Grounds Maintenance Services

The 22d Contracting Squadron (22 CONS) of the 22d Air Refueling Wing announces the projected solicitation for Grounds Maintenance Services at McConnell AFB, Kansas 67221. The 22d Contracting Squadron (AMC), McConnell Air Force Base (AFB), Kansas, intends to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a 100% set-aside to SBA certified 8(a) concerns on or about 15 July 2013 for the acquisition of Grounds Maintenance Services to be performed at McConnell AFB, Kansas. All responsible 8(a) concerns may submit a proposal which shall be considered by the agency. Responses to the Request for Proposal (RFP) will be evaluated using Price-Performance Tradeoff (PPTO) evaluation factors with performance being significantly more important than price. The Government intends to issue an award to a single 8(a) concern under a performance-based Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP), Requirements type contract on or about 26 August 2013. Services will be procured pursuant to the regulatory direction FAR Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items. The expected award shall consist of one (1) base period of performance (one year, from 1 September 2013 through 31 August 2014) and may include up to four (4) option periods of performance (each one year in duration from 1 September and ending 31 August running consecutively from the expiration of the base period of performance). There is no guarantee that any option periods of performance may be exercised. The contractor shall perform Grounds Maintenance Services at McConnell AFB, Kansas, to the standards specified within the Performance Work Statement (PWS). The successful contractor shall perform services necessary to (1) ensure grounds maintenance is performed in a manner that maintains healthy grass, trees, shrubs and plants, (2) to engage in preventive grounds maintenance actions to present clean, neat and professional base, military family housing, airfield and missile site appearances, (3) maintain Government irrigation systems, and (4) remove snow and ice to the standards specified within the Performance Work Statement (PWS). The contractor is encouraged and expected to use innovative approaches to effectively and efficiently accomplish the requirements of the PWS in a timely manner and in a way that fosters pride and ownership in the work performed. The contractor will provide all qualified personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and other items necessary to perform contracted services, unless specified as being provided by the Government. The contractor shall comply with all federal, state, local, Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. Air Force (USAF) regulations, standards, instructions, and commercial practices as set forth in the PWS for said services. The NAICS code for this requirement is 561730, Landscaping Services. The corresponding Small Business Administration (SBA) Size Standard is $7,000,000.00. The closing date and time for submission of offers shall be contained in the solicitation package. The entire solicitation package, including the Standard Form 1449 and continuation pages, the PWS, the Department of Labor (DOL) Wage Determination and the Past and Present Performance Questionnaire, shall be made available only on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website at http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. Requests for copies of the solicitation package, or any cumulative parts thereof, by any other means shall not be honored. Potential offerors are responsible for monitoring the FedBizOpps website for the release of the solicitation package, which should be on or about 1 June 2013, for downloading their own copy of the solicitation package and for downloading their own copy of each associative amendment, if any. All firms wishing to submit a proposal subsequent to the solicitation described herein MUST be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database, or risk their otherwise timely proposal being considered non-responsive regardless of its completeness, timeliness or other salient considerations. Information on SAM registration can be obtained at the web site, http://www.sam.gov. No response to this announcement is required. The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this announcement. The solicitation subsequent to this announcement may be cancelled. After solicitation and prior to award, the possibility exists to reject all offers when cancellation is clearly in the public interest. This announcement does not obligate the Government to pay for any bid/proposal preparation costs. Per AFFARS 5352.201-9101 OMBUDSMAN (NOV 2012), the following applies: (a) An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern. (b) Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions). (c) If resolution cannot be made by the contracting officer, the interested party may contact the Center/MAJCOM/DRU or AFISRA ombudsmen, Mr. Gregory S. Oneal, HQ AMC/A7K, 507 Symington Drive, Scott AFB IL 62225-5022, phone number (618) 229-0267, facsimile number (618) 256-6668, email gregory.oneal@scott.af.mil. Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the Center/MAJCOM/DRU or AFISRA level, may be brought by the interested party for further consideration to the Air Force ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2397, facsimile number (571) 256-2431. (d) The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency. (e) Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the Contracting Officer.