S--Fort Snelling National Cemetery Ground Maintenance Contract

General Information 1. Title Of Project: Mow, Trim, Spraying & Sodding Services at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. 2. Scope of Work: The contractor shall provide all resources necessary to accomplish the deliverables described in this Statement of Work, except as otherwise be specified. a) This is a service contract for cemetery grounds and facilities maintenance services at the Ft Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN and hereafter referred to as "Cemetery." The overall responsibility of the Contractor is to plan, coordinate, organize, manage, and perform the activities described herein, which are required to maintain an acceptable appearance of the cemetery grounds and facilities. b) National cemeteries are a resting place for our nation's heroes and as such, the standards for management, maintenance and appearance of these cemeteries have been established by the National Cemetery Administration to reflect this nation's concern and respect for those interred there. The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) mission: the NCA honors veterans with a final resting place and lasting memorials that commemorate their service to our nation. 3. Background: a) The Ft Snelling National Cemetery is located at 7601 34th Ave Minneapolis, MN 55450. The phone number is (612)-467-4619. b) Site features consist of preset and conventional casket sections and cremation burials. c) The cemetery's anticipated burial rate is 5000-5200 per year. d) The cemetery comprises 335 acres of land, but this contract is for maintenance of the developed area. e) Site features include a main entrance with floral beds, administration building, maintenance building with truck entrance, maintenance compound and contractors compound, 6 committal shelters, a flag assembly lanes, columbarium with floral beds, memorial walkway with floral beds, extensive landscaping with turfgrass, trees, shrubs and ground cover. f) National Cemeteries are National Shrines. The standards of maintenance and appearance at these cemeteries must reflect this nation's concern for those interred there. For this reason, strict adherence to the specifications is required as well as National Cemetery Administration standards. 4. Performance Period: The term of this contract shall be for a period from November 1st, 2016 through September 30, 2017 plus 4, One-year options, if exercised. Contractor will submit an invoice at the end of each month. Delivery of all items under this contract is FOB Destination and is subject to inspection and acceptance by the VA Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). 5. Type Of Contract: Firm Fixed Price B. Contract Award Meeting 1. The contractor shall not commence performance of the tasks in this Statement of Work until the contracting officer has conducted a "kick-off" meeting or has advised the contractor that a "kick-off" meeting is waived. C. Specific Mandatory Tasks and Associated Deliverables: 1. Description of Tasks and Associated Deliverables: The contractor shall provide the specific deliverables described below within the performance period stated in Section E and Attachments A - C of this Statement of Work. 2. NCA Standards and Measures: a) Standard 6.1: Daily grounds maintenance activities do not detract from the dignity and solemnity of the cemetery. (1) Measure 6.1: The number of complaints that are received as a result of operations, noise, equipment, etc. that intruded on the visitor's experience. (2) Target 6.1: 0 complaints. b) Standard 6.2: All areas where cemetery operations have been conducted are neat, clean and free of debris and equipment at the end of the workday. (1) Requirement 6.2a: Debris, equipment, tools and supplies are removed at the conclusion of each task or at the end of the workday. (2) Requirement 6.2b: Roads, walkways, shelters, and burial sections are free of grounds maintenance debris by the end of the workday. (3) Target 6.2: 100% compliant. 3. Description of Services: a) The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, supplies, supervision, and other items and services necessary to ensure that total cemetery maintenance is performed at Ft Snelling National Cemetery in a manner that will maintain healthy grass, trees, shrubs, and plants and present a clean, neat, and professional appearance throughout. b) Services include, but are not limited to maintenance of grounds and facilities, regular mowing, trimming, edging, as well as, sweeping or blowing off roads and sidewalks. c) All work will be done during normal Federal workdays. Contractor shall accomplish all work in accordance with the technical specifications that have been provided as Attachments A through S to this solicitation. Overall work shall conform to the NCA Operational Standards and Measures. d) The Contractor shall be responsible for: (1) Grounds and Facilities Maintenance; Grounds Maintenance Services to include turf maintenance, mowing, trimming and edging; Sweeping or blowing off of roads and walkways; (2) Turf Maintenance; herbicide applications, including spot spraying. e) Provide a safe working environment for Contractor, cemetery staff and general public. f) Ensuring all work conforms to the NCA's established National Standards. 