Instructions to Offerors_Evaluations_Bakersfield.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 signed the 1449 – this means company name, address, phone # and UEI are provided on pg 1, signed, price schedule has been filled in, and Instruction to Offerors is complete?

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

[_____] Have you completed and signed the VAAR 852.219-75 VA NOTICE OF LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING-CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR SERVICES AND CONSTRUSTION (NOV 2022) [ ] Have you included the requested information required for responding to the non-price and price evaluation factors?

[_____] Have you submitted two or more complete 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. POINTS OF CONTACT (POC): Written requests for clarification, questions, and/or concerns may be sent to the following:

Stacey Lewallen Contracting Officer Stacey.Lewallen@va.gov

E. VENDOR SITE VISIT

A vendor site visit will be held at the Bakersfield National Cemetery, 30338 E Bear Mountain Blvd, Arvin, CA 93203.

The vendor site visit will be held on June 10, 2026, at 9:00AM PST.

Meet at the Administrative Building.

Due to the room size limitations, offerors are encouraged to notify the Contracting Officer 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 Stacey.lewallen@va.gov and aaron.shoup@va.gov no later than June 9, 2026, at 3PM CST.

Any questions must be submitted via email by June 12, 2026, at 2PM CST to: Stacey.Lewallen@va.gov.

All questions shall be addressed via an amendment to the Solicitation.

Safety and Privacy Concerns: Participants should dress in comfortable clothing suited for indoor and outdoor conditions. Closed-toe shoes are encouraged for safety reasons.

NOTE 1: Questions raised during the site visit must be written and will be provided to the Contracting Officer for dissemination to all potential bidders. All questions raised after the site visit must be submitted via email by June 12, 2026, at 2PM CST to: Stacey.Lewallen@va.gov.

F. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Submission via email to: Stacey.Lewallen@va.gov Subject line: 36C78626Q50126 _Company Name Submission deadline for proposals: June 24, 2026 @ 10AM CST

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 arrive at the CO/CS by the date and time required.

· Please complete the price schedule in the solicitation document.

· 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 12 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 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 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 FAR Part 12.203. Offers will be evaluated in accordance with the following factors and sub-factors:

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

Relative Importance of Evaluation Factors: Evaluation will be performed via Comparative Analysis as described below:

FACTOR 1 - 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 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 should provide no less than two (2) relevant past performance information for work performed comparable to the Bakersfield National Cemetery under contracts completed during the last three (3) 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.

The Past Performance Questionnaire should be sent to your references to complete, then they will email back to the contracting officer via email provided in these instructions.

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 2 – 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: (1) proposed performance work schedule; (2) materials/uniforms (include photos) to be used at the cemetery; (3) list of equipment to be used at the cemetery to include of patrol vehicle(s)(include photos); (4) a quality control plan to monitor the Contractor’s performance in meeting the cemetery’s goals; (5) Qualification of Technical Personnel (training, experience, certifications, licenses, permits, insurance).

FACTOR 3 - Price: Price analysis will be used to determine that the prices are fair and reasonable in accordance with FAR Part 12.203.

(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)