Refuse Questions and Answers.docx

Request for Information (RFI) Questions & Answers Refuse and Recycling

1. Submission & Bid Logistics Q1.1: Bid Package Delivery Methods

· Question: Can the bid package be mailed via a private carrier, such as FedEx, to the address provided in the Bidders' Instructions? Or is the government requiring only hand-delivered bid submissions?

· Government Response: Bidders may submit bid packages via private carriers (e.g., FedEx). If an offeror chooses to use a private carrier, the offeror is solely responsible for ensuring the package arrives on time. No late submittals will be accepted.

Q1.2: Electronic Copies & Removable Media

· Question: Does the bid submission package require electronic copies? If so, will a USB flash drive be acceptable?

· Government Response: No, electronic copies are not accepted. Removable media (such as USB drives) is strictly prohibited on Government IT equipment. The electronic submittal has been removed in the PWS.

Q1.3: Virtual Bid Opening

· Question: Can the government arrange a Bid Opening for offerors to join virtually via Microsoft Teams?

· Government Response: No. The bid opening will be conducted strictly in person, in accordance with the instructions provided in Paragraph 7 of the solicitation.

Q1.4: Bid Guarantee Requirement

· Question: Under General Instructions (Section 4, Bid Content), paragraph 5.3 requires a "Bid Guarantee." Can the government explain what is required under the "Bid Guarantee"?

· Government Response: This requirement has been removed from the solicitation.

2. Equipment & Containers (Ownership & Upkeep) Q2.1: Container Ownership & Quantities (TE-5)

· Question: Part 3 (Section 3.3.2) states that all equipment listed under Technical Exhibit 5 (TE-5) is government-owned property. However, TE-5 states that equipment is contractor-provided. Please confirm whether the containers listed under TE-5 are government-provided. Additionally, please indicate how many containers of each size the contractor is required to provide under this contract.

· Government Response: This issue has been officially addressed in Addendum 1. The containers are contractor-provided, not government-provided.

Q2.2: Historical Container Repair Records

· Question: Section 3.3.3 (Container Upkeep) – Please provide historical maintenance and repair records for government-owned containers performed by the contractor per year. If records exist, please indicate the type of repairs that were performed.

· Government Response: No historical records exist because the containers are not Government-owned. As clarified in Addendum 1, they are contractor-owned.

Q2.3: Equipment Maintenance Responsibilities

· Question: Section 3.3.3 (Container Upkeep) requires the contractor to maintain government-owned equipment. However, equipment such as balers, dumpsters, and shredders is not noted in the Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) list. Can the government clarify which GFE equipment the contractor is responsible for maintaining? How will the contractor bill the government for GFE repair and maintenance services, given there is no pricing CLIN in the pricing schedule?

· Government Response: As clarified in Amendment 1, this equipment is not Government-owned. Therefore, all equipment upkeep, maintenance, and repairs are the sole responsibility and at the expense of the contractor.

Q2.4: Container Specifications & Sizes

· Question: TE-5 lists the container requirements under this contract. Please clarify the required container sizes for the following locations (APG North, APH South, and ALC):

· a. Roll-Off Container

· b. Toters

· c. Bins

· d. Hopper (Are these 6CY Vert-I-Pak? Please provide a photo of the existing units.)

· Government Response: No photos will be provided. The container sizes and locations are explicitly detailed under 8.5 Attachment 5 (TE-5). For clarification:

· Roll-off containers: 30 cubic yards

· Toters: 96 gallons

· Bins: 40 gallons

· Hoppers: Standard metal hoppers (not 6CY Vert-I-Pak) Q2.5: Container Color Requirements

· Question: If the contractor is providing the containers, please indicate if there are specific color requirements.

· Government Response: There are no mandated color codes, but the containers must be uniform in color by type.

· For reference, the current inventory colors are:

· Refuse containers: Brown

· Recycling containers: White

· Roll-off containers: Blue Q2.6: Container Condition

· Question: What is the current condition of the government-owned containers noted in TE-5?

· Government Response: As clarified in Amendment 1, the Government does not own the containers; they are contractor-owned and contractor-provided. The condition of the deployed containers is the contractor's responsibility to manage and maintain in accordance with contract standards.

3. Operational & Staffing Requirements Q3.1: Skid Steer Requirements

· Question: Section 4.3 (Equipment) – What is the skid steer required for?

· Government Response: The skid steer is required to move containers on-site and to compact/smash down materials inside the roll-off containers. Debris and waste must not extend above the rim of the roll-offs during transport.

Q3.2: Container Weights & Scale Systems

· Question: Section 5.2.1 requires the contractor to provide all container weights. Is this a requirement for front-load containers? If so, will an estimated weight suffice, or does the government require the contractor to install an onboard front-load scale system on the collection trucks to provide the actual weight of each front-load container at each collection?

· Government Response: Yes, this is a requirement for front-load containers. Estimated weights will not suffice. The contractor is required to install an onboard front-load scale system on collection vehicles to record actual weights at each collection point.

Q3.3: On-Site Container Cleaning

· Question: Section 5.2.4.12 – Is container cleaning allowed on-site? Does the government have a dedicated area for the contractor to perform such cleaning?

· Government Response: No. On-site container cleaning is strictly prohibited. The Government does not have a dedicated wash area. All container cleaning must be performed off-site.

Q3.4: Key Personnel & Dual-Hatting

· Question: Section 1.7.8.5 requires two key personnel under this contract. Can the Quality Control Manager (QCM) be dual-hatted as the Project Manager (PM)? Or does the government require two separate personnel to be assigned?

· Government Response: No. Dual-hatting is not permitted. The Government requires two separate, dedicated individuals to fulfill these key personnel roles.

Q3.5: On-Site Recycling Staffing & Hours

· Question: Section 5.2.3 – In supporting APG’s recycling services, is the contractor required to have staff on-site during operating hours to assist in recyclable segregation? Are contractor employees required to man the collection station noted in TE-7? If so, what are the operating hours and staffing requirements?

· Government Response: Yes, the contractor must have staff on-site to assist with recyclable segregation, and yes, contractor employees are required to man the collection station noted in TE-7. The operational hours are 06:00 to 14:30, Monday through Friday.

Q3.6: Weekly Labor Hour Estimates (TE-3)

· Question: TE-3 provides estimated work hours per week. At APG North/South, including Grace's Quarters & Churchville Test Track, the estimated collection hours per week are 200. What do these 200 collection hours include? Do they include refuse front-load collection services or only recycling collection services from all buildings and collection stations? Do these hours include key personnel hours per week dedicated to this contract?

· Government Response: The hours provided are strictly non-binding estimates. The contractor is solely responsible for determining the appropriate staffing levels, key personnel allocation, and labor hours required to successfully perform all collection and staffing coverage duties at the collection sites.

4. Pricing, Scope, & Logistics Q4.1: Disposal Fee Reimbursement

· Question: Part 5 (Section 5.1) states that disposal fees will be reimbursed monthly; however, there is no Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) associated with this line item in the pricing schedule. Please indicate how the contractor will be reimbursed monthly for all disposal fees.

· Government Response: Disposal fees are fixed-price and must be built directly into the base pricing for refuse and recycling services; they will not be reimbursed as a separate line item. The "Surge" is designed to cover variable-volume items from the collection centers and tenant roll-offs.

Q4.2: Historical Tonnage Data

· Question: Can the government provide historical annual tonnage by month (to show seasonal fluctuations) for the last 2 years on all front-load refuse, front-load recycling, roll-off containers, and toter collection?

· Government Response:

· Q4.3: Approved Disposal Sites

· Question: Does the government have approved disposal sites for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and each recyclable material? If so, please indicate.

· Government Response: Yes. The primary disposal site is the Eastern Sanitary Landfill for all materials except scrap metal, which is processed directly at the Government's own on-site facility. Alternatively, contractors may utilize the Harford County Landfill located in Street, Maryland.

Q4.4: Spare Containers

· Question: Section 5.2.4.9 requires the contractor to maintain spare containers. Please confirm that this statement is accurate, as Section 3.3.2 states that all containers under this contract are government-owned. If the contractor is to provide spare containers, how many have historically been required?

· Government Response: As indicated in Amendment 1, the containers are not Government-owned; they are contractor-provided. The contractor must provide and maintain all necessary primary and spare containers to meet the contract requirements.

Q4.5: Surge Roll-Off Container Support

· Question: Pricing Bid Sheet – Please explain what services are required under “Surge Roll-Off Container Support”? There is no mention of this section in the Performance Work Statement (PWS). What services are to be provided by the contractor under this CLIN?

· Government Response: The Surge covers on-demand roll-off and compactor collection services, as well as waste services supporting tenant organizations on base.

Q4.6: Applicable Wage Determinations

· Question: Please provide the applicable wage determination for this contract.

· Government Response: Service Contract WD 2015-4265 Rev 33 Q4.7: Bulk Collection Scope

· Question: Section 5.2.3.1.2 – Is bulk collection throughout the base included in this requirement? If so, please clarify what a contractor's bulk collection responsibilities include and what materials are included in bulk collection.

· Government Response: Bulk collection is centralized at the designated collection center. The contractor's responsibilities encompass the management, transport, and disposal of all bulk items listed in Section 5.2.3.1.2 of the PWS.

Q4.8: Cardboard Collection & Storage

· Question: Section 5.2.3.1.2 – Where is the contractor collecting cardboard from? How are these materials stored before the contractor is required to collect them?

· Government Response: Cardboard is deposited by base personnel into outdoor recycling containers. The contractor is responsible for picking up and emptying these containers on a regular, recurring schedule.

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