RFP Questions and Answers.pdf

Questions & Answers RFP No: 381487-CJ

Data Center Cleaning Services Batavia, Illinois

8/31/2026 Rev 00

1 Please provide the approximate cleanable square footage for each building:

Underfloor area is vacuumed and spot cleaned.

Building Square Footage Feynman Computing Center (FCC) 16,041 Under-floor: 8,950 Grid Computing Center (GCC) 14,963 Under-floor: 9,203 Wilson Hall Room 805/Fiber Central (WH8W) 779

Under-floor: 771

Total above-floor: 31,783 Total under-floor: 18,924

2 Can you provide the square footage of each Data Center?

Feynman Computing Center (FCC) – 16,041 square feet Grid Computing Center (GCC) – 14,963 square feet Wilson Hall Room 805/Fiber Central (WH8W) - 779 square feet

3 The Scope of Work identifies underfloor plenum cleaning at both FCC and GCC.

The Rev. 01 square footage table identifies 9,203 square feet of underfloor space, and the Attachment M maps appear to identify that space at the Grid Computing Center only. Is the 9,203 square feet at the Grid Computing Center the full underfloor plenum cleaning scope, or are any FCC areas also included? If FCC areas are included, please provide the applicable underfloor square footage. FCC2 ONLY – 10,283 square feet.

4 The revised SOW identifies 9,203 square feet of annual underfloor-plenum cleaning at the Grid Computing Center. Please identify the specific GCC rooms or areas comprising this square footage and confirm whether FCC1, FCC2, FCC3W, and WH8 Fiber Central are excluded from underfloor cleaning. FCC1 and FCC3W are excluded from underfloor cleaning.

GCC-TRR – 1,955 square feet GCC-CRA – 2,221 square feet GCC-CRB – 2,476 square feet

Data Center Cleaning Services Batavia, Illinois

GCC-NRB – 72 square feet GCC-CRC – 2,479 square feet

5 Please provide, if available, the flooring types and approximate square footage by serviced building or room, including raised-access flooring, static-dissipative flooring, sealed concrete, vinyl composition tile, and carpet.

FCC1 - 2,560 square feet sealed concrete, 330 square feet tile (battery room) FCC2 - 8,950 square feet raised flooring, 1,333 square feet tile FCC3W - 95 square feet carpet (foyer), 2,773 square feet sealed concrete GCC-TRR – 1,955 square feet raised flooring GCC-TRR Hallway - 242 square feet raised flooring GCC North Lobby - 448 square feet tile GCC-NRA - 680 square feet tile GCC-CRA – 2,221 square feet raised flooring GCC-BRA-1,119 square feet sealed concrete GCC-ERA - 1,426 square feet sealed concrete GCC-CRB – 2,476 square feet raised flooring GCC South Lobby - 290 square feet tile GCC-NRB – 531 square feet sealed concrete,72 square feet raised flooring GCC-ERC - 878 square feet sealed concrete GCC-CRC – 2,479 square feet raised flooring WH8FC - 771 square feet raised flooring, 8 square feet carpet

6 Could you please confirm that restrooms are excluded from the scope of work?

Restrooms are excluded.

7 Please confirm whether the required cleaning services are semi-annual or weekly.

The required cleaning services are semi-annual, not weekly. Semi-annual.

Data Center Cleaning Services Batavia, Illinois

8 The revised SOW requires one annual cleaning service for the 779-square-foot

WH8 Fiber Central area. Should this cleaning be performed during one of the two semiannual above-floor service visits, or should it be planned and priced as a separate service and mobilization? Performed during one (1) of the two (2) visits.

9 Should the annual underfloor-plenum cleaning be performed concurrently with one of the two semiannual above-floor cleaning visits, or should it be planned and priced as a separate mobilization? Concurrently.

10 The revised SOW requires scheduled cleaning activities to be completed within five (5) consecutive business days. Please confirm whether this five-day period applies to the entire scheduled service visit across all applicable Fermilab facilities, rather than five (5) business days per facility. Across all facilities.

11 Have there been problems meeting the Monday-Friday time restraint in the past?

Never.

12 What is the approximate raised-floor or underfloor-plenum depth in each GCC room or area included in the annual underfloor cleaning?

GCC-TRR – 1 foot GCC-CRA – 1 foot GCC-CRB – 4 feet GCC-NRB – 1 foot GCC-CRC – 4 feet

13 What are the approximate ceiling or clear heights in each serviced data-center room or area? Ceilings are excluded from cleaning, but heights range from 10 to 25 feet.

14 What is the approximate height of the overhead cable trays included in the cleaning requirement? Approximately eight (8) feet.

15 Does the overhead cable-tray cleaning requirement include all accessible trays within the serviced rooms? Please identify the surfaces to be cleaned, such as the top, sides, and underside, and provide the approximate linear footage, if available.

Dust/wipe down the sides of all cable trays.

