S208--West Haven Grounds and Maintenance

COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION

West Haven Grounds Maintenance

VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven VAMC

Solicitation Number: 36C24127Q0004 Posted Date: October 20th, 2026 Response Deadline: October 29th, 2026, 10:00 AM Eastern Time

Set-Aside: Total Small Business Set-Aside NAICS Code: 561730 Landscaping Services Size Standard: $9.5 Million Product Service Code (PSC): S208 Grounds Maintenance Contract Type: Firm-Fixed Price (FFP)

Place of Performance: VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT 06516

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format prescribed in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued separately.

This solicitation is issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2026-01.

This acquisition is set aside 100% for Small Business in accordance with FAR 19.502-2. Offerors must be registered and active in SAM.gov at the time of offer submission and at time of award.

2. REQUIREMENT OVERVIEW

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 1 (NCO 1), on behalf of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, requires comprehensive grounds maintenance, snow and ice removal, and storm drain maintenance services at the West Haven VA Medical Center. Services are required to support 24/7 Medical Center access and operations for veterans and staff year-round.

3. STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

3.1 Background

The VA Connecticut Healthcare System requires annual services for grounds maintenance, snow and ice removal, hauling, and treatment services at the West Haven VA Medical Center, located at 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT 06516.

3.2 Scope of Work

The Contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, equipment, tools, supervision, disposal, and all incidentals necessary to perform grounds maintenance, snow and ice removal, and storm drain cleaning services as described herein. The Contractor shall coordinate all work with the VA COR and designated representatives of Facilities Management Service.

3.3 Contractor Qualifications

To be eligible for award, the Contractor shall:

Maintain a field service representative located within 200 miles of the West Haven Campus and capable of responding within two (2) hours.

Possess proper equipment, materials, and support to provide all services under this contract.

Provide, upon request, documentation of certification and training on specific equipment used under this contract.

The CO and/or COR reserve the right to reject any Contractor personnel and refuse permission to work on-site based on credentials or conduct.

3.4 Description of Services

3.4.1 Snow and Ice Removal

Snow Removal (SOW §1.1) The Contractor shall remove snow from all sidewalks, steps, stairs, stair and ramp landings, entrance ramps, roadways, roads, parking lots, and parking structures across the West Haven VA campus as delineated in Appendix A (Snow Removal Map) and Appendix D (Lots and Roads). All snow removal zones are considered high priority and shall be worked simultaneously. Snow piling will be in designated locations per the COR.

Snow removal shall commence when on-site accumulation reaches one (1) inch and/or within one (1) hour after snowfall stops, whichever occurs first.

Snow removal shall continue until all accumulation has ended and all covered surfaces are fully cleared.

When snowfall is forecasted, the Contractor shall pretreat all snow removal zones at least two (2) hours prior to each forecasted event.

Snow shall not be piled on paved areas (roads or parking lots). Piles shall maintain safety and maximize usable parking area.

The Contractor shall clear all handicap access points throughout the campus at all times.

Snow removal quantities are based on total snowstorm accumulation as reported by the National Weather Service https://www.weather.gov/ for West Haven, CT. Contract quantities include up to 50 inches of snow and 5,000 lbs of ice melt. Amounts exceeding contract quantities require Contracting Officer authorization via contract modification.

Ice melt application shall be included with every snow and ice removal event.

All ice and snow melt materials shall be provided by the Contractor.

Snow removal shall cover the following areas:

Roadways and Drives: Campbell Avenue Entrance, Spring Street Entrance, Lawson Road, Service Road, Building 1 Loading Dock, Building 2 Loading Dock, Building 2 Main Entrance, Building 5 Main Entrance, Ambulance Bay, Ring Road, Building 19, Building 16, and Veterans Drive.

Parking Lots (1,378 regular spaces / 129 accessible spaces): Parking Lots 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 18, 24, Emergency Room, and Fisher House.

Sidewalks and Building Entrances (12,636 SF total): All areas as identified in the West Haven VA Medical Center Sidewalk/Walkway and Building Entrance Inventory.

Ice Removal (SOW §1.2) The Contractor shall immediately treat and remove ice on all sidewalks, steps, stairs, ramp landings, and entrance ramps. Ice removal shall commence when any accumulation occurs and/or within one (1) hour after ice stops.

