A21 Amendment 0001.pdf

US Army Corps of Engineers

St. Louis District

VISITOR CENTER ATTENDANTS

St. Louis District Office 1222 Spruce Street St. Louis, MO 63103

AMENDED COMBINED SYNOPSIS & SOLICITATION

W912P923Q0032 0001

The purpose of this amendment is to include questions and answers, correct the line items and their quantities, remove the former section 5.1 of the statement of work and change the solicitation due date to 0700 CDT, 14 August 2023.

Offer must acknowledge receipt of this amendment by signing below. This signed amendment must be submitted to the contract specialist listed below prior to the time and date offers are due.

Offeror Name:

Offeror Signature:

Date:

Submit offer to Bradley Cain, Contract Specialist, via email at Bradley.j.cain@usace.army.mil above no later than 0700 CDT, Monday, August 14th 2023.

Contracting Officer Rebekah Lamb

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q: “All Contractor personnel who will act as Visitor Center Attendants/Outreach Assistants will be required to attend an 8-hour orientation session prior to beginning work in the Museum or Orientation Center.” Please confirm that personnel will be compensated for this training time.

A: Yes, training is paid. It’s considered the first day of work.

Q: Please confirm if this is a new opportunity or if there are currently incumbent personnel fulfilling these requirements.

A: We currently have a contractor filling this role.

Q: Does the government have a template or standard for “Factor C: Price” that they would like companies to use when responding?

A: Please see the corrected line items. We are asking for hourly pricing for each site.

Q: Please confirm how many references are required for Factor A: Past Performance. Similarly, may we use CPARs instead of PPQs to avoid additional burdens on our existing contracting officers?

A: Vendors may use any form and amount of past performance documentation. There will be no preference given to the type of documents or the amount provided so long as it relevant to the scope and best displays their past performance.

Q: Does the government expect companies to provide resumes for the Project Manager for Factor B: Management? Does the government require resumes for FTE candidates?

A: No, it is up to the contractor to find qualified personnel to fit our needs.

Q: There is a section that references a Fidelity Bond? Is one required?

A: No, the former section 5.1 has been removed.

W912P923Q0032

Section SF 1449 - CONTINUATION SHEET

STATEMENT OF WORK

DESCRIPTIONS/SPECIFICATIONS/ STATEMENT OF WORK

VISITOR CENTER ATTENDANT/OUTREACH ASSISTANT

1. GENERAL

1.1 SCOPE OF WORK. Contractor shall supply personnel to staff the National Great Rivers Museum (NGRM) 360 days, staff the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary (RMBS) Orientation Center 201 days and provide an additional 32 days of on/off site program support. All work shall be completed within one year of award date. The Contractor shall be responsible for a number of tasks associated with the operations and outreach of the Rivers Project which includes but is not limited to the National Great Rivers Museum, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientation Center, Lock 24, Lock 25, Melvin Price, and Lock 27. The Contractor shall assure that all work is accomplished in accordance with the contract requirements, all applicable laws, and regulations and/or written directives issued by the Contracting Officer. All work shall be performed to the satisfaction of the Contracting Officer or the Contracting Officer Representative.

1.2 DEFINITIONS. As used throughout this description/specification, the following terms shall have the meaning set forth below:

a. CONTRACTOR – the term “Contractor” refers to the prime Contractor and all contractor employees and personnel. The prime Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring all subcontractors comply with the provisions of this contract.

b. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVE – a foreman or superintendent, assigned to represent the interests of the Contractor with regards to all matters involving the contract.

c. CONTRACTING OFFICER (CO) - the term "Contracting Officer" means the person executing this contract on behalf of the Government, and any other officer or civilian employee who is properly designated Contracting Officer; and the term includes, except as otherwise provided in this contract, the authorized representative of a Contracting Officer acting within the limits of their authority.

d. CONTRACTING OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE (COR) – the term “Contracting Officer Representative” refers to the authorized representative of a Contracting Officer acting within the limits of their authority.

e. QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA) – the term "Quality Assurance" refers to action taken by the government to ensure the Contractor's quality control system is functioning and effective, and the Contractor is providing services, which are in accordance with this contract.

f. DEFICIENCY – a material failure of a proposal to meet a Government requirement or a combination of significant weaknesses in a proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance to an unacceptable level.

g. PARK RANGER – a full-time or part-time employee of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

h. VOLUNTEER – an individual, voluntarily assigned to aid with operation of the National Great Rivers

Museum, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientation Center, public tours of Melvin Price Locks and Dam, and outreach in various locations.

1.3 LOCATION. All work to be performed under the specifications of this contract shall be primarily located at the National Great Rivers Museum, East Alton, Illinois or the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientation Center, West Alton, Missouri. Secondary locations may include but are not limited to Lock and Dam 24, Clarksville, Missouri, Lock and Dam 25, Winfield, Missouri, Melvin Price Locks and Dam, East Alton, Illinois and Lock and Dam 27, Granite City, Illinois.

a. OPERATIONAL PERIODS. The Contractor shall staff the primary locations specified in Section 1.3.

