Fire Alarm Suppression Maintenance & Repair Services

What they want

• Annual, semi-annual and quarterly preventive maintenance and testing of the fire alarm and fire suppression systems: sprinklers, smoke, heat and duct detectors, pull stations, fire pumps, alarm panels and kitchen hood suppression systems
• All parts, labor, travel and materials, including replacement parts and batteries, for the work on the main campus buildings at 2400 Canal St.
• Unlimited emergency call-back service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with an on-site response within two hours; overtime call-backs are capped at 80 hours per month and 960 hours per contract year, with no more than 2 technicians
• Monthly fire alarm monitoring through a fire alarm monitoring company, plus 24/7 telephone support; the Q&A sheet says there is ONE (1) monitoring account
• A Preventative Maintenance Plan 5 days after contract award, maintenance reports 10 calendar days after services, and a log kept at each fire alarm control unit
• Cover about 6749 +/- 20% fire alarm devices and 4,000 +/- 20% sprinkler system devices (the Q&A sheet says 4000 +/- 5% for sprinkler devices)
• Emergency repairs of problems found during the contract come out of a yearly parts rider (a set parts allowance); the documents give $50,000.00 in one place and $35,000.00 in another
• Check in with the contracting officer's representative (COR) each working day and work with VA staff escorts; plan a smooth hand-off from the current maintenance contractor, if there is one

What they'll judge offers on

• Price: all line items priced and totaled; no blank or partial pricing
• Experience: at least five years of experience within the last eight years as a prime contractor in fire alarm and fire suppression maintenance and repair, shown on the Relevant Experience Form
• Technical Capabilities (pass/fail): staffing approach, supervision, personnel qualifications and key personnel contacts, and compliance with the Performance Work Statement

What to include when you submit

• Volume 1, Price: fill in the pricing schedule and total it; enter $0.00 for a line with no cost. Blank or partial pricing makes the offer nonresponsive.
• Sign the Standard Form 1449 (SF 1449) before sending the quote; an unsigned form makes the offer nonresponsive.
• Volume 2, Experience: send the Relevant Experience Form showing at least five years of experience within the last eight years as a prime contractor.
• Volume 2: list up to three prime contractor entries, each with dollar value, contract number, period of performance (year and month), point of contact name, title, phone and email, description of work, and servicing agency.
• Volume 3, Technical Capabilities: show how many personnel will do the work, how much supervision there will be, their certifications and licenses, and primary and secondary contact numbers for key personnel.
• Complete and sign the certificate of compliance for VAAR 852.219-75 (limitations on subcontracting) and include it with the quote.
• Make each volume its own section with a table of contents, numbered pages and a readable font; mark the price volume with the offeror?'s name, the solicitation number and the title Price Proposal.
• Be certified as an SDVOSB in SBA and SAM at the close of the solicitation and at the time of award.
• Send evidence of required licenses and documents showing personnel qualifications to the COR before award.

Current contractor

No incumbent is named. The PWS says VA has had a fire alarm and fire suppression maintenance and repair contract since the New Orleans facility was built, while the notice calls this a new service agreement.

Not in the notice text

• Parts of 36C25627Q0041 Final.docx, Performance Work Statement Final.pdf and Wage Determination.pdf were attached but not read; the price schedule, most contract clauses and the rest of the PWS are in those parts.
• Wage rates: the attached wage determination was not read, so check Wage Determination.pdf on SAM.gov for required pay rates.
• The documents say licenses are required but the parts read do not name which state or local licenses.
• The Government's estimate or contract value is not stated.
• Only a base period is stated; whether option years will be priced is not clear from the parts read.
• The Q&A sheet is undated, so it is not clear whether it replaces the PWS where they differ.