q_and_a.docx

Solicitation Name: Cleaning Services for US Consulate Istanbul Solicitation Number: S-TU-460-14-Q-0003

Q1. What will be the start and end dates of the Contract?

Base Period : Nov. 16, 2014 – Nov. 15, 2015 First Year : Nov. 16, 2015 – Nov. 15, 2016 Second Year : Nov. 16, 2016 – Nov. 15, 2017 Third Year : Nov. 16, 2017 – Nov. 15, 2018 Fourth Year : Nov. 15, 2018 - Nov. 15, 2019

These dates are the best estimate at this time and can be subject to change.

Q2. Are the workers members of a labor union?

The current contractor can address this question about its employees. We have no preference for workers to be member of a union or not. However, the new contractor shall insure their workers by Turkish Social Security and pay their salaries on time, as agreed to in their contracts with their employees.

Q3. Will there be an office for the Contractor’s Controller in the building?

There is break room for the workers but there is no private office for the Controller.

Q4. The solicitation states that offers can be in Turkish Lira or US Dollars. If we give an offer in Turkish Lira, will you allow us to add inflation and minimum wage increase to the price when time comes to extend the contract period every contract year?

There is no limitation to keep one price for all contract years. Offerors can offer a different price for the base and each option year. Offerors must anticipate these increases and prepare the offer accordingly. Each quote must be use the same currency throughout the quote.

Q5. Can the Contractor personnel eat in the cafeteria?

The US Consulate will not pay for lunch for contractors (or its own employees). However, the contractor staff are welcome to purchase food in the cafeteria or bring their own lunch and at eat at the tables.

Q6. Are they permitted to go out and come back?

Yes.

Q7. Does the square meters provided for in the solicitation include the carpentry room?

Yes.

Q8. How many washing machines and dryers are there, and where are they?

In total there are two laundry machines and one dryer. One laundry machine is in the char force office, the other laundry machine and the dryer is in the laundry room on the lower level.

Q9. What is the total sqm of the terraces and balconies?

229 sqm

Q10. Page 21 on 10.8 in the solicitation discusses “Licenses and Permits.” What does this mean?

These are the documents to prove that you are permitted to conduct business in Turkey. You must provide the documents listed on page 45 with your offer. Another example is the person who will drive the truck must have valid driver’s license to drive such truck.

Q11. We would like to provide our offer as an American Company; do they need to open an office in Istanbul?

The company must comply with local law. If an American company is allowed to operate in Turkey they may bid on this contract. An American company (or any other company) which is not registered properly in Turkey cannot be awarded this contract.

Q12. On page 5, base year and all option years, section B “Temporary Additional Services: Per person/per hr. and then you as per sqm. price seems confusing, what is required please explain?

We have amended the solicitation. Prices should be per square meter.

Q13. When we are filling in section D on base year and following years, how we will reflect to the total?

Offerors should add A+B+C. Because line B will vary from year to year depending on how many temporary services are ordered, we will take this into consideration when we conduct the price analysis.

Q14. If the answers you provide on FedBizOpps are still not clear, may we ask questions on a later date?

If we feel the question is legitimate and will affect the offer, we can evaluate and extend the submission date for quotes accordingly.

Q15. Per the solicitation, certain tasks must be completed on weekends or American holidays. Will you pay us extra for such services?

No, every cost should be calculated and included in overall monthly cost and shown in column A.

Q16. Will you cover personnel’s severance, notice and vacation allowances?

No, all should be included in your quoted price.

Q17. We need to rent bucket cart to clean the windows three times in a year. Will you allow us to bill separately?

No, every expenditure should be reflected under column A, monthly and 12 months (yearly) cost. Temporary additional services are the only cost we will pay in addition to the contract price.

Q18. Per the solicitation we are allowed to give offers in Turkish Lira or in US Dollars. If there is no change in exchange rate in the following years and the minimum wage is increased based on inflation every year which is approximately 10%. Are we allowed to ask more money to cover the minimum wage increase?

You may increase or decrease prices for the offers in US Dollars or Turkish Lira for each year in the offer. Potential minimum wage increases, inflation, and increased cost of materials should be taken into consideration for the option years. Each quote must be use the same currency throughout the quote.

Q19. If we give the offer in Turkish Lira what exchange rate you will use for the following years when you are calculating your five years?

We will use the exchange rate on the date that proposals are due to evaluate the price proposals. We will use the same exchange rate for the base and option years.

Q20. Will the garbage truck come to the compound twice a day? Is the truck going to remain at the Consulate, and can the driver be one of the crew who will work at the Consulate under this contract?