Each location has individual periods of operation. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to generate an approved plan of action that will satisfy the staffing requirements of each location properly.

National Great Rivers Museum

#2 Lock and Dam Way, East Alton, IL 62024 Sunday – Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientation Center 301 Riverlands Way, West Alton, MO 63386

Tuesday – Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

1.4 CHANGE IN WORK SCHEDULE. During the contract period, it may be necessary to close the Museum or Orientation Center due to maintenance or repairs, changes in public visitation, inclement weather conditions, holidays, emergency, or other circumstances. Such changes are expected to occur infrequently and would result in minor fluctuations in the work schedule. In the event that the Museum or Orientation Center is closed, the Contractor will be notified 24 hours in advance with exception of inclement weather or emergency. If an inclement weather or emergency closure occurs the CO or COR reserves the right to do so without prior notification. After a closure, the Contractor shall resume services when deemed suitable by the CO or COR.

a. DEFINATIVE HOLIDAYS. Each primary location has a set of definitive holidays on which staffing may/may not be required. If the location is closed, due to a holiday, staffing will not be required.

The National Great Rivers Museum will be open on all federally recognized holidays except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

The Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientation Center will be closed Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

1.5 PLAN OF ACTION. Prior to the Contract start date, the Contractor shall present a plan of action to the CO or COR. The plan of action must include, but is not limited to, a formal job announcement, sample schedule, and effective communication strategy. The Contractor will then coordinate with the CO or COR to meet via in-person or virtually to discuss the proposed plan of action. Once approved, the plan of action will be put into place and the Contract start date can be determined.

1.6 ABSENCE. If Contractor personnel will be absent due to illness, injury, or other incapacity the Contractor must notify the CO or COR on the first day of absence that the personnel will be unable to perform services. The Contractor must then provide suitable replacement personnel as soon as possible and notify the CO or COR of the temporary change in personnel immediately. If the personnel will be absent for a predetermined amount of time the Contractor must notify the CO or COR no later than one week in advance and arrange for no lapse in coverage. Any replacement personnel must be approved by the CO or COR in advance and must have attended orientation training.

1.7 ADDITIONAL HOURS. Additional hours are not guaranteed. If additional hours are required, they shall be performed as directed by the CO or COR based on the on/off site hourly price.

1.8 LUNCH BREAK. Contractor personnel shall be scheduled for 8.5-hour shifts. During each shift personnel will be allowed to take a 30-minute unpaid lunch break. A park ranger or volunteer, assigned by the CO or COR, shall relieve personnel for the duration of a lunch break.

1.9 OTHER CONTRACTS. The Contractor's attention is called to the fact that other Contractors and U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers employees may be in the Museum or Orientation Center for the purpose of performing work. Contractor personnel shall cooperate fully with all other Contractors and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer employees and will not impede their work in any way.

1.10 DAMAGES. The Contractor is responsible for taking any action necessary to protect all supplies and property, including materials and supplies issued by the Government to accomplish a job, against damage, theft, or loss. The Government assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to any material, supplies, or property after it is received by, or in the possession of the Contractor or Contractor personnel.

The Contractor, at no cost to the Government shall replace any Government or associated partners property lost or stolen due to negligence of the Contractor personnel. The Contractor personnel shall use reasonable care to avoid damaging buildings, equipment, and vegetation on property; the Contractor shall replace or repair any damage caused by Contractor personnel at no expense to the Government within a time frame approved by the Contracting Officer. If the Contractor fails or refuses to make such repairs or replacement, within the time frame, the Contractor shall be liable for the cost to make the repair or replacement, which will be deducted from the contract payment.

1.11 ACCIDENT REPORTING. An accident constitutes an incident or act involving Contractor personnel, which may or may not have caused obvious damage to persons or property. All accidents shall be reported to the CO or COR immediately following the occurrence. All serious accidents (those resulting in death or injury requiring medical attention) shall be reported immediately.

1.12 OMISSIONS. This contract may duplicate or not cover all specified activities, steps, and/or procedures required to accomplish contract work. In case of omission, the normal industry standards, practices, specifications and/or guidelines shall prevail. In no instance shall an omission be a reason to perform inferior work, produce a less than acceptable product or service, or refuse to perform an intended activity.

