LAREDO-QUES._(3).doc

NOTE: After the original set of questions and answers were submitted with Amendment 4, it was discovered after the fact that several other contractors had submitted questions, but because of an email problem got left out of the original set. Below are the 3 sets of questions that will now be added along with another REVISION for Section HM 15.3.14 (at the end of the 3 sets of questions).

PROPOSAL DUE DATE WILL BE EXTENDED TO 3/23/2016 – IT IS ALSO OKAY TO SUBMIT YOUR WRITTEN PROPOSAL VIA EMAIL.

FIRST SET OF QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS FOR SOLICITATION GS-07P-16-JU-D-7003:

QUESTIONS – REGION 7 LITE FULL MAINTENANCE STATEMENT OF WORK

in(Sol. GS-07P-16-JU-D-7003)

Solicitation

Miscellaneous Documents Please confirm that you would like a list of the offeror’s key personal point of contact information provided in Part 3 Miscellaneous Documents? Refer to Section L.4.2.1

Part 1 – (1) Original Paper Copy and (1) Electronic CD-R

Part 2 – (1) Original Paper Copy and (1) Electronic CD-R

Part 3 – (1 Original Paper Copy and (1) Electronic CD-R

Refer to Section L..4.2.3.

SECOND SET OF QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS FOR SOLICITATION GS-07P-16-JU-D-7003:

1. Section L, para 5.2 Experience

Consistent with the RFP instructions for Past Performance, please confirm offerors are permitted to use major subcontractors’ projects in the Experience section of Part 1, Technical Proposal.

Yes, if properly identified as a subcontractor.

2. Section L, para 5.1.2 Management Plan Worksheet and Narrative

Please confirm the 2 page limitation for the Management Plan Worksheet is not included in the Management Plan Narrative 10 page limit.

Refer to L.5.1.1 and .2 – See Revised Section L attached to Amendment 5

3. Part 1, Technical Proposal

Please confirm the cover, cover letter, and table of contents are excluded from the page limits for Part 1, Technical Proposal.

No they are not.

4. Will there be a designated storage/staging area for our grounds maintenance equipment?

Not at the present time.

5. Will we have a designated area for an office?

Yes

6. At the pre-proposal conference it was mentioned they would identify areas for the maintenance as improved and unimproved areas. Will maps be provided for each location with a scale?

No – Please refer to Building Information Sheet. The Field Office will inform the awardee where the unimproved grounds are located.

7. Annual Vacation is set at 120 hours which is going to be different for Management, CBA represented employees and SCA employees. I need some guidance in how to navigate the spreadsheet given this situation because each of those three types of employees received different vacation hours annually. Some received sick leave and some don’t. For managers, our company provides Paid Time Off which is a combination of vacation and sick leave. Are you just looking for an approximation or actuals. The spreadsheet has been revised to allow CBA employees as well as DOL wage determination employees. All positions listed on the L-1 should be proposed on-site personnel only. Do not include any corporate positions.

Also, the annual hours are set at 2074.6 which I am not sure how that was derived. Normally, we use 2080 (40 hours per week x 52 weeks per year). This issue throws our FTEs off. For example, our Project Manager now rounds to 1.1 FTEs as opposed to 1. We know he is only 1 FTE. Are we to use 2074.6 as a base amount of annual hours? The spreadsheet has been revised to show annual productive hours of 1,840 for CBA employees and 1,896 for DOL wage determination employees

THIRD SET OF QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS FOR SOLICITATION GS-07P-16-JU-D-7003:

1) Section L.4.2.2

Can the requirement to provide a copy of our proposal in Microsoft Word be deleted? Most proposals are designed using some type of Adobe publishing software and cannot be converted to MS Word. Also in Section L.4.2.3 it states that the technical should be submitted in Adobe Acrobat. This contradicts what is written in Section L.4.2.2 If you want to provide it in both Adobe and Word, that would be okay, however, at least one copy MUST BE in Adobe.

2) Section L.4.2.3 – Submission

Under the “Note” for Part Three “Miscellaneous Documents” it asks us to submit a copy of our CCR and SAM registration. Are you just looking for the SAM registration since CCR is consolidated up under SAM’s? Also it makes reference that this has to be in accordance with paragraphs (4) and (5). Can you please clarify? SAM registration is sufficient. Please refer to the revised Section L where the paragraphs 4 and 5 have been corrected.

