J045--SOLID WASTE REMOVAL

Question and Answer Responses

Question: Start date. The base period starts now TBD, but the base year still ends 9/30/2027 with full-year quantities.
Answer
  What is the expected start date? The period of performance will begin upon award. Although the exact award date is still TBD, the base year will still end on 09/30/2027, and the requirement includes full year quantities regardless of the actual award date.
  Will base-year quantities and monthly rentals be prorated for a partial year?
Based pricing will be prorated for the period from the date of award through 09/30/2027. Option Years will begin 10/1 of each respective year and will use full year quantities.

Question Answers will come after the 10/15 site visit and close to the 10/19 due date. Will the VA extend the 10/19/2026 so quoters can use the answers?
Answer: Yes, the solicitation has been extended.

Question: When does the current contractor's service end?
Answer: Current contact ended 9/19/2026

Will the current contractor remove its containers and compactor before the new contract starts?
Answer: All containers have been moved.
Question: Which price list should we fill in: B.2, the Section D spreadsheet, or both?
Answer: Please fill out price Schelde in the solicitation.
Question to line items in section D is removed.
Question: Reference: VAAR 852.219-75, page 49

VAAR 852.219-75 says "the contractor will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs." Please confirm that money the contractor pays to a company that is not a certified SDVOSB, for picking up and hauling waste under this contract, counts toward that 50% limit.
Answer:
each named subcontractor should be explicitly confirmed as certified and listed in the SBA s SDVOSB database (formerly VIP), ensuring they meet VAAR 852.219 73 requirements

