F999--GEMS Technical Assistance

Amendment- Questions and Answers
Will this contract be using a Blanket Purchase Agreement under the GSA Multiple Award Schedule if the selected awardee has a GSA Multiple Award Schedule award schedule? TBD (To be Determined)
The Solicitation includes applicable SCA Wage Determinations. Does the VAMHCS anticipate the awardee will be required to complete any construction-related activities such as oil-filled equipment and aboveground storage tank removals; overseeing underground storage tank testing and compliance, reviewing design and construction projects for compliance with environmental regulations, signing hazardous waste manifests (for remediation, construction or other VA wastes), which could technically be considered construction-related depending on what the offeror is ultimately asked to do? If so, will there be applicable SCA or Davis-Bacon Act Wage Determinations for these activities? This will be applicable to SCA.
If there will be applicable SCA or Davis-Bacon Act Wage Determinations (see question 2), would the VAMHCS consider incorporating FAR 52.222-43 as well as handling future price adjustments related to published SCA Wage Determination revisions during the Option Periods? Yes, the Government would incorporate FAR 52.222 43 into the contract. Any future price adjustments associated with updated SCA Wage Determinations during the option periods would be handled in accordance with that clause.
In the Scope, it states, The contractor shall provide a full range of compliance-related evaluations, investigations, surveys, sampling and permitting as required for Baltimore, Loch Raven, and Perry Point VAMCs. This includes training, plan and permit review/development for the VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) Primary scope areas are reviewing and updating records, documents and permits associated with RCRA, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), stormwater, drinking water, wastewater, Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants (POL), hazardous material, hazardous waste, solid waste, Lead-Based Paint, Asbestos-Containing Materials, air quality (e.g., for new and current air emissions sources), Employee and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), AST/UST (e.g., Oil Operations Permits and registrations), Scrap Tires, pest management, and natural/cultural resources. To accomplish this part of the scope, will the offeror be required to: Complete and submit permit applications and reporting? or Just supply a regulatory analysis to alert the VAMHCS of what needs to be done? or Both i and ii? We will need both depending on different situations
In the Scope on page 4, it states, The contractor shall provide a full range of compliance-related evaluations, investigations, surveys, sampling and permitting as required for the Baltimore, Loch Raven, and Perry Point VAMCs. and ...confirmation sampling for compliance with regulations such as RCRA, TSCA, CWA, SDWA, etc.  Oversight of laboratory sampling and testing for CWA, SDWA, RCRA, and CAA requirements. And in Section B.2 Price/Cost Schedule, Item numbers 0005, 1005, 2005, 3005, and 4005 request a cost for Regulatory Sampling & Laboratory Coordination . Please confirm if the awardee will be required to perform sampling (including confirmation sampling) or just review sampling and confirmation sampling that was done by another contractor or internal VAMHCS personnel? If the awardee is required to perform sampling, please provide the law (e.g. RCRA, CERCLA, CWA), frequency, quantity (# of samples), and the laboratory methods/testing analytes required for each sample (e.g., EPA SW-846 Method 6010D for lead in for lead in soil) If the awardee is only required to review sampling done by another contractor or internal VAMHCS personnel, would you please clarify and remove the cost item numbers 0005, 1005, 2005, 3005, and 4005 in Section B.2 Price/Cost Schedule? ( we will only need overview, in house gets done by a waste contractor)
In the Scope on page 4, in the Remediation and Environmental Compliance, it states, This includes but is not limited to remediation services such as reviewing results from Phase I or II ESAs, oil-filled equipment and aboveground storage tank removals...   Please clarify if the awardee would be providing oil-filled equipment and storage tank removals or only overseeing oil-filled equipment and aboveground storage tank removals?
Due to the complexity of the costing and the time needed to address VA s responses to questions, may we request an extension to the proposal due date to 30 June 2026? The request for quote date has been amended to June 26th at 10am EST.
Please provide the Government s estimated level of effort for the base period and each option period, including the anticipated hours and/or mix of on-site versus off-site support expected across the locations? This will depend on workload of services needed, approximately 8hrs per week. This could be general reviews or high-level reviews needed. Most work can be completed off campus. Some work will be needed in person on all three campuses due to eyes on need.
Please confirm the required submission method for quotes, including whether submission is by email, SAM.gov, VA portal, and identify any file naming or attachment requirements. Submission is by email to cassie.white@va.gov.  
Please confirm the intended evaluation factors. Section IV lists Expertise/Technical Capability, Management Approach, and Price, while E.2 lists Technical Capability, Past Performance, and Price. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation and is most advantageous to the Government, considering price and other factors. The confirmed evaluation factors are: Technical Capability Past Performance Price Additional elements such as expertise, management approach, and similar considerations may be included as sub factors within the primary evaluation areas listed above. Past performance with MD regulations and preferably someone familiar with our campuses. This would allow better use of time and resources, If the company does not have 3 yrs of past performance, but an employee that works for the company does. This will be acceptable if that person is the one doing the work for this contract.
Please confirm the intended contract/ordering period structure. The solicitation references base plus four-year/five ordering periods, but the price schedule includes Base, Option 1, and Option 2, and FAR 52.217-9 states total duration shall not exceed three years. This is an error and should be a base + 2 option periods.
Will the offeror be required to sign hazardous or universal waste manifests? Yes, on occasion, our current staff handle this day to day. But there could be a situation where the contractor will be needed to sign.
Is there a conflict-of-interest concern for this contract if a former Perry Point VAMC were to be employed with the awarded contractor? No, that could be a huge benefit. That campus is huge and if they have familiarization with the campus that would save money and help get things moving.
To allow offerors to accurately estimate the required level of effort for the environmental compliance and remediation services described in Section B and the accompanying Statement of Work, can the Government please provide additional magnitude of effort details for each primary task area? Specifically, please provide available historical or projected workload metrics, such as: Number of environmental permits requiring annual updates or renewals (RCRA, CWA, SDWA, air permits, AST/UST permits, stormwater, etc.); We as a team are trying to figure this out on the fly, I know each location have an air permit, stormwater, and others. (This is where we could use someone with familiarity). We are trying to figure all these out to stay compliant. Estimated number of site visits per month per VAMC (Baltimore, Loch Raven, Perry Point); This will vary depending on regulatory issues, I would say 1-5. I can do most visits to share information to the contractor. Historical volume of regulatory sampling events and associated laboratory analyses per year; Most of our sampling is handled by our waste contractor. Typical number of hazardous waste manifests requiring review and signature annually; I would guess under 10, Our current staff handle them on a Dailey basis. This will only happen if we are not on site. Expected number of design/construction project reviews per year for environmental compliance; Average 10 per year for NEPA reviews. Approximate number of progress meetings and typical duration beyond the monthly requirement; and 1 per week, more of an update and discuss any current work and issues. Short meeting 15-20mins only if needed. Any other quantifiable workload drivers referenced in the SOW that materially impact labor effort. There wont be any wage grade work, oversite, compliance, paperwork, nepa review.
Section II and the Technical Qualifications section of the SOW indicate that key personnel must demonstrate expertise in multiple environmental regulatory disciplines and must have at least three years of experience working with VAMHCS operations. To ensure proposals align with the Government s expectations, can the Government please identify which specific key personnel positions it requires or prefers to be designated as Key Personnel for this contract?
GEM s Background, knows government guidelines, VA Standards, MDE regulations, Local regulations, Water Treatment guidelines, Shoreline requirements, MS4 permit regulations, Stormwater regulations, Air permit requirements, Emergency generator requirements, ATS Regulations, UST regulations, NEPA forms.