Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

The purpose of this Amendment is to Post Responses to Contractor Questions needing Clarification 36C24824Q0470 A0002 No further changes were made to this solicitation. Questions and Clarifications for... The purpose of this Amendment is to Post Responses to Contractor Questions needing Clarification 36C24824Q0470 A0002 No further changes were made to this solicitation. Questions and Clarifications for Solicitation 36C24824Q0470 Performance Work Statement (PWS)- Page 13 General: First Paragraph: This is a non-personnel services contract to provide all labor, equipment, tools, supervision, transportation, administration and parts and materials (including lubricants) to provide maintenance, repairs and training to all laundry equipment and associated utilities work associated with repair, scheduled preventative maintenance (PM) and testing. Question1: Please confirm that all repair parts, associated utilities, materials and lubricants are a cost that the VA will substantiate. This contract supports labor for two technicians not materials to complete the job at hand. A confirmed, there is a separate fund specifically for approved parts, materials, shop stock, etc. 5. Period of Performance: To Be Determined- Page 14 Question 2: This contract doesn't specify a specific timeframe, but it is being quoted with a base period of four years and an option to extend. Is it accurate to assume that the contractor assigned to perform the work will also be responsible for training the on-site technicians to eventually handle the contract internally? If so, what is your estimate for the potential duration of the contract? Yes, the contract specifies the contractor will train the employee technicians on repairs and preventative maintenance, there isn t any way to estimate the potential duration of the contract at this time due to the repairs, preventative maintenance and training that has to be completed. 7. Contractor required qualifications, experience & technical capability (to perform services) Page 15 Second Paragraph: Required documents (or other documents that are provided) are required for both the prime contractor and subcontracting personnel to verify their capabilities, qualifications, and experience. Subcontactors ( and subcontracting personnel) that are to be utilized for this requirement shall be identified by the prime contractor. Subcontracting personnel must mee the minimum qualification standards. Question 3: Should subcontractors declare their involvement during the bidding process? What is the division of responsibilities between the prime contractor and the subcontractor concerning on-site work and laundry facility tasks? Additionally, are there specific vetting requirements for subcontractors beyond OSHA10, OSHA30, and their past project history? For instance, do they need to provide letters of recommendation from previous government jobs, emphasizing their experience in laundry equipment service and preventative maintenance? A It is the Contractor s responsibility to provide qualified technicians as specifically stated in the PWS. This is not a contract to bring inexperience subcontractors onboard and train them. THE PWS specifies experience laundry equipment technicians. It is not acceptable for the Contractor to be experienced and provide inexperience subcontractors to do the work. 8. Scope of Services: Preventative Maintenance (PM) Checks and Services: Page 16 Contractor shall perform all preventative maintenance (PM) checks and services according to OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) recommendations to include all labor, travel, shipping, replacement parts, and materials required to perform Preventative Maintenance checks and services, all included in the total cost of the maintenance service agreement for the equipment specified. Question 4: Please confirm that all repair parts, associated utilities, materials and lubricants are a cost that the VA will substantiate. This contract supports labor for two technicians not materials to complete the job at hand. A Confirmed, as answered in question 1. There is a separate fund for the purchased of approved parts, supplies, materials, etc. 8. Scope of Services: Replacement parts (for non-routine PM checks and servicing) Page 16: Contractor will annotate an hourly rate all-inclusive of labor and travel for any repair and/or replacement of parts not deemed routine PM checks and servicing. Those parts will be paid for outside of this Preventative Maintenance contract. Refurbished parts or gray market parts will not be accepted. Question 5: Any and all parts, to include freight and materials to complete PM and/or service should be at the cost of the VA and not Contractor. Please verify. A Confirmed. There is a separate fund for the purchase of approved parts, supplies, materials, etc. 8. Scope of Services: Deliverable #3: Standard and Emergency Services (Non-Preventative Maintenance) and response times- Page 16: Standard service requests made, beyond the preventative maintenance services provided above, will be responded to via phone, email or in person, within four (4) business hours of the request with a timeline for the repair. Every effort is made to reduce downtime and ensure the facility continues to operate at peak performance. Emergency service requests, beyond the preventative maintenance services provided above, will require a four (4) hour response by phone, email or in person and a qualified technician directly engaged either onsite or via a remote internet connection, within 24 hours. Service work requested, either Standard or Emergency will be started within one (1) business days, of the request from The Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and guaranteed up time shall be within five business days, unless a part is not on hand or has to be ordered. In that situation the contractor will give notification to the COR of Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) of the part(s) and estimated up time in writing/e-mail. Contractor shall only respond to requests for service from VA Medical Center COR or the Contracting Officer. If service is requested from any other source the Contractor is to advise the caller of this requirement and refuse to respond. Any billing resulting from unauthorized service will not be paid by the government. Question 6: Kindly note that any concerns occurring during the scheduled onsite hours will be dealt with promptly. In cases where the contractor encounters multiple issues, they may collaborate with the laundry manager to prioritize and address them accordingly. However, if these concerns arise