AMENDMENT NO. 1
SOLICITATION NO. 36C24126Q0450
DATE: 5/5/2026
1. THE SOLICITATION IS HEREBY AMENDED AS FOLLOWS:
a. The following Questions and Answers, submitted by prospective offerors by May 1, 2026, are incorporated into this solicitation.
b. The Government s responses modify and/or clarify the solicitation.
2. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Question 1: Is there a scheduled or optional site visit for this requirement before quotes are due?
Answer 1: Site visits were not scheduled for West Haven or Newington site locations.
Question 2: If no site visit is available, can the Government provide any current equipment condition information, recent service history, photos, or serial numbers for the listed canteen/kitchen equipment?
Answer 2: Model numbers for each unit were provided as base identification for existing known equipment. Serial numbers are present on most but not all models of equipment. Some devices may have been removed from service and replaced since inception of the SOW. It is the responsibility of the contractor to determine whether the identified equipment matches or has been replaced. The contractor shall be able to take photos of equipment and serial numbers for purpose of this contract and PM record keeping (no staff or patients are to be photographed). The equipment has had daily/weekly maintenance as required by the equipment manuals, but nothing further as stated in the section Acceptances of existing equipment, sub section (c). Most equipment within the outlined coverage area is in working order. Upon receiving award and as part of the initial assessment, the contractor is encouraged to speak with each Canteen Chief (or representative) to identify existing equipment issues within the area of coverage. If a piece of equipment is determined to be out of commission but in place and in need of repair , the contractor shall identify the equipment and costs to repair as part of the report. If the repair is within the PM scope for the equipment, the contractor shall repair, but if it is out of the PM scope, the contractor shall prove the repair as unscheduled and follow the guidance for unscheduled/emergent repairs.
Question 3: The Statement of Work requires the contractor to accept the existing equipment as is. Can the Government confirm whether there are any known current deficiencies, non-working units, or pending repair issues?
Answer 3: All existing equipment within the coverage area, to the government s knowledge, is within good or functioning condition. Upon receiving award and as part of the initial assessment, the contractor is encouraged to speak with each Canteen Chief to find existing equipment issues within the area of coverage. Any equipment that is known as broken or out of service should have been removed out of the area of coverage and will not be required to be part of the contract. These items removed from the area of coverage are not the responsibility of the contractor to PM or repair. If a PM d item has been removed from the coverage area and replaced with new equipment, same or otherwise different, this new equipment replaces the previous PM d item.
Question 4: Will the Government accept subcontractor past performance if Tess Luck Inc is the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business prime contractor and the subcontractor performs the technical kitchen equipment maintenance work?
Answer 4: The government will accept subcontractors past performance if the subcontractor has technical certifications and proven track record with the variety of equipment.
Question 5: Will subcontractor Original Equipment Manufacturer training certificates satisfy the technician certification requirement, provided those technicians are the ones performing the work?
Answer 5: Yes, if the OEM certification does not have an expired date. The government would like to have certified individuals working on the equipment.
Question 6: The solicitation includes a limitation on subcontracting certification for supplies/products. Since this appears to be a services requirement, should offerors complete that certification as written, or will the Government issue a services-based certification requirement?
Answer 6: FAR 52.219 14 is required in solicitations for both supplies and services when the acquisition is set aside for small businesses (or similar programs) above the simplified acquisition threshold, or via sole source under 8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, or HUBZone Services (except construction): prime contractors may pay no more than 50% of the government-paid amount to subcontractors that are not similarly situated. Please be prepared to demonstrate compliance and certify if issued.
Question 7: Should the $2,500 contingency parts allowance be priced exactly at $2,500 for each contract year?
Answer 7: Yes, the VA has not made any other arrangements to increase the dollar amount over the length of the contract.
Question 8: Are after-hours emergency repairs included in the firm-fixed-price service line item, or will they be billed separately using approved labor rates and parts costs?
Answer 8: After-hours emergency repairs are not included within the firm-fixed-price service line item and actions should be considered outside of the PM contract. The section Unscheduled/emergency repairs and service calls requirements outlines the requirements questioned here. It is up to the contractor to provide a line-item that dictates emergency services and repairs. Rates to such line item shall identify 1) straight time and prevailing rates for straight time, and 2) overtime times and prevailing rates for overtime. The line(s) shall not be included within the base contract costs.
Question 9: Are all preventive maintenance parts, filters, cleaning materials, lubricants, fluids, travel, labor, and reporting costs expected to be included in the annual firm-fixed-price service line item?
Answer 9: Yes
Question 10: Does the Government require offerors to submit separate labor rates for unscheduled repairs, emergency repairs, or work performed outside normal service hours?
Answer 10: If a repair coincides with findings based off the PM schedule, the repair shall stay within the window of the hours of performance and be scheduled as a known repair as a response to the PM findings. Unscheduled or emergent repairs fall outside of the period in which a repair is found to be from a PM site visitation*. The contractor shall follow section Unscheduled/emergency repairs and service calls requirements. The VA would like to stay within the windows for the hours of performance but understands that emergent repairs may require variances to support. The VA Contracting, COR, and Canteen Chief shall provide directions to perform outside of the windows. *Refer to answer for #2 for a special circumstance for Unscheduled repairs.
Question 11: Can the Government confirm whether all required preventive maintenance work must be performed during the listed operating windows, unless otherwise coordinated with the Contracting Officer s Representative?
Answer 11: The operating windows reduces disruption to the existing services provided to patients and staff by the VCS. This minimizes the potential for disruption to the staff within the kitchen or preparation areas. Keeping the work outside of the VCS operation window minimizes the risk of contaminating foods being prepared and served. It is understood that special circumstances may happen where emergent repairs are required and special approval/permission for work may be provided within the operation period of the VCS. The contractor may be required to wear special PPE during these periods which may include hair nets, face masks, or gloves, depending on the area and requirements by the Canteen Chief.
Question 12: Are offerors required to submit the full safety plan package with the quote, including Lock-Out/Tag-Out procedures, electrical safety plan, personal protective equipment plan, infection control plan, and Safety Data Sheets, or will those be required after award and before work begins?
Answer 12: The offerors are required to submit the package upon award.
3. This amendment does not change the proposal due date.
4. Except as modified herein, all other terms and conditions remain unchanged.