3) Section L.5.1.2

The header of this section states “(if needed)”. Is the Excel worksheet (L-1) required and to be submitted with the 10 page Management Plan Narrative? See your revised Section L under the new Amendment 5 for the correction.

4) Section L.5.2 Experience

One of the requirements you must demonstrate to show that you have similar experience is:

- Ability to maintain large grounds areas (in excess of 4.7 million SF).

Is this correct, this equates to 109 acres of grounds maintenance? Is this a 109 acres per project we submit? If each project we submit does not have a minimum of 109 acres of grounds, will they not be considered? Or will projects we submit that have sizeable grounds be considered similar in size? Yes, it’s correct. In order to be similar it needs to equate to the current size of the facilities. All experience submitted will be considered.

5) Section L.5.3 Past Performance

If we have a CPARS report for the project we are submitting, does it need to be submitted as part of the proposal? Or will the Government look it up and pull it down from the CPARS site. Government will look it up.

6) Section M.2

Is this a best value award as stated in the solicitation or a Low Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) award? If the government makes it clear that it is not a LPTA, then this contract could potentially be awarded to an offeror that submits the lowest price. Is this a good assumption on our part? Refer to Section M2.

7) Section A.1.4 – Performance Bond

It states that “The Contractor shall furnish a performance bond (Standard Form 1418) for the protection of the Government in an amount equal to 20 percent of the original contract price”. Is this bond to cover 20% of the base year contract or is it to cover 20% of the base year and all options? In the past, bonds have only had to cover the cost of the Base Year. Only covers base year.

8) Section B.1.0 – Standard Services

During the Base Period and the Option Periods, it shows the number of cleaning’s per day at each location. Does the government understand that they are buying a stand-alone cleaning and not a cleaning shift at that location? For example, at the Port of Entry of Columbia it states “1 cleaning per day”. If that cleaning takes place in the morning, regardless of the condition of the bathroom in the afternoon, the cleaning team will not return until the next morning to conduct a cleaning. If additional cleaning is required beyond the one (1) cleaning in the FFP, will a custodial service call will be utilized? Each proposer should propose their staffing level so that it meets the contract requirements.

9) Section CC.7 – Custodial Service Calls

a) It states “Contractor shall provide adequate staff to respond to service calls during building(s) operating hours (see Section J, ‘Building Information Sheet’) and during the Contractor’s regular cleaning schedule”.

- Many of the locations operate 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. Are you requiring 24/7 staffing at the locations that are open 24/7?

- Also can you define what are the normal working hours/duty day at each location by providing a time frame? The contractor will be reimbursed for any custodial service calls ordered when a contract employee is not on-site.

b) Are you stating that there will be 20 hours per month of custodial service calls per each location listed on the cover page of the solicitation? If so, since there are six (6) locations, are you requesting a total of 120 hours of custodial service calls to be built into the monthly FFP? 20 hours per month (total).

c) If a custodial service call is required in a facility that operates 24/7 can you please define what hours would be considered “After normal duty hours” in a facility that operates 24/7. The contractor will be reimbursed for any custodial service calls ordered when a contract employee is not on-site.

d) “The costs of all service calls shall be reimbursed to the Contractor if the request is outside the building(s) operating hours and outside the Contractor’s regular cleaning schedule”.

- First can you please provide “normal” operating hours for each location?

- If the service call is reimbursable, does that include all time, labor, and materials along with the Coefficient Markup? Refer to Section JC, Exhibit C1, paragraphs 1-6. Also refer to B.1.2 (markup coefficient applies only to reimbursable repairs above $2,500 threshold). Reimbursable custodial service calls should strictly be the loaded wage rate.

10) Section B.6 Productivity Rate

You state that due to new technology (materials, supplies, and equipment) that the productivity rate of 2,840 Sf per hour will jump to 4,200 Sf per hour. This is an increase of 49%. Can you please share what materials, supplies and equipment are being utilized to create such an increase? Is this new technology something the Government supplied or is this something the incumbent contractor is doing? The productive rate as shown is a preferred target. One way a proposer could get an increased productive rate is by using new technology. New technology is not being supplied by the Government nor is the incumbent. It is the decision of each proposer to reduce costs by whatever method works best.

11) Section B.6 – Productivity Rate

Based upon the changes in productivity rates and a reduced scope, you state “we expect contract pricing to decrease by 25%”. Does this mean if our monthly submitted price is not 25% lower than the incumbents (KCorp) current monthly price, that it will be deemed invalid and not considered for award? No.

12) Section C

Can you please define normal working hours? It is mentioned several times in the solicitation but normal working hours are not defined with times at each location. Refer to Section JC, Exhibit C1, paragraphs 1-6.

13) Section B.1.2 - Markup Coefficient

How does the coefficient apply to a subcontractor when they are used to perform a reimbursable repair above the $2,500 threshold or other additional services when ordered? The markup coefficient applies to subs the same way it applies to the awardee.

14) Section CC.10.1.2 – Solid Waste/Trash Removal and Disposal

a) Can the government please provide the size and number of solid waste containers (dumpsters) utilized at each location? This information is not available. What the current contractor is utilizing may not be the best way.

b) Can you also provide a frequency chart for the current sites? E.g. are the dumpsters emptied weekly, bi-weekly on call? This information is not available.

c) Do any of the sites have compactors? If so, are they government owned or provided by a contractor? No.

15) CC.10.2.5 – Recycling Containers

Can you provide the number and size of the recycling storage containers that are provided by the contractor at each site? This information is not available. What the current contractor is utilizing my not be the best way.

16) CC.15 – Cleaning Schedule

Based upon the fact that you are buying a “cleanings per day”, wouldn’t the cleaning schedule only consist of the times the cleaning team shows up? I assume that we wouldn’t have to provide a schedule that provides times for periodic, weekly, monthly or frequencies of cleanings. The proposers should propose whatever would be necessary for the additional daily cleanings. If you determine that periodic, weekly, monthly, etc. type tasks do not need to be performed multiple times per day then do not include those tasks in your proposal.

17) CM.1.1 – Contractor Responsibility for Equipment Systems

(e) If architectural and structural systems require more than $200/3 hrs (Service call threshold) of work, will a separate task order be initiated? If so, can the coefficient be applied? Yes

18) CM.1.2 – Contractor Responsibilities for Management and Communication

Since quarterly corporate quality control visits are no longer required, when are they required? Will annual visits by corporate quality control suffice? No longer required, and Yes if contactor chooses to.

19) CM.1.3 – Excluded from this Scope are:

Can you please clarify this statement, (k) Additional services as needed by various agencies. What items might be excluded under this statement? This contract will be between GSA and the awardee. Additional services as needed by various agencies are not included.

20) B.1.0 – Standard Services

What cleaning frequencies will be required for the Border Patrol Sector HQ and the US Courthouse? Will cleaning personnel have to be present during normal duty hours? Refer to Section B.1.0 and Section CC.5.

21) Section CM.5.1 – Transition Phase Startup

It states that there will be a 60 day transition prior to start up and that a deficiency/closeout list will be due 30 days before start up. Will the contract startup date be adjusted to ensure that the 60 day transition phase occurs? Or will the length of the transition phase be shortened? Our concern is having adequate time to develop an accurate deficiency/closeout list based upon the inventory provided in the solicitation. The Government attempts to give the incoming contractor 60 days start up. However, if 60 days cannot be given, the Government will allow additional time for any deliverables that will be due.

22) Section L.6 (b) – Pricing Proposal Requirements

There is confusion as to what Additional Services are. In this section it makes reference to additional services in Section B.1.1 of the pricing template. The only thing listed in B.1.1 are Above Standard Services. There are no hourly labor costs listed in B.1.1. Refer to Section CM.2.3.

23) Section CM.23.3 – Emergency Call Back (after hours)

Is the government asking us to build 250 hours (per contract year) of emergency call back labor/parts/material and G&A into our firm fixed price? It seems that way since any emergency call back after the 250 hrs per contract year is met, it now becomes reimbursable. YES

24) Section CM.31. – Key Control

Can you provide any historical information on how many routine installation and removal of lock-sets and tumblers occurs in a contract year? This information is not available

25) Section CM 35 – Maintenance Program

Is Eddy current testing required on this contract? Or is it at the discretion of the CO? only on chillers

26) Section CM 35.2 – Maintenance Standard

Can the government provide the standard for all scheduled preventive maintenance? We need it for planning purposes. The way it is currently written, the standard is agreed too after the contract is awarded. For example, if the contractor plans on using guides they have developed, the CO might not agree to that after an award has already been made. This could lead to confusion and potential disagreement between the contractor and the Government. If the government could just provide the standard or the current standard that is being used on the contract, it would be extremely useful in the proposal process. The Preventive Maintenance Schedule is contained within the CMMS. Refer to HC.15.

27) Section CM 35.4.1.1 - GSA –hosted Systems Requirements

Does the contractor or the Government provide the computers or laptops needed to operate the BAS system? The Government provides the desk tops and laptops

28) Section CM.36.5

Are coupon racks currently installed on all required condenser water loops, heating hot water loops and building main chilled water loops? yes

29) Section CM.39.1 – Architectural and Structural Systems

Can you please provide a listing of what components or items fall under this? Also can you provide all historical service calls pertaining to Architectural and Structural Systems? Refer to Section CM.2.7. Refer to HC.15.

30) Section CM.40.3 – Reimbursable Repair

What is the max amount of a repair that can be approved by the CO? Is there ceiling? No ceiling

31) Section CM.41.17.2 Inspections and Tests (Boiler/Pressure Vessel)

Does the Government provide a GSA inspector, or does the contractor have to provide the certified boiler/pressure vessel inspector. The contractor provides the certified inspector

32) Section HC.21.1 – General

It states “Only the CO may order additional services. Additional services may include services outlined in Section C.6 Above Standard Services or any additional services determined by the Contracting Officer to be within the scope of this contract”.

Section C.6 is referenced, but there is no C.6 in the solicitation. Correct the reference from C.6 to CC.6.

33) Section HC.21.5 & HM.18.5 – Labor

There is no table in Section B.1.1 that covers Additional Services for Custodial or Mechanical (In-house or subcontracted) labor rates (Regular Hour & Overtime). Labor rates for additional custodial or mechanical services were intentionally excluded.

34) Section HC.21.6 – Subcontracts

It states, “If work is to be subcontracted, a copy of the subcontractor’s proposal must be submitted with the contractor’s proposal. The cost proposal shall include the subcontractor’s labor hours, hourly rate, a parts and materials listing with associated costs, and overhead and profit. The subcontracted part of the work is to be priced at actual cost to the Contractor, marked up by a stated cost coefficient”.

Is the coefficient that is mentioned here the same coefficient that is required in Section B.1.1? The coefficient in B.1.1 states that it does not apply to labor. Is subcontractor labor considered a supply under Section HC.21.6? Or will the contractor be allowed to submit a separate coefficient that specifically deals with the use of subcontractors. For example: Some additional services might require additional supervision that is not part of the on-site staff. It looks as if the coefficient was designed for smaller jobs that would not distract from the daily operations of the on-site staff. If an additional service request is a large project (<$100K), more than likely additional supervision will have to be utilized. How do we capture that cost? If we feel that additional supervision is required and the CO agrees, can we add that additional labor cost into our estimate along with the coefficient? Or can supervisor labor be added to the Section B.1.1 labor rate table?

If you do not allow the additional supervision, the on-site staff will be overly burdened and not able to perform their primary duties. Any work that is subcontracted out must comply with the requirements described in the solicitation. Labor costs for subs are not subject to the markup coefficient. If the awardee is subcontracting out work the sub is providing supervision so there is no need for the awardee to receive a markup on the sub’s labor. No additional labor costs will be requested under Section B.1.1.

35) Section HC.21.8 – Competitive Bids

Is there a max amount for competitive bids

This question does not make any sense? If you are an 8(a) firm there is no limit unless you are doing a sole source.

36) Section HM.18.2 Price Proposal for Additional Services Work

a) It states, “The COR may request a proposal for any pre-priced Additional Services as awarded in Section B”. There are no pre-priced additional Services listed in Section B. Refer to Section CM.2.3. No pricing was requested for additional services. These services are ordered when needed.

b) How do we determine what is a fair and reasonable price for the cost of a repair or additional service? Are we to use RS Means or something else to determine price reasonableness? Can the government set some guidelines as to what sources we are to use to determine a price?

Each proposer will need to make that determination. The Government will not set guidelines.

37) Section L.4.2.1 (Part 3)

You request proof of registration in System for Award Management (SAM), what exactly are you looking for? Will a screen shot showing that our company is active on the SAM site suffice? Or can will submitting our DUNS number meet the requirement. The contractor should have a certificate stating they are registered and how long until expiration. However, a printout showing you are viable is okay.

38) Section L.4.2.1 (Part 3)

It asks for list of offer key personnel and POC information. Is this a list of key personnel at the corporate level or proposed on-site personnel that we consider key personnel? Based on the deliverable chart (CM.44), the contractor must develop and submit to the CO within 21 days of Contract Award. Proposed on-site personnel that the contractor considers key personnel, however, this is only if you are the awardee.

