Answer to Vendors Questions_36C78622Q50039 0002.pdf

36C78622Q50039 0002

Answers to Questions from vendor no. 1

1. On pages 29 and 30 of the original solicitation, it describes the requirements that the contractors will be responsible for. Several of these items are not assigned a CLIN in the Schedule of Services. How are we to quote these services?

Answer: Contract Line Items (CLINS) and statement of work have been revised and are attached to this solicitation amendment.

Answers to Questions from vendor no. 4

1. Can you please provide the Davis Bacon Wages and Service Contract Act pay rates specific to this project?

Answer: Laborer/Landscape on page 8 of the DBA wage determination attachment.

2. Is CLIN 0012 - Headstone maintenance raise and realignment. Davis Bacon Act wages apply. Is CLIN 0012 the only CLIN that requires Davis Bacon Act Wages?

Answer: Yes, only CLIN 0012 to include the similar Option CLINs. However, the price schedule is updated in this solicitation amendment 0002 to include CLIN 0021 (option CLINs as well) where DBA applies.

3. Can we expect a Delivery Orders Contract to be executed for this contract for our entire quoted amount, or will this contract be subject to IDIQ standards?

Answer: This procurement will be a fixed-price IDIQ. The cemetery/contracting office will issue task orders based on the determined requirements/funding availability.

Answers to Questions from vendor no. 6

1. Section 5.2 of the NCA Standards states “contractor shall be responsible for mowing, edging, and trimming all grass within the Cemetery and outside perimeter fence to include the maintenance area as specified by the COR.” Can you please provide a map of the applicable outside perimeter fence and maintenance areas?

Answer: The map attached (see V6Q1 French Drains below) for drains and Wood National Cemetery property. Recommend an onsite visit.

2. Section 5.4.8 of the NCA Standards states “metal blades shall not be used to edge around flat markers.” What type of blade edger is acceptable? The Cemetery currently employs the use of metal blades. Will this still be an option for the Contractor?

Answer: Only nonmetal blades will be acceptable for edging around flat markers.

3. Section 5.4.6 of the NCA Standards states “all streets, curbs, walkways, tree mulch rings and shrub beds shall be edged inside and outside Cemetery grounds.” Can the Cemetery provide a map of these areas?

Answer: NCA Utilities display most mulch beds and roads. Except for section 4. Recommend an onsite visit.

4. Do the areas referred to in Section 5.4.6 of the NCA Standards make up CLIN 003?

Answer: Yes. All streets, curbs, walkways, tree mulch rings and shrub beds shall be edged inside and outside Cemetery grounds.

5. Section 2.3.1 of the NCA Standards states “the Contractor shall submit an annual schedule of raising and realignment prior to start of work to the COR.” Does this mean that a complete list of areas requiring raise and realignment services will be provided to the Contractor prior to the start of the season to establish a schedule?

Answer: Yes, a list will be provided, and the contract will schedule the work to be completed before the end of the period of performance.

What is the minimum number of headstones within a section that will be assigned to the Contractor at one time? This information will allow us in determining the appropriate staffing and methodology plan for CLIN 0012.

Answer: Based on the number of headstones listed in the CLIN the COR will work with the Contractor to schedule the complete exhaustion of the CLIN prior to the end of the period of performance.

6. Section 7.2.7 of the NCA Standards states “contractor shall seed or sod site and ensure site has healthy re-established turf within 60 days of repair.” Will it be at the Contractor’s discretion whether to utilize either seed or sod once the sunken grave/turf has been repaired? After 60 days of maintenance, is the Contractor no longer responsible for the watering of the re-established turf?

Answer: Yes, the Contractor will have the discretion on the method of turf establishment. Should either method perform poorly the COR reserves the right to instruct the Contractor to switch to the alternate method. The Contractor is no longer responsible after the 60-day period given the COR accepts the sod/seeded area and “re-established.”

7. Section 7.2.10 of the NCA Standards states “healthy turf shall be re-established within 30 days on all grave re-openers during the growing season.” Are these grave re-openers part of the 100 grave repairs in CLIN 0013? After 30 days of maintenance, is the Contractor no longer responsible for the watering of the re-established turf?

Answer: This statement in incorrect NCA standards state “Standard 2.9: Gravesite openers and re-openers avoid damage and ensure continuation of a well-established, healthy stand of turf, presenting a disciplined evolution, not a construction site. Measure 2.9a: Interments (first and subsequent) during the growing season that show healthy turf re-established within 60 days of the interment additionally, Measure 2.9b: Winter grave re-openers that show healthy turf re-established within 60 days of the start of the growing season. Therefore, the requirement is 60 days.

8. Section 8.2.12.1 of the NCA Standards states, “maintenance shall be done by the Contractor for at least 90 days with proper mowing, fertilization, pest control, and irrigation as needed until final acceptance is made by the Government. In addition, sod installed during the spring and summer shall be maintained after the 90-day period to at least the same quality of established, nearby turf through the rest of the growing season with proper fertilization, pest control, and irrigation as needed.” Can you define or provide a date for the end of the growing season?

Answer: Growing season Southeastern Wisconsin can start as early as April and go until early/mid- November.

9. Section 8.2.12.3 of the NCA Standards states “replant areas void of turf (one square foot) and larger in area.” Once final inspection has been approved, is the Contractor no longer responsible for the watering of the new turf?

Answer: This is correct. Once the COR accepts the area the Contractor is only responsible for the continued maintenance of the area as it relates to the contract.

10. CLIN 0014 has almost tripled from the original Schedule of Services from 34,000 sq. ft. to the new Schedule of Services at 96,000 sq. ft. Contractors will be providing their best price based on bulk pricing.

Are these estimates an accurate account of what will be funded and utilized?

Answer: The sq ft of Clin 0014 will be dictated by the number of headstones that will be raised and realigned. 96,000 Sq ft was based on 1,700 headstones with the perimeter of each of those section.

11. Section 1.3.1 of the NCA Standards states “during the two cleanings of headstones the Contractor shall pressure wash the flagpole area, sidewalks, and curbs.” Can you provide a map of the sidewalks and curbs referred to in this section?

Answer: Yes, the Cemetery can provide a map (see V6Q attachments below).

12. Section 9.1 of the NCA Standards states “clean the standing-seam metal roof, skylights, fascia, and gutters.” During the site visit it was explained that some of the roofs contained leaded paint and should not be pressure washed. Can you please identify the roofs of the buildings which are safe to pressure wash, and which are not?

Answer: Building # 57 is a historic building and will not be included.

13. Can you please provide a map of the 35 storm water basins associated with CLIN 0017?

Answer: See V6Q attachments below. Recommend an onsite visit and verification

14a. Section 11 of the NCA Standards states “once a year all French drains and zip drains shall be cleaned of all debris.” Can you please provide the number of French drains/zip drains located throughout the Cemetery and identify their locations on a map?

Answer: See V6Q attachments below. Recommend an onsite visit and verification

14b. During the site visit it was our impression that some of these drains are fragile and break when taken apart for cleaning. Will the Contractor be responsible for replacing a drain if it breaks due the fragility of the drain during a routine cleaning, and not due to negligent care?

Answer: No, if the drain is identified as fragile before being clean and the COR is notified the contract will not be held liable.

15. How long is the storm water drain associated with CLIN 0019, Jet Cleaning of Storm Water Drainage?

If there is a collapsed area in the drain, what is the responsibility of the Contractor? Is the Contractor responsible for just cleaning the areas that are accessible?

Answer: Yes, only the accessible areas will need cleaning; any collapsed areas identified should be pointed out to the COR.

16. Can you please provide a map of the 30 acres assigned to CLIN 0020 for the leaf removal?

Answer: Please see attached map (attachment V6Q_leaf removal below). The area may change week to week based on wind direction. We will only hold the Contractor accountable for the 30 acres at the beginning of the cycle.

17. CLIN 0021 Headstone Fine Tune Alignment has a quantity of 1 event. Does this mean that all 24,461 headstones shall be aligned?

Answer: Over the course of the period of performance all headstones will be fine-tuned and aligned.

This item will be invoiced once the entire event is completed. The task may be scheduled to occur throughout the period of performance.

18. Can you please provide a map of the fence line listed in CLIN 0023. During the site visit one fence was highlighted which had a heavy amount of vegetation that we determined could require heavy equipment to remove. What is the extent of this CLIN? Is it a light pruning that is required or a heavy vegetation removal? How many feet on either side of the fence shall be free of vegetation?

Answer: This CLIN may include both light pruning and the removal of heavy vegetation. Once initially completed the maintenance will be light pruning.

19. Can you provide a map of the Cemetery’s existing water connections that will be made available to the Contractor? (NOTE: There is no irrigation at the Cemetery, but the Contractor is responsible for providing suitable and adequate water for irrigation.)

Answer: If the Contractor uses water from the Cemetery, the water must be metered, and the Contractor is responsible for reimbursing the Government.

20. Section 8(a) of the Performance Work Statement, Use of Cemetery Facilities, mentions Contractor-installed facilities. Will there be a designated area provided to the Contractor allowing for the storage of UTVs, watering equipment, dozers, or other equipment for large or on-going projects, or an area for a temporary office trailer? If so, how large of an area will be provided?

Answer: 8.b The Government will NOT furnish a storage building or area at the Cemetery site for use by the Contractor to store supplies and equipment. The Contractor shall be responsible and required to provide and remove the material, equipment, tools, and supplies to perform operations daily.

21. Section 13(b) of the Performance Work Statement, On-Call/Emergency Situations, mentions that the Contractor shall be available 24-hours. Can you describe what type of on-call or emergency service could be required of this contract?

Answer: If there is an emergency that would impact the Contractor, the Cemetery will need to make positive contact with the PO. If work is authorized to be performed after hours or on weekends/holidays and an emergency should occur, the Contractor shall contact the COR and the Cemetery Director. We must know who would be contracting the Cemetery.

22. Which Schedule of Services (Price Schedule) should the Contractor use to submit their price proposal? Will the new one provided at the site visit be posted to sam.gov?

Contracting office answer: solicitation amendment 0002 will include the updated price schedule and the vendor shall use that version to submit their offers.

Vendor Site Visit Opportunity:

Vendors are invited to attend a schedule site visit on October 11, 2022, at the Wood National Cemetery.

Vendors are invited to tour the cemetery grounds and asks questions of the host from 8:30am to 3:30pm. Please RSVP to Aaron Dishaw at aaron.dishaw@va.gov no later than October 7, 2022.