F--100% Set-Aside for U.S. Small Business Association Certified 8(a) businesses and incorporation of FAR 52.226-4 for Personal Property Debris Removal Associated with Hurricane Katrina, Jefferson Parish, LA for Zip Code 70072

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announceme nt constitutes the entire solicitation except the scope of work (SOW) and samples of property assessments outlining the required work; the SOW and assessments can be accessed through the Contract With Us link at http://www.faceofthecorps.com. Hardcopies wi ll not be available. It is the offerors responsibility to obtain the SOW and sample assessment packages from the aforementioned website. Solicitation Number W912P8-07-R-0116 is being issued as a request for proposals (RFP). This solicitation incorporates U.S. Department of Labor Wage Determination No. 1980-0614, Rev. No.27, dated 5/29/2007 and Wage Determination No. 2005-2233, Rev No. 4 dated 5/29/2007. Proposals must be submitted in hard copy, 1 original and 3 copies through regular mail, hand carried or courier (FEDEX) etc. to the address indicated at the end of this solicitation. Regardless of method of delivery, it is the offerors responsibility to ensure the Government receives your proposal by the time and date stated herein. Offerors must insure th at in addition to technical proposals and pricing that all applicable representations and certifications be provided with your proposal. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circu lar 2005-17. This solicitation is 100% set aside for U.S. Small Business Association Certified 8(a) businesses under NAICS Code 562119 with a size standard of $11,500,000.00. This solicitation incorporates FAR 52.226-4  Notice of Disaster or Emergency Are a Set-Aside. (a) Set-aside area. Offers are solicited only from businesses residing or primarily doing business in the State of Louisiana. Offers received from other businesses shall not be considered. (b) This set-aside is in addition to any small busines s set-asides contained in this contract. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Louisiana Recovery Field Office (LA-RFO) New Orleans, Louisiana has a requirement for personal property debris removal (PPDR) in affected zip codes in Jefferson Parish, Loui siana. This solicitation encompasses 2768 eligible properties in Zip Code 70072. The assessment samples were randomly selected to provide offerors information as to the extent of work on properties and not meant to be inclusive of all properties in the af fected zip codes. This requirement will be a firm-fixed requirements contract. Contractor is to provide pricing on a per property basis, inclusive all costs required to perform the SOW. This work must be completed not later than (NLT) 30 September 2007. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation on the basis of the lowest evaluated price of proposals meeting or exceeding the acceptability standards for non-cost factors. FAR 52.212-2- Evaluation - Commercial Items is incorporated into this solicitation. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined are significantly less important than cost or price. Offerors must provide the required information, as succinctly as possible, but in sufficient detail, in order tha t Government evaluators can determine the technical acceptability of the offerors proposal. Failure to include the following, as a minimum will render your proposal not awardable: Factor 1. Management Plan; a. Office Staff (invoicing), b. Field Operatio ns Staff, c. Name and License No. of Arborist, d. Execution of Work/Ramp-Up Plan, e. PPDR packet distribution/coordination with Corps for QA support, f. Discuss how you will ensure credentials are valid and current, i.e., tree climbers, asbestos trained, c ertified crane operators, etc., g. Discuss your approach to segregate types of wastes from each other and the debris? Factor 2. Project Safety Plan; a. De scribe safety organization, b. Statement on adherence to EM385-1-1, c. Activity Hazard Analysis (submit form with proposal), d. Administrative Plan (submit form with proposal), e. Type PPE (flaggers, sawyers, bucket trucks, grinders), f. Traffic Control Pl an, g. Address toolbox safety meetings, responsible person, how often, items to be discussed, h. Plan for daily inspections Factor 3. Project Specific Quality Control Plan; a. Organization Chart, b. Number of crews/QC, c. Before/After property documen tation, d. Site cleanup, e. Corrective Action Plan, f. Discuss concept of QC and how you will document the completion of work prior to government acceptance. Factor 4. Bonding; Offerors must provide evidence of bonding capacity (performance and paymen t bonds) in sufficient amounts to cover the entire scope of work. Past performance and acceptable standing will be determined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as a prerequisite for award. The following clauses, incorporated by reference, apply to this solicitation: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions. FAR 52.212-5 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO I MPLEMENT STATUTES OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS--COMMERCIAL ITEMS (Mar 2007) (DEVIATION). FAR 52.226-3  Disaster or Emergency Area Representation, FAR 52.226-5  Restrictions on Subcontracting Outside Disaster or Emergency Area (Aug 2006). 