3. Which schedule governs? The B.2 price schedule and the Places of Performance table do not match (see the table at the end of this letter):
  CLIN 0001: Mon/Wed/Fri (Pricing Schedule updated)
  CLIN 0002: Mon/Wed/Fri (Pricing Schedule updated)
  CLINs 0004/0005: Mon/Fri (Pricing Schedule updated)
  CLIN 0007: one 40 CY As needed( upon Request)
  The table has 11 CLINs; B.2 has 10 (Pricing table updated)
  Please issue one corrected schedule showing container size, count, location, frequency and annual pulls for each CLIN. (Pricing table updated)
  Should quoters price only the B.2 CLINs? (Pricing table updated)
  Will frequencies discussed at the site visit be confirmed by amendment? YES
4. 40 CY and 30 CY containers. Container counts and CLINs are unclear. Pricing table updated to reflect the correct counts
  How many 40 CY containers are under CLIN 0007, and do they hold scrap metal or MSW? One (1) 40 CY container mixed recyclable metal, Recycle metal only
  Where should 40 CY container rental be priced? B.2 has no rental CLIN for them. (Pricing table updated)
  Is the 30 CY metal container (1st and 3rd Monday) required? If so, under which CLIN? No, Pricing table updated to reflect proposed schedule and quantities
  Does CLIN 0008 cover three 30 CY containers (B.2) or four (table)? Table updated to cover three 40 cy containers
5. Unscheduled pulls and special events. SOW 7.0 refers to an "Unscheduled CLIN" and special-event containers. B.2 has no such CLIN.
  How should extra pulls, container moves and special-event containers be priced and ordered? Priced and ordered in accordance to the specific CLIN type requested
  Will the VA add CLINs for them? CLIN estimates are included in the table
6. On-call scrap metal containers (SOW 5.0). SOW 5.0 requires 10, 20, 30 or 40 CY scrap containers within 48 hours of a call. B.2 has no CLINs for them.
  How should on-call delivery, rental and hauls be priced, by container size? CLIN 0007 covers on-call metal container
7. Holiday service. CLINs say service "including legal holidays"; SOW 5.0 and 7.0 limit service to weekdays and exclude federal holidays.
  Is service required on federal holidays? NO, the next business day following the holiday
  If not, may a holiday pickup move to the next business day with notice to the COR? Yes
8. Open-top containers. SOW 7.0 calls for fully enclosed containers; B.2 calls for open-top 30 CY and 40 CY roll-offs.
  Are open tops acceptable for C&D, scrap metal, wood/pallets and bulky items? YES, fully enclosed unless identified like open top
  Are lids or tarps required anywhere? YES, fully enclosed unless identified like open top
9. Yard waste. The prior contract included a 30 CY open top for trees, limbs and clippings. This solicitation has no yard waste container or CLIN; it only lists grass cuttings and tree trimmings under "Miscellaneous Waste" and trees as bulk items.
  Is yard waste (trees, limbs, brush, grass clippings) part of this contract? Yes, CLIN 0009 Miscellaneous Waste, updated to 40 cy
  If yes, should a dedicated 30 CY open top be provided, at what frequency (scheduled or on call), and under which CLIN?  Yes, CLIN 0009 addresses the container, updated to 40 cy, Mon/ Wed/ Fri
  If no, should yard waste go in the Engineering Shop 30 CY bulk container (CLIN 0009), or is it handled outside this contract? N/A
10. Compactor ownership and repairs. CLIN 0002 says the 35 CY compactor is Government-owned; CLIN 0001 (42 CY) does not say, and the SOW calls each unit the San-I-Pak in different places.
  Please confirm both compactors and their receiver containers are Government-owned. No, only the Sani-Pak container is government owned
  Which unit receives San-I-Pak-treated waste, and which receives general MSW? CLIN 0002
  Please confirm the contractor only disconnects, hauls, empties and reattaches the receivers. Yes
  Please confirm repairs, maintenance and service of the compactors and the San-I-Pak are the VA's responsibility and not part of this contract. YES, VA is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the compactor equipment
11. Contractor-furnished compactor and balers (SOW 3.0). SOW 3.0 asks for a new 34 CY self-contained compactor and vertical/horizontal balers. B.2 has no CLIN for them, and 34 CY matches neither existing unit.
  Is the contractor required to furnish a compactor or balers? If not, please delete this requirement. NO, the VA has a government owned baler in place.
  If yes: what location, waste stream and service frequency, which unit does it replace, and which CLIN covers it? N/A
  Who is responsible for and pays for electrical, mechanical and concrete pad work? N/A
 Clean, good-condition used containers be placed, or must all containers be new?
All containers must be in clean serviceable condition that does not the VA s public appearance.
12. Equipment failure and the contingency plan. SOW 7.0 makes the contractor pay for its contingency plan when service stops due to "failure of equipment."
  Please confirm this covers only the contractor's own trucks, containers and facilities, not the Government-owned compactors or the San-I-Pak. The government-owned equipment is not considered part of the Contractor s contingency plan.
  If a government compactor is down and the VA orders temporary containers or extra pulls, will they be paid at schedule rates? Yes, each CLIN will be paid in accordance to the specific CLIN / type requested
13. Treated waste and San-I-Pak downtime. Landfills accept San-I-Pak waste only if it is fully treated.
  Please confirm all waste in the San-I-Pak receiver will be fully treated under 9VAC20-121, and that the VA will provide treatment records if a landfill asks. YES, reports can be provided if required
  Please confirm no untreated RMW will be placed in any container under this contract. Yes, RMW is proceed using a separate waste stream
  Today, when the San-I-Pak is down, the VA uses 96-gallon carts, and that RMW is managed under the VA's existing RMW contract. Does the Government intend to change that? No
14. Tonnage estimate. The estimates differ: 1,800 tons (B.2), 1,600-1,800 tons (SOW) and about 1,201 tons (2027 estimated quantities).
  Which estimate should quoters use? 1,800 tons
  Does it include recyclables, C&D, wood and metal, or only waste that goes to the landfill?
15. CLIN 0006 pricing. SOW 11.0 says tipping fees "shall not exceed the approved landfill rates."
  If landfill rates or fees go up after award, can CLIN 0006 be adjusted? Contracting officer must clarify how rate changes will be handled.
16. Disposal and the limits on subcontracting.
  Under VAAR 852.219-75, do landfill and recycler payments count as amounts paid to non-SDVOSB subcontractors, or are they excluded as other direct costs? Prime Vendor must oversee sub-contractors, CO to confirm contracting clause.
17. Recyclables with no container or CLIN. SOW 12.0 lists glass, grease, tires, textiles and C&D items such as concrete and rebar. B.2 has no containers or CLINs for them.
  Which of these does the VAMC generate and expect the contractor to collect?
All items listed SOW 12.0 are expected to be collected, the 40 cy containers with listed location rear of hospital  
  If none, please confirm only materials in the B.2 containers are required. N/A
18. Is universal waste in scope? SOW 1.0 excludes hazardous waste, but SOW 4.0 requires universal waste management (batteries, lamps, some electronics). B.2 has no CLIN for it.
  Is SOW 4.0 part of this contract? If not, please delete it by amendment. SOW 4.0 verbiage updated
  If it is, please add CLINs (per pound of batteries, per lamp, per box or drum, per pickup).
.19. universal waste details (if in scope).
  Estimated yearly quantities of batteries (by type) and lamps (by type) Tonnage estimates included waste removal total
  Number and location of accumulation areas, and pickup frequency Removal in container located in rear of hospital
  Which "electronic devices" are included Typical office supply electronically items
  Will VA staff package the waste, and who supplies boxes and drums? If additional packaging required it will be request as needed from the contractor.
20. RMW and sharps language. Today all RMW at the Medical Center, including the 96-gallon carts provided when the San-I-Pak is down, is handled under a separate VA RMW contract. Several SOW paragraphs still carry RMW and sharps requirements that have no CLINs: SOW updated to remove regulated medical waste references.
  SOW 6.0: RMW training, and a monthly report covering RMW, sharps and incinerate-only waste N/A
  SOW 8.0.a: back-up sites for RMW and sharps, and contractor liability for RMW cost increases N/A
  SOW 8.0.b: sharps consultation, RMW spill training and immunizations N/A
  Does the Government intend to move any RMW or sharps service into this contract? N/A
  If not, please confirm this language will be removed, and that the monthly report and back-up sites cover only solid waste and recycling.
21. FDA 21 CFR Part 820 (SOW 16.0). This FDA rule applies to medical device manufacturers.
  Please confirm it does not apply to this contract and will be removed. N/A
27. Containers observed at the site visit. At the 10/15 site visit we observed more containers than the solicitation lists, and at different locations.
  Difference: 2 more 8 CY and 1 more 4 CY front-load containers, and 2 more 30 CY open tops. (Pricing Schedule updated)
  Should quoters price the observed containers that are not in the solicitation? If so, under which CLINs and at what frequency? (Pricing Schedule updated)
  Will there be a corrected container inventory, with locations and frequencies, by amendment? Yes

Point of Contact

• Audrey Wooten — audrey.wooten@va.gov

View on SAM.gov

https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/525157ae06374332b408cd4a2a0ee708/view