Security will not allow the truck to remain in the compound while not in use. The same truck and driver should come to the Consulate at the same time every day and once the job is completed must leave the compound. The time will be determined by the COR, generally after 3pm daily. The driver can be one of the crew but he/she must have a valid license to drive the truck.

Q21. May the truck come in the morning and leave at 4 PM?

The truck cannot remain in the compound when it is not in use. The truck should come at a set time every day. The truck may make more than one trip to deliver all the garbage. The number of the trips depends on the amount of the garbage collected every day and the size of the truck.

Q22. Can we use an electrical cart for garbage delivery?

Any vehicle can enter after inspection. The compound has steep hills and the vehicle must be able to climb and descend the hills safely.

Q23. How many contractor personnel are working at the moment?

12 people

Q24. In the solicitation you talk about a person who speaks English. Should that person be located at the Consulate during working hours?

You need to provide a name who can speak English in your Company, but that person does not need to be located at all times in the consulate.

Q25. Where is the 250sqm of parquet flooring?

The parquet floors are located in the Consul General’s suite.

Q26. We have seen many Turkish Carpets in the offices, do they have antique value, and are they also required to be cleaned. Is the provided sqm for carpet washing including these carpets? Carpets are on top of wall to wall carpeting?

The Turkish carpets shall be vacuumed on the same schedule as the regular carpets. They do not need to be shampooed.

Q27. The solicitation mentions working 40 hours per week. In a week by Turkish Law it is 45hrs in a week excluding lunch breaks. How we will set this?

We are not in violation of Turkish law by asking the contractor staff to work fewer hours in the consulate.

Q28. Is this a follow-on requirement? If so, could you please provide the incumbent contract number for this opportunity and the contract value? If not, is this a new requirement?

The incumbent contract number is S-TU-460-10-C-0057. The total contract is $1,020,000 over five years.

Q29. Section 1.3.1.6 Page 10 is the contractor to secure a trash collection and transportation off consulate services or is it a separate contract?

No

Q30. Section 1.3.1.6 Removing Trash. What’s the average volume and weight of the daily trash to be transported to the main garbage pick-up area?

Approximately five m3 daily weighing less than 50kg

Q31. Section 1.3.1.9 Page 10 What is the number and length and width of each driveways and walkways?

5 driveways 6 meters wide; 9800 m2 of driveways; 2 walkways

Q32. What’s the tolerable thickness of snow?

Zero tolerance. All snow shall be removed from the walkways

Q33. Does the government foresee a need of a plow truck or snow blowers would be allowed to be used?

No

Q34. Section 1.3.1.10 Page 10.

a. Is the contractor required to cut the grass, if yes, what’s the total area, how many times per year, what’s the tolerable height of the grass?

The contractor is not required to cut the grass.

b. What’s the total cement area to be swept?

3000 m2

c. How many plant beds and what’s the total area? Is the contractor responsible for replacing dead plants or is it cost reimbursable?

The contractor is not responsible for maintaining the plant beds, only removing debris.

Q35. Section 1.3.4 Quarterly Cleaning –

a. Section 1.3.4.2 How many windows with blinds?

b. Section 1.3.4.2 How many light fixtures and chandeliers?

Q36. Section 5.0 Material and Equipment. “The contractor shall identify products by brand name for each of the following products….” Shall we identify them in the proposal or after award?

The products will be identified after the award.

Q37. Ref in the Scope of Work Section 1.0 – hard surfaces 1550m2 – is this concrete or other material type – any special considerations WRT this surface as to cleaning? Does it also includes the volley ball court– is it indoor or out? Hard surface or sand?

These are concrete surfaces that need to be swept. It includes the outdoor, hard surface volleyball court.

Q38. Scope of Work Section 1.0 Are the hard surfaces (1550 sq m) – designated as street and sidewalks or terraces that need cleaning and snow removal operations?

There are 1550 square meters of interior hard surfaces, and 3254 square meters of exterior hard surfaces. Of the exterior hard surfaces, 955 square meters require snow removal.

Q39. Section 1.2.3-.4 How many official events (indoor and outdoor) occur per year?

One

Q40. Section 1.3.1.6 Where is the main garbage pickup-collection area located? Lower Compound Access Control Loading Dock

Q41. Section 1.3.1.11 Is there only one washing machine or several? What is the maximum (pound or kg) size per load?

There are two washing machines and one dryer. The maximum size is 7 kg per load.

Q42. Section 1.3.1.11 what is the average load of laundry to be washed daily (including welcome kits and US government employee uniforms)?