4. Standards of Employee Conduct: a) Contractor and Contractor personnel shall be required to adhere to the following standards of dress and conduct while performing work in the National Cemetery. These standards and regulations are enforceable under Title 38, U.S.C., Part I, Chapter 9, Section 901. (1) Be fully clothed at all times in matching uniforms, to include long slacks or pants and shirt, buttoned up from neck to waist. Clothing shall be clean each day. Any soiled clothing should be cemetery work-related that day. T-shirts and/or tank tops and short pants as outer garments are prohibited. Shoes/boots will have no holes or loose soles. Steel-toed shoes or equivalent will be required in accordance with OSHA requirements. Contractor employees will maintain personal hygiene. (2) Shall not engage in loud or boisterous behavior or use profane or abusive language. Shall show proper reverence during committal services. (3) Shall neither eat nor drink beverages (except water or non-alcoholic drinks) in the work areas, nor in sight of committal shelter during a service. Use of intoxicating beverages and/or drugs is strictly prohibited. (4) Contractor personnel shall not lean, sit or stand on or against headstones or monuments. No tools, equipment or other items will be placed or leaned on headstones or monuments. (5) The only designated smoking area for contract personnel of the Ft Snelling National Cemetery is located by the maintenance buildings. All other areas are designated as NO SMOKING. (6) Contracted personnel are required to report the damaging of any cemetery facility, equipment, grounds or headstones to the COR as soon as occurs. 5. Parking and VA Regulations: a) Contractor employees may park privately owned vehicles in the area designated for parking by the COR. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure his employees park in the appropriate designated parking areas. Smoking is prohibited inside any buildings at the Cemetery. Possession of weapons is prohibited. Enclosed containers, including tool kits, shall be subject to search. Violations of VA regulations may result in citation answerable in the United States (Federal) District Court, not a local district, state, or municipal court. b) All contractor personnel operating vehicles on government property must possess a valid state driver's license. 6. Use of Cemetery Facilities: a) The Government shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, or theft of Contractor items. Contractor shall be responsible for acceptable standards of housekeeping and custodial maintenance of Cemetery facilities used by Contractor's employees. b) The Government will not furnish a storage building at the cemetery site for use by the Contractor to store supplies and equipment. The Government will not be responsible for any damage to or loss of the Contractor's equipment and supplies stored on the Government's premises. The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining fire extinguishers and other safety equipment. c) The Contractor will be responsible for safely storing any chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, cleaning solutions, etc. in accordance with manufacturers recommendations. An SDS (Safety Data Sheet) is required for all chemicals, with a copy provided to the COR, pesticides, herbicides and cleaning solutions. Additionally, copies of pesticide applicators license (if required) will be provided to the COR. d) Electricity and phone service will NOT be furnished by the Government for the contractor's work area. However, government will provide all electricity and water used on and for the cemetery facility. e) Contractor employees will not be allowed to use cemetery staff or public restrooms. Contractor must provide restroom facilities for their employees. 7. Inspection and Cleaning of Cemetery Facilities: a) The Contractor will perform a weekly inspection. During this inspection the appearance of the cemetery will be observed, and any deficiencies noted within the scope of the contract will be corrected as soon as practicable. Items that need correcting outside the scope of the contract will be reported to the Contracting Officer or his representative (COR). b) The Contractor will be required to submit inspection reports and work accomplished to the COR weekly. The inspection forms will be provided to the Contractor. 8. Supervision, Work Hours and Training: a) Project Manager: A competent and experienced "Project Manager" shall be provided by the Contractor for not less than two (2) hours per day whenever work is being performed. In the absence of the Project Manager, the Contractor will appoint a crew foreman or employee who will be responsible to insure that the work is (i) being accomplished in an expeditious manner, (ii) performed in accordance with the contract specifications, and (iii) progress is being made without undue delay. The Project Manager must have no less than two (2) years' experience as a direct supervisor of a commercial construction operation that includes surveying, soil excavation, and site construction in industrial, commercial and/or public sites. The Project Manager will ensure all specifications are being met, ensure contract work does not conflict with ceremonies and funerals, and ensure employees are adequately supervised and proper conduct is maintained. BOTH PROJECT MANAGER AND CREW FOREMAN ARE REQUIRED TO BE FLUENT IN ENGLISH. b) Work Hours: Work may be performed