Approved ice melt product for sidewalks: Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) such as Inferno or equal. Sand is not permitted.

Approved product for roads and parking lots: Salt or other COR-approved ice control products.

Pretreatment shall occur at least two (2) hours prior to each forecasted ice/freezing precipitation event.

The Government will provide a bulk salt storage area on-site for Contractor use.

Personnel Management (SOW §1.3) The Contractor shall provide supervision for full utilization of staff and coordination with the VA COR. The Contractor shall provide standard log forms for COR review and approval prior to each option year and submit daily activity logs documenting all campus activities.

Response Time and Hours of Operation (SOW §1.5) The Contractor shall provide 24/7 response to snow and ice events within one (1) hour.

Parking Garage Snow Removal (SOW §1.6) Prior to each winter season (no later than November 1 of each contract year), the Contractor and COR shall conduct a pre-season walkthrough of the garage. The Contractor shall provide a written photographic damage report within 10 calendar days of the walkthrough.

Snow removal from the garage roof deck shall use approved equipment only. Plow trucks shall not exceed 10,000 lbs fully loaded. Plow cutting edges contacting precast surfaces shall have well-maintained rubber tipper blades. Snow piling on the garage deck is not authorized; plows shall be held approximately 1 inch from the deck surface and approach seams at no greater than a 75-degree angle.

Parking Garage De-Icing (SOW §1.7) Prior to the first freeze of each season, the Contractor shall submit the de-icing product intended for use, with at least one alternate, and shall walk the garage with the maintenance team to inspect drains and potential problem areas. Authorized products for precast concrete surfaces are limited to Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) or Urea-Based deicers. Equipment weight limits for de-icing match snow removal requirements.

Salt and De-Icing Products (SOW §1.8) All products used for snow removal and de-icing must be approved by the COR prior to use. The Contractor is responsible for providing all products required for pretreatment, snow melt, and de-icing. The Government will not provide any snow removal or de-icing products.

3.4.2 Grounds Maintenance

Mowing (SOW §2.1) The Contractor shall mow approximately 30 acres of improved grounds at the West Haven VAMC (Appendix C). Grass height shall be maintained between 3 and 6 inches. Grass clippings shall be removed and disposed of offsite or mulched when visible after mowing. Clippings shall be removed from all paved surfaces. Portable high-CFM blowers shall not be used during normal working hours near personnel or parked vehicles.

Edging (SOW §2.2) Sidewalks, driveways, curbs, and concrete or asphalt edges shall be edged at least every other mowing.

Trimming (SOW §2.3) Grass and weeds shall be trimmed around all fixed obstacles (trees, shrubs, buildings, fences, poles, posts, fire hydrants, parking lot bumper blocks, and islands) concurrent with mowing. Trimming height shall match surrounding grass heights. Damage to trees or shrubs caused by the Contractor shall be repaired within 15 days of noticed or reported damage, including replacement with plants of the same size and type if necessary.

Irrigation (SOW §2.4) The Contractor shall maintain and conduct spring turn-on and fall winterization of the irrigation system in front of Building 2 and within the island for the main flagpole near the parking garage.

Fall Leaf Removal (SOW §2.5) Fallen leaves and branches shall be removed from all improved grounds areas (Appendix C) at intervals of not less than weekly between Labor Day and Thanksgiving each year, continuing until all tree leaves have fallen. All debris shall be disposed of offsite at an authorized disposal location in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations.

Repair of Damaged Areas (SOW §2.6) Improved ground areas damaged by Contractor vehicles or equipment shall be seeded or sodded to meet the standard of surrounding areas. All other areas shall be repaired and restored to match surroundings.

Downed Tree and Limb Removal (SOW §2.7) The Contractor shall remove all downed tree limbs and fallen trees on-site. The Contractor must possess proper equipment to safely perform this work, including a bucket truck, chipper, and trained chainsaw crews.

Note: Fertilization, pest control, soil aeration, and emergency/special event services are expressly excluded from this contract.

