99--Emergency hurricane tree removal/cleanup services at Cypress Hills Natl Cemetery

Amendment A001 to RFP VA786-13-R-0049 Page 2 of 18 The following changes are being incorporated into RFP VA786-13-R-0049 as follows: 1. Page 59, Paragraph E.3, 4th Paragraph is changed as follows: The due date for questions/clarification requests is extended to 18 December 2012 by no later than 3:00 PM EST. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT CONSIDER AND/OR ADDRESS QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATION REQUESTS THAT ARE SUBMITTED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME. 2. Page 1, Block 8, The due date for proposals is extended to 2 January 2013 by no later than 2:00 PM EST. 3. Page 5, Statement of Work is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the below version: ? B.4 STATEMENT OF WORK STATEMENT OF WORK DATED 17 DECEMBER 2012, VERSION NUMBER 2 A.1 BACKGROUND Cypress Hills National Cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Shrine that honors Veterans with a final resting place and lasting memorials that commemorate their service to our Nation. The Cemetery receives visitors, holds ceremonies and conducts committal services. Because of the Cemetery's special significance and attention it receives from the public, strict adherence to statement of work is essential. A.2 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS A.2.1 Place of Performance: The Contractor shall furnish all supervision, labor, equipment, tools, materials and supplies necessary to provide tree pruning, removal and stump grinding services at the following VA National Cemetery: CEMETERY ADDRESS ACREAGE REQUIRED SERVICES Cypress Hills National Cemetery 625 Jamaica Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11208 18 Storm Cleanup To Include Tree Removal, Stump Grinding, Filling of Stump Cavities, Deadwood Tree Pruning, Removal of Broken Branches & Hangers. 1. This tree work is required due to severe damage suffered during the high winds of Hurricane Sandy. Several large trees that have fallen are lying amongst or on top of headstones and in some instances headstones have been completely pulled from the ground. Extreme care and caution shall be exercised by the Contractor when removing these trees and the stumps so as not to damage headstones, surrounding gravesites or turf. 2. The Contractor shall work in conjunction with the cemetery staff when addressing any headstones that have been pulled from the ground as part of the trees root system. At no time will headstones be removed by the Contractor. 3. To insure protection of headstones that are in close proximity to trees being pruned or removed, the Contractor shall use covers to place over the headstones while the work is being performed. These covers will be provided by the Contractor. 4. The Cypress Hills National Cemetery falls within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA's) quarantine zone for trees that may be infested with Asian Long Horned Beetle. Because of this all USDA rules and restrictions regarding the removal, chipping and transportation of hardwood trees from the quarantine zone must be strictly followed by the Contractor. All commercial Contractors working within New York ALB regulated areas need a compliance agreement which is issued by the New York ALB Cooperative Eradication Program. Any Contractor that has questions about obtaining or securing this compliance agreement can contact the ALB program at +1 (555) 000-0000. 5. Please note line 54 of the tree list that is included in this document. This includes a grouping of several trees in sections 15 & 16 on the hill behind the Rostrum that need to be pruned. These have not been noted individually on the list due to the fact that there are no headstones in this location to use as a correspondence for the tree's location. A.2.2 Tree Removal Inventory: The following trees / stumps shall be removed and or pruned (includes thorough removal of all deadwood, broken or hanging branches, flush cutting of ripped or torn branches) in accordance with all terms, conditions, specifications and requirements provided herein: SECTION NEAREST HEADSTONE REMOVAL OR PRUNING 1. Section 10 14149 Remove 2. Section 10 14059 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 3. Section 10 14010 Removal 4. Section 2 9675 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 5. Section 2 9244 Remove 6. Section 2 8868 Remove 7. Section 2 6686 Remove 8. Section 10 13969 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 9. OS East 371 Remove Pine tree from cemetery fence line 10. Section 10 13944 Remove 11. Section 2 7741 Remove 12. Section 10 13897 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches SECTION NEAREST HEADSTONE REMOVAL OR PRUNING 13. OS East 200 Remove Yew Off Fence Line 14. Section 10 13867 Remove 15. Section 2 6862 Remove 16. Section 10 13776 Remove 17. Section 2 5798 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 18. Section 10 13756 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 19. Section 10 13723 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 20. Section 10 13700 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 21. Section 2 4710 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 22. Section 10 13653 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 23. Section 5 69 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 24. Section 14 15805 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 25. Section 14 15499 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 26. Section 14 15470 Remove Two Trees in Spillway Along Fence 27. Section 14 15451 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 28. Section 