Solicitation
Manufacture, Supply, and Distribute Flat Bronze Markers
Department of Veterans Affairs
AI summaryThe VA National Cemetery Administration wants a manufacturer to make flat bronze grave markers (12 x 24 inch) and ship them to destinations worldwide, mostly to U.S. cemeteries and funeral homes. It will be an indefinite-quantity contract with orders placed from April 1, 2027 through March 31, 2030, and no deliveries required after April 30, 2030. Bidders must send four physical bronze samples before the deadline, and the price is tied to the London Metal Exchange. More in the summary
A newer version of this notice was posted Oct 26, 2026. See the latest version.
AI summary Beta
Summary of the version posted Sep 24, 2026. The notice was amended Oct 26, 2026. Check what else changed on SAM.gov. This summary may miss requirements: 1 of 6 attachments weren't read (Attachment 1 - Price-Cost Schedule - Flat Bronze Markers.xlsx). Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
The VA National Cemetery Administration wants a manufacturer to make flat bronze grave markers (12 x 24 inch) and ship them to destinations worldwide, mostly to U.S. cemeteries and funeral homes. It will be an indefinite-quantity contract with orders placed from April 1, 2027 through March 31, 2030, and no deliveries required after April 30, 2030. Bidders must send four physical bronze samples before the deadline, and the price is tied to the London Metal Exchange.
Who can bid (6)
- Active SAM.gov registration at the time you submit, with representations and certifications completed; the company name must match SAM exactly
- Company address must be a street address, not a P.O. box
- You must be able to make the markers yourself: the samples have to come from the same facility that will make the production markers (one sample per extra facility)
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- Offered products must be U.S.-made or designated country end products (Trade Agreements Act)
- Past performance: at least 3 and no more than 5 references for similar supplies in the last 5 years
- Only if you claim veteran status: SDVOSB or VOSB firms must be certified with SBA (VA gives evaluation credit for this, but the SAM notice shows no set-aside)
How to submit: Email to the Contract Specialist, Weston.Worsham@va.gov. Four physical bronze samples are shipped to the National Cemetery Administration, Quantico National Cemetery (Attn: Memorial Products Service), 18424 Joplin Road, Triangle, VA 22172. No hand-carried samples.. What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch (10)
- Serious: Four physical samples required before the deadline. You must make and ship one each of the B1, B6, T1 and T6 bronze markers at your own cost, and the samples are final with no replacement allowed if one is rejected.
- Serious: Late or damaged samples knock you out. Samples that arrive after the closing time, are hand carried, arrive damaged or are not properly marked cause the whole offer to be excluded.
- Worth checking: Pure low-price award. Only the lowest-priced offer's sample and non-price factors are evaluated first, and award goes to it if acceptable, so a higher price may never be looked at.
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- Worth checking: Contractor pays shipping, returns and reshipments. Packaging, shipping, return shipping (even for Government ordering errors) and reshipments are all at the contractor's expense, and scrapped markers must be reimbursed to the Government by monthly check.
- Worth checking: Fast delivery with free rush orders. Normal orders are due in 20 calendar days and marked rush orders in 10 calendar days, with no added price for the rush.
- Worth checking: Strict responsiveness rules. Missing a volume, not acknowledging an amendment, using a P.O. box or a name that differs from SAM makes the offer non-responsive.
- Minor: Unannounced plant inspections and possible 100% inspection. The Government can inspect your production without notice and can require full inspection for an indefinite period after quality complaints.
- Minor: Price adjustment index does not match the bronze recipe. The price adjustment clause and Volume A ask for the copper and tin share of the price, but the material spec calls for copper and zinc; ask the Contracting Officer to clarify (the question deadline has passed, so check for an amendment).
- Minor: Questions were due Oct 5, 2026. Check the amendments for the agency's answers.
- Minor: Evaluation clause and veteran-owned factor do not match. The evaluation provision (52.212-2) lists Price, Technical and Past Performance only, but the VA clause 852.215-70 says VA will also evaluate SDVOSB/VOSB status and subcontracting; it is unclear how or whether that is scored.
Read from the notice and 5 attachments. 1 of 6 not read. Show which files.
- 36C78626R0104_1.docx (read)
- Attachment 3 - CDR.pdf (read)
- Attachment 5 - Past Performance Questionnaire.docx (read)
- Attachment 4 - Sample Review Form - Flat Bronze Markers.pdf (read)
- Attachment 2 - All Drawings Portfolio - Flat Bronze Markers.pdf (read)
- Attachment 1 - Price-Cost Schedule - Flat Bronze Markers.xlsx: not read (the AI doesn't read this file type yet): open it on SAM.gov
Full summary
What they want
- Make sand-cast flat bronze markers (types B1, B6, T1, T6) to Government drawings, with the Government's emblems, letters and inscriptions
- Use bronze that is 87-89% copper and 4-8% zinc, with a dark brown pigmented finish and a glossy protective coating; send a Certificate of Conformance within 30 days of award
- Ship each order FOB destination within 20 calendar days; 'special' orders within 10 calendar days at no extra cost
- Package each marker so it arrives undamaged (30 lb max) and pay all packaging and shipping costs
- Send weekly delivery reports and weekly return/scrap reports to the VA program office
- Handle returns, reshipments and scrapped markers (return shipping, reshipping and scrap credit are at the contractor's cost; scrap is repaid by monthly check)
- Keep quality-control and shipping records and allow Government inspections of the plant, including unannounced ones
- Add updated emblems to production within 10 business days of notice
- Contract type
- Fixed-price with economic price adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract (orders placed by delivery order). The price adjusts with the London Metal Exchange index.
