F -- Control of Invasive Plants at the National Arboretum, Washington DC

PART: U.S. GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENTSCLASSCODE: F - National Resources and Conservation Services OFFADD: USDA, ARS, BA, AAO, Contracting Section, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Bldg. 003, Rm. 329A, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350 SUBJECT: Control of Invasive Plants at the National Arboretum, Washington DC SOL: 16-3K47-04 DUE: 9-20-04 by 4pm EST DESC: This is a Request for Quotes (RFQ) and incorporates provisions and clauses that are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-23. This project is restricted to small business concerns only. This job is to commence within 30 days after issuance of the Notice To Proceed. The following services are to be performed and consist of but not limited to: The United States National Arboretum (USNA), Washington, DC requires the services of a contractor to furnish the necessary personnel, material, equipment, services, repair parts, supplies, herbicides and any other items needed for the treatment of invasive plants in sections of the Arboretum. Contractor will be responsible for the controlling of invasive plants in several sites (as noted on drawing) over 43 acres and be able to differentiate between invasive and native plants in the area. The following species are some but not all of the invasive plants posing serious threats to the USNA that must be controlled during this contract: Lonicera maackii, Viburnum dilatatum, Celastrus orbiculatus, Hedera helix, Akebia quinata, Morus alba, Microstegium vimineum, Acer palmatum, Euonymus fortunei, Lonicera japonicaa, Ailanthus altissima, Rosa multiflora, Hedera helis, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, Fallopia japonica, and Ilex crenata. Great care must be taken to avoid eradicating native components of the flora, some of which may resemble invasive species. Native look-alikes include, but are not limited to the following: Celastrus scandens, Lonicera sempervirens, Morus rubra, Ilex Americana, Native Prunus spp. Treatment methods to include but not limited to: spraying, hand pulling, cutting and direct application of pesticides to the cut and spraying of herbicides. Herbicides will be the primary control method used, augmented by manual pulling of first year seedlings and shallowly rooted plants and cutting of tall tree vines. Currently, triclopyr (in the form of Garlon 3a and 4) and glyphosate (Accord, Roundup Pro and/or Rodeo) are the only herbicides approved for use. All work must be in compliance with Federal and District of Columbia laws, codes, OSHA regulations, licenses, directives, the Statement of Work, USNA Pesticide Policy, Endangered Species Act. Public Law 93-205, as amended, Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974, Public Law 93-629, as amended. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)/Technical Data Sheets shall be obtained for all hazardous materials to be used in performance of this contract, and a current herbicide commercial applicator license for Washington DC is required.. The complete Statement Of Work, drawing, specs and clauses will only be available from the website http://www.fedbizopps.gov on or about September 3, 2004. Any QUESTIONS MUST BE IN WRITING ONLY and can be faxed, mailed or by email (no phone calls please). Fax questions to 301/504-5009, mail questions to 10300 Baltimore Ave., Bldg 003, Room 329A, Beltsville, MD 20705 or email your questions to contact@example.gov and must be received no later than September 13, 2004 by 4pm EST. Questions received (if any) and their answers will be available on the Fedbizopps website for you to download on or about September 15, 2004. It is the contractors responsibility to check the internet site for any posted changes to the solicitation. There will be one site visit on September 9, 2004 at 9 a.m., all contractors are asked to meet in the front lobby of the U.S. National Arboretum Administration Building, 3501 New York Ave., N.E. Washington, DC 20002. The NAICS code for this project is 115310 with a small business size of 6.0 million. The Government recommends that contractors providing a quote for this project visit the site and make themselves aware of the site conditions. Quotes are due on September 20, 2004 by 4 p.m. EST and can be faxed to 301/504-5009, mailed or hand delivered to the office address. FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures and FAR Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items will be used to procure this project and is set aside for small business concerns only. A firm fixed price purchase order will be awarded to the responsible/responsive offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation and is considered most advantageous to the Government. This project will be awarded using Best Value Procurement. The following FAR clauses and provisions apply and are available on http://www-far.npr.gov or http://arnet.gov/far : FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation-Award to technically acceptable offeror, at a fair and reasonable price; The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers/quotes for this project in order of importance: 1. Past performance, 2. Technical capability and 3. Price. FAR 52-212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items. All offers must include a completed copy of FAR 52.212-3 with their response. FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses in paragraph (b) of FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues of Executive Orders-Commercial Items, will apply to the resultant contract: 52.203-6, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52-222-36, 52-222-37, 52.225-1, 52.225-13 and 52.232.34, 52.222.70 COMPLIANCE WITH VETERANS EMPLOYMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS (JAN 1999) (DEVIATION) (USDA). (a) The offeror represents that if it is subject to the reporting requirement of 38 U.S.C. 4212 (d) (i.e., the VETS-100 report required by FAR clause 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era), it has [ ], has not [ ], submitted the most recent report required by 38 U.S.C. 4212 (d). (b) An offeror who checks - has not may not be awarded a contract until the required report is filed. Section 508 Accessibility compliance Clause: All Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) procured through this Contract must meet the applicable accessibility standards at 36 CFR 1194, unless an agency exception to this requirement exists. (36 CFR 1194 implements Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and is viewable at http:www.access-board.gov/sec508/508standards.htm-PART 1194). The following operating systems; 1194.25 Self contained, closed products; 1194.26 Desktop and portable computers. The standards do not require the installation of specific accessibility-related software or the attachment of an assistive technology device, but merely require that the EIT be compatible with such software and devices so that it can be made accessible if so required by the agency in the future. All contractors submitting quotes must be registered and current in the CCR prior to award (http://www.ccr.gov). Award will not be made to contractors that are not current and registered in the CCR. Anticipated award date September 24, 2004.