SOURCES SOUGHT
S -- Landscaping & Grounds-keeping Services
- Notice Date
- 2/7/2022 6:36:29 AM
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 561730
— Landscaping Services
- Contracting Office
- 242-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 02 (36C242) ALBANY NY 12208 USA
- ZIP Code
- 12208
- Solicitation Number
- 36C24222Q0389
- Response Due
- 2/14/2022 7:00:00 AM
- Archive Date
- 04/15/2022
- Point of Contact
- Monique Paltan, Contracting Officer, Phone: (212) 868-7500
- E-Mail Address
-
Monique.Paltan@va.gov
(Monique.Paltan@va.gov)
- Awardee
- null
- Description
- This is a Sources Sought Notice (a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Sources Sought or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. (b) Although ""proposal,"" ""offeror,"" contractor , and ""offeror"" may be used in this Sources Sought Notice, any response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. (c) Any information received from a contractor in response to this Sources Sought may be used in creating a solicitation. Any information received which is marked with a statement, such as ""proprietary"" or ""confidential,"" intended to restrict distribution will not be distributed outside of the Government, except as required by law. (d) This Sources Sought is issued by VISN 2 New York Contracting Office in Manhattan, NY for the purpose of collecting information about Landscaping and Groundskeeping services for the VA New Jersey Health Care System two campuses. East Orange Campus: 385 Tremont Avenue, East Orange, NJ 07018 and Lyons Campus: 151 Knollcroft Road, Lyons, NJ 07939. The VA is seeking to provide for this requirement as of 04/01/2022 to establish a new service. The NAICS code identified for this requirement is 561730 Landscaping Services. The requirement is detailed in the Statement of Work section of this document. (e) Cursory market research has identified several small businesses that may be able to provide for this requirement. Contractors that are able to meet the requirements in the attachment are encouraged to email a capability statement and full information to Monique Paltan at Monique.Paltan@va,gov by 10AM, February 14th, 2022. - Part of the purpose of this sources sought notice is to determine the viability of set aside to a specific socio-economic category. Contractors shall identify the NAICS code for the services being offered as well as their size status under said NAICS. If contractor is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), a Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), or any other special category of contractors, then contractor is responsible for providing documentation in support of this. This information will be used to determine the viability of a set aside for this requirement. If any of the requested information is not supplied with the package, this may result in the contractor not being considered in the Government s Procurement Strategy. - Contractors shall also identify any Federal Supply Schedules that may carry the desired services. - Contractors shall identify pertinent point of contact for company, contractor DUNS number for size standard and socioeconomic verification in SAM and VIP, as well as for any intended subcontractors. - Contractor shall provide 2 to 3 instances of past experience which demonstrate that they are a firm regularly engaged in this type of work, to include subcontractors for those jobs. - Contractor shall provide a listing of any teaming agreements they intend to employ in the performance of this requirement if awarded. - Contractor shall supply proof of any applicable certification or training required to meet the regulatory requirements, if applicable. - Contractors shall include any relevant comments about the Attachment(s) if applicable. STATEMENT OF WORK Landscaping and Groundskeeping Services 1. BACKGROUND: The Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System (VANJHCS) is seeking for landscaping and groundskeeping services for its East Orange and Lyons Campuses. The type of maintenance, care and housekeeping is designed to promote healthy growth and create the landscape environment as intended by landscape architect. The Contractor shall have sufficient labor available on site throughout each season to maintain a professional, clean appearance of the landscaping and groundskeeping services. 2. SCOPE OF WORK: The contractor shall furnish all personnel, labor, transportation, equipment, supervision, tools, materials, and other items necessary to ensure the landscaping and groundskeeping services of all exterior landscaped areas tasks are completed in a timely manner at each campus throughout the year. Work shall include turf and tree management program to maintain healthy grass, trees, shrubs, and plants and present a clean, neat, and professional appearance. A monthly meeting will be held to discuss progress and complete a monthly quality audit. This will ensure our understanding of the needs of the VA and the delivery the contractor s services. 3. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: Contractor shall perform landscaping and groundskeeping services on a weekly basis at each campus. Upon completion of tasks, contractor shall provide a copy of service report to the COR. Service reports must be signed by both service provider and COR at completion of work. Service reports for lawns shall include number of workers, hours worked, and areas worked on. An electronic version of same shall be sent to the COR. Contractor may start earlier in the year to get a start on tasks such as mulching, spring cleanup, shrub trimming weather permitting at the COR s approval. All grass on the facility shall be mowed and trimmed at a height of two (2) to three (3) inches. A facility site plan indicating work area shall be provided by the COR after award. 3.1. Mowing and Care of Lawns: All turf on the site regardless of its location (fenced in or not) shall be maintained and manicured to establish a desirable appearance. Branches fallen on lawns and lots will be removed and disposed of before mowing. Invasive vines and plants will be removed from campus. Services shall be performed between April 1st and November 30th and be completed frequently enough so that no more than 1/3 of the grass blade is removed per mowing. Mowing equipment and patterns shall be employed to permit recycling of clippings where possible and present a neat appearance. Excess clippings shall be removed from the lawn areas and deposited on Site as directed by the COR. Cutting blades on all equipment shall be sharp to prevent tearing of the grass blade. All enclosed areas shall be mowed, string trimmed and maintained. The childcare / play area and all enclosed areas along with all gardens of any type will be properly maintained including any weeding, mulching and application of herbicide as needed to present a clean manicured appearance. All shrubs and bushes shall be trimmed to the correct height and shape as determined by the COR. Perimeter and interior fencing will be kept clear of any kind of foliage. Care must be taken to avoid damaging parked vehicles. Some areas will have to be maintained in the evening hours or on weekends when the areas are generally empty due to the hazards of flying debris caused by string trimmers and other lawn care equipment. 3.2. Sidewalks: Concrete curbs and walkways that border lawn areas will be edged mechanically by blade and managed as necessary to present and maintain a neat and manicured appearance. 3.3. Weeding and Cultivating Beds: Beginning in spring prior to the application of mulch a quality pre-emergent herbicide will be applied to all primary planning beds to suppress the germination of annual weeds. Areas designated as annual flowerbeds will not be treated with pre-emergent herbicide. At the discretion of Contractor, beds where certain perennial plants exist will not be treated as such products could adversely affect some plants. Contractor shall use good judgment in the best interest of the health of the plants. Weeding and cultivation of primary planting beds at entrances, plazas and signage are included in this requirement. 3.4. Weed Control in Curbs, Cracks and Expansion Joints: A post emergent herbicide shall be applied as needed per season to control the emergence of weeds and grass in curbs, pavement cracks, pavers, concrete expansion joints, generator enclosure s electrical distribution station and parking lot dividers. 3.5. Herbicide, Seeding and Fertilization Schedule: Herbicide treatments and / or mechanical weeding or cultivation of ornamental planting beds will be performed weekly to provide a neat, weed-free appearance throughout the season Spring pre-emergent in April. Spring fertilization and grass seeding in May Seasonal weed and feed in June, July, and August Fall fertilization and grass seeding in September 3.6. Spring and Fall Cleanup: A general Spring clean-up shall be provided to remove leaves and debris accumulated over the winter months from lawns and beds. This includes the removal of sand and cinders from lawn areas that may have accumulated over the winter. Repair with raking and seeding any lawns that have been damaged. The removal and disposal of all debris generated during the Spring and Fall clean-up shall be legally disposed of off-site. Maintenance of fallen leaves and debris beginning in October, and during November and December shall be provided on a weekly basis or more often if needed to maintain a clean, neat appearance. Contractor shall remove leaves from lawns, parking areas, fences, and primary focal points. Weather permitting in December. 3.7. Delineation of Planting Beds and Tree Saucers: All planting beds and tree saucers will be delineated (edged) once annually in preparation of the mulch application. Throughout the season these edges will be maintained regularly with a mechanical edger or nursery spade 3.8. Management of Secondary Beds and Other Areas: Secondary beds are described as beds other than those at entranceways, plazas or signage and immediate frontage to a building or complex. Secondary beds are large border area beds, areas such as transition areas, fence lines, wood lines, gravel walks, etc. The maintenance of secondary beds will include an initial delineation along lawn borders and the weekly management of vegetation by string trimming as necessary. Secondary beds requiring herbicide vegetation control will be performed on an as-needed basis at no additional charge. The removal of accumulated winter debris and fall leaves within secondary areas is part of the initial Spring clean-up and general Fall clean-up at the close of the season. 3.9. Mulching: All beds shall be mulched using a high-quality Dark Brown Organic Double Shredded Hardwood Mulch. (Mulch will not be dyed). The dark brown organic mulch at these locations shall be maintained at a depth of 2- to 4-inches (5- to 10-cm) The mulch shall be raked as needed to break up any matted layers and refresh its appearance. The mulch shall be kept a few inches away from all shrubs, flowers, and trees. Rubber mulch shall be replaced or refreshed where needed. The mulch located in the areas listed below for each site shall be maintained April 1st through October 1st of each calendar year to maintain a uniform appearance. 3.10. In addition, the following areas shall be mulch maintained for East Orange Campus: All islands around Jacob s Circle. All areas to the right and left of the front entrance. Circle of flags island on Greg s Drive. Circle of flags island on Oresko s Street. Front and side of Building 5. Island at front entrance of Building 15. Childcare play area. All gardens. All patios on site. COVID Memorial garden. 3.11. Integrated Pest Management of Trees and Shrubs: Contractor shall employ a comprehensive tree and shrub IPM (Integrated Pest Management Plan). As part of this plan, all trees and shrubs will be monitored for conditions that could adversely affect the plants. The goal is to prevent or limit damage done to landscape plants by utilizing targeted pest management. In this way, plants subject to problems are inspected and treated when necessary, or proactively based on several factors including susceptibility, impact, and environmental consequence. Treatment of pests that may damage any portion of grounds shall be in accordance with federal, state regulations. Any pesticides shall be applied by New Jersey State Pest certified personnel. Required treatments to shrubs and ornamental trees less than 5 in caliper or evergreen trees less than 12 in height will be treated at no additional charge. Conditions on plants greater in size than specified will be brought to the immediate attention of the community manager and can be serviced under a different agreement. As a preventative control, Horticultural Oil shall be applied to plants that have scale present or are known to be prone to infestation by other insects or mites. Because Horticultural Oil can adversely change the color of certain blue varieties of evergreens, they will not be normally treated. In the instance where control is necessary, Contractor will inform the VA representative. Ornamental plants which require control of chewing and sucking insects shall be treated as necessary to specified plants. 3.12. Ornamental Tree and Shrub Fertilization: All ornamental trees will be fertilized once in Spring using a fertilizer of 10-6-4 at the rate of 1 Lb. per 1 of trunk caliper at breast height. Shrubbery and ground cover plants will be fertilized using 10-6-4 at the rate of 4 Lbs. per 100 square feet of bed areas once in Spring. Acid loving trees and shrubs will be fertilized using a specialty fertilizer intended for such plants. 3.13. Shrubbery, Evergreens and Groundcover Beds: All shrubbery shall be pruned in a manner consistent with the culture of the plant and its intent in the landscape. Shrubs and Evergreen Trees (where applicable) up to a height of 12 and informal in shape will be sheared twice per season or more as deemed necessary by contractor or the COR to provide a neat, manicured appearance. All pruning of shrubbery will include the removal of dead or damaged branches. Once, in Spring, shrubbery will be inspected for damages occurring over winter months and pruned in the best interest of the plant. Contractor shall remove small, expired shrubs or trees where necessary to maintain a professional, clean appearance. Removal of medium, large, or extra-large expired shrubbery or trees is not part of this requirement. Deciduous shrubbery will be sheared, or hand pruned as dictated by the plant s culture and intent of the VA representative. Flowering shrubs will only be pruned after their period of bloom has passed. Evergreen non-formal shrubs will be sheared, or hand pruned employing the plunge cut method as described by the International Society of Arboriculture to remove excess growth and manage plant size and intent while providing the plant to necessary oxygen and light. Evergreen Ground-Cover beds will be pruned as to provide the correct form and intent of the plant. Delineation shall be maintained wherever evergreen ground covering plants border curbs or paved walks to prevent hazardous conditions. Lawn trees as described as any ornamental tree within a lawn area and not in a defined planting area, tree grate or other defined landscape area shall receive a cultivated and edged tree saucer. Shade trees will not be edged unless a pre-existing saucer exists. Lawn tree saucers or tree rings will be mechanically edged once in Spring and this delineation maintained as necessary throughout the season to provide a neat and manicured appearance 4. TURF MANAGEMENT: Turf management program to be performed between April 1st and November 30th, leaf clean up through December 31st of each calendar year. Turf shall be mowed at the height of 2 to 3 as conditions dictate. 5. ACRES OF LANDSCAPING AND GROUNDSKEEPING SERVICES PER SITE: East Orange Campus: Approximately 36 acres. Lyons Campus: Approximately 260 acres. 6. CONTRACTOR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Upon arrival to perform services, contractor shall report at each campus as follows: East Orange Campus: Report to the Boiler Plant Foreman in Bldg. 8, (973) 676-1000 Ext. 1882. Lyons Campus: Report to the Chief, Operations Section, Bldg. 10, Room 209, (908) 647-0180 Ext. 4284. All Contractor employees will be neatly and conspicuously uniformed at any time they are working on site. 7. OTHER REQUIREMENTS: The contractor shall possess the following licenses for the performance of landscaping and groundskeeping service: NJ State Fertilizer License, State of NJDEP Commercial Pesticide Applicator License with Categories 3A 3B. State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Business License. The contractor shall provide Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all chemicals to be used to the Contracting Officer s Representative (COR) for approval before use AND keep a record of all chemicals sprayed. 8. WORKING HOURS: All work for landscaping and groundskeeping services excluding Federal holidays shall be performed during normal business, weekends and evening hours as agreed beforehand. For after working hours, contractor shall coordinate proper alternate arrangements beforehand with the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). East Orange Campus: During the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday thru Saturday and evenings with prior COR approval. Lyons Campus: During the hours of 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday thru Saturday and evenings with prior COR approval. 9. FEDERAL HOLIDAYS: Federal Holidays which are observed by the federal government are annotated below. New Year s Day Martin Luther King s Birthday President s Day Memorial Day Juneteenth Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day And any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday. 10. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The landscaping and groundskeeping service for VA New Jersey Health Care System (NJ HCS) two campuses will be for one (1) year from award of contract with provisions for four (4) Option Years. 11. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Services will be performed at the VA New Jersey Health Care System (NJ HCS) two campuses. 1) East Orange Campus 385 Tremont Avenue East Orange, NJ 07018 2) Lyons Campus 151 Knollcroft Road Lyons, NJ 07939 12. VHA SUPPLEMENTAL CONTRAC REQUIREMENTS VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for Combatting COVID-19 Contractor employees who work in or travel to VHA locations must comply with the following: Documentation requirements: If fully vaccinated, contractors shall show proof of vaccination. NOTE: Acceptable proof of vaccination includes a signed record of immunization from a health care provider or pharmacy, a copy of the COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card (CDC Form MLS-319813_r, published on September 3, 2020), or a copy of medical records documenting the vaccination. If unvaccinated, contractors shall show negative COVID-19 test results dated within three calendar days prior to desired entry date. Test must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use or full approval. This includes tests available by a doctor s order or an FDA approved over-the-counter test that includes an affiliated telehealth service. Documentation cited in this section shall be digitally or physically maintained on each contractor employee while in a VA facility and is subject to inspection prior to entry to VA facilities and after entry for spot inspections by Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) or other hospital personnel. Documentation will not be collected by the VA; contractors shall, at all times, adhere to and ensure compliance with federal laws designed to protect contractor employee health information and personally identifiable information. Contractor employees are subject to daily screening for COVID-19 and may be denied entry to VA facilities if they fail to pass screening protocols. As part of the screening process contractors may be asked screening questions found on the COVID-19 Screening Tool. Check regularly for updates. Contractor employees who work away from VA locations, but who will have direct contact with VA patients shall self-screen utilizing the COVID-19 Screening Tool, in advance, each day that they will have direct patient contact and in accordance with their person or persons who coordinate COVID-19 workplace safety efforts at covered contractor workplaces. Contractors shall, at all times, adhere to and ensure compliance with federal laws designed to protect contractor employee health information and personally identifiable information. Contractor must immediately notify their COR or Contracting Officer if contract performance is jeopardized due to contractor employees being denied entry into VA Facilities. For indefinite delivery contracts: Contractor agrees to comply with VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for any task or delivery orders issued prior to this modification when performance has already commenced.
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/287c192b338d45a2b0a12f96e5c4a2cf/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System East Orange Campus & Lyons Campus 385 Tremont Avenue, East Orange, NJ 07018, USA
- Zip Code: 07018
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 07018
- Record
- SN06235349-F 20220209/220207230114 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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