Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION Lawn Maintenance and Groundskeeping Services for the National Weather Service located in Jacksonville, FL (i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial ite... COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION Lawn Maintenance and Groundskeeping Services for the National Weather Service located in Jacksonville, FL (i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice and in accordance with the simplified acquisition procedures authorized in FAR Part 13. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) This solicitation is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). Submit written quotes on RFQ Number 1305M325Q0160. (iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2025-07 (May 2025). (iv) This solicitation is being issued as a total Small Business Set-Aside. The associated NAICS code is 561730. The small business size standard is $9.5M. (v) This combined solicitation/synopsis is for purchase of the following commercial item(s)/services: CLIN 0001 – Base Year Services, non-personal, to provide all labor, equipment and materials (unless otherwise provided herein) necessary for lawn maintenance and groundskeeping services at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jacksonville, Florida in accordance with the Statement of Work. Period of Performance 08/01/2025 through 07/31/2026. CLIN 1001 – Option Year 1 Services, non-personal, to provide all labor, equipment and materials (unless otherwise provided herein) necessary for lawn maintenance and groundskeeping services at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jacksonville, Florida, in accordance with the Statement of Work. Period of Performance 08/01/2026 through 07/31/2027. CLIN 2001 – Option Year 2 Services, non-personal, to provide all labor, equipment and materials (unless otherwise provided herein) necessary for lawn maintenance and groundskeeping services at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jacksonville, Florida, in accordance with the Statement of Work. Period of Performance 08/1/2027 through 07/31/2028. CLIN 3001 – Option Year 3 Services, non-personal, to provide all labor, equipment and materials (unless otherwise provided herein) necessary for lawn maintenance and groundskeeping services at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jacksonville, Florida, in accordance with the Statement of Work. Period of Performance 08/1/2028 through 07/31/2029. CLIN 4001 – Option Year 4 Services, non-personal, to provide all labor, equipment and materials (unless otherwise provided herein) necessary for lawn maintenance and groundskeeping services at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jacksonville, Florida, in accordance with the Statement of Work. Period of Performance 08/1/2029 through 07/31/2030. (vi) Description of requirements is as follows: See attached Statement of Need/Work which applies to Base Year and all Option Years 1 – 4, and Department of Labor Wage Rates: WD 2015-4539, Revision No. 27, dated 05/23/2025, which can be found on: https://sam.gov/content/wage-determinations INVOICES TO BE BILLED MONTHLY IN ARREARS. PROVIDE MONTHLY AND ANNUAL PRICING FOR EACH BASE AND OPTION YEAR. QUOTE PRICING MAY BE PROVIDED ON ATTACHED SF18 FORM OR ON COMPANY LETTERHEAD. (vii) Date(s) and place(s) of delivery and acceptance: Period of performance shall be: Base Year for a twelve month period. Option Period 1 for a twelve month period. Option Period 2 for a twelve month period. Option Period 3 for a twelve month period. Option Period 4 for a twelve month period. Place of Performance is National Weather Service 13701 Fang Drive Jacksonville, FL 32218 (viii) FAR provision 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Sept 2023), applies to this acquisition and can be found on the Request for Quote form SF18 attachment. (ix) FAR provision 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2021), applies to this acquisition and can be found on the Request for Quote form SF18 attachment. (x) FAR provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (May 2024)(Deviation 2025-02)(Feb 2025)(Deviation 2025-03)(Feb 2025), applies to this acquisition and can be found on the Request for Quote form SF18 attachment. Offerors are advised to include a completed copy of the provision with its offer. Per Deviation 2025-02/03: System updates may lag policy updates. The System for Award Management (SAM) may continue to require entities to complete representations based on provisions that are not included in agency solicitations, including 52.223-22, Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Reduction Goals—Representation, and paragraph (t) of 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services. Examples include 52.222-25, Affirmative Action Compliance, and paragraph (d) of 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services. Contracting officers will not consider these representations when making award decisions or enforce requirements. Entities are not required to, nor are they able to, update their entity registration to remove these representations in SAM. (xi) FAR clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2023), applies to this acquisition and can be found on the Request for Quote form SF18 attachment. (xii) FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Jan 