Data Center Cleaning Services Batavia, Illinois

16 Regarding equipment, I have enclosed a picture of a vacuum cleaner similar to the model I intend to use. Could you confirm if vacuums are required to have High- EƯiciency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration? HEPA filtration is required.

17 Does the scope of work for cleaning the cubicles allow for the use of a dust blower on computers? No. Dust blowers shall not be used in a data center.

18 Are suction tools for removing floor tiles available from Fermilab, or should the contractor purchase them? Each room has several tile removal tools for use.

19 Are there any known employee allergies to bleach or other harsh chemicals?

Additionally, is the use of bleach permitted on-site? Bleach may be used on-site. All cleaners and chemicals must be accompanied by an SDS.

20 Does the facility have a designated lost and found area? No, contact the task manager, Bill Barker at 630-486-0591, and he will make arrangements.

21 Does Fermilab use an internal crew to clean the facilities regularly? Not the data centers, but the rest of the facility.

22 How many cleaners are usually staƯed for this job? That is up to the sub-contractor doing the cleaning, but should be enough to complete within the five (5) day timeframe.

23 When were the data centers last cleaned under a service like this? Autumn 2025.

24 Did that cleaning include both the above floor spaces and the underfloor plenum?

Yes.

25 Are there any additional required safety training, certifications, orientations, or site-specific qualifications that contractor personnel must complete or possess prior to performing the above-floor and below-floor/plenum cleaning? Attachment N – FFDG Procedures for Performing Work in Computer Rooms. Subcontractor oversight training to include General Employee Radiation Training (GERT) will be required before work.

26 Are there specific guidelines regarding face masks, such as whether KN95 masks or standard surgical masks are required? No specific Fermilab guidelines apply. If chemicals are used the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) will provide thorough guidance on the application.

Data Center Cleaning Services Batavia, Illinois

27 The performing subcontractor has fewer than 10 employees and is below the NCCI premium threshold for an experience modification rating (EMR); therefore, an EMR is not available. The subcontractor’s insurance carrier can confirm its ineligibility for an EMR in writing. The subcontractor is also exempt from OSHA 300A recordkeeping under the applicable small-employer exemption. Can the subcontractor satisfy the requirements of Sections 1.12 and 5.B.4 by providing (1) a letter from its insurance carrier confirming its ineligibility for an EMR, (2) the subcontractor’s written safety program, and (3) Attachment G completed using the subcontractor’s actual injury and hours-worked data? Yes.

28 Does the subcontractor's ES&H program and safety record satisfy requirements when the prime is new/no employees? Yes.

29 Can subcontractor project experience, Experience Modification Rate (EMR), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 300A records, and safety history satisfy experience/safety requirements for a newer prime? Yes. If the OƯeror does not have an EMR or OSHA 300A records because it is a new firm or otherwise does not have such records, the OƯeror may provide an explanation and submit the applicable information for its proposed Subcontractor, as described in Question 30.

30 [Potential vendor] is a new firm with no employees of its own. The cleaning crews would come from our subcontractor. We have no National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) experience rating and no OSHA 300A logs to submit. Can we submit a short explanation of that circumstance along with our subcontractor's NCCI and OSHA records for the past three years? Yes. Provide a short explanation of the circumstance along with the proposed Subcontractor's NCCI experience rating and OSHA 300A records for the past three years.

31 Section 13 states that subcontractor use is subject to FFDG consent. Is a prime contractor using a data center cleaning subcontractor for the field work acceptable under this RFP, and if so, how do we request consent? The following sentence has been removed from the RFP: “The use of subcontractors in the performance of the contract is subject to FFDG consent.”

Yes. OƯerors may propose the use of Subcontractors to perform a portion of the work.

The OƯeror shall clearly identify its proposed use of Subcontractors in its Technical

Data Center Cleaning Services Batavia, Illinois

Proposal, including the scope of work to be performed by any proposed Subcontractor and the OƯeror's approach to managing and overseeing Subcontractor performance.

The awarded OƯeror remains responsible for the performance of its Subcontractors and shall ensure that its Subcontractors comply with all applicable terms and conditions of the subcontract.

32 Does a subcontractor's project experience satisfy the Current and Past Project Experience criterion in Section 5.A? Will you accept a subcontractor's past performance in place of [Potential vendor]'s own? Yes. A Subcontractor's current/past project experience may be provided to demonstrate experience performing cleaning services in data centers, mission-critical computing environments, controlled environments, or similarly sensitive facilities. The OƯeror shall identify the proposed Subcontractor and describe the Subcontractor's role in performing the work.

33 What are the planned base and option period dates? One (1) one-year base period from the date of award, plus four (4) one-year option periods. Each option period, if exercised, will be exercised separately on an annual basis at the sole discretion of FFDG and is not an automatic renewal.

34 Is there a current incumbent on this work? The incumbent is Promera (formerly Data Clean).

35 What is the current annual contract value for these data center cleaning services?

The current annual contract is not available.

36 Historical details such as current or most recent contractor's name, the previous contract number, the period of performance, and the final contract value or pricing schedule? The incumbent is Promera (formerly Data Clean). Period of Performance was a five (5) year contract. Contract numbers and final contract value are unavailable.