52.237-1 - Site Visit. T he following clauses, in full text, are incorporated into this solicitation: 52.216-18  Ordering. (a) Any supplies and services to be furnished under this contract shall be ordered by issuance of delivery orders or task orders by the individuals or a ctivities designated in the Schedule. Such orders may be issued from date of contract award through 31 October 2007. (b) All delivery orders or task orders are subject to the terms and conditions of this contract. In the event of conflict between a delive ry order or task order and this contract, the contract shall control. (c) If mailed, a delivery order or task order is considered issued when the Government deposits the order in the mail. Orders may be issued orally, by facsimile, or by electronic comm erce methods only if authorized in the Schedule. (End of Clause) 52.216-19 -- Order Limitations. (a) Minimum order. When the Government requires supplies or services covered by this contract in an amount of less than 10 properties, the Government is no t obligated to purchase, nor is the Contractor obligated to furnish, those supplies or services under the contract. (b) Maximum order. The Contractor is not obligated to honor -- (1) Any order for a single item in excess of $5.5 Million; (2) Any order fo r a combination of items in excess of $5.5 Million; or (3) A series of orders from the same ordering office within 3 days that together call for quantities exceeding the limitation in subparagraph (b)(1) or (2) of this section. (c) If this is a requiremen ts contract (i.e., includes the Requirements clause at subsection 52.216-21 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)), the Government is not required to order a part of any one requirement from the Contractor if that requirement exceeds the maximum-orde r limitations in paragraph (b) of this section. (d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the Contractor shall honor any order exceeding the maximum order limitations in paragraph (b), unless that order (or orders) is returned to the ord ering office within 3 days after issuance, with written notice stating the Contractors intent not to ship the item (or items) called for and the reasons. Upon receiving this notice, the Government may acquire the supplies or services from another source. (End of Clause) 52.216-21 -- Requirements. (a) This is a requirements contract for the supplies or services specified, and effective for the period stated, i n the Schedule. The quantities of supplies or services specified in the Schedule are estimates only and are not purchased by this contract. Except as this contract may otherwise provide, if the Governments requirements do not result in orders in the quant ities described as estimated or maximum in the Schedule, that fact shall not constitute the basis for an equitable price adjustment. (b) Delivery or performance shall be made only as authorized by orders issued in accordance with the Ordering clause. Subject to any limitations in the Order Limitations clause or elsewhere in this contract, the Contractor shall furnish to the Government all supplies or services specified in the Schedule and called for by orders issued in accordance with the Ordering cla use. The Government may issue orders requiring delivery to multiple destinations or performance at multiple locations. (c) Except as this contract otherwise provides, the Government shall order from the Contractor all the supplies or services specified in the Schedule that are required to be purchased by the Government activity or activities specified in the Schedule. (d) The Government is not required to purchase from the Contractor requirements in excess of any limit on total orders under this contract. (e) If the Government urgently requires delivery of any quantity of an item before the earliest date that delivery may be specified under this contract, and if the Contractor will not accept an order providing for the accelerated delivery, the Government may acquire the urgently required goods or services from another source. (f) Any order issued during the effective period of this contract and not completed within that period shall be completed by the Contractor within the time specified in the order. T he contract shall govern the Contractors and Governments rights and obligations with respect to that order to the same extent as if the order were completed during the contracts effective period; provided, that the Contractor shall not be required to ma ke any deliveries under this contract after 31 December 2007. (End of Clause) 252.219-7009 Section 8(a) Direct Award. (a) This contract is issued as a direct award between the contracting office and the 8(a) Contractor pursuant to the Partnership Agree ment dated February 1, 2002, between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Defense. Accordingly, the SBA, even if not identified in Section A of this contract, is the prime contractor and retains responsibility for 8(a) certificatio n, for 8(a) eligibility determinations and related issues, and for providing counseling and assistance to the 8(a) Contractor under the 8(a) Program. The cognizant SBA district office is: ______________________________ ______________________________ ___ ___________________________ [To be