Biloxi National Cemetery Tree Services

The contract for Biloxi National Cemetery Tree Services, identified by solicitation number 36C78626Q50173, is a Firm Fixed Price procurement issued by the National Cemetery Administration under the Department of Veterans Affairs, exclusively set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) on a sole source basis. The scope of work involves comprehensive tree maintenance services including removal, pruning, and stump removal at the Biloxi National Cemetery in Mississippi, with performance required to occur at 400 Veterans Avenue, Building 1001, Biloxi, MS 39531. The period of performance is scheduled from March 23, 2026, to April 10, 2026. A mandatory site visit is set for May 7, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at the cemetery’s flagpole, with vendors required to report to the parking lot upon arrival; no additional site visits will be permitted. All questions regarding the solicitation must be submitted via email to david.hester@va.gov no later than May 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time, with responses to be distributed via amendment on SAM.gov no later than May 13, 2026. Proposals must be submitted electronically via SAM.gov no later than May 18, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Offerors must be registered in SAM and possess a valid Unique Entity Identifier and CAGE code. The contract evaluation will follow a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) methodology, with technical acceptability determined before price consideration. Key evaluation factors include the contractor’s technical approach and understanding of the work, demonstrated by ISA-certified arborist credentials and supervisory experience resumes; past performance on similar projects, supported by CPARS data and vendor-submitted examples; and price competitiveness. The contractor must comply with extensive federal and VA-specific regulations, including FAR clauses on whistleblower rights, labor standards, trafficking in persons, paid sick leave, subcontracting limitations, and electronic payment systems. Specific to this SDVOSB set-aside, subcontracting is capped at 50% of the contract value for services, excluding materials, and must be documented under FAR 852.219-75. Key personnel must be approved in advance by