3.4.3 Storm Drain Maintenance

Storm Drain Cleaning (SOW §4.1) The Contractor shall maintain and clean the full storm drain inventory as identified in Appendix E (West Haven) and Appendix F (Newington) on a bi-annual basis in April and October. Cleaning shall include removal of all debris from catch basins, drain pipes, and attaching structures; inspection of termination points; replacement of covers; and inspection of grates.

Annual hydro jetting of all storm drain pipes shall be performed in either April or October, with a minimum of 335 days between consecutive hydro jetting events.

The Contractor shall document and immediately notify the COR of any broken or defective catch basins or observations of discharges of sediments or pollutants into the stormwater system. A cleaning and inspection report including all deficiencies, inspection data, and photographs shall be submitted to the CO and COR within 14 calendar days of each cleaning.

Disposal (SOW §4.2) All sediment, waste materials, and liquids shall be disposed of in compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) MS4 Permit and applicable Department of Natural Resources and Environment regulations. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) testing, if required by the destination disposal facility, is the Contractor's responsibility. Decanting into the stormwater system or sanitary sewer is strictly prohibited. Disposal reports shall be submitted to the CO and COR within 30 calendar days of each scheduled cleaning.

3.5 Performance Standards

Performance Objective

SOW Reference

Performance Standard

Acceptable Quality Level

Snow Removal

§1.1

Snow removed; areas safe for pedestrian and vehicle traffic

Customer complaints 2 per snow event

Ice Control/Removal

§1.2

Ice treated and removed; areas safe for traffic

Customer complaints 2 per ice event

Parking Garage Snow Removal

§1.6

Snow removed per §1.6; areas safe for traffic

Customer complaints 2 per snow event

Parking Garage De-Icing

§1.7

De-icing per §1.7; areas safe for traffic

Customer complaints 2 per snow event

Grounds Maintenance

§2

Grass maintained at proper height; edging, trimming, leaf removal, and repairs completed per specifications

Customer complaints 2 per month

Storm Drain Maintenance

§4.1

Drains cleaned bi-annually; report received within 14 days

Customer complaints 1 per year

Disposal

§4.2

Disposal report submitted within 30 days

Customer complaints 1 per year

3.6 Submittals and Deliverables

Copy of equipment safety inspections submitted to the CO prior to use

Copies of all personnel qualifications, training, and applicable licenses

Electronic copy of all services performed submitted to the CO, COR, and Facilities Management Service Maintenance Supervisor within 48 hours of services provided

Standard daily activity log forms for COR approval prior to each contract year

Pre-season parking garage walkthrough report with photographs within 10 calendar days of walkthrough

Storm drain cleaning and inspection reports within 14 calendar days of each cleaning

Disposal reports within 30 calendar days of each scheduled cleaning

Safety Plan submitted to COR prior to commencement of work

3.7 Hours of Work and Parking

Work shall be coordinated with the COR. Snow and ice removal services shall be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. One Contractor vehicle is permitted to park on-site Monday through Friday, 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Outside those hours, Contractor vehicles may park on-site only when work is actively being performed. Parking within the parking garage or patient-designated areas is strictly prohibited at all times. Parking passes for work vehicles shall be issued by the VA Police Office.

3.8 Sign-In/Badging

All Contractor personnel, subcontractors, and representatives visiting VA sites shall sign in upon arrival at Building 15 and retain a temporary VA badge prominently displayed at all times. Each individual shall record their name, company name, VA project title, reason for visit, and times of arrival and departure. After-hours site visits must be arranged in advance during normal working hours.

3.9 Safety Requirements

The Contractor shall develop and submit a Safety Plan to the COR prior to commencing work, in accordance with the latest editions of applicable VA guidelines, NFPA, and all applicable federal and state codes, including TJC requirements.

Per VA Directive 1805, smoking, vaping, and smokeless tobacco are prohibited on all VA grounds, including in vehicles.

No photography of VA premises is permitted without written authorization from the Contracting Officer. Patients and staff shall not be photographed at any time.

The Contractor shall confine all operations and material storage to areas authorized by the CO or COR.

3.10 NARA Records Management

The Contractor shall comply with all applicable federal records management requirements, including 44 U.S.C. Chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33; the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552); the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a); and 36 CFR Parts 1222 and 1228. All deliverables are the property of the U.S. Government. No records shall be retained, sold, or destroyed without prior written consent of the Contracting Officer.

