This is a Sources Sought Notice for Aviary Birds & Maintenance as identified in the Statement of Work (SOW) for the Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan. The contractor shall furnish all necessary labor, supplies, materials, equipment, instrumentation, supervision, management, management support, and transportation necessary to furnish the following services. The services required are provided and are subject to changes. A draft SOW is attached to this notice and is subject to change should a solicitation be issued as a result of this notice. Please respond if you have the ability and actual intention to complete this requirement. Include the following information in your response: DUNS & SAM UEI NUMBERS Capabilities Statement Your assertion of whether or not you plan on actually submitting a quote if an RFQ is posted Company name and address Point of contact information (name, phone, email) Socioeconomic size status (example: large, small, WOSB, SDVOSB, etc.) Whether a site visit will be requested; FSS or GSA contract number, if applicable. This Sources Sought Notice is intended to locate any business capable of performance. The anticipated NAICS Code for this requirement is 812910. This is not a Request for Quotation and quotes shall not be reviewed at this time. The Government shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by the contractor because of this Sources Sought Notice. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to any particular acquisition approach. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary; the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. All responses shall be submitted via email by Thursday, August 18, 2022, at 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST). Responses shall be submitted to Jeanne Ortiz at
[email protected]. PHONE CALLS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS NOTICE. DRAFT STATEMENT OF WORK GENERAL: Aleda E. Lutz (Saginaw) VA Medical Center, located at 1500 Weiss Street, Saginaw, Michigan 48602 requires a base year contract with four available option years, exercisable at Government discretion, for Aviary Birds and Maintenance. Contractor shall furnish all labor, supervision, materials, and equipment necessary to maintain all of the birds, the aviary and the bird population on a monthly basis. Contractor shall provide several species of birds, ensuring compatibility and quantity of birds are sufficient for aviary space. Contractor shall maintain the aviary so that all birds are kept in a good healthy state, within a secure clean environment that provides suitable habitat and surroundings for the birds, and that is visually pleasing to the viewing public. HOURS OF OPERATION: Normal Work Hours: The service schedule will be developed between the contractor and Contracting Officer Representative (COR) prior to any service being performed. Work shall be performed so that it does not interfere with the facility functions. Normal facility business hours are 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Monday through Friday. The Bird Aviary is in a lunch/break area for staff and visitors, therefore, work will NOT be scheduled between the hours of 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM. National Holidays: No work shall be scheduled or performed on a holiday observed by the Federal Government (see Federal Holidays (opm.gov) for a list of Federal holidays) or any day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday. SPECIFICATIONS: Contractor shall provide enough seed, millet treats, bedding and supplies between normally scheduled visits. Monthly service will be scheduled to ensure a minimum of 25 days between visits. Total onsite service visits covered under this contract is twelve (12). Each month the contractor shall: Diagnosis and treat minor bird health problems that may arise. Birds shall be checked for general health, their beaks and toenails trimmed, and treated for mites as a preventative treatment. Any bird showing ill health shall be removed from the aviary and caged separately while remedial treatment is given. Contractor shall provide suitable bird cage for the quarantine of bird(s). The bedding shall be removed and disposed of. The aviary shall be completely cleaned and disinfected. The nests and greenery shall be cleaned and disinfected and replaced if needed. The windows shall be cleaned; and the aviary shall be dusted inside and out. The feed and water jars shall be cleaned and disinfected. The grit and cuttlebone shall be filled and replaced as needed. Breeding birds are acceptable and preferred. The contractor shall ensure compatibility of all birds in aviary to prevent loss or harm to bird over population. Bird(s) shall be removed when population exceeds the capacity of the aviary. This will occur during regularly scheduled maintenance visits. Contractor shall provide guidebook and/or written directions and shall provide on-site training to assigned Saginaw VA staff. On-site staff will be performing daily, weekly and monthly care of birds in the aviary. Contractor shall communicate in writing to the COR, any need to exchange or replace birds. Deceased, injured or otherwise unhealthy birds