37 What was the previous awarded contract amount for this project? The previous contract amount is unavailable.

38 What was the previous awarded contract amount for this project? See response to Question 38 above.

Data Center Cleaning Services Batavia, Illinois

39 What is the maximum procurement or budget allocated for this opportunity?

Budget information is unavailable.

40 What is the maximum procurement or budget allocated for this opportunity? See response to Question 40 above.

41 Will the award be made to the lowest-priced responsive/responsible oƯeror, or is the proposal evaluated based on other factors? See Request for Proposal Section 5, Preparation, Submission, and Evaluation of Proposals. This solicitation is a competitive Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) procurement, which involves the selection of the oƯeror having a technically acceptable proposal with the lowest evaluated price.

42 Is there a separate technical evaluation criteria document/template, or should oƯerors develop their technical proposal from the SOW? OƯerors should develop their Technical Proposal in accordance with Section 5, Preparation, Submission, and Evaluation of Proposals, and the Statement of Work. Section 5 identifies the required elements of the Technical Proposal, including Technical Approach, Project Experience, and Technical Acceptability.

43 Is this requirement on the AbilityOne Procurement List? No.

44 Does prevailing wage apply to this solicitation? Wage Determination for Illinois, DuPage, SCA 2015-5017, Rev. 32, Dated 05-13-2026 is included as Att J, which means the wages paid per hour are at a minimum of $17.99 per hour.

45 Could you confirm that the bid for the building(s) should be calculated based on labor, time, and equipment costs? Price per cleaning of that location all your costs should be factored into that price.

46 Could you confirm if pay advances on the bid amount are prohibited if our firm is selected? No. We pay for services we have received.

47 Regarding compliance, if the chosen candidate is bonded but lacks the specific insurance requirements initially, will they be disqualified, or is an extension granted to secure the necessary coverage? Work will not begin until all the necessary paperwork has been completed including the required insurance coverage.

Data Center Cleaning Services Batavia, Illinois

48 Can required insurance coverage be carried by the performing subcontractor, with required additional insureds/waivers, or must the prime hold the policies?

Insurance should be held by the subcontractor per the insurance requirements in Att F

– FFDG Insurance Requirements for Onsite Non-Professional Services.

49 Attachment F lists the insurance requirements. Can the required coverage be carried by our performing subcontractor, with the added insureds and waivers named in Attachment F, or must the prime hold each policy in its own name? See response to Question 49 above.

50 Could you kindly email me the list of GC bidders or plan holders for this project?

Alternatively, if you could direct me to someone who would have this information.

This is a janitorial/cleaning services procurement, not a construction project. General Contractors (GC) does not apply to service procurements. A list of companies for this solicitation is not available to the general public.

51 How would you like this solicitation submitted? Please submit your proposals via email to cjones@fnal.gov.

52 No submission deadline, submission method, page limit, or evaluation criteria were found in the extracted/available document text (document set was truncated before Sections L/M/Instructions to OƯerors could be fully reviewed) — these should be confirmed with the CO. The RFP contains the submission deadline, submission method, page limit, and evaluation criteria. OƯerors should refer to the RFP for this information.

53 Site visit attendance optional? Will site-visit information/questions/amendments be available to non-attendees? Yes, the site visit was optional. All questions received for this procurement will be issued via an amendment and posted to SAM.gov.

54 What are the background-check requirements, and who performs them? Personnel performing the work are not required to undergo any additional background checks beyond the initial background check conducted as part of the hiring process. Access to the building and Data Centers is subject to an approval process. The building approver must approve each individual’s access request. Personnel must also complete any additional training required for the specific building or location before access can be approved.

Data Center Cleaning Services Batavia, Illinois

55 The Pre-Proposal Meeting/Site Visit is dated Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in File K, but the pricing schedule (File B) is dated August 10, 2026, and the wage determination revision is dated 5/13/2026 — the site visit date appears inconsistent with the rest of the document set's timeline; worth confirming actual site visit and proposal dates with the CO. Site visit was held on August 24, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CT. Att K Business Visitor Registration Instructions and Directions should have been marked as a sample. The intent was to assist oƯerors in registering for the site visit.

56 Any amendments expected before the deadline? Yes, all questions received for this procurement will be issued via an amendment and posted to SAM.gov.

57 Document was truncated ('TRUNCATED — document exceeded extraction budget') partway through File I (PUR-466), so later sections/exhibits (e.g., Statement of Work, Instructions to OƯerors Section 3 in full, evaluation factors) may not have been captured and could contain additional requirements. The issued RFP package is complete; oƯerors are responsible for reviewing the complete RFP and its exhibits.

The RFP, including the Statement of Work, Instructions to OƯerors, Evaluation Criteria, and applicable exhibits, constitutes the complete solicitation requirements. OƯerors should refer to the complete RFP package and all identified exhibits when preparing their proposals.

No additional requirements are implied by the document-extraction issue referenced in the question.

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