1.13 PAYMENT. Payment will be made monthly. Each invoice shall be mailed, or hand delivered to the National Great Rivers Museum and shall contain the following information:

Contractor's name and address Contract number Item number(s) Contract description of services Duty hours worked Unit prices Extended Totals

2. SECURITY AND SAFETY

2.1 SECURITY. Contractor personnel performing work under this contract are responsible for applicable security requirements at time of the proposal submission and must maintain the level of security required for the life of the contract. The following requirements shall be implemented and adhered to throughout the life of the contract:

a. AT LEVEL I TRAINING. All contractor personnel, to include subcontractor personnel, requiring access to Army installations, facilities, controlled access areas, or require network access, shall complete AT Level I awareness training within 30 calendar days after contract start date or effective date of incorporation of this requirement into the contract, whichever is applicable. Upon request, the contractor shall submit certificates of completion for each affected contractor personnel and subcontractor personnel, to the COR or to the contracting officer (if a COR is not assigned), within 5 calendar days after completion of training by all personnel and subcontractor personnel. AT Level I awareness training is available at the following website:

http://jko.jten.mil/courses/atl1/launch.html.

b. ACCESS AND GENERAL PROTECTION POLICY AND PROCEDURES. All Contractors and sub-contractor personnel shall comply with installation and facility access guidelines and rules as stated herein. Contractor workforce must comply with all personal identity verification requirements as directed by Department of Defense, Department of the Army, St. Louis District and/or local policy. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this contract, should the Force Protection Condition (FPCON) at any installation or facility change, the Government may require changes in Contractor security matters or processes.

c. In support of St. Louis District evaluation of personnel authorized for access to federal facilities, the Contractor shall submit background checks, on all employees, that have been conducted by either a bonded third-party agency or state police department within the last 6 months prior to the Notice to Proceed date. Background check results will be provided to the St. Louis District Security Office for access 15 calendar days after accessing the project site. The background check will cover, at a minimum, the last five years covering all States the personnel has lived in, criminal history and arrest report, and a national sex offender registry check. Uncleared personnel must be escorted while on site. This is defined as being in the line of sight of an identified prime contractor personnel who has a background check on file with the St. Louis District (as noted on the ACL). Disqualifying factors include, but are not limited to:

(1) Criminal conduct, in particular violent crime and sex offenders;

(2) Habitual use of intoxicating beverages to excess as evidenced by DUI or public intoxication records; or

(3) Any illegal activity or other disqualification which makes the individual unfit for service (e.g., drug trafficking or procurement fraud).

d. IDENTIFICATION BADGES. The Contractor shall be responsible for furnishing a photo identification badge/card to each personnel prior to the personnel's work on-site, and for requiring each personnel engaged on the work to display identification. At a minimum, the badge shall have the following items shown, the personnel’s picture, personnel’s name, and job title (Visitor Center Attendant). Any person lacking proper identification credentials or deemed a security threat may be denied access to the project. Such action in no way relieves the Contractor from performance of the contract. The St. Louis District retains the right to deny any Contractor and sub-contractor employee from working on one of its contracts based on final background investigation results. All information received as a result of a background check will be handled according to Privacy Act regulation.

e. ACCESS CONTROL LIST. The Contractor will provide the Contracting Officer an Access Control List (ACL) which lists all personnel to be on site during the duration of contract. Personnel not listed on the approved ACL but are on site will be required to leave. As personnel are added or deleted from the submitted and approved ACL, this information must be reported immediately to the Contracting Officer. Added personnel will not be permitted on-site until requirements of this paragraph are completed, submitted, and approved. In the event that an unexpected change in personnel is required, due to sudden absence of a critical employee or unforeseen change in work site condition, the Contractor shall immediately contact the Contracting Officer to obtain written approval for new/additional personnel to be brought on site prior to background check acceptance. Contractor shall submit Personnel Change Request Letter to the Contracting Officer and will receive written authorization from the Contracting Officer prior to bringing new personnel on site, and will ensure a criminal background check mentioned above is sent to the St. Louis District Security Office no later than 15 days from written notice of approval. Contracting Officer and/or the District Security Office reserves the right to terminate access of the personnel upon completion of the Government’s review of the background check and the Contractor shall be notified immediately of any such Government decision.

f. Contractor and subcontractor personnel not expected to be on the worksite for more than 15 days may be allowed on site with the following conditions:

(1) Personnel will be on site a total of 15 days or less, for the duration of the project.

(2) Personnel is added to the ACL as a short-term employee.

(3) Personnel is escorted while on site. This is defined as being in the line of sight of an identified prime contractor employee who has a background check on file with the St. Louis District (as noted on the ACL).

(4) Each prime contractor personnel can sponsor only five short term personnel at a time.

g. FOREIGN NATIONAL PERSONNEL. Due to a difference in background check procedures for long term foreign national personnel, all such personnel must provide a photocopy of their passport to the St. Louis District Security Office NLT 30 days prior to arrival on site. Additional background check requirements may be required before being allowed access. Short term foreign national personnel (e.g. specialists with a two week period of performance) may work on site with the following conditions:

(1) Foreign national personnel will be on site a total of 15 days or less, for the duration of the project.

(2) Foreign national personnel will comply with E-verify requirements (see E-verify paragraph).

(3) Approved and identified prime contractor personnel shall escort the foreign national personnel at all times while on site.

(4) Each prime contractor personnel can sponsor only one short term foreign national at a time.

h. SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORTING TRAINING. The contractor and all associated sub-contractors shall receive a brief/training (provided by the COR) on the local suspicious activity reporting program.

This locally developed training will be used to inform employees of the types of behavior to watch for and instruct employees to report suspicious activity to the project manager, security representative or law enforcement entity. This training shall be completed within 30 calendar days of contract award and within 30 calendar days of new employees commencing performance with the results reported to the COR NLT 5 calendar days after the completion of the training.

i. REQUIREMENT FOR OPSEC TRAINING. All new contractor personnel will complete Level I OPSEC Training within 30 calendar days of contract award and within 30 calendar days of new employees commencing performance with and shall submit certificates to the COR NLT 5 calendar days after the completion of the training. OPSEC awareness training is available via a localized developed PowerPoint training presentation available from the COR.

j. Will be escorted in areas where they may be exposed to classified and/or sensitive materials and/or sensitive or restricted areas. All contract employees, including subcontractor employees who are not in possession of the appropriate security clearance or access privileges, will be escorted in areas where they may be exposed to classified and/or sensitive materials and/or sensitive or restricted areas.

k. PRE-SCREEN EMPLOYEES USING E-VERIFY PROGRAM. The Contractor must pre-screen employees using the E-verify Program (http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify) website to meet the established employment eligibility requirements. The Vendor must ensure that the employee has two valid forms of Government issued identification prior to enrollment to ensure the correct information is entered into the E-verify system. An initial list of verified/eligible employee must be provided to the COR no later than 3 business days after the initial contract award.

2.2 SAFETY. The Contractor shall comply with the applicable provisions of the current EM 385-1-1, Safety and Health Requirements Manual, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (current edition: Nov 2014;

https://intranet.usace.army.mil/mvd/mvs/soh/Documents/EM%20385-1-1/EM_385-1- 1%20(as%20of%2011-30-2014).pdf). If the Contractor fails or refuses to promptly comply with the safety and/or security requirements as specified herein, the Contracting Officer may issue an order stopping all or part of the work for each task order affected by the infraction until satisfactory corrective action has been taken. No part of the time lost due to any such stop shall be made subject to claim for extension of time or for excess costs or damages to the Contractor. Also, the Contractor will not be paid for work not performed as a result of the stop order. The Contractor will be furnished keys and/or access cards to those buildings and areas where access is necessary to perform the work described herein or as determined to be necessary by the COR. No duplicates of the keys are authorized to be obtained in any manner by the Contractor or by any Contractor employee. Any additional keys required by the Contractor will be furnished by the COR. Security of the keys shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. The failure of the Contractor to provide adequate key security will result in a deduction from payment due the Contractor for replacement cost per lost or damaged key and a deduction for setting new combinations for any affected facility at the rate charged by the manufacturer per lock. For security purposes, the Contractor will furnish the COR the names, addresses and telephone numbers of those employees who will be performing work under this contract, prior to the commencement of the contract. Afterwards, all new employees will be approved by the COR prior to their starting work. All Contractor employees shall be 18 years of age or older.

The Contractor shall be required to submit a Safety Plan for review by the COR before performing any work. Reference is made to Appendix D, Accident Prevention Plan Checklist (Form A-02), which details the requirements of the Safety Plan. Three (3) copies of the Safety Plan shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer and COR within 10 business days after date of award and within five (5) working days when changes are made thereafter. After acceptance of the Safety Plan, the Contractor shall receive the Contracting Officer’s acceptance in writing of any proposed change to this safety program. The Contractor shall conduct a safety meeting, at least quarterly, with Contractor's personnel to discuss potential safety hazards. All employees shall be briefed on safety procedures including such things as electrical safety, first-aid, visitor protection, and reporting accidents or injuries. Additional safety briefings regarding lock safety procedures shall be provided by the Lock Master and/or COR.

a. ACCIDENT REPORTING. The Contractor shall maintain an accurate record and shall report to the COR all accidents within 24 hours of the occurrence. Serious accidents (those resulting in death or injury requiring medical attention) and damage to Government property exceeding $2,000 shall be reported to the COR immediately.

b. SUSTAINABILITY. Energy Star; as required in clause 52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy- Consuming Products, the contractor shall only provide products that earn the ENERGY STAR label and meet ENERGY STAR specifications for energy efficiency. The contractor is encouraged to visit http://www.energystar.gov for complete product specifications and updated lists of qualifying products.

3. PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS.

3.1 MINIMUM MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS. The Contractor shall provide an adequate number of fully qualified personnel to perform the specified services properly and efficiently during the time period specified. If the Contractor is unable to accomplish work in accordance with the requirements of this contract during the times specified, he/she shall immediately obtain additional personnel as necessary to fulfill the requirements of this contract.

3.2 PERSONNEL IDENTIFICATION. The Contractor shall provide the CO or COR with the name, address, telephone number, date of birth, and social security number of each individual personnel that will be working under this contract. In addition, the Contractor shall supply all personnel with identification badges as stated in Section 2.1.d.