completed by the Contracting Officer at the time of award] (b) The contracting office is responsible for administering the contract and for taking any action on behalf of the Government under the terms and conditions of the contract; provided that the contracting office shall give advance not ice to the SBA before it issues a final notice terminating performance, either in whole or in part, under the contract. The contracting office also shall coordinate with the SBA prior to processing any novation agreement. The contracting office may assign contract administration functions to a contract administration office. (c) The 8(a) Contractor agrees that: (1) It will notify the Contracting Officer, simultaneous with its notification to the SBA (as required by SBAs 8(a) regulations at 13 CFR 124.308 ), when the owner or owners upon whom 8(a) eligibility is based plan to relinquish ownership or control of the concern. Consistent with Section 407 of Pub. L. 100-656, transfer of ownership or control shall result in termination of the contract for conveni ence, unless the SBA waives the requirement for termination prior to the actual relin quishing of ownership and control; and (2) It will not subcontract the performance of any of the requirements of this contract without the prior written approval of the SBA and the Contracting Officer. (End of clause) 252.219-7010 Alternate A. ALTERNAT E A (JUN 1998) As prescribed in 219.811-3(2), substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the clause at FAR 52.219-18: (c) Any award resulting from this solicitation will be made directly by the Contracting Officer to the successful 8(a) offeror selected through the evaluation criteria set forth in this solicitation. 52.228-16 -- Performance and Payment Bonds -- Other Than Construction. (a) Definitions. As used in this clause -- Original contract price means the award price of the co ntract or, for requirements contracts, the price payable for the estimated quantity; or for indefinite-quantity contracts, the price payable for the specified minimum quantity. Original contract price does not include the price of any options, except those options exercised at the time of contract award. (b) The Contractor shall furnish a performance bond (Standard Form 1418) for the protection of the Government in an amount equal to 100 percent of the original contract price and a payment bond (Standard F orm 1416) in an amount equal to100 percent of the original contract price. (c) The Contractor shall furnish all executed bonds, including any necessary reinsurance agreements, to the Contracting Officer, within 5 days, but in any event, before starting wo rk. (d) The Government may require additional performance and payment bond protection if the contract price is increased. The Government may secure additional protection by directing the Contractor to increase the penal amount of the existing bonds or to obtain additional bonds. (e) The bonds shall be in the form of firm commitment, supported by corporate sureties whose names appear on the list contained in Treasury Department Circular 570, individual sureties, or by other acceptable security such as post al money order, certified check, cashiers check, irrevocable letter of credit, or, in accordance with Treasury Department regulations, certain bonds or notes of the United States. Treasury Circular 570 is published in the Federal Register, or may be obtai ned from the: U.S. Department of Treasury, Financial Management Service, Surety Bond Branch, 3700 East West Highway, Room 6F01, Hyattsville, MD 20782, Or via the internet at http://www.fms.treas.gov/c570/ . The following Special Contract Provisions are hereby incorporated as part of this solicitation: SP.1 FEMA RELATED WORK This award is for all FEMA related work for PPDR for Jefferson Parish, LA. The Government reserves the right to use its discretion in the award of any non-FEMA related work. SP.2. RELEASE OF NEWS INFORMATION No news release (including photographs, films, public announcements or denial of confirmation of same) on any part of the subject matter of this contract or any phase of any program h ereunder shall be made by the Contractor without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer. SP.3 REQUIRED INSURANCE The contractor shall procure and maintain during the entire period of his performance under this contract the following minimum insurance in accordance with the Contract Clause entitled Insurance-Work on a Government Installation. Workmens Compensation and Employers Liability Insurance: Workmens Compensation and Occupational Disease Coverage in accordance with statutory limi ts. Employers Liability Coverage with a minimum limit of $100,000. (The contractor shall verify with the State Board of Workers Compensation for each state in which performance is required in connection with this contract, to determine his or her own appl icability with respect to this provision.) Comprehensive Automobile Liability Insurance: Bodily injury coverage with minimum limits of $200,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence. Property Damage Covera ge with a minimum limit of $20,000 per occurrence. Comprehensive General Liability Insurance: Bodily injury coverage with minimum of $500,000 per occurrence. At all times during performance, the Contractor shall maintain with the Contracting Officer a curr ent Certificate of Insurance showing at least the insurance required above, and providing thirty (30) days written notice to the Contracting Officer by the insurance company prior to cancellation or material change in policy coverage. Current Certificate of Insurance shall be furnished to the Contracting Officer within five (5) days after award of contract. SP.4. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS All contractors must comply with the Corps of Engineers Safety and Health Requirements Manual, EM 385-1-1 in effect on date of solicitation. The prime contractor is solely responsible to assure the safety of contract personnel in all contract activities that they and their subcontractors perform. The contractor shall also provide and take necessary measures to protect the publ ic and Corps personnel during their activities. Actions may include but are not limited to providing flagman, ground guides, fencing, security guards, traffic control, removal of unsafe equipment and removal of unsafe workers. The contractor shall have a comprehensive Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) program. The contractor shall provide on site staff to provide for a safe work environment and strive to execute this contract without a lost time accident or injury. SP.5 MOBILIZATION OF ADDITIONAL CONT RACTORS The Government reserves the right to mobilize additional contractors if it is determined necessary to meet disaster response mission requirements. SP.6 QUALITY ASSURANCE The Government will monitor the Contractor's performance in each functional area under this contract and reserves the rights to use whatever additional surveillance procedures are deemed appropriate. The Government will monitor the contract to insure compliance. SP.7 SUPERVISION The Contractor shall personally supervise the work, or have a Contractor Representative at the project during times work is in progress. The Contractor Representative(s) shall conduct overall management coordination and be the central point of contact with the Government for performance of all work under the contract. The Contractor's Representative(s) shall have full authority to contractually commit the Contractor for prompt action on all matters pertaining to administration of this contract, and shall be the on-site contractor employee who is responsible for safety. In addition to a Contractor Representative(s), the Contractor may also appoint Quality Control Inspectors (QCI) who will perform the Contractor's Quality Control Program. A QCI shall be responsible for implementing the Contractor Safety Plan and shall have the authority to determine for the Contractor when work is ready for Government inspection and make decisions f or the Contractor on performance, when necessary. Normally, a QCI is appointed for each work crew. The Government's Representative/Inspectors will deal directly with the QCIs or contractor representatives, for normal day-to-day administration of the contra ct provisions. The names of all individuals authorized to act on behalf of the Contractor as Contractor Representative(s) or QCI(s) shall be submitted in writing to the Contracting Officer. SP.8 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT Notwithstanding, the contractors respo nsibility for total management during the performance of the contract, the administration of the contract will require maximum coordination between the Government and the Contractor. Designated Points of Contact will be provided (i.e., Technical and Contra ctual) during the performance period. SP.9 INVOICING AND PAYMENT The Contractor shall submit the USACE ENG Form 93, Payment Estimate  Contract Performance as its invoice; in original form (e-mail versions are acceptable): U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: (Name of Contracting Offic er), 525 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130, or to the e-mail address of the designated Contracting Officer. The ENG Form 93 MUST include the following items: 1. Date of Submission 2. Name and address of Contractor as stated on original Contract 3. Contract number 4. Description of Work 5. Period Covered by the estimate 6. Estimate Number 7. Supplies delivered/performed (to include contract line item number) and the percentage of work completed. 8. Descriptions, Quantities, Units of measure, Unit prices, and extend ed prices of supplies delivered or services performed. 9. Signature and date of authorized company official Invoicing may be submitted bi-monthly, for actual work completed, and upon Inspection and Acceptance by the designated U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Point of Contact. Proposals are due 25 July 2007 not later than 1630 hours (4:30 p.m.) local time at the LA-RFO, 525 ST. CHARLES AVENUE, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70130, ATTN: JON TUDOR. Offerors that hand carry their proposals should note that the entrance to the Federal Reserve Bank Building at 525 St. Charles is on Carondolet Street, at the rear of the building. To gain entrance, press the button located at the entrance gate. A USACE representative will be there to collect your proposal at that time. For informa tion concerning this solicitation contact Jon Tudor @ +1 (555) 000-0000 or email at contact@example.gov