4. CONTRACT CLAUSES AND PROVISIONS

Provisions (Pre-Award)

FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Products and Commercial Services

FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Complete annually via SAM.gov)

FAR 52.204-7 System for Award Management

FAR 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting

FAR 52.215-1 Instructions to Offerors Competitive Acquisition

FAR 52.219-1 Small Business Program Representations

Clauses (Post-Award)

FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Products and Commercial Services

FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders

Applicable subparagraphs include:

52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards

52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside

52.219-28 Post-Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation

52.222-21 Prohibition on Segregated Facilities

52.222-26 Equal Opportunity

52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities

52.222-41 Service Contract Labor Standards (Wage Determination No. 2015-4127, Revision 36 [West Haven] and Wage Determination No. 2015-4119, Revision 35 [Newington] apply and are incorporated herein)

52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons

52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving

52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases

52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer System for Award Management

FAR 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services

FAR 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract

FAR 52.232-18 Availability of Funds

FAR 52.237-3 Continuity of Services

FAR 52.246-4 Inspection of Services Fixed Price

VAAR 852.203-70 Commercial Advertising

VAAR 852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests

VAAR 852.237-70 Contractor Responsibilities

5. CLIN STRUCTURE / PRICE SCHEDULE

Offerors shall complete the following price schedule in full. All prices shall be inclusive of labor, materials, equipment, supplies, disposal, travel, overhead, and profit unless otherwise noted. No additional charges beyond those quoted below will be accepted.

BASE YEAR November 30, 2026 November 29, 2027

CLIN

Description

Qty

Unit

Unit Price

Total Price

0001

Snow Removal in accordance with the Statement of Work

50

Inch

$__________

$__________

0002

Ice Melt/Sanding provided and applied in accordance with the Statement of Work

20

Job

$__________

$__________

0003

Fall Clean-Up consisting of leaf removal and disposal off site per

clean up

12

Job

$__________

$__________

0004

Grass Cutting and Trimming per cut

12

Job

$__________

$__________

0005

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning West Haven (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

0006

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning Newington (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

BASE YEAR TOTAL: $__________

OPTION YEAR 1 November 30, 2027 November 29, 2028

CLIN

Description

Qty

Unit

Unit Price

Total Price

1001

Snow Removal in accordance with the Statement of Work

50

Inch

$__________

$__________

1002

Ice Melt/Sanding provided and applied in accordance with the Statement of Work

20

Job

$__________

$__________

1003

Fall Clean-Up consisting of leaf removal and disposal off site per

clean up

12

Job

$__________

$__________

1004

Grass Cutting and Trimming per cut

12

Job

$__________

$__________

1005

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning West Haven (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

1006

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning Newington (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

OPTION YEAR 1 TOTAL: $__________

OPTION YEAR 2 November 30, 2028 November 29, 2029

CLIN

Description

Qty

Unit

Unit Price

Total Price

2001

Snow Removal in accordance with the Statement of Work

50

Inch

$__________

$__________

2002

Ice Melt/Sanding provided and applied in accordance with the Statement of Work

20

Job

$__________

$__________

2003

Fall Clean-Up consisting of leaf removal and disposal off site per

clean up

12

Job

$__________

$__________

2004

Grass Cutting and Trimming per cut

12

Job

$__________

$__________

2005

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning West Haven (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

2006

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning Newington (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

OPTION YEAR 2 TOTAL: $__________

OPTION YEAR 3 November 30, 2029 November 29, 2030

CLIN

Description

Qty

Unit

Unit Price

Total Price

3001

Snow Removal in accordance with the Statement of Work

50

Inch

$__________

$__________

3002

Ice Melt/Sanding provided and applied in accordance with the Statement of Work

20

Job

$__________

$__________

3003

Fall Clean-Up consisting of leaf removal and disposal off site per

clean up

12

Job

$__________

$__________

3004

Grass Cutting and Trimming per cut

12

Job

$__________

$__________

3005

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning West Haven (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

3006

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning Newington (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