3.3 AGE RESTRICTION. The Contractor shall provide personnel that are at least 18 years of age. Any personnel younger than 18 years of age should not be considered to perform the requirements of this contract.

3.4 CERTIFIED INTERPRETIVE GUIDE TRAINING. The Contractor shall provide personnel with either

CIG training or at least 6 months experience in interpretive services, tour guide services, or public speaking. Contractor shall provide one example of past performance on a contract at a visitor center or facility with similar duty requirements to those outlined in this contract. The example provided must be within the last three years.

3.5 EMPLOYEE CONDUCT. The majority of work will be performed in the presence of the general public;

thus the conduct of all employees is critical and will be closely monitored. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that his or her personnel strictly comply with all Federal and State laws. Any illegal or criminal activity may result in the removal of Contractor personnel from the project. The Contractor or Contractor personnel, while working on this contract, shall not consume or be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

3.6 REMOVAL OF CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL. The Contracting Officer may require the Contractor to immediately remove from the work site any personnel, who, in the opinion of the Contracting Officer, is incompetent; who endangers persons or property; who interferes with, impedes, or disrupts the use of the project; or whose physical or mental condition is such that it would impair the employee's ability to safely or satisfactorily perform his/her work. Notification to the Contractor shall be verbal or telephonic and shall be confirmed in writing as soon as possible. No such removal, however, will reduce the Contractor's obligation to perform all work required under this contract, and immediate replacement will be made as required. This requirement shall not be made the basis of any claim for compensation or damages against the United States or any of its officers or agents.

3.7 APPEARANCE. All personnel are to be fully clothed, dressed in accordance with EM 385- 1-1, "Safety and Health Requirements Manual", and maintain a neat and clean, well- groomed appearance.

Personnel will be required to wear a collared, button-down or polo shirt and black, tan or khaki colored trousers. Shoes shall be black and closed toed with a heel no more than one inch in height.

All clothing shall be free of any writing or graphics, appropriately sized and stain and wrinkle free.

Contractor issued identification badges shall always be worn and visible to the public. Government issued safety vests shall be worn while facilitating public and scheduled tours of Melvin Price Locks and Dam. Final decision as to proper appearance will be at the discretion of the CO or COR. No part of contractor apparel, aside from safety vest, will be supplied by the government.

3.8 TRAINING. All Contractor personnel who will act as Visitor Center Attendants/Outreach Assistants will be required to attend an 8-hour orientation session prior to beginning work in the Museum or Orientation Center. The date and time of the orientation session will be arranged during the in-person Plan of Action meeting. It is not necessary for the Contractor personnel to have prior knowledge of the National Great Rivers Museum or Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientation Center. The training session, in addition to the Visitor Center Attendant Handbook, will provide personnel with the required information and details necessary for operation of the Museum and Orientation Center.

Subsequent orientation trainings that become necessary due to change in contractor employees will be conducted on-site by another specified contractor employee that will be designated at the Plan of Action meeting.

3.9 MEETINGS. Meetings, if required, may be called by the CO or COR to discuss changes associated with the contract or recreation area, special events, circumstances, or issues. Mutual effort shall be made to resolve any and all problems identified. All personnel acting as Visitor Center Attendants/Outreach Assistants shall attend scheduled meetings, unless otherwise excused by the CO or COR.

4. CONTRACT INSPECTION AND PERFORMANCE.

4.1 GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE. Work shall be conducted under the general direction of the

Contracting Officer and is subject to monitoring and inspection to ensure strict compliance with terms of the Contract. No inspector is authorized to change any provision of the specifications without written authorization of the Contracting Officer, nor shall the presence or absence of an inspector relieve the Contractor from any requirements of the contract. The Contracting Officer shall make formal acceptance of these inspections for and on behalf of the Government.

4.2 PERFORMANCE. During the progress of the contract if it becomes apparent that the Contractor is unable or unwilling to perform the work in accordance with the contract specifications, additional supplies, equipment and/or personnel shall be obtained by the Contractor in order to ensure that the specified work is accomplished. If any work performed hereunder, is not in conformity with the requirements of this contract, the Government will have the right to require the Contractor to immediately take all necessary steps to ensure that future performance of the work is in conformity with the requirements of the contract and to reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the work performed. If the Contractor fails to promptly take the necessary steps to ensure future performance of the services in conformity with the requirements of the contract, the Government will have the right to terminate this contract for default as provided herein.

4.3 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION MEETINGS. The Contractor and any Contractor Representative shall meet with the Contracting Officer, or his/her representatives as often as determined necessary by the Contracting Officer in order to discuss performance. Mutual effort will be made to resolve any and all problems identified.

