Responses to Questions I - 02122026.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- QNE--NCA-26-000095
About this file
This file contains Requests for Information (RFI) and responses regarding RFQ 36C78626Q50069 for Grounds Maintenance Services at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies (NCOTA), a Department of Veterans Affairs facility. The Missing Pieces LLC submitted RFI questions on February 11, 2026, with responses provided by William Webb on February 12, 2026, before the 4:00 PM ET deadline. The Contract Specialist, Hugh O'Neil, requested that answers be compiled for posting as an amendment on February 18, 2026.
Key operational details clarified in the responses include: site access does not require badgings or escort for the current contractor and is limited to signing an access sheet when entering the administration building; headstone deliveries are unloaded at the cemetery maintenance yard, then transported to the old inscription yard for sorting by the grounds contractor; two fenced areas are designated for contractor equipment and material storage, with a three-day temporary storage limitation; snow and ice operations must prioritize treatment of administration areas before 7:30 AM on weekdays, with the Public Information Center, three Committal Shelters, and all roadways requiring priority cleaning; salt is approved for roads while calcium chloride or magnesium chloride are specified for sidewalks and high-traffic areas; irrigation system maintenance and repair are excluded from the contract scope except for damage caused by contractor activities; contractors must submit weekly logs of completed tasks to the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for agreement before monthly billing; and historical usage data for snow events and headstone work are available upon request. No email submission constraints were identified for the four-volume submission requirement.
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From: Webb, William To: O"Neil, Hugh Cc: Mathis, Darlene R.; Roman, Joselito Subject: RE: RFI Questions – RFQ 36C78626Q50069 (NCOTA Grounds Maintenance Services) – Questions Due Feb 12, 2026 @ 4:00 PM ET
Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026 10:11:38 AM Attachments: image001.png
Site Access / Credentials
a. What is the process and lead time for contractor badging/access for personnel and vehicles (including any escort requirements)?
b. Are there any restricted areas requiring special coordination for access?
Current grounds maintenance contractor does not have badging as they are not required to enter any restricted areas. Contractor must sign a access sheet when entering the administration building for meetings or to retrieved the daily interment schedule.
Headstone Deliveries – Unloading / Staging Location
a. Please identify the designated delivery/unloading/staging location for monthly blank headstone deliveries.
Headstones will be delivered into the cemetery maintenance yard by the trucking company.
The headstones will then be transported from the cemetery maintenance yard to the old headstone inscription yard, uncrated and then sorted by the grounds contractor. This yard is a smaller fenced in area that the cemetery staff and grounds contractor have keys to a shared lock.
Staging / Storage / Green Waste Logistics
a. Where are the approved on-site staging areas for contractor equipment/materials, considering the temporary storage limitation (e.g., equipment storage not to exceed three (3) days)?
b. Please identify the composting location designated by the COR/designee for green waste and any handling/access requirements.
Currently the cemetery has one large fenced in area outside of our own maintenance yard that will be given to the contractor to use and then the smaller fenced in inscription yard is fenced in and the grounds maintenance contractor will be able to use that as well.
Snow & Ice Operations
a. Please confirm the cemetery “opening time” applicable to the requirement for snow removal prior to cemetery opening when accumulation exceeds one (1) inch.
b. Please identify the Government’s priority snow routes/areas and the prioritization order (e.g., entrance drive, admin/maintenance access, primary internal roads, interment shelters, sidewalks, and any other COR-designated areas).
c. Are there any approved de-icer products or restrictions beyond the requirement that products must not stain or damage turf/structures?
The cemetery is open sunrise to sunset every day of the year to the public. The cemetery is staffed Monday through Friday from 8:00am until 16:30. For snow removal during the week, the administration will need to be treated prior to 7:30, which is when employees begin arriving. The Public Information Center, three Committal Shelters, and all roadways are to be mailto:William.Webb@va.gov mailto:Hugh.O"Neil@va.gov mailto:Darlene.Mathis2@va.gov mailto:Joselito.Roman@va.gov cleaned next to prepare for processions and visitors. Generally during the weekends we try to wait until the snow event is finished, so that the contractor can come in just one time to clear snow, but that isn’t always the case and will be determined as snow events unfold. Salt is safe for the roads and calcium chloride and or magnesium chloride for the sidewalks and high traffic areas.
Areas Outside Cemetery Walls (Snow/Ice)
a. Are any areas outside cemetery walls currently anticipated for snow/ice service that may be designated by the COR? If yes, please identify.
Any areas outside the cemetery walls are maintained by the cemetery staff, unless they are areas that the contractor use, such as the two fenced in areas adjacent to the Cemetery maintenance yard.
Irrigation / Site Systems
a. Is irrigation system maintenance and repair included in the scope? If yes, please define boundaries (e.g., minor repairs vs. major repairs, parts/material responsibility, and response expectations).
Irrigation repair and maintenance are not included in the grounds maintenance contract, however, if damaged during snow removal, or grounds maintenance activities, it is expected that those items will be repaired by the grounds maintenance contractor.
Inspection, Acceptance, and Routine Reporting
a. Beyond chemical application records, what routine reports/logs does the Government require for mowing, trimming/edging, debris removal, headstone/marker work, and snow/ice response (e.g., daily logs, weekly QC checklists, photo documentation, monthly summaries)?
b. What is the inspection cadence and formal acceptance process by task category (routine mowing vs. headstone work vs. snow events)?