12 962 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 29. Section 12 855 Remove Two Trees Along Fence SECTION NEAREST HEADSTONE REMOVAL OR PRUNING 30. Section 12 803 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 31. Section 6 12159A (Pin Oak to left of headstone) Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 32. Section 6 12159A (to left of headstone) Remove Tree 33. Section 6 12159A (behind headstone) Remove Tree (Mulberry) 34. Section 6 12159A (behind headstone) Remove Tree (Dogwood) 35. Section 7 To east side of headstone identified as Samuel Green Deadwood prune & flush cut broken branches 36. Headstone Reads John Wilson Remove Tree (Dogwood) 37. Headstone Reads James Connors Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches, Clean Off Fence Line, Remove Limb Growing Over Headstones 38. Headstone Reads John Drake Remove Debris Off Fence Line 39. Section 13 14811 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 40. Section 13 15016 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 41. Section 13 15085 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 42. Section 13 15223 Remove SECTION NEAREST HEADSTONE REMOVAL OR PRUNING 43. Section 13 15352 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 44. Section 13 15429 Remove 45. Section 13 15441 Remove 46. Section 16 715 Remove 47. Section 16 775 Remove (Tree Behind Headstone) 48. Section 16 717 Remove (Tree Behind Headstone) 49. Section 13 15421 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 50. Section 13 15399 Remove (two trees) 51. Section 13 At Section Marker Flush cut broken branches and prune 52. Behind Trash Can Remove 53. Section 12 At Section Marker Remove 54. Across road from section marker Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches (two trees) 55. Behind MA Section Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches, Flush Cut Broken Branches 56. Section 16 721 (Hellman) Remove 57. West side of Rostrum on hill at finial ball (includes trees in sections 15 & 16) Includes all shade trees on the hill Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches SECTION NEAREST HEADSTONE REMOVAL OR PRUNING 58. Headstone reads Charles Frederic Hartman Remove (two trees) 59. Headstone reads William McAllister Remove 60. Headstone reads Robert Fleming Remove 61. Headstone reads Arthur Eady Remove & grind stumps 62. Headstone reads Edward Bessler Remove 63. Section 15 10 Remove 64. Section 15 50 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches, limb up / raise crown 65. Section OS West 97 Remove 66. Section 2 West 4114 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches, Flush Cut Broken Branches 67. Section 2 West 4612 Remove 68. Section 2 West 4563 Remove 69. Section 2 West 9085 Remove 70. Section 2 West 7357 Remove SECTION NEAREST HEADSTONE REMOVAL OR PRUNING 71. Section 2 West 12003 Remove 72. Headstone reads Edward Fitzgerald Remove 73. Headstone reads William Taylor Remove 74. Section 9 13267 Remove 75. Section 9 13295 Remove 76. Section 9 13318 Remove 77. Section 2 West 7389 Remove 78. Section 2 West 7655 Remove 79. Section 2 West 8726 Remove 80. Section 2 West 10695 Remove 81. Section 2 West 10891 Remove 82. Section 9 13511 Remove 83. Section 2 West 11647 Remove 84. Section 2 West 12045 Remove 85. Section 2S 41 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches SECTION NEAREST HEADSTONE REMOVAL OR PRUNING 86. Section 2S 216 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches, Remove two lower horizontal branches 87. Section 2S 685 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 88. Section 2S 487 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 89. Section 2S 752 Elevate Canopy 90. Section 2S 115 Remove 91. Along Lodge Entrance / Bench Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches (two trees) 92. Behind Garage Remove Union Grounds 1. Section 1B 2736 Remove 2. Section 1B 2753 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 3. Section 1A 16503 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches, Flush Cut Broken Branches 4. Section 1A 16540 Remove 5. Section 1A 16690 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 6. Section 1A 16750 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 7. Behind Flagpole Remove 8. Section 1D Remove (2 trees) SECTION NEAREST HEADSTONE REMOVAL OR PRUNING 9. Section 1E 304 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 10. Section 1E 286 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 11. Section 1E 266 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 12. Section 1F 45 Remove 13. Section 1F 4 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 14. Garfield Oak Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 15. Section 1F Remove (three Dogwoods) 16. Behind Garfield Oak Remove 17. Section 1C 3733 Remove 18. Section 1C Remove (two Dogwoods) 19. Section 1C 1589 Remove 20. Section 1C 1610 Deadwood Prune, Remove Hangers & Broken Branches 21. Section 1C 1572 Remove A.3 SPECIFICATIONS A.3.1 Tree Removal / Stump Grinding / Deadwood Tree Pruning (a) Removal and pruning of all trees shall be accomplished under the direction and guidance of an ISA Certified Arborist provided by the Contractor. All trees that are scheduled to be removed shall be topped prior to falling and all limbs over 3 ½" in diameter must be lowered to the ground by ropes. At no time should any branches, tree limbs or sections of the trunk be dropped to the ground or on any headstones. The Contractor shall be responsible for any damage to the turf, roads or headstones caused by dropping parts of the tree. (b) Deadwood pruning includes the removal of any broken, hanging, dead or otherwise potentially dangerous limbs or