39) Section L.5.3.1 Past Performance Questionnaires

If the projects we are submitting under the experience factor all have CPARs, please confirm that all we have to do is fill out CONTRACT IDENTIFICATION section of the “Past Performance Questionnaire” for each project and that we do not have to include a copy of the CPAR. Contractor does not have to supply a copy of the CPAR.

40) Site Visit

Will the government accept the experience/past performance of a major subcontractor? Only if you were the subcontractor.

41) Site Visit

Please clarify the statement made at the preproposal meeting regarding no cleaning above 6ft high. Refer to Section CC.6

42) Site Visit

Please clarify which “high traffic areas” will be required to be policed at each location after the daily cleaning. Will this be considered a custodial service call? If not, please provide a schedule for when these “high traffic areas” need to be policed. Providing custodial personnel to perform this work will have to be built into the FFP.

Refer to Section CC.5.1.17 (Standard Services).

43) Site Visit

Please clarify what criteria will be used to determine the frequency of HVAC filter changes. In Section CM.35.1 it states that they will be replaced when necessary and not on set schedule. As needed, by visual inspection

44) Site Visit

Who will be responsible for performing quality control inspections at each site location? Is it a function of the Government, the contractor or a third party hired to perform inspections? The contractor

45) Site Visit

What parties will be responsible for performing corrective maintenance or repairs identified on the initial deficiency list? Will it be the out-going contractor or the incoming contractor? The out-going contractor

46) Site Visit

Please confirm that the contractor will only be required to perform 250 hours of call back services per year. yes

47) Site Visit

Please clarify what responsibility the contractor has for generator fuel at each site? Please refer to CM.2.15 Consumable Parts

48) General Question.

Since the solicitation is now requiring “LITE Full Maintenance”, will GSA Region 7 management be informing the onsite tenants (Border Patrol, Courts, etc.) and the GSA Building Managers, that this new contract will not be providing services to the same level they are currently receiving? The changes to the specifications should be invisible to the customer and do not change the standard level we are required to provide. The Building Managers are already aware of the changes.

Plus, will GSA Region 7 management support the contractor when we potentially start to get complaints and additional cleaning requests (non-service call types) on the scaled back services from onsite personnel? GSA Region 7 has always supported the contractor when unwarranted complaints are received.

49) Building Data Information:

Would the total square feet be the sum of all these or is 14,455 the total? It’s not clear and you could argue that fitness, storage, etc. are not rentable. The rentable does not necessarily reflect the total of the square footages listed for each building. Proposers do not need to be concerned about whether space is considered rentable or not. All space in each building should be cleaned. Square footages are only included to give a snapshot of what type space is at each building.

NOTE: The replacement of HM.15.3.14 Qualifications of HVAC Technicians which was included under Amendment 4 and was to take the place of the original paragraph in the solicitation is null and void and instead the following revised paragraph will take its place and be the appropriate replacement:

Clause HM.15.3.14 Qualifications of HVAC Technicians (revised as of 3/17/2016)

All HVAC personnel designated to work on, operate, maintain, and (or) repair HVAC equipment or systems shall maintain a minimum of 16 hours of continuing education annually from a NATE, HVAC Excellence, or UA Star recognized provider program. All HVAC personnel designated to work on, operate, maintain, and (or) repair HVAC equipment or systems shall possess one or more of the following certifications:

a. North American Technician Excellence (N.A.T.E.) HVACR Service Technician Certification

b. HVAC Excellence Professional Level Certification

c. UA Star HVACR Mastery Certification

The contractor will be required to send one technician to a one-week controls training class once per year for each year of the contract. A typical training class of this nature cost approximately $2,000 and another $2,000 in travel costs. Contractor is responsible for the cost of this training). The Technician and the class must be approved by R7 FMSP Operations Branch prior to scheduling the trip. A copy of the certification of the class will be provided to R7 FMSP after the successful completion of the class. If the individual does not complete the class, the cost of the class itself will be reimbursed to the Federal Government.

Note: if the person who received the training leaves the contract within 12 months after completion of the training, then the contractor will be expected to reimburse the Government for the full cost of the course and the travel up to $4000. Or the contractor may submit another name and course to be approved by Regional FMSP office and send that person to the training at no additional cost to Government. The intent is to get the Contractor’s staff trained in the proper use and operation of the BAS/Tridium system. Failure to send a technician to this controls training will result in a reduction of contract cost in the amount of $4,000.