Baton Rouge National Cemetery Tree Pruning

The solicitation for Baton Rouge National Cemetery Tree Pruning, identified by solicitation number 36C78626Q50175, is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside under NAICS code 561730, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration. The work involves pruning large trees over 40 feet in height or with a diameter at breast height exceeding 24 inches, categorized under two line items: routine pruning and deadwood pruning, with a total of six tree units to be serviced. Performance is to be completed at the cemetery located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a firm period of performance ending September 30, 2026. The contract will be awarded on a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis, meaning the lowest-priced offer that meets minimum technical requirements will be selected. Offerors must demonstrate technical acceptability through a detailed approach to the work, certification from the International Society of Arboriculture, and a resume of a certified arborist with at least three years’ experience supervising commercial tree maintenance. Past performance on three comparable projects will also be evaluated, and all submissions must include compliance with the mandated wage determination and federal regulations concerning safety, labor, and anti-kickback statutes. A mandatory site visit is scheduled for May 5, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the restroom area behind the lodge at the cemetery, with vendors required to report to the parking lot upon arrival; no additional site visits will be arranged. All questions regarding the solicitation must be submitted via email to david.hester@va.gov no later than May 6, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. MTN, with responses posted as amendments on SAM.gov by May 11, 2026. Proposals are due by May 15, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. EST and must be submitted to the VA’s office in Triangle, Virginia. Attachments critical to performance include the Tree Worksheet, Site Plan, Tree Maintenance SOW, Evaluation Criteria, and Map_FY26_Baton_Rouge.pdf, among others. Contracting clauses mandate compliance with whistleblower protections, anti-retaliation policies for internal confidentiality agreements, subcontracting limitations requiring at least 50% of the work to be performed by the prime