4.4 NOTIFICATION OF DEFICIENCIES. The CO or COR shall give the Contractor written notification of any deficiency in services. Upon receipt of the deficiency in service, the Contractor shall immediately correct the deficiency and/or take action to prevent recurrence thereof. The contract may be terminated by the Contracting Officer in the event of theft of Government property or if unbalance and/or unaccountable receipts and/or funds occur by the Contractor or Contractor personnel.

a. ISSUING. A deficiency shall be issued to the Contractor if any of the following occur or otherwise justified by the CO or COR:

(1) Contractor fails to supply personnel to staff any of the requested days stated in Section 1.1.

(2) Contractor fails to supply personnel to staff any of the requested days with or without notification to the CO or COR.

(3) Contractor does not otherwise communicate to the CO or COR of changes to personnel or schedules.

5. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS.

5.1 PLAN OF ACTION. Prior to the contract start date, the Contractor shall present a plan of action to the CO or COR via an in-person or virtual meeting as stated in Section 1.5.

5.2 UNIFORM. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring all Contractor personnel wear the appropriate uniform as specified in Section 3.8. In addition, the Contractor shall supply all personnel with identification badges as stated in Section 2.1.d.

5.3 DEVICES. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring all Contractor personnel are equipped with a laptop and cell phone. The laptop shall have the tools necessary to perform needed work such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. The cell phone shall have sufficient cellular signal to ensure clear communication with the CO and park rangers while on duty. All Visitor Center Attendants/Outreach Assistants are expected to be reachable as necessary and appropriate by the CO or park rangers for the efficient operation of the National Great Rivers Museum, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientation Center, and outreach of the Rivers Project Office.

6. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, AND SUPPLIES.

6.1 KEYS AND KEY CARD. All Visitor Center Attendants/Outreach Assistants shall be issued keys for exhibits, storage facilities, and access to the Museum and Orientation Center. Additionally, attendants will be issued a key card for access to other U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facilities. Once issued, it is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure the security of the keys and key card. Government issued keys shall not be duplicated. The Contractor will be held responsible for the cost of re-keying the Museum and Orientation Center locks and additional keys if the issued keys are lost.

6.2 SAFETY VESTS. Attendants will be provided with safety vests to be worn while facilitating public and scheduled tours of Melvin Price Locks and Dam.

6.3 COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT. The Government shall provide communication equipment including a two-way radio transceiver and/or telephone, installed in the Museum and Orientation Center. Operation of Government provided communication equipment shall conform with approved standards of operation and are for official use only.

6.4 FORMS, BROCHURES, HANDOUTS, AND PAMPHLETS. The Government shall provide all forms, brochures, handouts, and pamphlets necessary for the performance of this contract. Attendants shall only distribute materials provided or approved by the Government for public distribution and display.

6.5 OFFICE SUPPLIES. The Government shall provide office supplies to be used in the performance of the contract including, but not limited to tape, stapler, staples, paper clips, paper tablets, rubber bands, pencils, pens, paper, calculator, etc. Supplies provided by the Government are not to be removed from the Museum or Orientation Center.

7 DESCRIPTION OF WORK. Visitor Center Attendants/Outreach Assistants shall provide the following services in accordance with the specifications of the contract and the guidelines outlined in the Visitor Center Attendant Handbook.

7.1 ASSISTANCE TO THE PUBLIC. The primary responsibility of attendants will be to provide customer care to the visiting public. Attendants shall exercise tact, diplomacy and courtesy at all times when interacting with the public. Attendants shall perform the following duties to the satisfaction of the CO, COR, or QA.

a. Acquire a clear understanding of the relationship between the National Great Rivers Museum, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientations Center, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rivers Project in order to accurately interpret said relationship to the visiting public.

b. Become familiar with the recreation areas, facilities, programs, and regulations in connection with the Rivers Project in order to disseminate accurate information to the visiting public.

c. Assist visitors by answering questions relating to the local area. This area includes, but is not limited to East Alton, Illinois; Alton, Illinois; West Alton, Missouri, and St. Louis, Missouri.

8.1 ASSISTANCE TO THE PARK RANGERS. Attendants shall perform the following duties to the satisfaction of the CO, COR, or QA.

a. Attendants shall defend and support all Federal Regulations and Museum and Orientation Center policies. Attendants shall not make exceptions to established rules, regulations, policies, or guidelines.

b. Advise Park Rangers immediately of actual or potential violations of Title 36 Rules and Regulations, Museum and Orientation Center policies, or of any disturbances.

c. Attendants shall not attempt to apprehend violators or make contact with violators.

d. Promptly report to park rangers all accidents, incidents, and situations that may adversely affect the health and safety of visitors and staff.

e. Record and report to park rangers any emergency messages received at the Museum or Orientation

Center.

f. Remain within hearing distance of the communication equipment and be able to answer calls within two rings unless on a tour Attendant shall also monitor the entrance of the Museum or Orientation Center as to know when visitors enter. All visitors shall be offered a friendly greeting upon entering the facility. Communication equipment such as radio transceivers and telephones will be used for official business only. No long-distance personal calls will be permitted.