3.5 kg

Q43. Section 1.3.3.2, Section 1.3.7.2 How many windows are there, and of those, how many have brass handles that require polishing?

There are 154 windows, none with brass handles.

Q44. Section 2.1 Will the contractor on site representative has an office space from which to supervise the daily employees? Will he/she require a security clearance?

There is a break room for all contractor employees, but there is not a separate work space. The on-site representative will require a background check as required for all on-site employees but does not need a security clearance.

Q45. Section 1.0 verses Section 3.0 There seems to be a possible math disconnect on the sq meter. In Section1.0 the surface area list is (3380 plus 510 plus 250 plus 1550 sq m) versus Section 3.0 cleaning area which is 2061 plus 2570 plus 1490 plus 181 sq m.

The square meters for interior hard surfaces is 1550 square meters, and the square meters for exterior hard surfaces is 3254 square meters. For the exterior hard surfaces, 1346 square meters are for regular sweeping, and 1908 square meters is for collecting debris and trash only. Snow removal will be done on 955 square meters of exterior hard surfaces.

Q46. Section 1.3.1.10 please provides information on the total area and yard of Marine Security Guard Quarters.

1000 m2

Q47. Section 1.3.1.12 How big is the cafeteria? Do we need to provide full time attendants in the cafeteria?

The cafeteria is 150 m2. The contractor does not need to provide full time attendants.

Q48. 1.3.7.1 What are the linear meters of buildings requiring gutter cleaning?

2250 m

Q49. The government will provide the following equipment listed in Attachment 1 of the PWS on page 24: Washing machines, Dryer , and Dishwashers. 1) How many of each, and 2) Who’s responsible for their preventive maintenance and breakdown from normal wear and tear, and or replacement? Is it the contractor or the government?

There are two washing machines, one dryer, and four dishwashers. The US Government is responsible for preventative maintenance and repair from normal wear and tear. The US Government is responsible for their replacement if they cannot be repaired because of damage from normal wear and tear.

a. If it is the government are the machine under a separate contract or the contractor will repair them and be reimbursed for the repair cost?

n/a

b. If it is the contractor’s cost please provide the make, model, book value, and age of the equipment.

n/a

Q50. Section 3 – Solicitations provisions Section A.2

(a) Offeror’s strategic plan. Is there any page limits for this section?

No

(b) Is the contractor to detail in this section the annual quantity of all each product it will use to provide the service, such as: Quantity of All-purpose cleaner, general degreaser, furniture polish, floor stripper, how many brooms and mops heads, Gum remover, bathroom cleaner, etc……?

The offeror does not need to provide the types of cleansers or quantity in the offer. The contractor shall provide the types and names of cleansers after the contract is awarded. However, the offeror should take into consideration the materials needed to fulfill the contract in the offer. Additional funding will not be provided to purchase these materials and therefore the costs should be included in the offer.

Q51. Section A.2. (3) and Section 4 (b). RFQ mentions “technical acceptability” in the evaluation criteria which consists of past performance and experience. Is there a page count or additional volume to be supplied?

No

Q52.Who will fill in the page 3, you or the contractor?

The Contractor should fill in page 3.

Q53. If we give the offer in US Dollars, in your solicictation you are saying that you will calculate the exchage rate. What exchange rate will you use?

If an offer is priced in Turkish Lira, we will use the Department of State’s exchange rate for the date that the proposals are due. This rate is calculated daily at a market rate.

Q54. Can you explain how we will handle KDV payment since you are exempt?

The Consulate will provide a copy of the KDV exemption card to the contractor, and your accountants will guide you how to prepare your invoice and complete exemption procedures.

Q55. Since our offer is not based on number of the person who will work, if you require additional personnel, how wil you calculate how they will paid?

The solicitation explains the services we require. The offerer proposes the number of required personnel to complete the job. We pay for the services we receive. If we require temporary additional services, we will pay per square meter for the services required.

Q56. Working hours and days are not calculated based on the Turkish labor law; therefore, please tell us what will be the employees earned vacation at the end of the year?

The offeror determines how employees will be compensated for vacation and other leave.

Q57. Have there been any labor disputes in the last 5 years of the prior contract?

No

Q58. Has there been any history of prior civil unrest that prevented employees from their duties? How are these situations handled?

In the past five years there has not been any civil unrest that prevented employes from their duties. If for some reason the consulate is not open, such as for civil unrest or natural causes (such as heavy snowfall), the contractor will be informed and is expected to notify its employees as to the need to come to the consulate for work.