OPTION YEAR 3 TOTAL: $__________

OPTION YEAR 4 November 30, 2030 November 29, 2031

CLIN

Description

Qty

Unit

Unit Price

Total Price

4001

Snow Removal in accordance with the Statement of Work

50

Inch

$__________

$__________

4002

Ice Melt/Sanding provided and applied in accordance with the Statement of Work

20

Job

$__________

$__________

4003

Fall Clean-Up consisting of leaf removal and disposal off site per

clean up

12

Job

$__________

$__________

4004

Grass Cutting and Trimming per cut

12

Job

$__________

$__________

4005

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning West Haven (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

4006

Bi-Annual Campus Storm Drain Cleaning Newington (Annual Total)

2

Job

$__________

$__________

OPTION YEAR 4 TOTAL: $__________

TOTAL EVALUATED PRICE (Base Year + Option Years 1 4): $__________

Options will be evaluated in accordance with FAR 52.217-5. The Government is not obligated to exercise any option. Options may be exercised within the timeframes specified in FAR 52.217-9.

There will be a line item for Emergency and Unanticipated Grounds Services DO NOT PROVIDE PRICING FOR THIS LINE ITEM, PRICING WILL BE REQUESTED POST AWARD AS EMERGENCIES OCCUR.

6. EVALUATION CRITERIA

This acquisition will be evaluated using Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13. Award will be given to the Lowest Priced Technically Acceptable (LPTA) offeror whose proposal meets all the following criteria:

Technical Acceptability Offeror demonstrates the capability to perform all services described in the SOW, including 24/7 snow and ice response, grounds maintenance, and storm drain cleaning; confirms field service representative within 200 miles of West Haven, CT; and provides evidence of required equipment, personnel qualifications, and licenses

Past Performance Acceptability Offeror provides a minimum of three (3) references for contracts of similar scope and complexity performed within the last five (5) years; past performance will be evaluated on a Go/No-Go basis as either Acceptable or Unacceptable.

Price Offeror submits a complete and realistic price schedule for all CLINs (Base Year + Option Years 1 4); award will be made to the lowest total evaluated price among all technically acceptable offerors

The Government will not make an offeror whose price is determined to be unreasonably low or unbalanced.

7. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Offerors shall submit the following in two separate volumes:

Volume I Technical and Past Performance

Technical Capability Statement (no more than 10 pages) describing:

Experience performing grounds maintenance, snow/ice removal, and storm drain services at a comparable facility (healthcare, institutional, or large campus)

Equipment inventory, including snow removal and storm drain cleaning equipment

Staffing plan and key personnel qualifications

Management approach and quality control plan

Confirmation of field service representative within 200 miles of West Haven, CT

Past Performance Minimum three (3) references for contracts of similar scope and complexity performed within the last five (5) years, including contract number, agency/company name, POC and contact information, period of performance, contract value, and description of work

Volume II Price

Completed CLIN pricing schedule (Base Year + Option Years 1 4)

Completed Representations and Certifications (via SAM.gov or attached)

Proposals shall be submitted electronically to: Contracting Specialist: Nathan Langone Email: Nathan.Langone@va.gov Network Contracting Office 1 (NCO 1)

Proposal Deadline: October 29th, 2026, 10:00 AM Eastern Time

Late proposals will not be accepted.

8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All offerors must be registered and active in SAM.gov at time of proposal submission and award.

This acquisition is set aside for Small Business per FAR 19.502-2. Offerors must represent themselves as a small business under NAICS 561730 at time of offer.

This contract is subject to the Service Contract Labor Standards (Service Contract Act) per FAR 52.222-41. The following Wage Determinations are incorporated into this solicitation and will be incorporated into the resulting contract:

Wage Determination No. 2015-4127, Revision 36 West Haven, CT

Wage Determination No. 2015-4119, Revision 35 Newington, CT

Offerors are responsible for reviewing both applicable wage determinations on SAM.gov prior to submission and ensuring proposed prices reflect the required wage rates for each location.

Questions shall be submitted in writing to the Contracting Specialist no later than October 26th, 2026, 10:00 AM Eastern Time. Questions received after this date may not receive a response.

The Government reserves the right to make award without discussions.

The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation at any time.

The Government reserves the right to exercise option years subject to availability of funds and satisfactory contractor performance.

This solicitation is for commercial services as defined under FAR Part 2 and FAR Part 12.

END OF COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION