SOLICITATION NOTICE
Z -- 347-Boise RO Facility Maintenance Services
- Notice Date
- 6/18/2024 10:17:15 AM
- Notice Type
- Solicitation
- NAICS
- 561210
— Facilities Support Services
- Contracting Office
- VETERANS BENEFITS ADMIN (36C10D) WASHINGTON DC 20006 USA
- ZIP Code
- 20006
- Solicitation Number
- 36C10D24Q0188
- Response Due
- 7/1/2024 7:00:00 AM
- Archive Date
- 07/31/2024
- Point of Contact
- Tamara A Feist-Hatfield, Contract Specialist
- E-Mail Address
-
tamara.feist-hatfield@va.gov
(tamara.feist-hatfield@va.gov)
- Awardee
- null
- Description
- Questions: Boise VA Solicitation: 36C10D24Q0188 How many employees (VA and contractor) employees work at this facility? On average, occupancy is approximately 100 people per day How many contract employees are there currently at this facility? There are no full-time contract employees, only maintenance and janitorial staff Will the government provide the current PM schedule? IAW 1.1.14, the contractor is responsible for developing the preventive maintenance schedule in accordance with the manufacturer s recommendations for the HVAC and all other mechanical systems, providing a copy of the schedule to the onsite Government POC Roughly how many repair work orders are opened on a quarterly basis? There is not a formal work order system in place. Minor repairs covered by the contract are generally communicated verbally, and average about 3-5 per month. Larger repairs requiring quoted work are much less frequent, approximately one per month. Does the contractor have to pay for ceiling tiles, paint, and/or carpeting/flooring materials? Is the contractor responsible for replacing or repairing ceiling tiles, walls, and floors? Per 4.4, the contractor will provide any materials less than $20. The government provides materials such as ceiling tiles, carpet tiles, or large quantities of paint. The contractor is responsible for repairs as defined in 1.1.7. Repairs exceeding this scope are quoted at an additional cost by the contractor. Per 1.1.15: Is the contractor only supposed to be on site for 4 hours a day or only the HVAC tech? Is the HVAC tech allowed to be onsite during core working hours or during normal business hours? 1.1.15 defines the 4-hour minimum requirement and specifies that it is an HVAC technician. Additional personnel may be on site at the discretion of the contractor. Historically the assigned HVAC technician has been able to also perform minor repairs outside of HVAC requirements. Per 1.1.16-1.1.25 are the frequencies and preventative maintenance checks provided per system the expected frequencies for the contract? Please see Appendix A Is the contractor responsible for any potable water testing? No Is the contractor responsible for any HVAC water testing? There is no water testing requirement unless the contractor deems it necessary for maintenance purposes. What type of geothermal system is currently in place? Geothermal is a city utility for heat. Who monitors the chemical treatment for the HVAC systems? This is a municipal water source with no additional treatment requirement. Who from the contract is required to complete the Quality Control checks at the facility? Quality control is the contractor responsibility. Outside of the HVAC technician are there any other key personnel required or expected on this contract? None for on-site. A management contact should be provided in the event of issues or problems that need to be reported above the technician level. Is the contractor able to remotely monitor the HVAC and mechanical systems? No How many BI are currently associated directly with this contract? Three employees How many potential employees have been processed on an annual basis for this contract? 3-5 employees Will BIs through other agencies be acceptable in leu of the VA BI? Will these other agency BIs be required to be processed via reciprocals? Current, active BIs from within the federal government should be considered acceptable. An application for reciprocity is required. Ultimately this is up to the security personnel office. What is the turnaround time between initial submittal for a BI to full clearance? Too many variables to answer this. After fingerprints are submitted and the BI is initiated, the contractor may be issued a PIV card and given access to the systems. This part of the process takes approximately 1-2 weeks. 19. [REF: Section 1.1.1.4, p.6] Question: This section makes reference to operation, maintenance and preventive maintenance scheduling for the geothermal system equipment. Are the geothermal unit(s) water sourced or air-sourced? Would the government please cite the manufacturer and models of the units existing at the facility? How many geothermal units are in the entire system? The geothermal is water-sourced and is a City of Boise utility. It is on a Niagara meter. There is one unit (see photo.) [REF: Section 1.1.1.7, p.7] HVAC Water Chemical treatment Levels; and [Section 1.1.27] Preventive Maintenance of drinking water systems Question: These subsections discuss inspection and maintenance of chemicals for system water treatment levels and potable water supply systems. Is the contractor responsible for the engaging of a subcontractor for water treatment systems, filters and chemical resources, as well or is that a Government responsibility? The Government provides the filters and the Contractor installs them on the prescribed replacement schedule. See 1.1.26. No chemical resources are needed or used. There is no water treatment system as we are supplied by Veolia Water which is potable directly from the source. [REF: Section 1.1.1.2] Resolve System Alarms; and [Section 1.1.6] Inspect Mechanical systems and prepare status reports Question: While there are several references to the DDC usage, employee competency and LAN access to the same, there does not appear to be a description of any Building Automation System (BAS) operating in conjunction with the DDC, in the pages of the solicitation documents. Does this facility currently have a BAS working in conjunction with the DDC or is the DDC system the extent of the building automated controls system? No BAS is used in conjunction with the DDC controls. See photo. [REF: Section 1.1.1.2] Resolve System Alarms; and [Section 1.1.6] Inspect Mechanical systems and prepare status reports Question: These sections presume the existence of good recordkeeping and historical recall. We could not find any reference to the presence of use of a CMMS within the pages of the solicitation document. Is any kind of CMMS currently installed at the VA facility and if so, is it open to use by the contractor? No CMMS is in use or provided by the Government. Records are maintained on a local share drive by the Contractor. [REF: C.6, (d)] - Supplemental Insurance Requirements Question: This § states that The successful bidder must present to the Contracting Officer, prior to award, evidence of general liability insurance without any exclusionary clauses for asbestos that would void the general liability coverage. To the government s knowledge is there any asbestos built into any parts, sections, joints, floors or interstitial spaces of this facility? No. This facility was constructed in 2008 and commissioned in 2009. [REF: General] Incumbent Contractor Question: Will the Government please identify the incumbent contractor providing service at this VA facility? Total System Services, Inc. [REF: C.2 52.212-5; (c)] Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders, etc., § (c); and Addendum to 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors, §,6. Quote Preparation Instructions, Part III, item #1. Question: The two contract clauses cited above are essentially in conflict with one another. In 2021 President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) #14055 ensuring the service workers employed under Federal contracts cannot be displaced from their jobs due to a change in contractor engagement and must be retained in employment by a succeeding contractor unless they are unqualified or fail to meet the specification of the contracting agency or other division of the Federal Government. This EO was made into a Federal regulation of the DOL and promulgated in December of 2023. Accordingly, any offeror winning contract award will need to extend the offer of employment to incumbent employees under a new contract. The only way that a new contractor could propose a new employee be introduced to the worksite is if A) the incumbent employees are no longer available or do not want to continue working at the VA location, or B) do not meet the job qualification requirements or other specifications established by the VA. However, Part III of the Quote Preparation Instruction requires that offerors submit documentation that show the key employee(s) are trained and have the experience to operate, troubleshoot and maintain HVAC and Direct Digital Controls (DDC) systems. The only firm that is able to accurately respond to this requirement and fulfill the demands of the new DOL (Wage & Hour) regulation - is the incumbent contractor. Will the government please: A) Release all valid and detailed information relating to the training, licenses, certifications, experience and education of the existing, incumbent employees, or B) Confirm that the incumbent employees, currently working at the VA site are either unqualified or will no longer be available for employment at the VA site under the new contract? Interested parties may email the Contracting Officer at tamara.feist-hatfield@va.gov to request a list of current employees and the contact information so vendors may directly communicate.
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