branches from the tree and the removal of any deadwood ranging in size from two to four inches and up in diameter. The Contractor shall be sure to thoroughly remove all visible deadwood from the tree. (c) All stumps shall be ground to a minimum of 6" below soil level, or to the lateral roots, if reached before the specific depth. The Contractor shall never grind the stumps to the depth that would interfere with the roots of any adjacent tree(s) that the Government intends to retain. All grindings should then be removed from the cavity of the stump. Stump cavities shall be filled with clean suitable soil, mechanically topsoil, compacted and evenly graded. After grading has been completed the top soiled area 2-4 inches in depth will have grass seed (60% Perennial Ryegrass & 40% Kentucky Blue Grass) evenly applied and graded. All stumps shall be marked by the Contractor with a red cone or flag after the tree removal if they will not be ground out immediately after the removal so to avoid any tripping hazards for cemetery visitors. (d) All wood chip particles and debris from the tree removal / pruning shall be cleaned up thoroughly and removed from the cemetery daily. The Contractor shall take every precaution to prevent any falling branches or trees from damaging any headstones, roadways, adjacent plant material or structures. (e) The Contractor shall be responsible for repair and or replacement to any damaged turf, headstones or other property. All work will be completed within ninety (90) days of commencement of work. A.3.2 Utility Lines Compliance: Where pruning / stump grinding / tree removal conflicts with existing utility service lines (above or below ground), cemetery personnel and the appropriate utility company shall be notified by the Contractor. The Contractor shall obtain all necessary permits and cooperate with the utility company to avoid any damage or liability. A.3.3 Debris & Waste Removal: Removal of debris and waste away from the cemetery grounds shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. At the end of each day, the Contractor shall remove all pruning / trimming cuts, tree limbs, dead branches, bush / shrub / hedge clippings and other debris from the cemetery site resulting from the work. The Contractor shall ensure at all times that debris and waste generated by the Contractor is kept clear of vehicular and pedestrian traffic throughout the site. NOTE: The Government will not provide receptacle(s) for disposal of debris related to this contract. A.3.4 Communication & Coordination of Work with Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR): The Contractor shall participate in regular meetings with Government personnel and other Contractors at the cemetery to coordinate contract work schedules and contract related issues. Communication with the COTR is strongly encouraged. Burial activities at NCA shall take precedence over contract work activities. Work activity and noise cannot disturb Burial or Visitor Services. Trucks and workers are prohibited from passing through the service area during this period. A.3.5 Cemetery Activities: To cause the least possible interference with cemetery activities, contract personnel shall stop (cease) all work in areas where burials are taking place or where a gravesite is being visited. As a general "rule-of-thumb", work should not take place within 1,000 feet of an ongoing committal service or ceremony. The Site Manager shall re-direct work throughout the rest of the Cemetery so that productive use of labor and equipment is assured, and downtime is avoided. If the Contractor fails to re-direct employees away from an event in a timely manner, the COTR may then do so. A.3.6 Notwithstanding the Contractors responsibility for total management during the performance of this contract, the administration of the contract will require maximum coordination between the Government and the Contractor. The Government will provide, at the time of contract award, a list of Government personnel authorized to act as COTRs. A.4 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT A.4.1 Site Manager: A "Certified Arborist" shall serve as the "Site Manager" for this contract and shall be provided by the Contractor for not less than eight (8) hours a day whenever work is being performed - other than trash and debris pick-up. The Certified Arborist must have not less than three (3) years experience as a direct supervisor of a commercial tree maintenance operation that has included large shade tree removal, tree pruning and stump grinding/removal in industrial, commercial or public sites and must be certified by International Society of Arboriculture. The Certified Arborist shall ensure all specifications are being met, ensure contract work does not conflict with ceremonies and funerals, and ensure employees are adequately supervised and proper conduct is maintained. A.4.2 Representatives of the Contracting Officer: The VA Contracting Officer will designate one (or more) representatives to serve as the COTR. Such designation will be in writing and will define the scope and limitations of the designee's authority. A copy of the designation(s) shall be furnished to the Contractor at time of award. The COTR is responsible for furnishing technical guidance and advice or generally supervises the work to be performed under this contract. The COTR may direct and arrange the Contractor's work schedule in specific areas of the cemetery to coordinate with daily cemetery activities and operations. Duties and responsibilities of the COTR include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) Provides contract oversight and technical guidance to the Contractor. (ii) Acts as technical