outside the regular Monday through Friday operating hours, the VA has the option to create a purchase order for any necessary overtime if they choose to do so. If the VA does not decide to create the purchase order for the service, no additional labor or time will be provided. A this is not a question 8. Scope of Services: Deliverable #4: Schedule/frequency of services and required documentation (checklists): Page 16-17 The schedule of preventative maintenance (PM) checks and services shall be conducted at a minimum of 5 days a week, typically Monday through Friday, and more, if necessary, in order to perform ALL OEM recommended preventative maintenance for the listed equipment. It is the government s expectation that the contractor be a subject matter expert (SME) regarding Preventive Maintenance and Services that are required for each piece of equipment in accordance with manufacturer guidelines. For the equipment listed in EQUIPMENT LISTING (Appendix A) a Preventive Maintenance and Services Plan is needed which will define the type of work to be performed, the extent of work to be performed, and the frequency/duration of this work. As part of this plan, contractors must submit a Checklist detailing items that will be addressed and covered in the contract for each piece of Laundry Equipment during each week of Preventive Maintenance Service. The Checklist must include all parts and labor that will be covered in the contract. A checklist shall be provided by the contractor at the beginning of the performance period before the required work begins. These Checklists should mirror the Preventive Maintenance Schedules in the Maintenance Manuals for each piece of Laundry Equipment. These Checklists must be used during the week/ Preventive Maintenance Service and signed by the Technician indicating that all applicable services were completed for each piece of laundry equipment as annotated in EQUIPMENT LISTING (APPENDIX A). Question 7: The "and more, if necessary" provision should be removed if it falls outside the defined scope of work for eight hours a day, Monday through Friday. Any extra labor needed will require the VA to submit a purchase order to the contractor. No parts, materials, or lubricants are included in this contract, so there's no requirement to provide them prior to the preventive maintenance. A - Shall defer to the Contracting Officer this is not a question 8. Scope of Services: Deliverable #10- Training of Staff and the laundry mechanics: page 19: Training will be completed on trouble shooting, repairs and preventative maintenance based on OEM manuals to the equipment provided in Appendix A. Training would also include to our automated chemical dispensers. Question 8: The contractor working on-site bears no responsibility for the chemicals utilized at the laundry facility for the linens. This responsibility lies with your chemical company. A- Agreed, the last sentence above should be removed. 8.1 Scope of additional required services: Punch list of additional Required Services (a)-Page 20: Provide continuous remote access and electronic remote monitoring of the filter system for daily performance evaluation and troubleshooting using the contractor s remote server, regularly review recent data for trend analysis, adjust operating setpoints as required, report abnormal conditions to management/local engineering support personnel and maintenance of internet connection from TEA system to source of government furnished internet connection/modem located in data closet. The government will be responsible for maintenance of the building internet connection to the internet modem and from this point the contractor will be responsible for all maintenance as it specifically relates to the TEA System. Question 9: When discussing remote access and electronic remote monitoring, it is essential to provide clear and detailed information. The VA received this during the original equipment installation, and it is not the contractor's responsibility to supply it but rather to assist in its maintenance. In the event of a more significant issue requiring TEA intervention, the associated costs should be covered by the VA. A- The present manager and maintenance employees were not present during equipment installation of the TEA system. Obtaining the knowledge and information is important. The contractor should be able to assist the VA in finding a way to obtain the remote access the VA desires. 8.1 Scope of additional required services: Punch list of additional Required Services (g)-Page 21: Conduct non-routine chemical cleaning of ceramic filter system as required. Question 10: Kindly provide an explanation regarding the specific requirements related to the ceramic filters and the equipment on which they are installed. A The water reclamation system here does not have ceramic filters. This does not apply. Equipment List: Rice Lake Scales and indicators: This needs to be calibrated each year at the cost of the VA not the contractor. The Contractor will not be required to calibrate the scales. Espon Printers: Not the responsibility to replace of the contractor A The Contractor will not be replacing printers or any other equipment unless damaged through negligence or willful mayhem. No HVAC equipment should be at the contractors service or preventative maintenance to include the bleeding valves, sterling heaters. A Agreed. The PWS only requires the repairs and preventative maintenance on the Laundry Equipment listed in Appendix A. Sterling heaters, although listed in Appendix A, are not Laundry Equipment. Question 11: What is the location and what does the expansion tank service? A the expansion tanks are in the boiler room. Which one listed are you asking about? Question 12: What is the polypropylene fans service? A as part of lint filtration system for the dryers. Question 13: General Questions: Is there a minimum/maximum number of days that the Vendor needs to be onsite? A- THE PWS specifies 2 technicians 5 days a week, Monday Friday. Except for Federal Holidays. If parts are ordered by the laundry itself, how would the vendor be notified that the parts are available to install? What would be their time frame to arrive onsite once the parts have been delivered? The present process is set up for the contractor to be able to order the parts and bill the VA. Please advise if this is a prevailing wage contract. A this is a fixed price contract. Question 14: I would like to seek clarification regarding the frequency of maintenance required for the laundry project. Could you please confirm whether maintenance will be scheduled on a monthly, weekly, by weekly, daily, or hourly basis? requires daily