The contractor shall maintain a weekly log of tasks, that will be turned into the COR. When the COR and contractor are in agreement with the number and type of task completed for the week by the contractor, the contractor will then submit those tasks for billing at the end of the month. The exception will be for headstone sets. The COR will provide a list of headstones to be set to the contractor called Monument Order Acknowledgement Reports. These are shared between the COR and contractor and document arrival, inspection, and installment of headstones. Otherwise, the contractor can use whatever log they wish to capture completed tasks.
Historical Usage Information
a. Is historical usage information available for key variable workload drivers (e.g., snow events/call-outs and headstone raise/lower/realign/reset volume)?
If the contractor would like that information, the cemetery could provide it.
Email Submission Practicalities
a. Are there any email size limits, preferred file naming conventions, or other submission constraints for the four-volume email submission?
I am not aware of any email constraints.
From: O'Neil, Hugh <Hugh.O'Neil@va.gov> Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2026 7:22 AM To: Webb, William <William.Webb@va.gov> Cc: Mathis, Darlene R. <Darlene.Mathis2@va.gov>; Roman, Joselito <Joselito.Roman@va.gov> Subject: FW: RFI Questions – RFQ 36C78626Q50069 (NCOTA Grounds Maintenance Services) – Questions Due Feb 12, 2026 @ 4:00 PM ET
Good morning, Bill
Contractors have until 4pm EST today to submit their questions or concerns about the Ground Maintenance RFQ 36C78626Q50069. I am asking that you begin working on the Answers to the Interested Quoters questions, so that I can post an Amendment with the Answers on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
/r, Hugh A. O’Neil, MPAM Contract Specialist Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC. 20420 Work Cell: 202-352-6654 Email: Hugh.O’Neil@va.gov
From: Derwin Ford <info@themissingpieceslv.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 11:08 PM To: O'Neil, Hugh <Hugh.O'Neil@va.gov> Cc: Roman, Joselito <Joselito.Roman@va.gov> Subject: [EXTERNAL] RFI Questions – RFQ 36C78626Q50069 (NCOTA Grounds Maintenance Services)
– Questions Due Feb 12, 2026 @ 4:00 PM ET
Dear Mr. O’Neil, The Missing Pieces LLC respectfully submits the following Requests for Information (RFIs) regarding RFQ 36C78626Q50069 for Grounds Maintenance Services at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies (NCOTA). These questions are submitted to ensure our quotation and performance approach align with the Government’s expectations. We understand RFIs are due no later than February 12, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET.
Site Access / Credentials mailto:info@themissingpieceslv.com mailto:Joselito.Roman@va.gov
a. What is the process and lead time for contractor badging/access for personnel and vehicles (including any escort requirements)?
b. Are there any restricted areas requiring special coordination for access?
Headstone Deliveries – Unloading / Staging Location
a. Please identify the designated delivery/unloading/staging location for monthly blank headstone deliveries.
Staging / Storage / Green Waste Logistics
a. Where are the approved on-site staging areas for contractor equipment/materials, considering the temporary storage limitation (e.g., equipment storage not to exceed three (3) days)?
b. Please identify the composting location designated by the COR/designee for green waste and any handling/access requirements.
Snow & Ice Operations
a. Please confirm the cemetery “opening time” applicable to the requirement for snow removal prior to cemetery opening when accumulation exceeds one (1) inch.
b. Please identify the Government’s priority snow routes/areas and the prioritization order (e.g., entrance drive, admin/maintenance access, primary internal roads, interment shelters, sidewalks, and any other COR-designated areas).
c. Are there any approved de-icer products or restrictions beyond the requirement that products must not stain or damage turf/structures?
Areas Outside Cemetery Walls (Snow/Ice)
a. Are any areas outside cemetery walls currently anticipated for snow/ice service that may be designated by the COR? If yes, please identify.
Irrigation / Site Systems
a. Is irrigation system maintenance and repair included in the scope? If yes, please define boundaries (e.g., minor repairs vs. major repairs, parts/material responsibility, and response expectations).
Inspection, Acceptance, and Routine Reporting
a. Beyond chemical application records, what routine reports/logs does the Government require for mowing, trimming/edging, debris removal, headstone/marker work, and snow/ice response (e.g., daily logs, weekly QC checklists, photo documentation, monthly summaries)?
b. What is the inspection cadence and formal acceptance process by task category (routine mowing vs. headstone work vs. snow events)?
Historical Usage Information
a. Is historical usage information available for key variable workload drivers (e.g., snow events/call-outs and headstone raise/lower/realign/reset volume)?
Email Submission Practicalities
a. Are there any email size limits, preferred file naming conventions, or other submission constraints for the four-volume email submission?
Thank you for your time and assistance. Please let us know if you prefer these questions in a different format.
V/r, Derwin Ford The Missing Pieces, Owner 888-907-8676 (w) | 702-701-0865 (c) 2620 Regatta Drive Suite 102 Las Vegas, NV 89128 https://www.themissingpieceslv.com/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.themissingpieceslv.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0dfdbe39bc374c8026aa08de6a4901db%7Ce95f1b23abaf45ee821db7ab251ab3bf%7C0%7C0%7C639065058971840950%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=sHdGHaa4pY0elVx5LFVqCBvSEgUPwZMC4iO2t3VQJwM%3D&reserved=0
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