liaison between the Cypress Hills National Cemetery and the Contractor and between the cemetery and the Contracting Officer. (Note: The COTR may not modify the intent or the terms and conditions of the contract.) (iii) Placing orders for services, if applicable. (iv) Determining whether contract deliverables meet functional, technical and performance specifications, if applicable. (v) Verification / certification of payments to the Contractor for services rendered. (vi) Assuring that any changes effecting work involved, price, terms and/or conditions under the contract are not implemented before written authorization is issued by the Contracting Officer. A.4.3 Contracting Officer: Contract Administration and administrative functions are the responsibility of the VA Contracting Officer. Any modifications to the contract, including those involving no-cost changes, increases and decreases in cost or level of services provided, termination or extension of the contract (in part or in whole) and decisions concerning claims or disputes, must be authorized in writing by the Government Contracting Officer. A.4.4 Payment: Upon completion of all tree removals, stump grinding, adding suitable top soil, mechanically compacted with and soil and seeding of stump cavities the Contractor shall submit an invoice in arrears for services rendered. Prior to certification of payment, invoices will be verified for accuracy by the COTR. The COTR will verify the services provided and authorize payment. VA reserves the right to reject any work that does not meet contract specifications. A.4.5 Federal Holidays: All work required under this contract will be performed during normal business days and daylight hours between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm, local time, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. Deviations from the work schedule shall require prior written authorization from the COTR. The following is a list of the Federal holidays: New Year's Day Martin Luther King's Birthday President's Day Memorial Day Fourth of July Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day A.5 RESPONSIBILITIES & STANDARDS OF CONDUCT A.5.1 Responsibilities (a) The Contractor shall be aware of the intensive labor and equipment requirements needed to meet contract specifications. Inclement weather - other than prolonged snow cover or unusual amounts of rain will not be considered an excusable delay in meeting specifications. The Government expects the Contractor to work throughout all weather conditions and to apply additional labor and equipment as necessary to meet deadlines. (b) The Contractor shall be aware of performance requirements necessary to meet contract specifications and deadlines. If the Contractor's work force is unionized, the Contractor shall ensure the labor agreement has a "no-strike" provision to ensure Government contract requirements are met. (c) The Contractor shall obtain all necessary licenses and permits necessary to perform the work involved and shall take all precautions necessary to protect persons and property from injury or damage during the performance of this contract. The Contractor shall be responsible for any injury or damage during the performance of this contract including injury to himself/herself, his/her employees, or others. (d) The Contractor shall be liable for any damage to personal or public property that occurs during the performance of this contract that is caused by him/her or his/her employees' fault or negligence. (e) The Contractor shall maintain personal liability and property damage insurance prescribed by the laws of the State of New York. (f) Cooperation with other Contractors: The Government may undertake or award other contracts for additional work at or near the site of work for this contract. The Contractor shall fully cooperate with other Contractors and with Government employees and shall carefully adapt scheduling and performance of work, adhering to any direction provided by the COTR. (g) The Contractor shall not operate trucks, tractors, or other heavy equipment on any turf area except as provided in this contract or as authorized by the COTR. The Contractor shall be responsible for repairing turf damage caused by the Contractor during all weather conditions that is deemed excessive by the COTR at no additional cost to the Government. (h) The Contractor shall provide adequate safety warning devices, barricades and cover boards, etc., at all work sites to eliminate hazards from public visitors and cemetery employees at no cost to the Government. (i) At the end of each day, the Contractor shall remove all debris, vehicles and equipment from the Cemetery site. At all times rubbish and trash generated by the Contractor shall be kept clear of vehicular and pedestrian traffic throughout the site. The Government will not provide receptacles for the disposal of debris related to this contract. (j) Reporting "on-the-job" Injuries: The Contractor shall report all "on-the-job" injuries incurred by the Contractor, its agents or employees, resulting from performance of this contract. The Contractor shall notify the COTR (either orally or via telephone) within twenty-four (24) hours of the injury and provide details and exact location of the incident. The Contractor shall follow up with a written notice to the COTR. Any Contractor (including its agents and employees) that knowingly files a false claim may be criminally prosecuted. A.5.2 Standards of Employee Conduct: The Contractor and its personnel shall adhere to the following standards of dress and conduct while performing work in the National Cemetery. These standards and regulations are enforceable under Title 