2025)(Deviation 2025-02)(Feb 2025)(Deviation 2024-03)(Oct 2023)(Deviation 2023-03)(Dec 2022)(Deviation 2021-06)(Sept 2021) , applies to this acquisition and can be found in full text on the Request for Quote form SF18 attachment. (xiii) Any additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions that apply can be found on the Request for Quote form SF18 attachment. (xiv) Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) and assigned rating does not apply. (xv) Quotes are required to be received in the contracting office no later than 12:00PM MST/MDT on 06/19/2025. All quotes must be submitted electronically via email to diana.romero@noaa.gov. (xvi) Any questions regarding this solicitation should be submitted electronically via email to diana.romero@noaa.gov. UTILIZATION OF FEDCONNECT® FOR CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION The Department of Commerce will utilize the FedConnect® web portal in administering this award. The contractor must be registered in FedConnect® and have access to the FedConnect® website located at https://www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/. For assistance in registering or for other FedConnect® questions please call the FedConnect® Help Desk at (800) 899-6665 or email at support@fedconnect.net. There is no charge for registration in or use of FedConnect®. (End) 1352.215-72 Inquiries (Apr 2010) OFFERORS MUST SUBMIT ALL QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS SOLICITATION IN WRITING VIA EMAIL TO diana.romero@noaa.gov. QUESTIONS SHOULD BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 06/16/2025. Any responses to questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the solicitation. Even if provided in other form, only the question responses included in the amendment to the solicitation will govern performance of the contract. (End of clause) 52.237-1 Site Visit (Apr 1984) Offerors or quoters are urged and expected to inspect the site where services are to be performed and to satisfy themselves regarding all general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance, to the extent that the information is reasonably obtainable. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award. (End of provision) A site visit is highly recommended but not required. Offerors are urged and expected to inspect the site where services are to be performed and to satisfy themselves regarding all general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance, to the extent that the information is reasonably obtainable. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award. Please contact Scott Cordero, Meteorologist in Charge (MIC) 904-741-5186 ext. 222* The official is referred to throughout the specifications as the “MIC.” Alternate: Jessica Howell, 904-741-4370 ext. 221 (jessica.howell@noaa.gov) to set up a time to visit the site. All questions during the site visit should be submitted electronically to diana.romero@noaa.gov. FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Sep 2023) NOTICE TO OFFERORS: Instructions for submitting quotations under this request for quote must be followed. Failure to provide all information to aid in the evaluation may be considered non-responsive. Offers that are non-responsive may be excluded from further evaluation and rejected without further notification to the offeror. 1. Submit PDF or Microsoft Word format quotations to the office specified in this solicitation at or before the time specified in the solicitation. Email quotes are required and can be sent to diana.romero@noaa.gov. 2. Offeror shall have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM found at https://sam.gov/content/home) in order to provide a quote and be eligible for award. Must provide their UEID/CAGE CODE with their quote. 3. Offerors shall assume that the Government has no prior knowledge of them or their capability. 4. Offerors must provide all evaluation criteria in accordance with FAR 52.212-2. Offerors who do not provide all evaluation criteria may not be considered. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR NON-RECEIPT OF QUOTES. IT IS THE CONTRACTOR’S RESPONSIBILITY TO REQUEST AND RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION OF THE QUOTE RECEIPT. FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation- Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2021) Offers will be evaluated based on price and the factors set forth in paragraph (a). The evaluation will consider the lowest price technically acceptable. The Government intends to evaluate the quotes and award a purchase order based on the Offeror’s initial quote; therefore, the Offeror’s initial quote should contain the Offeror’s best terms. The Government reserves the right not to award a purchase order depending on the quality of the quote(s) submitted and the availability of funds. Furthermore, the Government may waive informalities and minor irregularities or omissions in quotes received. (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. Paragraph (a) is hereby completed as follows: Evaluation will be based on the following; 1. Technical Acceptability/Capability. Quote shall include at least two references from at least two separate contracts for similar and relevant recent services within the past two years including the name, phone number, full address, and e-mail address of the reference to demonstrate the offeror’s capability to successfully perform the services listed in the Statement of Work. The offeror's past performance on related contracts will be evaluated to determine, as appropriate, successful performance of contract requirements, quality and timeliness of delivery of goods and services, cost management, communications between contracting parties, proactive management and customer satisfaction. The Government will use its discretion to determine the sources of past performance information used in the evaluation, and the information may be obtained from references provided by the Offeror, the agency’s knowledge of Offeror performance, other government agencies or commercial entities, or past performance databases, and will be based on responsiveness, quality, and customer services. Offerors lacking relevant past performance history, or for whom past performance information is either not available or has not been submitted to the Government, will receive a neutral rating for past performance. 2. Offeror must provide insecticides and environmental pesticide control licenses and/or certifications for all personnel handling pesticides or herbicides in the state in which the work is to be performed. 3. Price. The Government intends to award a low priced, technically acceptable, firm fixed-price purchase order with payment terms of Net 30. (b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). (c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. (End of provision) STATEMENT OF WORK – Landscaping/Lawn Care 1. The contractor shall be responsible for satisfactorily managing and performing programs for landscape maintenance services as specified herein at the following location: National Weather Service 13701 Fang Drive Jacksonville, FL 32218 2. Primary Responsibility: Scott Cordero, Meteorologist in Charge (MIC) 904-741-5186 ext. 222* The official is referred to throughout the specifications as the “MIC.” Alternate: Jessica Howell, 904-741-4370 ext. 221 (jessica.howell@noaa.gov) If any of the services do not conform to contract requirements, the Government may require the Contractor to perform services again in conformity with contract requirements, at no increase in contract amount or the price of the contract may be reduced to reflect the reduced value of services performed. If the defects in services are not corrected by re-performance, the Government may require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements. 3. Legal Requirements and Permits The vendor must procure and maintain at his/her expense, all necessary permits and licenses for the conduct of operations under any order resulting from this Request for Quotation, and hereby agrees to comply with all applicable municipal, State and Federal regulations. This includes Title 7, Chapter 6, Section 136 of the United States Code, Insecticides and Environmental Pesticide Control. All personnel handling pesticides or herbicides will be certified and licensed in the state in which the work is to be performed. All pesticides and/or herbicides will be authorized/approved for use by each state in which the work is to be performed. The offeror must include with the offer package, certification or license for any and all employees that will be handling or applying pesticides in performance of this Statement of Work to be considered for award. 4. Supervisor and Labor The Contractor shall promptly remove from the work site any supervisor or employee whose work or conduct is not satisfactory to the MIC. The Contractor’s supervisor shall be in charge of the work on behalf of the Contractor. The Contractor shall enforce strict discipline and good order among the Contractor’s employees. The Contractor shall exercise the necessary supervision and control to prevent Contractor’s employees from violating any rules and regulations. 5. Conduct of Work The Contractor should bring any noted defect, disease or insect infestation of the grounds to the attention of the MIC or designate and services under this contract must be performed in such a way that there will be no interruption to, interference with, the normal operation of Government business on the premises. 6. Schedule and Requirements Mowing will take place per the following schedule or on an as needed basis as directed by the MIC. - Once a week during – April, May, June, July, August, and September - Every two weeks during – March, October, November, and December - Once a month during – January and February - Quarterly the field around the upper air building and pond will be mowed and the tree line on the west side of the building will be cleared. Fertilize once a month during February, May, August, and October Chemical Weed Control may be included in Fertilizer. If not, weed control should be done once a month during March and June. Fungus and insect (chinch bugs and mole crickets) control as necessary. 7. Description of Services The Contractor will be responsible for satisfactorily managing and performing exterior landscape maintenance services at the National Weather Service located at 13701 Fang Dr., Jacksonville, FL. Exterior grounds consist of lawns, native grass areas, gravel, plant beds, parking lot, walks, driveways and curb. The Contractor must provide all labor, tools, equipment, supervision, herbicides, transportation and any other or services necessary, to maintain the landscaping and grounds in such a manner to present a neat and well maintained appearance. All products used are to be environmentally friendly and a list and Material Safety Data Sheets of these products will be supplied to the MIC for approval. The products are to be non-toxic, biodegradable, and made from renewable sources (not petroleum) to promote a healthy and green environment when possible. The MSDS must be provided by the contractor to the MIC or Administrative Assistant (ASA) where the information will be kept on file in accordance with applicable guidelines of the OSHA Hazard Communications Standard. Requirements pertaining to recordkeeping will be strictly followed, with copy(s) provided to MIC as necessary and upon request. MAINTAIN IMPROVED/SEMI-IMPROVED GROUNDS a. Mow Improved, Semi-Improved Grounds and Native Grassed Areas. Grass cutting of all lawn areas must be completed as per schedule. Grass clippings must be removed or mulched when visible after mowing. All improved and semi-improved grounds and native grassed areas must look well manicured at all times. b. Edging. Edging of sidewalks, driveways curbs and other concrete or asphalt edges located in the improved/semi-improved grounds must be concurrent with mowing per schedule. Edging will include removal of vegetation from cracks in sidewalks, driveways, and curbs. c. Grass/Weed Trimming. Grass and weeds must be trimmed around trees, shrubs, buildings, fences, poles, posts, fire hydrants, parking lot bumper blocks, boulders, road shoulders and other fixed obstacles concurrent with mowing schedule. Damage to trees and shrubs from trimming must be repaired by the contractor. d. Remove Debris/Police Grounds. The Contractor must perform general litter patrol on all grounds. Responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to, the removal and disposal of all natural debris (tree limbs, dry brush, rodent habitats, dead animals, etc) and manmade debris. All grass clippings must be properly removed and disposed of offsite. Sidewalks and paved areas must be cleaned of all lawn clippings after each mowing. Parking Lots/areas, walks, curb-gutter, sidewalks and concrete flat-work must be kept debris free (includes bark debris, dust and dirt). With the debris properly removed and disposed of offsite. Removal of debris and policing of grounds will be concurrent with mowing schedule. e. Application of Fertilizer. The Contractor must apply an effective fertilizer on all lawns, shrubs, plants and ground cover per Schedule. All fertilizers must be applied in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. f. Trimming and Pruning. The Contractor must maintain a neat and well maintained appearance of all plants, shrubs, and trees, by proper pruning, clipping, pinching back and shape maintenance. Lower branches on trees located on maintained grounds should be trimmed once a year, or as needed. g. Weed Control. The Contractor must keep all lawns (includes semi-improved and native grassed areas), shrub beds, ground-cover beds, flower beds, graveled areas and all other adjacent areas free of weeds at all times. Any herbicides must be applied by certified or licensed personnel. This should take place two times a year, once in March and again in June. h. Fire Ant Control. The Contractor must provide fire ant control in lawn and flower beds concurrent with mowing schedule. i. Upper Air Building. Mow within 10 feet of sidewalk and driveway leading to the Upper Air (U/A) Building (inside secured fenced area) and weed-eat along edge. Mow within 10 feet of the U/A building and associated sidewalks and asphalt pads. Contractor must be escorted inside secure area for U/A Building work. 8. Invoicing The vendor will bill on a monthly basis in arrears. The vendor will complete a service ticket and have the ticket signed by the site manager on completion of each site visit and at that time provide a copy to the MIC. All pertinent copies of completed forms shall accompany monthly invoices. 9. OBSERVANCE OF LEGAL HOLIDAYS AND SITE CLOSURE INFORMATION The Contractor hereby agrees to observe the following Federal holidays, plus any other day off work designated by Federal Statute, by Executive Order, or by Presidential proclamation: New Year's Day Labor Day Martin Luther King’s Birthday Columbus Day President’s Day Juneteenth Day Veteran’s Day Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Independence Day Christmas Day When any holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed; when any holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed. All personnel assigned to this contract shall limit their observation of holidays to those set forth above. In each instance, the Contractor agrees to continue to provide sufficient personnel to perform requirements of any critical tasks already in operation or scheduled, and shall be guided by the instructions issued by the Contracting Officer or the MIC. In the event of a site dismissal or closure due to weather, emergency or other circumstances, the contractor is instructed to contact the MIC or Alternate MIC for guidance. "The Certification and Accreditation (C&A) requirements of Clause 48 CFR 1352.239-72 do not apply, and a Security Accreditation Package is not required."