Instructions to Offerors_Evaluations_05222026.docx

E.1 ADDENDUM TO FAR 52.212-1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS – COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Provisions that are incorporated by reference (by Citation Number, Title, and Date), have the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available.

The following provisions are incorporated into 52.212-1 as an addendum to this solicitation.

A. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: This section provides general guidance for preparing the proposal, as well as specific instructions on the format and content of the proposal. The offeror’s proposal must include all data and information requested and must be submitted in accordance with these instructions. Any offeror who submits an incomplete package may have its proposal considered to be unacceptable and removed from consideration for contract award. The offer shall be compliant with the requirements as stated in the Solicitation. Non-compliance with the instructions to the Solicitation may result in an unfavorable proposal evaluation and may be grounds to eliminate the proposal from consideration for contract award.

Offeror should thoroughly review the specifications and become familiar with the requirement prior to submitting a proposal. Failure to understand the contract requirements shall not relieve the successful offeror from performing in accordance with the strict meaning and intent of the specifications.

Submission of offerors. Offeror must complete and return a complete package of all items required prior to the time specified in the Solicitation to be considered for award.

Please review the following items before submitting your proposal:

[ ] Have you completed and sign the 1449?

[ ] Have you completed (column K) the Excel Price Schedule (904 -Santa Fe NC)?

[ ] Have you acknowledged any amendment (s), if applicable?

[ ] Have you included the requested information required for responding to the non-price and price evaluation factors?

[ ] Have you completed and signed the VAAR 852.219-75 VA NOTICE OF LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING-CERTIFICATE OFCOMPLIANCE FOR SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION (NOV 2022)?

[ ] Have you submitted two or more completed Past Performance Questionnaires?

B. TYPE OF ACQUISITION: This acquisition is a competitive solicitation. Award will be made to the offeror who represents the best value to the Government.

C. PERIOD OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFERS: The Offeror agrees to hold prices in its offer firm for a period of sixty (60) calendar days from the closing date of the solicitation.

D. POST-AWARD/PRE-PERFORMANCE CONFERENCE: A post-award/pre-performance conference will be scheduled by the Contracting Officer (CO) and held prior to the commencement of any work. The offeror and/or their duly authorized representative(s) is/are highly encouraged to attend the post-award/pre-performance conference. The CO and COR shall meet with the Contractor to discuss details of the contract, the Guards sites and schedules, emergency contact information, handbook, and any other information pertinent to the performance of the contract.

E. POINTS OF CONTACT (POC): Written requests for clarification, questions, and/or concerns may be sent to the following:

Ralph Crum Contracting Officer Ralph.Crum@va.gov

F. VENDOR SITE VISIT

A Vendor Site Visit will be held at the Santa Fe National Cemetery, which is located at 501 N Guadalupe St, Santa Fe, NM 87501.

The Vendor Site Visit will be held on April 29, 2026, from 9:00AM through 11:00AM Pacific Standard Time (PST). Only one site visit is scheduled, but attendance is voluntary. Access to national cemetery personnel is limited to the site visit and some areas are available by escort only.

Access: Park in the visitor parking area and enter the Administration Building Lobby. Space is limited to two (2) people per company.

Agenda: Brief reception in the Administration building followed by a tour of the cemetery grounds.

RSVP: Due to the room size limitations, offerors are encouraged to notify the Contracting Officer and the COR of their plan to attend. Notification should include Company Name, Address, Names of Attendees, and Phone No. Attendance Notification should be received by the Contracting Officer and COR via e-mail ralph.crum@va.gov and robert.jones12@va.gov no later than April 28, 2026, at 5PM PST.

Safety and Privacy Concerns: Participants clothing should be suited for indoor and outdoor conditions that may include hot or cold, wet, windy weather. Closed-toe shoes are encouraged for safety reasons. Some parking and walking areas are graveled and may be uneven. NOTE: Rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild boar, rabbits, birds of prey, and other wildlife are present on cemetery grounds and may be encountered.

G. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Submission via email to: Ralph.Crum@va.gov Subject line: 36C78626R50055 _Company Name Submission deadline: June 3, 2026, 5PM PST (updated)

Do not make any changes to the files or the format of the files of the Solicitation and any attachments. Offerors who make any changes without prior written consent from the CO may be eliminated from further consideration.

· It is the offeror’s responsibility to ensure that documents are complete, and submission is viewable/ readable and arrives to the CO/CS by the date and time required.

· Please complete the price schedule in the solicitation document.

· Any questions must be submitted via email by May 1, 2026, at 5PM PST to: Ralph.Crum@va.gov. All questions shall be addressed via an amendment to the Solicitation.

· If any required documents are omitted with submission, the offer may be precluded from further consideration.

(End of Addendum to 52.212-1)

E.2 52.212-2 EVALUATION – COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 2014)

(A) BASIS OF AWARD: This procurement is a best value source selection and is being conducted pursuant to FAR Part 15.103-1 procedures. The Government intends to award a single contract as a result of this solicitation, based on the evaluation factors listed below and whose offer represents the best value to the Government. A contract may be awarded to the offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation’s requirements (to include all stated terms, conditions, representations, certifications, and all other information required in the Performance Work Statement of this solicitation) and is judged by an overall assessment of the evaluation factors to represent the most advantageous to the Government. As part of making the assessment, a tradeoff analysis will be performed to determine as whether exceeding the minimum requirements at an associated price provides the best value to the Government.

(B) AWARD FOR ALL OF THE WORK. The Government intends to award a single award contract as a result of this solicitation. Offers received for less than the stated number of items listed in the schedule may be considered ineligible for award. The Government, however, reserves the right to make an award for any item from any offeror for a quantity less than or equal to the quantity offered, at the unit prices offered, unless the offeror specifies otherwise in the offer.

(C) EVALUATION PROCESS:

Evaluation Factors. Evaluation of offers will be made using procedures under RFO FAR Part 15.104. Offers will be evaluated in accordance with the following factors and sub-factors:

Factor 1: Technical Capability Factor 2: Past Performance Factor 3: Price

Relative Importance of Evaluation Factors:

Factor (1), Technical Capability, is equal to Factor (2), Past Performance. When combined, the two non-price factors are more important than Factor (3), Price.

FACTOR 1 – Technical Capability: The Offeror shall demonstrate understanding of the requirements of the Performance Work Statement and produce an offer that will meet those objectives. The offer will be evaluated based on the proposed approach to performing the work. Please provide documentation evidencing:

a. Subfactor 1a: Grounds Management Plan (GMP) PWS paragraph 4.1.2. The GMP will be no more than 10 pages and:

1. Show all turf maintenance operations and application over the course of one year to maintain the turf health and appearance to National Shrine standards.

2. Take into consideration procedures in the Performance Work Statement and as further defined in “Estimated Workload Data” to achieve this goal.

3. Provide a detailed description of how the operations are to be performed and rationale for each procedure in the plan.

b. Subfactor 1b: Irrigation Management Plan (IMP) PWS Section 5.7. The IMP will be no more than 10 pages and:

1. Provide Irrigation Management Plan describing overall experience of the company in performing this work, and qualifications of technical personnel, training, experience, certifications, licenses.

2. Plan must describe methodologies for water conservation measures utilizing existing irrigation control system and equipment to ensure that irrigation water will be efficiently applied in correct amounts to ensure plant health while reducing water waste.

3. Take into consideration procedures in the Performance Work Statement and inventory of equipment presented in “Estimated Workload Data” to achieve this goal.

c. Subfactor 1c: Work plan. PWS Section 5. The Work Plan will be no more than 10 pages and:

1. Provide Work Plan including a clear definitive process on how the Contractor intends to complete the work involved in the Performance Work Statement and as further defined in the technical exhibits in section 7.

2. Provide a list of subcontractors and work they will perform. Also include Schedule of Work, staffing plan, and list of equipment/vehicles, methodology /proposed man hours and mitigation of environment issues.

3. Identify mandatory Site Manager to be present whenever work/services are being rendered. Include a 1-page resume with experience, qualifications, certifications, training, roles, and responsibilities for all key personnel.

4. List the number of employees and their titles/positions that will be on site on any given day and the work they will be assigned. GMC Staffing levels should be at a minimum of 1 FTE per 10.37 acres to achieve National Shrine Standards. Include copies of relevant, current licenses, permits, and insurance information.

d. Subfactor 1d: Site Specific Safety Plan. The plan will be no more than 5 pages and:

1. Include daily safety awareness/enforcement per OSHA, and identity mandatory on-site Safety Officer to be present whenever construction is ongoing.

2. Include 1-page resume with experience, qualifications, certifications, and training for this specific duty.

e. Subfactor 1e: Contractor Quality Control (CQC) Plan. The plan will be no more than 5 pages and:

1. Provide Contractor Quality Control (CQC) Plan and identify CQC System Manger and schedule for inspections.

2. Include 1-page resume with experience, qualifications, certifications, and training for this specific duty.

FACTOR 2 - Past Performance: The Government will evaluate the Past Performance of the Prime vendor (i.e. the offeror) proposed to perform a major portion of the requirement. The Government may, but is not required to, also consider relevant past performance information regarding predecessor companies, key personnel, or subcontractors that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement when the Government determines such information to be pertinent to this acquisition. The past performance evaluation factor assesses the degree of confidence the Government has in an offeror’s ability to supply products and services that meet users’ needs, based on a demonstrated record of performance. For evaluation of Past Performance, the Government may use information from any sources available to it including, but not limited to, the Contract Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) and the attached Past Performance Questionnaire.

Past performance questionnaire (see attachment). Offerors shall provide no less than two (2) relevant past performance information for work performed comparable to the Santa Fe National Cemetery under contracts completed during the last five (5) years. The Government reserves the right to verify statements and representations made in an offeror's proposal. The offeror may include Federal, State and Local Government and private sector contracts. However, the Government will evaluate contract(s) the offeror has/had with a Federal Government Agency more favorably.

To obtain information, the Government may contact the points of contact listed by offerors, however, the Government is not required to contact the points of contact provided by offerors and may limit the number of references it decides to contact. The Government is also free to contact references other than those provided by the offeror to evaluate past performance of offerors.

Factor 3 – Price. This factor shall be used to assess the reasonableness of the Offeror’s proposed price. For this factor, Offerors shall submit their Price Schedule of Services of this. Offerors are advised that if their proposed price exceeds the amount of funding available for this procurement for the base period of performance, their proposal may be rejected on that basis and be removed from further consideration for contract award.

(D) OPTIONS: The Government will evaluate proposals for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that a proposal is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced or if the proposed price for the basic requirement or any option exceeds the amount of funding available for any of those requirements. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

(End of provision)