S--Grounds Maintenance, Lexington VAMC IDIQ

This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources (small and other than small) to perform a potential requirement. Purpose and Objectives: Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method. NAICS code: 561730 and small business size standard is $7.5M. PSC: S208 NOTE: Respondent claiming SDVOSB and VOSB status must be registered and CVE verified in VetBiz Registry https://www.vip.vetbiz.va.gov/. Project requirements: General Requirements for the Lexington VAMC Locations are: The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, supervision, and other items and services necessary to ensure that grounds maintenance is performed at the Franklin R. Sousley and Troy Bowling campuses of the VA Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40511 and 40502, in a manner that will maintain healthy grass, trees, shrubs, and plants and present a clean, neat, and professional appearance. The contractor shall provide all management, tools, supplies, equipment, and labor necessary to ensure that grounds maintenance to include, but not limited to, edging, mowing, pre-emergent for weeds and crabgrass control, fertilizing, leaf policing and removal, tree and shrub pruning, pre- treatment for snow/ice, and snow and ice removal services are performed at both Sousley and Bowling Campus for the Lexington VA Medical Center in a manner that will maintain a safe and satisfactory environment in a reasonable amount of time to exemplify a well maintained and manicured site. Grounds Maintenance. - Lot A (Sousley & Bowling) - Grass shall be cut on approximately 80 acres of grounds at the Sousley and Bowling Campus. Grass clippings shall be removed or mulched when visible after mowing. Contractor shall maintain the growth of grass height between 2.5 to 4 inches. The height is a guideline for a neat and professional appearance. Grass clippings are to be blown off sidewalks and parking areas. Curbs, sidewalks and buildings shall be maintained by weed eating and proper edging. The grounds shall look well-manicured at all times. See Attachment A - Sousley Campus and Attachment C Bowling Campus Site Plan. - Lot B (Sousley only) - Grass shall be cut on approximately 40 acres of grounds in Sousley Campus. Contractor shall maintain the growth of grass height between 6-8 inches. The height is a guideline for a neat and professional appearance. Grass clippings are to be blown off sidewalks. See Attachment A Sousley Campus. - Edging. Contractor shall perform edging of walkways monthly with an edger. Edging shall also include chemical treatment of vegetation from cracks in walks, along walls, curbs, and ramps, and all other paved areas. - Trimming. Grass and weeds shall be trimmed around trees, shrubs, buildings, fences, posts, fire hydrants, parking lot bumper blocks, and other fixed obstacles. Trimming height shall match surrounding area grass heights. All areas shall be trimmed concurrent with mowing. Damage to trees and shrubs from trimming shall be repaired by the contractor. The contractor shall be responsible for replacing the damaged plant with a plant of same size and type. Plant replacement shall occur within 15 days of noticed damage. Trees shall have limbs pruned to a height of eight (8 ) feet above the sidewalks and thirteen (13 ) feet above all streets, drives and public way. Contractor shall ensure no grass, limbs or weeds can grow through the perimeter fence. - Remove Debris/Leaves/Police Grounds. The contractor shall perform general litter patrol of all grounds prior to each mow. During the off-season general litter control shall be performed on a weekly basis throughout the duration of the contract. Responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to the removal of all natural debris, (tree limbs, dry brush, rodent habitats, dead animals, etc.) and man-made debris. Any limbs that fall from trees or an entire fallen tree is the contractor s responsibility to cut up and remove. Contractor may dispose of these items in VAMC-LEX containers. Large debris items such as tree limbs are to be cut into 18 24 lengths and placed in location directed by the COR. During the Fall months, the contractor shall maintain grounds maintenance to ensure that fallen leaves are mulched and cleaned up weekly, if needed, including parking areas and storm drains, especially during periods of heavy leaf fall. All fallen leaves shall be mulched and/cleaned up and or removed by November 15th. Additional cleanup, at the discretion of the COR, may be necessary if heavy leaf fall continues after November 15th. Wooded areas shall be cleaned at the end of the mowing season, and before the first snow. All leaves are to be hauled away off the VA premises. - Apply Pre-Emergent Weed and Crabgrass Control, Fertilizer and/or Lime. The contractor shall apply a pre-emergent weed and crabgrass control in non-wooded grounds by the end of April each year. The contractor shall perform an effective commercial fertilizer/lime application program for all non-wooded grounds. Approved fertilizers/lime shall be applied bi-annually in accordance with the manufacturer s instructions. The type and amount of fertilizer or lime applied shall be based on results of a soil test. Soil tests shall be conducted by the state land management university or equivalent commercial soil laboratory; such tests are the responsibility of the contractor. The Contractor shall submit these Test Results and application amounts to the VA Medical Center COR. - Roll & Aerate Soil. Roll and aerate soil, except wooded area, yearly to maintaining grounds in a healthy state. Aeration method shall be by plugging, not spiking, completed by the 30th of each September. Roller should be of sufficient size and weight to level uneven areas on the lawn. MAINTAIN TREES/SHRUBS/HEDGES. - Trimming/Pruning. This applies to all hedges and shrubs on VA grounds. It includes all small trees within 5 feet of buildings. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that all shrubs, trees and other plants are cleared from building structure within 5 feet. Shrubs, small trees, and other plants shall be maintained according to the American Society of Landscape Architect s standards. They shall be trimmed and pruned as required to maintain their natural growth characteristics and to enhance the beauty and health of the plant while not allowing contact with buildings. Hedges shall be maintained to their natural mature height and shape. Trees shall have limbs pruned to a height of eight (8 ) feet above the sidewalks and thirteen (13 ) feet above all streets, drives and public ways. - Maintain Bedding and Planted area. Annually fertilize, edge, and mulch plant/bush beds. Contractor shall remove or eradicate all weeds manually, mechanically, or chemically insuring no damage to healthy plants, shrubs, or grass occurs. - Installation of New Additional or Removal of Landscaping. VAMC will have the option to add or remove existing landscaping (trees, shrubs, flowers, flower beds, decorative rock and edging) at both divisions if needed throughout the contract period. The COR will provide a description of work related to Landscaping needs to the contractor. The contractor shall be responsible to provide a quote to the COR for work to be performed which will include all labor, tools, travel, plants and materials to complete new installation or for removal. - Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring initial maintenance of new plantings. All new plantings will have a (1) year life warranty and shall be replaced by the contractor. Contractor shall submit complete quote to include line items for Material, Labor and Markup. Contractor shall only bill against cost allowance for proposal reviewed and approved by COR. SNOW REMOVAL AND ICE CONTROL for Sousley and Bowling Campus. (See Attachment B & C) - Basic Services. Contractor can expect to be notified any time snowfall reaches between ¼ to ½ or more for control of slippery conditions or complete snow removal. Snow removal shall be provided when notified by VAMC-LEX. - Contractor shall typically apply ice control after completion of snow removal. Snow removal and ice control means clearing snow accumulation, piles, and drifts and/or ice control from edge to edge on all walks, steps, porches, ramps, roads, parking lots, drives, and loading dock area. All snow in the loading dock area is to be pulled out and placed on VAMC-LEX lawn areas. All snow is to be removed from parking spaces upon completion of each removal job. Contractor shall not leave spillovers. Snow is not to be pushed off VAMC-LEX premises into streets or onto neighboring property. Contractor is to provide enough labor, equipment and material to assure that each job is completed in six (6) hours or less. The VA contract will take priority for manpower and equipment over other contractor commitments. - Contractor shall be required to be on site within sixty (60) minutes of call. The Contractor shall perform these services under the hourly flat rate of the contract. - Pretreatment for Snow: Pretreatment of roadways, parking lots, and sidewalks shall be provided any time one or more inches of snow is anticipated. This shall be completed 8 to 12 hours prior to anticipate 1 of snow accumulation. - Remove Ice. The contractor shall remove ice to provide secure footing or safe driving conditions by the snow removal operation or by applying rock salt and ice melt. No Sand/Salt or Sand/Ice Melt mixtures shall be used unless directed/approved by the COR. The contractor shall provide rock salt for roads, parking lots, loading area, and drives and provide all calcium or magnesium chloride beads or pellets (No flakes or Rock Salt) for walks, steps, landings, porches, ramps and handicapped parking areas. Ice melt pellets shall be able to melt at 25 degrees Fahrenheit generating heat on contact and product shall leave little or no residue. Anticipated period of performance: May 1, 2019 through April 30, 2020 plus four (4) one-year options. Information sought: Response to this announcement shall not exceed 10 pages and should include the following information: (1) A tailored capability statement indicating the firm s ability to provide the services described above. Include equipment availability to accomplish the described work; (2) The respondents DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., SDVOSB/VOSB, etc,) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code; (3) Information should be provided electronically in a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Please e-mail your response with the above information to contact@example.gov with the subject line "36C24919Q0052, Sources Sought Notice/"your company name" by 12:00PM CT on December 21, 2018. Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).