99--Fort Smith National Cemetery, Herbicide & Fertilizer Application

The National Cemetery Administration is soliciting offers under solicitation number VA786-14-R-0007 for the following cemetery: Fort Smith National Cemetery 522 Garland Avenue and South 6th Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 This acquisition is 100% set aside for Small Businesses concerns. The NAICS Code is 561730, Size Standard is $7.0 Million. Contractor shall provide all necessary supervision, labor, materials, supplies, tools and equipment to apply fertilization and weed control services at Fort Smith National Cemetery in accordance with the Statement of Work for the period beginning with the Date of Award through September 30, 2014 with four (4) subsequent Option Year periods, if exercised. Areas of the Fort Smith National Cemetery are approximately 32.1 acres. All lawn areas are to be treated. This shall include all lawn areas within the cemetery enclosure which shall be all non-burial sections as well as all burial sections. All area to be treated is within the wall and fence at Fort Smith National Cemetery. The COR will provide contactor a map showing this area. All work shall be accomplished in accordance with guidelines established by Federal, State and local ordinances, and the Contractor's procedure manual and quality control manual. Contractor shall conform to all regulations for examining and licensing of herbicide control operators, performance of herbicide control; use of approved herbicide control fertilization while working at Fort Smith National Cemetery. All herbicide management service shall be accomplished to meet the guidelines as shown in the National Herbicide Control Association's good practice. Contractor shall furnish the COR a copy of Certification of the Herbicide/Fertilization applicator operator prior to performing tasks at the Fort Smith National Cemetery. Written notification, which shall include the specific chemical application and the areas that it was applied to, shall be submitted to the COR or designee at the job site after each chemical application. Contractor shall use a slow release fertilizer with a rate recommended by a soil analysis report. Contractor shall use a weed control herbicide both post and pre-emergent at the label recommended rate. Contractor shall perform the following tasks: (a) The contractor shall be responsible for taking all precautions to prevent damage to the cemetery in any manner, including headstones, markers, monuments, flower beds, trees and other structures during application operations. (b) Fertilizer: shall be applied based on the results and recommendations of a soil test for each section. The soil test will be conducted by the COR with copies going to the Contractor. A complete fertilizer shall be applied 1 time each year, unless local practice indicates a more favorable time. Only 40% slow release shall be used. (c) Lime: When soil tests indicate a need for lime, it shall be applied at the rate indicated in those tests. Time of application shall be in late fall or early winter, unless local practice indicates more favorable time. (d) Weed Control: All weed growth shall be controlled by means of spray or any other method approved by the COR. All personnel using such sprays shall be properly trained and the person in charge shall be duly licensed by the State of Arkansas to use pesticides. Treatment for weeds shall be accomplished to maximize herbicide effectiveness. (e) Control of Crabgrass: The entire established turf areas shall be treated with sufficient amount of pre-emergence to prevent germination of crabgrass. (f) Contractor shall notify the COR 48 hours prior to any of the above applications. This is to insure that coordination can be made so that the treatments do not conflict with any interment or cemetery maintenance activity. Disposal of Hazardous Wastes: The contractor shall not dispose of any excess herbicide containers or other materials contaminated by herbicides at any location on the cemetery premises except as authorized by the COR. Required Contractor Reporting: a. The contractor shall be responsible for supplying, completing and submitting all reports required or requested by Federal, State and/or local ordinances which pertain to any duties in the contract. b. The contractor is required to furnish to the COR, prior to applications of herbicides and fertilizers, the trade names (if any), and chemical names of the chemicals and fertilizers proposed for use and label showing the contents, the use strength of the chemical and fertilizers that applies and the antidote thereto. Contractor shall furnish the same information each time the chemicals, fertilizers, or products are used in the Fort Smith National Cemetery. Contractor shall only use chemicals that are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are considered to be the safest and most effective kind. Before commencing contract performance, the contractor shall submit to the COR or his/her representative the brand name and the material data sheet (MSDS) of each of the materials intended to be used in the performance of the contracted services. No material shall be utilized for performing under this contract, until the required MSDS sheet has been provided to the COR or his/her designee. Three (3) applications shall be made during each contract year and each application shall be considered one job. These three (3) jobs are as follows: a. Early Spring - Applications of Pre-Emergent weed control, broadleaf weed control, and fertilizer. b. Late Summer - Broadleaf weed control and fertilizer. c. Early Fall - Applications of Broadleaf weed control and fertilizer. Offers are solicited only from small business concerns. Offers received from concerns that are not small business concerns shall be considered nonresponsive and will be rejected. Prospective offerors must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) website and complete representations and certifications at https://www.sam.gov. Award will be made on the basis of the lowest evaluated price of proposals meeting or exceeding the acceptability standards for non-cost factors (FAR 15.101-2). Evaluation criteria for this award will be in the following order: 1) Price, 2) Past Performance, 3) Technical. Electronic solicitations will be available for download from http://www.fbo.gov on or about November 7, 2013. No paper copies will be issued. Offerors are responsible for obtaining any and all amendments or additional information at http://www.fbo.gov. Proposals are due at 2:00 P.M. ET on November 22, 2013.