will be exchanged during regularly scheduled maintenance visits. Contractor shall provide customer service technician contact information for consultation between scheduled visits. DELIVERABLES: Contractor shall provide training documentation related to the care and maintenance of birds and aviaries for each technician providing services. At completion of monthly service, Contractor shall submit to the COR, documentation listing tasks performed as specified in the contract. Contractor shall submit proposed list of birds, and quantities of each, that will be provided for the term of this contract. PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS Contractor must check in with the designated Saginaw VA staff assigned to maintain the aviary between contracted service dates, when Contractor is on station for monthly services. Names and contact information will be provided to contractor after contract award. SAFETY: Contractor shall provide list of, and SDS for, any chemicals before use in facility/on facility property, in performance of duties. Only chemicals approved by the COR will be authorized for use. No Pesticides shall be applied without approval of the COR or the Pest Management Official (PMO). Application of EPA registered pesticides must be performed by a licensed pest control technician. Documentation must be received by COR 30 days in advance of proposed usage. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL BADGES AND PARKING: The contractor shall provide the COR with a list of contractor employees expected to enter the buildings to service the bird aviary. While on VA premises, all contractor personnel shall comply with the rules, regulations, and procedures governing the conduct of personnel and the operation of the facility. An access badge will be given to the contractor s employee upon entrance into VA buildings. Contractor must safeguard the access badge and immediately report any lost, stolen, or destroyed badges to the COR. All contract personnel must properly display their access badges. Access badges must be worn at or above the waist (facing forward.). Contractor must return the access badge(s) to the COR or designee at the end of each pick up process. Access badges will be picked up at Facility Management Service, contractor check in window, located in building 1, room B115A, during normal business hours. Contractor shall comply with Saginaw VA, Chapter VI, Section G, Security Management Program, Localized policies/requirements. All Saginaw VA, Chapter VI, Section G, Security Management Program, Localized policies/requirements must be met, and contractor employees cleared prior to the contractor performing work under this contract. Employees that cannot meet the security and clearance requirements shall not be allowed to perform work under this contract. It is the contractor s responsibility to park in the appropriate designated parking areas. Parking information shall be coordinated with the facility COR. Saginaw VA will not validate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the contractor s staff under any circumstance. INTERFERENCE TO NORMAL FUNCTION: Contractor may be required to interrupt their work at any time so as not to interfere with the normal functioning of the facility, including utility services, fire protection systems, and passage of facility patients, personnel, equipment and carts. In the event of an emergency, contractor services may be stopped and rescheduled at no additional cost to the government. Contractor shall inform the COR, or designee, of the need to gain access to secured areas. If access is required to secure areas, prearranged scheduling will be made with COR or designee. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED: Saginaw VA has limited storage for supplies of food, bedding materials and associated bird maintenance materials. The Aviary has been in place for over 20 years and storage space available has been enough to accommodate contractor-supplied materials between scheduled visits. Access, schedule and water sources are available and will be coordinated between contractor and COR. Saginaw VA staff will provide daily care cleaning as required between scheduled contractor maintenance visits. VA staff will notify contractor of any deaths, disease or concerns that have occurred between scheduled visits. QUANTITIES / SPECIES OF BIRDS Building 22, Atrium enclosure is owned by the government and is approximately 6ft tall x 6ft wide x 4ft 6in deep. Aviary currently has eight (8) birds and has the capacity for up to 12-14 based on species provided. List of previously provided and current bird species: Society Finch- Lonchura striata domestica Zebra Finch- Taeniopygia guttata Waxbill- Estrilda astrild Fire Finch- Lagonosticta senegala Gouldian Finch- Erythrura gouldiae Diamond Dove- Geopelia cuneate Shaft Tail- Poephila acuticauda (red billed-hecki) Strawberry Finch- Amandava amandava EVALUATION FACTORS Onsite service technician will be trained in the care of birds and aviary service. Experience of 1-5+ years in the field of aviary services is preferred. Provide list of references related to the care of aviaries that the contractor performs services currently.