36C78625Q50200 - Marietta National Cemetery - Solicitation - Questions-Answers.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- QSE--36C78625Q50200
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This document is a Solicitation Questions and Answers file for the Complete Grounds Maintenance contract at Marietta National Cemetery (Solicitation Number 36C78625Q50200). The document contains 18 detailed questions and answers addressing specific maintenance requirements, including leaf collection, holiday preparations, power washing, storm cleanup, tree management, irrigation, grave renovations, mulching, fertilization, fire ant control, and interment services. Key clarifications include that leaf removal expectations are "no leaves on site", mulch should be added 14-30 days before Memorial Day, and tree and headstone maintenance will be directed by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) or Cemetery Leadership.
The solicitation is for a base year plus four option years of grounds maintenance services at the Marietta National Cemetery, administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration. The contract involves detailed ground maintenance specifications, with many service parameters to be determined flexibly based on site conditions and leadership guidance. The government confirms the contract will use Construction wage rates, and that service requirements will be dynamically managed, with planning times for services ranging from days to months, and specific maintenance tasks to be identified by cemetery leadership as needed.
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36C78625Q50200--Complete Grounds Maintenance at Marietta National Cemetery
SOLICITATION QUESTIONS
1. Para B.4.1.6, Page 17 identifies that “All fallen leaves must be collected and removed from the site daily…” and page 18 states, “Leaf collection/clearing must be performed a minimum of once per week in accordance with NCA Standards and Measures.” What is the expectation?
Answer: No leaves on site
2. Para B.4.1.7, Page 19 Special Guidance, is “two (2) days prior to Memorial & Veterans Day” the Saturday before Memorial Day and all this work will be completed on that Saturday or just finished before that Saturday?
Answer: To avoid any unforeseen issues, always communicate with the Leadership/COR to make plans prior to the holidays.
3. Para B.4.1.8. Page 20 Power washing. Please confirm this paragraph explaining monthly power washing of PIC/Admin and Committal buildings and quarterly of maintenance bldg is correct.? If so, does this include the impervious structures around them (sidewalks, curbs, and paved areas)?
Answer: Some areas need more attention than others due to the trees. Keeping the exterior nice and clean. Additional spot/section road clearing may be required throughout day to maintain the esthetically pleasing appearance of the cemetery as directed by the COR and/or Cemetery Leadership
4. Para B.4.1.8, Page 21 Storm Clean-up: Does this include downed tree limbs, sections of trees and entire trees? Is this only if they have fallen or are still standing but damaged? What is the difference between Para B.4.7 which does include fallen trees under 18” in diameter? Please provide an inventory of trees below 18”. Who is responsible for leaning trees? 9
Answer: This particular reference is about a typical rain/windy day, compared to a tornado/ major event. All trees showing an adverse effect from high winds shall be staked. All damaged trees, regardless of cause, shall be reported to the COR, and/or the Cemetery leadership immediately upon discovery. Contractor needs to inspect.
5. B.4.1.9.1, states, “All supplies needed for irrigation will be provided by the contractor to complete the work.” Does this include the irrigation equipment that interfaces with the present irrigation supply system? Can you provide any historical irrigation plan requirements with estimated services and quantities to help drive more accurate pricing?
Answer: Current contractor used own materials for irrigation.
6. B.4.2.1/2 Grave Renovations. Are the numbers in the cost sheet for 50 each typically what the cemetery requires annually?
Answer: Requirements are based on inspections.
7. B.4.2.4 Mulch. The price sheet says 2 JB for these services and PWS says SOW Pg 31 says both monthly and continuously. What is the expectation for intervals and billing?
Answer: Fresh mulch shall be added no earlier than thirty (30) days but no less than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to Memorial Day and/or as required by the COR.
COR will identify all areas to be mulched and determine the type of mulch to be used.
8. Para B.4.3.2, Is the contractor responsible for removal of trees either standing, partially standing, leaning into other trees or downed? Trees above around 8” in diameter tend to be serviced by professional tree services. The requirement to lower branches that are 3.5 inches or larger via ropes indicates a professional tree service is required. Anything above the reach and size commensurate with an employee with a pole saw (about 15’ height) is better left to a professional tree service for safety reasons. Could the government provide some more guidance on the break between what the contractor should perform with a standard crew and what the government will take on with a professional tree service? Also, are there any expectations to price herbicide, pesticide, and fungicide treatments of trees and shrubs as part of monthly maintenance?
Answer: Please reference the SOW
9. Para B.4.4.1: Page 39 states, “Gravesite sodding shall be completed within thirty (30) days of interment.” And page 40 states, “sections shall be sodded within fifteen (15) days”. Please elaborate on the differences.
Answer: It depends on the time of the year. Example: Winter time.
10. B4.4.3 Fertilization. The price sheet has a qty of 5, the table in this section has 6 fertilizer applications, which is correct? If the price sheet is correct, which treatment on the table should be skipped?
Answer: Upon the recommendation of the SED Agronomist.
11. Page 56, Fire Ant Control has 2 x annually, but the pricing spreadsheet has a QTY of 1. Which is required? The title of this section on page 52, section B.4.5.2, mentions daily, the price has an estimated 50 spot treatments. Is there an estimated 50 days per year required to control fire ants with spot treatments in addition to the blanket treatment once (or twice) per year?
Answer: Under recommendation of the SED Agronomist.
12. Pg 58 Extreme Weather Storm Damage and Debris Cleanup. Please clarify the expectation is to removal trees less than 18 inches in diameter using this CLIN if they fall or are severely damaged by a storm. Also, there is only a quantity of 1 in the price sheet. Can the government clarify how many times per year over the past 5 years this CLIN has needed to be utilized, and the estimated level of effort when needed?
Answer: It depends on how many storms.
13. Page 89, par vi. States, “…or maintenance required to keep restrooms, admin building, public information building in operating manner” What is the boundary of this statement? Is the contractor to fix toilets, faucets, etc or just plunge them if they clog?
Answer: It’s written in the contract.
14. Page 90, para v. fourth line down, should this state bimonthly vs monthly?
Answer: It’s written in the contract.
15. Global Question on maintenance facility. It was mentioned at the site walk that contractors will not use have rights of the maintenance facility and that the Maintenance facility may be going under renovation or demolition/Construction during this new contract. In the headstone setting sections of the PWS, there is mention of contractors using the maintenance facility to store headstones. PWS mentions the government may furnish the contractor a place to store equipment and supplies at Marietta National. Which is true? I the contractor gets a designated place for equipment, what is the size of the space and are there any restrictions? In the event the facility is renovated or torn down, will temporary facilities be provided by the government (restrooms and storage) for the contractor, or will temporary facilities be at the expense of the contractor?
Answer: It’s to be determined
16. By breaking out CLINs into Construction, is it the government’s purpose to have these services provided at wage rates, per the DBA-WD - GA20250304 - Dated- 02-07-2025 to be less than the Laborer, Grounds Maintenance in the SCA WD-2015-4471 Revision-31 - Dated-12-23-2024 $17.82 + 4.93 H&W?
Answer: Yes
17. B 4.8.3 and 4.8.4 Raise and Realign and FTA. Will these CLIN quantities be awarded by the entire section of the cemetery or stone by stone? In our experience, section by section is the best approach to get the best final product, where stone by stone leaves it up to a lot of individual interpretation.
Answer: The COR or Cemetery Leadership will identify the headstone(s) which are required to be Raised & Re-aligned.
18. B 4.9 Interment services for cremation and caskets. How much planning time is typically given from the request for service and day of service?
Answer: Requires flexibility of schedule, ranges from days, weeks, to months.
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