- Period of performance
- Ordering period 04/1/2027 through 03/31/2030; no deliveries required after 30 April 2030. A separate option to extend the term is included, but total duration cannot exceed three years.
- Place of performance
- Contractor's own manufacturing facility; delivery FOB destination to multiple destinations worldwide (less than 1% overseas). The SAM.gov place of performance is blank.
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- How they'll choose
- Lowest price first. The Government checks the bronze sample of the lowest-priced offer; if it is acceptable it then reviews the non-price factors, and awards to the lowest-priced offer with a fair and reasonable price and acceptable non-price factors. An unacceptable sample eliminates the offer.
- Offers due
- 02 November 2026, 10:00 a.m. CST (SAM.gov shows Nov 2, 2026 10:00 at UTC-06:00). Samples must also be received by then. (from the version posted Sep 24, 2026; amended since)
- How to submit
- Email to the Contract Specialist, Weston.Worsham@va.gov. Four physical bronze samples are shipped to the National Cemetery Administration, Quantico National Cemetery (Attn: Memorial Products Service), 18424 Joplin Road, Triangle, VA 22172. No hand-carried samples.
- Page limits
- Volume C (Technical) is limited to 40 pages with at least 1-inch margins and 12-point font; only the first 40 pages are read.
What they'll judge offers on
- Price (Volume B, using the Excel Price/Cost Schedule)
- Technical (Volume C): bronze sample, Experience, Key Personnel, Quality Control Plan
- Past Performance (Volume D)
What to include when you submit
- Submit four separate PDF files labeled Volume A through Volume D
- Volume A: signed SF 1449, legal name exactly as in SAM, street address (no P.O. boxes), UEI, point of contact, acknowledgment of any amendments, subcontractors/joint venture partners, and a copy of VAAR 852.216-72 showing the percent of base price that is copper and tin separately; do not send a copy of the whole RFP
- Volume B: price on the Price/Cost Schedule Excel file (Attachment 1)
- Volume C: Experience (targeted capabilities statement for flat bronze markers), Key Personnel (resumes), and Quality Control Plan
- Volume D: 3 to 5 past performance references from the last 5 years (list NCA contracts first), plus a description of any material legal proceedings; the offeror sends the Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment 5) to each evaluator, who returns it directly to the VA by the due date
- Send one sample each of B1, B6, T1 and T6 using the specified inscriptions; mark the back of each sample with the contractor name, solicitation number, email, address, phone and the stamp 'PROPERTY OF US DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS'; make samples in the same facility that will make production items
- If you have trouble submitting before the deadline, email the Contract Specialist with subject 'Submittal Issues' and the RFP number, and keep a read and delivery receipt
- Offer prices must stay firm for 60 calendar days after the offer due date
- Questions were due by 10:00 a.m. CST, 5 October 2026 (already passed)
Not in the notice text
- Quantities, unit prices, scrap credit rate and the guaranteed minimum are in the Price/Cost Schedule Excel file (Attachment 1), which was not read (it may be an attached file the AI skipped; check SAM.gov)
- Estimated contract value is not stated
- The drawings (Attachment 2) were a PDF portfolio with no readable text, so dimensions, emblem and lettering details are not known
- Current or past supplier (incumbent) is not named
- Relative importance of the Price, Technical and Past Performance factors is not stated beyond the lowest-price-first process
- Base cost and percentage blanks in the economic price adjustment clause are to be filled by the offeror; how often prices are adjusted is not stated
- Whether the SF 1449 set-aside boxes mean full and open competition (SAM.gov shows no set-aside)
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside: any business, large or small, can bid unless the notice says otherwise.
- How to submit, from the AI summary: Email to the Contract Specialist, Weston.Worsham@va.gov. Four physical bronze samples are shipped to the National Cemetery Administration, Quantico National Cemetery (Attn: Memorial Products Service), 18424 Joplin Road, Triangle, VA 22172. No hand-carried samples. Check it in the notice before you send anything.
Notice details
- Posted
- Sep 24, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Office
- National Cemetery Admin (36C786), Quantico, VA
- Product/service code
- 9930 · Memorials; Cemeterial and Mortuary Equipment and Supplies
- Business type
- Manufactured parts & equipment (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 331529)
- Versions
4 versions have been posted, newest first.
- Oct 26, 2026 · Amendment 0002Due Nov 2, 2026
- Oct 7, 2026 · Amendment 0001Due Nov 2, 2026
- Sep 24, 2026 · Solicitation (this version)Due Nov 2, 2026 (changed)
- Sep 23, 2026 · PresolicitationDate Sep 25, 2026
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
- How to respond to a solicitation (8 steps)
- How to read a government solicitation
- How to price a government contract
Terms on this notice: Solicitation
Full notice text from SAM.gov
36C78626R0104 - Flat Bronze Markers Amendment 0002