RFP 102-355 Addendum #2.pdf

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this solicitation to:

Kevin Johnson jkjohnson@isothermal.edu 828-395-1297

RFP 102-355

Proposals will be opened: November 4, 2024 at 2:00

PM ET

Owner: Isothermal Community College

Custodial Services

Solicitation Addendum #2

Addendum: #2

Addendum Date: October 28, 2024

Questions & Answers:

1) Question: How frequent are events held in the Foundation/Performing Arts Auditorium?

Answer: The frequency of events varies by season, but typically 2-4 events (including rentals) are held per month in addition to internal meetings.

2) Question: Will maintenance still operate the garbage run?

Answer: Yes, twice a day.

3) Question: Does the equestrian barn have a custodial closet?

Answer: Yes.

4) Question: How many current custodial employees are employed now with the college?

Answer: 9 total, 8 employees and 1 team leader.

5) Question: Can an office be provided on campus for the awarded contractor’s management?

Answer: The college will work with the awarded contractor to supply office space.

Isothermal Community College

6) Question: Will ICC continue to employ and pay for current employees, or will the awarded contractor pay them?

Answer: ICC will continue to employee current staff, the awarded contractor will add new employees as the current employees retire, or leaves the college.

7) Question: Is there a need for a day and evening shift?

Answer: That decision would be up to the awarded contractor.

8) Question: How many custodial employees does the college need total? How many will the awarded contractor need to provide?

Answer: Due to planned retirements, ICC will have 6 custodians as of January 1, 2025.

Approximately 11 would be the optimal number, but the college is open to the awarded contractor’s input on this.

9) Question: Are parking permits required on campus?

Answer: No.

10) Question: Will the contractor provide all consumables? Cleaners, paper products and

Equipment?

Answer: Yes, None will be provided by the College.

11) Question: Will maintenance move the equipment in the weight room, so the custodial

Employees can clean around them?

Answer: Yes

12) Question: Will the awarded contractor be responsible for vacuuming the swimming

Pool?

Answer: No, maintenance will be responsible.

13) Question: Will the awarded contractor clean the surrounding pool area?

Answer: Yes

14) Question: Will Isothermal CC provide washer and dryer access? If not, can ICC provide

Proper space and hookups / ventilation for the washer and dryer?

Answer: No, ICC does not have current access to a washer and dryer. ICC will provide

Space and hookups for the awarded contractor to setup for a washer and dryer.

15) Question: Are you looking for the bidding contractors to price out an attrition model where we replace employees that retire or quit and just fill the positions that you currently have open now, or would you like for the bidding contractors to quote the cost of us taking overall of the positions now?

Answer: The bidding contractors will need to submit two bid proposals, one attrition model where we keep the current 7 employees and the contractor fills three positions with your staff, the bid should also include the cost of how much it would cost to add an additional employee, when needed. The second bid should include the cost where the awarded contractor provides all the labor performed, with all 10 employees being provided.

16) Question: As the awarded contractor fills open positions with new employees that have never worked at the college before, would you like for them to receive the same pay and benefits that the employees that are currently working for the college?

Answer: That decision would be up to the awarded contractor.

17) Question: What are the current struggles that Isothermal Community College faces with their current custodial services?

Answer: The retention of custodial employees.

18) Question: Will monthly pricing include consumable products-hand towels, toilet tissue, soap and plastic trash liners?

19) Question: When do you anticipate the contract award date and the contract start date will be?

Answer: That will have a “To Be Determined” status. Due to the proposal will have to go to NC Purchase & Contract for the award approval process. That process on average, takes around a month to complete.

20) Question: Do you currently use a CMMS for work order management? If so, what system do you use?

Answer: No CMMS is used.

21) Question: Can you provide a weekly or monthly breakdown of your current FTE hours?

Answer: 37 ½ hrs, 5 days a week.

22) Question: Are the employees required to have name badges? If so, what is the cost for providing those badges?

Answer: Badges are required and are free of charge for the first badge, there will be a $10 charge for any replacement badge. Upon departure of employment, the badge will have to be turned into human resources.

23) Question: Can you please provide a list of holidays observed by the college?

Answer: Yes, see attached.

2025 Observed Holidays

Holiday Date

New Year's Day January 1, 2025

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday January 20, 2025

Spring Holidays April 18, 2025 April 21, 2025

Memorial Day May 26, 2025

Juneteenth - Optional Employee Leave Day June 19, 2025

Independence Day July 4, 2025

Labor Day September 1, 2025

Thanksgiving Holidays November 27, 2025 November 28, 2025

Employee Leave Day December 23, 2025

Winter Holidays December 24, 2025 December 25, 2025 December 26, 2025

*Observed in place of July 4 December 29, 2025 December 30, 2025 ** December 31, 2025**

New Years Day January 1, 2026

24) Question: Will the college be open to allow the vendor to perform work on holidays that are observed by the university but not observed by the contractor?

Answer: Yes, that is up to the awarded contractor.

25) Question: How many days during the year is the campus closed and no custodial services are expected?

Answer: Please refer to the holiday schedule for question #23. The days of no custodial service would be up to the awarded contractor, within those Holiday dates. Custodial services would need to be offered during normal operating hours.

26) Question: Please provide further explanation related to the use of e-procurement. Does this simply mean the RFP will be managed via an e-procurement system, does this mean payment will be made via P-Card, etc?

Answer: The awarded contractor will have to be registered in the NC Eprocurment

System. Purchase orders will be submitted annually through the system, and the awarded contractor will submit invoices, that will be paid by check.

27) Question: Will the awarded contractor be responsible for refinishing wood floor?

Answer: No, that will be contracted out with another vendor.

28) Question: Does the custodial department move, setup and breakdown tables and chairs on a regular basis?

29) Question: Can Isothermal CC provide a class schedule by building? This information would help design cleaning schedules.

Answer: Yes, see attached schedule at end of document. Class schedule varies from

Semester to semester.

30) Question: Will Isothermal CC provide central storage location form storage of stock to be distributed campus wide?

31) Question: If consumable products (paper towels, toilet tissue, trash liners, soap) to be

Included, would Isothermal CC consider being invoiced for these products separately as used or to be included in the total price?

Answer: The total price.

32) Question: Will there be an area that the contractor can park and recharge golf carts?

Answer: yes, at the maintenance building.

33) Question: Is all new equipment required for the vendor? Is the college open to the vendor purchasing their equipment from the college at fair market price.

Answer: a) Yes, equipment needs to be well kept and functional,

b) No, the college is not allowed to sale equipment to the awarded contractor.

34) Question: Can you provide the College’s current budget for consumable products or quantities that have been purchased in the last year?

Answer: Yes, spreadsheet will be sent out, due to conversion issues.

35) Question: Can you provide the current positions and pay wage for each position along with the respective benefit program – such as medical benefits, number of vacation days, holidays?

36) Question: What is the current custodial budget for the college? This would include labor, equipment, chemical program and consumable.

Answer: This information is not available at this time.

37) Question: Can you supply a copy of the current contract.

Answer: No, no current contract is in place at this time.

38) Question: Can you provide current staffing levels for each shift?

Answer: Currently there is only a first shift. Which runs from 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM.

Which is currently staffed with 8 employees.

39) Question: What type of dispensers are you installing for your upcoming restroom remodels? When will the remodeling start?

Answer: That will be determined by the state.

Custodian Salary Range: $33,411-$34,461 Lead Custodian: $41,064

College is responsible for:

$674.54 monthly for health insurance 24.04% for retirement 7.76% for Fica/Medi

Leave:

12 paid holidays per year 1 paid personal observance leave per year Employees accrue 7.67 hours of annual leave per month, accrual increases the longer you have been employed maxing out at 16 hours per month Employees accrue 7.5 hours of sick leave per month

40) Question: What is the release time for the Reach program?

Answer: 3:00 PM

41) Question: What brands of cleaning chemicals is the college currently using?

Answer: The College uses a variety of cleaning products, the selection of cleaning products would be a decision that the awarded contractor can make.

42) Question: Can the custodial team work at night until approximately 11:00 PM?

43) Question: Do you have a schedule for future events for the theater?

Answer: There is not a printed schedule for future events. Please refer to the following link for the schedule.

http://www.foundationshows.org/

44) Question: What is the current student enrollment and faculty / staff headcount for a typical day on campus?

Answer: The Campus currently has an approximate number of 250 employees and 2,077

Students. Headcount will vary from semester to semester based on enrollment.

http://www.foundationshows.org/