38, U.S.C. Section 218. Contractor and its Personnel -- (a) Shall be fully clothed at all times, to include long slacks or pants and shirt, buttoned up from neck to waist. Clothing shall be clean each day. Any soiled clothing should be Cemetery work-related that day. T-shirts and/or tank tops as outer garments are prohibited. Shoes/boots shall have no holes or loose soles. Steel-toed shoes shall be required in accordance with OSHA. The Contractor employees shall maintain personal hygiene. (b) Shall not engage in loud or boisterous behavior or use profane or abusive language. Shall show proper reverence during committal service. (c) Shall not eat or drink beverages except water or non-alcoholic drinks while in the work area or in site of committal shelter during a service. Use of intoxicating beverages and/or drugs is strictly prohibited. (d) Contractor personnel shall not lean, sit or stand on or against headstones or monuments. No tools, equipment or other items will be placed or leaned on headstones or monuments. (e) SMOKING is not permitted within the Cemetery. This restriction includes offices, restrooms, stairwells, entrances, exits or any other public area. (f) It will be the discretion of the COTR to implement immediate removal of Contractor and/or its personnel from Cemetery grounds if these standards are not adhered to during the performance of the contract. The Contractor shall administer disciplinary action immediately as required to Contractor employees. A.5.3 Supervision & Training (a) The Contractor shall maintain satisfactory standards of personnel conduct and work performance and shall administer disciplinary action as required. (b) The Contractor shall remove employees for cause, to include, but not limited to, misconduct in performance of duty under these specifications and/or conduct contrary to the Government's best interests. (c) The Contractor shall be responsible for training and safety precautions for contractor employees performing work under these specifications. OSHA standards shall be observed by the Contractor in all work performed. (d) Appropriate safety equipment shall be furnished by the Contractor to its personnel and shall be used as prescribed by OSHA standards, including hard hats, safety shoes, safety glasses, and hearing protection devices. A.5.4 Use Of Cemetery Facilities (a) The Government will not be responsible for any loss, damage, or theft of contractor items, nor shall free telephone service be provided. The Contractor shall be responsible for acceptable standards of housekeeping and custodial maintenance of Department of Veterans Affair's facilities used by its employees. (b) The Contractor is responsible for safely handling any chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, cleaning solutions, etc. in accordance with manufacturers recommendations. An MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is required for all chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and cleaning solutions. (c) Contractor shall be required to furnish and maintain portable restroom's that adequately provides an area for the Contractor to wash their hands. No maintenance or repair of Contractor equipment shall be conducted on Cemetery property without the COTR's written approval. (d) The Contractor employees may park privately owned vehicles in Jamaica Avenue. A.5.5 Liability & Indemnification (a) The Contractor shall possess and maintain all necessary insurance, licenses and permits required for contract performance. The Contractor shall be responsible for any injury to himself/herself, his/her employees, as well as for any damage to personal or public property that occurs during the performance of this contract that is caused by his/her employees fault or negligence, and shall maintain personal liability and property damage insurance having coverage for a limit as required by the laws of the State of New York. (b) The Contractor shall take all necessary precautions to prevent damage to headstones, markers, monuments, flower vases and other Cemetery structures during execution of this contract. The Contractor shall be charged current replacement costs and necessary labor charges for headstones or other property damaged because of actions by Contractor personnel. (c) It is agreed and understood that there is no limitation on the Contractor's liability. In no event will the Government indemnify and hold harmless the Contractor from all damages, expenses or harm incurred by the Contractor, or from all damages, expenses, or claims, which may arise from third party claims. (d) The Department of Veterans Affairs, will indemnify and hold harmless the Contractor from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, liabilities or causes of action resulting from the negligent acts or omissions of the Department, its agents, and employees, acting within the scope of their Federal employment, arising from the performance of this contract. (e) Contractors shall provide proof of insurance, licenses and permits required for contract performance within ten (10) days of receipt of notification of contract award. (f) Reporting "on-the-job" Injuries: The Contractor shall report all "on-the-job" injuries incurred by the Contractor, its agents or employees, resulting from performance of this contract. The Contractor shall notify the COTR (either orally or via telephone) within twenty-four (24) hours of the injury and provide details and exact location of the incident. The Contractor shall follow up by a written notice to the COTR. Any Contractor (including its agents and employees) that knowingly files a false claim may be criminally prosecuted. (End of Statement of Work) (END OF AMENDMENT A001)