7.2 OUTREACH OPERATIONS. Attendants shall perform the following outreach duties in connection with the operations of Rivers Project outreach, the National Great Rivers Museum, and the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary. These duties may be executed on or off Rivers Project lands. Specific instructions and guidelines for these duties are outlined in the Visitor Center Attendant Handbook, which will be provided at the 8-hour orientation training.

7.3 PUBLIC TOURS. All Attendants are responsible for the facilitation of all public tours of Melvin Price Locks and Dam while on duty at the National Great Rivers Museum. If a volunteer is present and willing to facilitate public tours, these duties shall fall to the volunteer. Public tours are conducted three times daily at 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Each tour will be 45-minutes in duration and free of charge to all visitors.

a. Attendants shall communicate with park rangers daily to know the operation plan for scheduled tours.

b. Attendants shall greet and encourage all visitors to sign up for a public tour.

c. Attendants shall enroll all interested visitors into public tours.

d. Acquire a clear understanding of the construction and operation of Melvin Price Locks and Dam.

Specific facts and information related to Melvin Price Locks and Dam are outlined in the Visitor Center Attendant Handbook.

e. Inform visitors on the itinerary for each public tour including safety and security regulations and/or requirements.

f. Adjust the itinerary for each public tour in accordance with weather forecasts, maintenance to the locks and dam, and any other special event or tour happening throughout the day.

g. Have clear communication via telephone or radio transceiver with park rangers in case an accident, incident, or situation occurs while out on a tour.

h. Record and report to park rangers the total number of tours and visitors/per tour daily.

7.4 SCHEDULED TOURS. All Attendants are responsible for the facilitation of all scheduled tours of Melvin Price Locks and Dam while on duty at the National Great Rivers Museum. Scheduled tours are generally conducted in between public tour times. Each tour will vary in duration and content.

Scheduled tours include but are not limited to regional tourism groups, school groups, and business groups.

a. Attendants shall communicate with park rangers daily to know the operation plan for scheduled tours.

b. Coordinate with park rangers on the specific needs and itinerary of each scheduled tour group.

c. Greet and welcome all scheduled tour groups to the facility.

d. Inform tour groups on the itinerary for the tour including safety and security regulations and/or requirements.

e. Adjust the itinerary for each tour in accordance with weather forecasts, maintenance to the locks and dam, and any other special event or tour happening throughout the day.

f. Have clear communication via telephone or radio transceiver with park rangers in case an accident, incident, or situation occurs while out on a tour.

g. Record and report to park rangers the total number of visitors per scheduled tour daily.

7.5 PROGRAMING AND SPECIAL EVENTS. All Attendants shall perform the following duties during outreach operations. These duties may be executed on or off Rivers Project lands.

a. Attendants shall communicate with park rangers daily to know the operation plan for programs and special events.

b. Coordinate with park rangers on the specific needs and itinerary of each program or special event.

c. Assist or lead the facilitation of educational programs on target with Rivers Project missions.

d. Assist in developing and distributing publications, social media messages, and verbal messages highlighting programs and special events.

7.6 MUSEUM OPERATIONS: All Attendants shall perform the following duties during the operation of the National Great Rivers Museum to the satisfaction of the CO, COR, or QA. Specific instructions and guidelines for these duties are outlined in the Visitor Center Attendant Handbook, which will be provided upon award of the contract.

a. Attendants are responsible for answering the Museum telephone line and responding to any radio transmission directed toward the Museum. Must remain within hearing distance of the communication equipment in the Museum at all times unless on a tour.

b. Sell annual passes, and any other U.S. Corps of Engineers issued passes. The proper paperwork must be completed, and records of sales will be maintained. Attendants will be responsible for reconciling of paperwork and all funds obtained from sales.

c. Sell items out of the Gift Shop through the provided cash register during Museum hours of operation.

Attendants will be responsible for reconciling of paperwork and all funds obtained from sales.

d. Remain within hearing distance of the front doors of the Museum to be aware of guests that enter the Museum. Greet each visitor with a pleasant, friendly voice and offer his/her assistance.

e. Post information regarding rules and regulations, special events, interpretive programs, and other materials within the Museum as directed by the CO, COR, or QA.

f. Keep brochure racks stocked with appropriate material. If additional brochures or information is needed for the Museum, Attendants shall notify park rangers.

g. Maintain a clean and orderly working environment. Attendants shall keep all items on the front counter in a neat and orderly fashion. All personal belongings will be located out of sight and not on the counter.

h. Attendants shall be responsible for keeping the Museum clean and sanitary as needed during duty hours.

i. Maintain a written record of complaints and criticisms of any nature from visitors.

j. In the event that the President authorizes the flags to be flown at half-staff, Attendants shall lower the flags to half staff, keeping the American Flag above the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flag.

k. Turn on all displays and audiovisual equipment at the beginning of each day and turn off all displays and equipment at the close of each day.

l. Become familiar with audio-visual equipment in the Exhibit Hall, Discovery Theater, and Multi-

Purpose Room and be available to assist guests in preparing for a presentation in the Discovery Theater or Multi-Purpose Room.

m. Become familiar with all exhibits within the Exhibit Hall and be available to assist in routine care. This includes, but is not limited to water changes, cleaning, and adjustments.

n. Maintain appropriate records of tour visitation on the proper form and have it available in the proper notebook for park rangers to collect at the end of each month.

o. Maintain and report equipment breakdowns or other unusual occurrences.

7.7 ORIENTATION CENTER OPERATIONS. All Attendants shall perform the following duties during the operation of the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientation Center to the satisfaction of the CO, COR, or QA. Specific instructions and guidelines for these duties are outlined in the Visitor Center Attendant Handbook, which will be provided upon award of the contract.

a. Attendants are responsible for answering the Orientation Center telephone line and responding to any radio transmission directed toward the Orientation Center. Must remain within hearing distance of the communication equipment in the Orientation Center at all times.

b. Sell items for sale at the Orientation Center through the provided cash register during Orientation Center hours of operation. Attendants will be responsible for reconciling of paperwork and all funds obtained from sales.

c. Remain within hearing distance of the front doors of the Orientation Center to be aware of guests that enter the Center. Greet each visitor with a pleasant, friendly voice and offer his/her assistance.

d. Post information regarding rules and regulations, special events, interpretive programs, and other materials within the Orientation Center as directed by the CO, COR, or QA.

e. Keep brochure racks stocked with appropriate material. If additional brochures or information is needed for the Orientation Center, Attendants shall notify park rangers.

f. Maintain a clean and orderly working environment. Attendants shall keep all items on the front counter in a neat and orderly fashion. All personal belongings shall be located out of sight and not on the counter.

g. Attendants shall be responsible for keeping the Orientation Center clean and sanitary as needed during duty hours.

h. Maintain a written record of complaints and criticisms of any nature from visitors.

i. In the event that the President authorizes the flags to be flown at half-staff, Attendants shall lower the flags to have staff, keeping the American Flag above the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flag.

j. Turn on all displays and audiovisual equipment at the beginning of each day and turn off all displays and equipment at the close of each day.

k. Maintain appropriate records of tour visitation on the proper form and have it available in the proper notebook for park rangers to collect at the end of each month.

l. Maintain and report equipment breakdowns or other unusual occurrences.

7.8 RESTRICTIONS.

a. Government furnished telephones are for official business use only.

b. Contractor personnel shall not possess or use firearms or any item that can be used as a weapon in the performance of this contract.

c. Smoking and the use of any tobacco products is prohibited in and on the Museum and Orientation

Center premises.

d. Alcohol or any drug (except prescribed medications) shall not be consumed any time during duty hours.

e. Attendants shall not bring an unauthorized relative or friend to work with them.

8 BASIS OF AWARD. The Government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals at any time prior to award, to award a contract other than the proposal submitted with the lowest offer, and to award a contract to the proposer submitting the proposal determined to be the most advantageous to the Government. Responses to the Request for Quote will be evaluated using the following three factors:

a. FACTOR A: PAST PERFORMANCE. As part of the evaluation process, the Government may contact references submitted by the Offeror. The Government may also check past performance information obtained from sources other than those identified by the Offeror. All gathered information will be used to evaluate the Offeror’s overall past performance.

b. FACTOR B: MANAGEMENT. The Offeror’s proposal will be evaluated to determine education, experience, knowledge, and qualifications of the Project Manager and other key personnel.

c. FACTOR C: PRICE. Proposed rates will be reviewed for completeness and reasonableness.

8.1 RELATIVE WEIGHT OD ELAVUATION FACTORS. Factors are listed in descending order of importance, with Past Performance being somewhat more important than Management, and significantly more important than Price.

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX A - SCHEDULE FOR FY23

VISITOR CENTER ATTENDANT/OUREACH ASSISTANT

SCHEDULE

2023-2024 National Great Rivers Museum Sunday – Saturday Month XX, 20XX – Month XX, 20XX 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary Orientation Center Tuesday – Sunday Month XX, 20XX – Month XX, 20XX 7:45 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.

SAMPLE SCHEDULE. The following schedule is an example of how the staffing requirements of this contract could be accomplished. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to include a sample schedule in the Plan of Action which can be found in Section 1.5.

A rotational schedule is suggested to cover the seven days a week operation of the National Great Rivers Museum. It should be noted that this sample schedule provides the minimum coverage needed. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to determine the amount of personnel required to successfully meet the requirements of this contract. Additionally, the Contractor is responsible for determining how federal holidays, the additional 32 days of on/off site program support, and any pre-scheduled attendant leave will be covered for both facilities included in this contract.

See Table 1: Sample Schedule | Visitor Center Attendant/Outreach Assistant.

Week 1 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Hours

Attendant A

830 – 500 830 – 500 830 – 500 830 – 500 OFF…