive or performance based statement of work?

2. Does the contract require a quality control program? ( ) Yes ( ) No

a. Does the contractor have an adequate quality control plan in place? ( ) Yes ( ) No

b. Does the contractor’s quality control program provide for:

(i) Scheduled inspections? ( ) Yes ( ) No

(ii) Unscheduled inspections? ( ) Yes ( ) No

(iii) Inspections from corporate personnel? ( ) Yes ( ) No

(iv) Inspections from an outside source? ( ) Yes ( ) No

3. Is the contractor’s service delivery performed in a timely manner? ( ) Yes ( ) No

4. Does the contractor use innovative methods to reduce costs? ( ) Yes ( ) No

If yes, provide details of methods used.

5. Did the staff appear to be adequately trained in the performance of their duties?

( ) Yes ( ) No

6. Has the contractor had any labor related issues (e.g., noncompliance to Service Contract Act)?

( ) Yes ( ) No

a. If you responded yes to this question, was the contractor responsible for them?

( ) Yes ( ) No

b. Did the contractor violate any laws relative to the issue? ( ) Yes ( ) No

c. Were any violations related to Labor Laws or Immigration Laws? ( ) Yes ( ) No

d. Has the contractor experienced constant turnover? ( ) Yes ( ) No

7. Were the tenants/customers generally satisfied with the services performed by the contractor?

( ) Yes ( ) No

8. Has the contractor experienced penalties for deficient performance? ( ) Yes ( ) No

9. Did the contract run its full term? ( ) Yes ( ) No

If no, please explain

10. Please provide any other comments:

Thank you for taking the time to provide your evaluation. The U.S. General Services Administration appreciates the time and effort required in preparing a response.

Based on the above information and any other considerations you may have, please provide an overall adjectival rating of “unacceptable,” “satisfactory,” or “excellent.”

I hereby assign a rating of _______________ to the contractor based on my knowledge and experience.

Signature

Title