Ground Maintenance and Snow Removal Services

Ground Maintenance & Snow Removal Services SIR Questions and Answers SOW Questions No. Question Section/Para. Question Answer  1 8.12.2.1 (Pg.28) Is the North Branch of Absecon Creek a year-round requirement and must the brush be less than 10 inches?  No this is not a year-round requirement. The brush cutting requirement is in effect during the growing season only (April 1 through October 31). Yes, the brush cutting must not exceed 10 inches in height.  2 8.12.3.2 (Pg. 31) Contractors are required to remove trees equal to or less than 5” diameter at breast height (4.5 ft. from ground) whether alive or dead, standing, leaning, or fallen. Can the government provide contractors historical data as to how many trees of such size have been removed annually? Historically, grounds maintenance contracts have limited tree removals to a maximum of 30 trees per year.  3 8.12.2.7 (Pg.29) Contractors are required to abate weeds and vegetation from pavement cracks.  What is the timeframe for the COMS contractor to seal pavement cracks once such cracks are visible and is the COMS contractor currently maintaining such pavement cracks? "COMS" is not defined or included in the Scope of Work (SOW) for this contract. Offerors should refer to Section 8.12.2.7 (Edging and Vegetation Control), Paragraph 2, which states: "In conjunction with the performance of edging, all vegetation must be removed from expansion joints and cracks in all paved surfaces in the parcel being edged. The Contractor is responsible for removing all vegetation from road and pavement cracks in addition to all unwanted weeds and vegetation from any ground water recharge islands located in parking lots."  4 8.13.1.3 (Pg. 33) Contractors are required to perform due diligence to monitor walkways and building entrances to mitigate hazards due to ice. Once a contractor identifies a hazard due to ice, shall the contractor take action to mitigate such hazard, or shall the contractor notify the government of such hazard and mitigate upon request from the government? Offeror must mitigate the hazard and inform the government of the risk and the actions taken.  5 SOW 5.1.1., 5.1.2 and 8.13.3.5 The minimum-equipment table appears to repeat entries for 60-inch and 72-inch Z-riders. The SOW requires contractor-furnished equipment and winter staging at Building 307, but it does not clearly state whether equivalent equipment may replace listed equipment, or which equipment must remain dedicated to WJHTC. Please provide a corrected minimum-equipment list confirming the exact required quantity of each mower size. Please also confirm whether equipment with equal or greater production capability-including alternative mower sizes, multifunction equipment, rental or subcontractor-provided equipment and autonomous mowing equipment maybe used and identify which equipment must remain dedicated to or staged at WJHTC. The requirement specifies a total of two (2) 60-inch Z-Riders and two (2) 72-inch Z-Riders. Please refer to the revised statement of work (SOW) for the updated equipment schedule. Offeror’s may use equivalent equipment in lieu of the items specified in the Minimum Equipment table, provided it meets or exceeds the required production capability. This applies to both manual and autonomous machinery. The staging of all contractor-furnished equipment (ground maintenance and snow removal machinery) is entirely at the discretion of the Offeror. 6 5.2.1, 8.13.1.2 and 8.13.4.1 and 8.13.4.3; Snow Fixed Pricing rows 38-45; Technical Exhibit D treatment maps; SOW pp. 17-18 and 32-37 The SOW describes Building 313 as “13,000-ton” bulk sand/salt shed and makes the contractor responsible for maintaining snow and ice material inventory. The SOW requires potassium acetate on AOA surfaces, while the pricing schedule does not include a clearly identified potassium-acetate/Cryotech line. The documents also do not state a sodium chloride to sand ratio or fully assign residual material cleanup. Please confirm: (a) the actual usable capacity of Building 313 and whether the stated “13,000-ton” capacity is correct; (b) whether offerors must supply all treated sand, untreated sand, sodium chloride, calcium chloride, brine and potassium acetate/Cryotech; (c) whether potassium acetate/Cryotech must be included in the applicable event prices or will be separately compensated; (d) where abrasive or treated sand is mandatory and whether a sodium-chloride to sand ratio applies; and (e) responsibility for exterior residual material cleanup and material tracked inside occupied buildings. The storage capacity for Building 313 is 200 tons. Please refer to the revised statement of work (SOW) for Section 5.2.1, item 3, (Building 313). Offerors are responsible for supplying all of the treated sand, untreated sand, sodium chloride, calcium chloride, brine and potassium acetate/Cryotech. Please refer to revised Section J, Attachment B-001(CLIN Pricing Schedule) for the specific line regarding potassium acetate/ Cryotech application. The sodium chloride to sand ratio is at the discretion of the offeror, except for the AOA area, where potassium acetate/Cryotech is the only acceptable deicer/treatment allowed. Not applicable for exterior surfaces. 7 8.13.3.3; Technical Exhibit D cover; SOW p. 34 The SOW identifies approximately 3,000 linear yards of snow fence, while Technical Exhibit D identifies 2,362 linear feet. The two written quantities differ by 6,638 linear feet. Please confirm the snow-fence quantity that offerors must include in their pricing and resolve the conflict between approximately 3,000 linear yards in the SOW and 2,362 linear feet in Technical Exhibit D. The minimum snow fencing requirement is approximately 2,362 linear feet. The snow fence location is identified on Exhibit D. …