between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday unless otherwise directed by the COR. At the Contractor's request, and with the written permission of the COR, work may also be permitted to be scheduled for weekends and / or Holidays. In emergency situations caused by the Contractor, or when severe adverse weather prohibits work during the week, the Contractor shall arrange with the COR to work on weekends and/or holidays in order to meet performance time frames. The Government shall not compensate the Contractor for any alternate work schedules needed for the Contractor to complete all contract work within the specified project duration. No work will be permitted during Memorial Day or Veteran's Day weekend activities. Notwithstanding, if any work under this contract will be required outside of the VA's normal working hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday), the Contractor shall request for a deviation in writing to the COR at least 24 hours in advance. The COR will notify the appropriate individuals regarding Contractor's anticipated schedule and will provide written approval or disapproval to the Contractor. (1) FEDERAL HOLIDAYS (a) New Year's Day (January) (b) Martin Luther King's Birthday (January) (c) President's Day (February) (d) Memorial Day (May) (e) Fourth of July (July) (f) Labor Day (September) (g) Columbus Day (October) (h) Veterans Day (November) (i) Thanksgiving Day (November) (j) Christmas Day (December) c) The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of personnel conduct and work performance and shall administer disciplinary action as required. The Contractor shall remove employees for cause, to include, but not limited to, misconduct in performance of duty under these specifications and/or conduct contrary to the best interests of the Government. d) The Contractor shall also be responsible for training and safety precautions for Contractor employees performing work under these specifications. OSHA standards shall be observed by the Contractor in all work performed. Appropriate safety equipment shall be furnished by the Contractor to Contractor personnel and shall be used as prescribed by OSHA standards, including hard hats, safety shoes, safety glasses, and hearing protection devices. The following OSHA and NFPA standards and codes are to be adhered to: (1) National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): 10-1998 Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers (2) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 CFR 1910 Safety and Health Regulations for Personal Protection, Safety Color Codes, Portable Power Tools, Electrical Safety and Portable Electric Equipment. (3) Site and Building Access: Maintain free and unobstructed access to facility emergency services and for fire, police and other emergency response forces in accordance with NFPA 241. 9. Work Scheduling and Maintenance During Cemetery Functions: a) The Contractor shall coordinate a work schedule with the COR(s) on a daily basis to ensure that no work is being performed at the immediate site of a scheduled interment. These daily meetings are also an opportunity for the Contractor to ask questions and ensure he/she understands the off-limit areas, which may vary, depending on the event. Contractor personnel shall not operate motorized equipment or conduct other commercial activities during interment services. The COR or his/her representative shall furnish the Contractor with a schedule of all interments and/or ceremonies no later than the close of business of the day prior to the scheduled internment, and a minimum of three (3) days before any ceremonial events. The Contractor is solely responsible for ensuring that no contract work causes any funeral, ceremony, procession or visitation to be delayed, altered, or otherwise impacted in such a way that the dignity or security of the event is compromised. The Contractor is solely responsible for staying abreast of all such upcoming events and when in doubt, he/she must ask the COR(s). The Contractor shall meet with the COR at the end of each day to determine work completed and ensure that work is on schedule. In the absence of the COR, the Contractor shall meet with the Alternate COR. 10. Historic Preservation: Where the Contractor or any of the Contractor's employees, prior to, or during the service work, are advised of or discover any possible archeological, historical and/or cultural resources, the Contractor shall immediately notify the COR verbally, and then with a written follow up. D. Schedule For Deliverables 1. If for any reason any deliverable cannot be delivered within the scheduled time frame the contractor is required to explain why in writing to the contracting officer, including a firm commitment of when the work shall be completed. This notice to the contracting officer shall cite the reasons for the delay, and the impact on the overall project. The contracting officer will then review the facts and issue a response in accordance with applicable regulations. 2. Contract period will consist of a base period from November 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017, with four one-year options to extend the term of the contract through September 30, 2022. Units and services to be in accordance with Statement of Work, attached technical specifications, and the terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.