1.       During evaluation and technical review due to public safety concerns regarding pesticide applications and managing public health pests while applying pesticides during IPM Pest Management services as outlined in the Statement of Work, will the government require Prime Contractors to have direct pest industry experience and maintain specific pesticide General Liability insurance coverage that includes pesticide pollution coverage as per the National Pest Management Association Standard of Care and Best Practices guidelines as well as state requirements? This requirement aligns with VHA Directive 1850.02 (Pest Management Operations) and VAAM Appendix M815-A (Department of Veterans Affairs Source Selection Guide), which prohibit subcontractors from qualifying Prime Contractors that lack pest industry experience and/or pesticide-related insurance. Yes
2.       Has any part of the Statement of Work (SOW) changed in this solicitation compared to the last awarded contract? If so, what changed or was added? No
3.       Can the government provide how many bed bug service requests have occurred in the past 12 months?
a.       VA Central California Health Care System 15 average
b.       Merced CBOC 1-2
c.       Oakhurst CBOC 1-2
d.       Visalia CBOC 1-2
e.       VHA Storage Lot storage lot not patients
4.       Can the government provide how many bird service requests have occurred in the past 12 months? This is an ongoing treatment plan. Avitrol and other population management feeds are used throughout the year. We ve had 2-3 calls for netting repairs. Trapping is also used to control population. In the last 12 months, we ve not had to trap as the population control is being accomplished with feed and other deterrent devices, such as rooftop spinning reflectors.
5.       Can the government provide how many wildlife service requests have occurred in the past 12 months? We have a few rodent calls per year. Probably around 8 to 10.
6.       Can the government confirm if there is a height limitation for removal of bird nests attached to the building? No height limitation.
7.       If no height limit, what is the maximum height of your tallest structure for bird nest removal being requested? Our main facility building is 7 stories with a helipad.
8.       Can the government clarify how many emergency/unscheduled service requests there have been in the past 12 months? 12 including all locations. Rodents are an emergent issue.
a.       VA Central California Health Care System
b.       Merced CBOC
c.       Oakhurst CBOC
d.       Visalia CBOC
e.       VHA Storage Lot
9.       The SOW requires semiannual understructure spraying of all trailers. How many trailers are currently located at Parking Lot C? 2
10.   Are there any access restrictions or scheduling requirements specific to Parking Lot C? No
11.   The SOW includes weed and plant control as part of the IPM scope. Can the government confirm that weed control services are intentionally included within this PWS? Yes
12.   Algae is regulated under Aquatic Agriculture and not considered a structural pest. Can the government confirm that Algae is a covered pest under this solicitation? Algae is not a concern.
13.   Can the government provide the total square footage of all lawn, turf, flowerbed, and ornamental planting areas at the Central California VAMC that are subject to the four times per year insecticide treatment and the once per year TopChoice application? Unknown
14.   Can the government provide the total square footage of the Central California VAMC subject to the quarterly Talstar Xtra fire ant treatment? Unknown
15.   Can the government also provide the total square footage subject to the once per year TopChoice fire ant prevention application? Unknown
16.   Will the government accept similar type Fire Ant treatment that are EPA approved and registered in the State of California in lieu of use of Talstar Xtra? Yes
17.   Will the government accept similar type Fire Ant treatment that are EPA approved and registered in the State of California in lieu of use of TopChoice? Yes
1. Technical Scope of Work & Ambiguities
Trap and Bait Station Frequency Baseline: Section 5 states that the contractor must perform "Monthly trap inspections for both interior (weekly on interior traps) and exterior traps." Concurrently, Section 5.6 states that weekly inspections apply strictly to high-sensitivity areas like the Operating Room, Kitchens, Patriot Shop, and Pharmacy. Please clarify if all interior traps facility-wide must be serviced weekly, or if weekly inspections are restricted solely to the areas specified in Section 5.6.
Historical Inventory and Device Asset Baseline:Â The PWS details that the contractor is responsible for maintaining all existing equipment, replacing fly light bulbs annually, and replenishing trap components. To ensure precise material costing, could the government provide an exact count and brand/model breakdown of all existing government-owned fly lights, interior mechanical traps, and exterior bait stations currently deployed across the Fresno VAMC and the four off-site facilities?
Asset Ownership at Contract Initiation:Â Please confirm if the incoming contractor is expected to utilize the existing pest control devices currently deployed on site. Alternatively, must the winning vendor supply and install a completely new footprint of proprietary bait stations and fly units at contract startup?
Vertebrate Pest Control Thresholds:Â Section 5 includes the control, capture, and removal of larger vertebrate pests, such as wild dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, and squirrels. Please clarify if full-scale wildlife trapping, relocation, and carcass disposal are included within the baseline Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract. Are there caps on the number of large vertebrate interventions included annually before separate delivery orders are triggered?
Bird Control and Structural Exclusion Limits:Â The PWS mandates the "Control of pest birds (i.e., pigeons, sparrows, blackbirds, including bird nest removal, etc.)". Please specify if bird control is strictly limited to behavioral deterrence and nest removal. If structural bird proofing such as installing new bird netting, spikes, or tension wires is deemed necessary during performance, will that work be handled via a bilateral contract modification or must it be accounted for in the initial FFP quote?
Termite Remediation & Warranty Boundaries:Â The PWS outlines that termite inspections will occur twice per year and requires a limited warranty for subterranean termites, excluding Formosan varieties. If an active structural subterranean termite infestation is discovered during an inspection, is full-scale remedial chemical soil trenching or structural foaming included under the FFP, or will remediation be priced separately as an out-of-scope event?
Approved and Prohibited Herbicide Parameters:Â The PWS exclusively prohibits Herbicide 2-4-D on VA and VHA Medical Sites for managing weeds, plants, and algae. To align with VA environmental standards, could the government provide a list of pre-approved herbicides or preferred active ingredients permitted for use within the flowerbeds, lawns, and drainage areas across the various properties?
Weekly in sensitive areas. EPS IPM managers think weekly for all bait stations. However, I feel monthly elsewhere is enough. Bait stations are traps are in the attached map. Fly light brand is unknown at this time. No new installations necessary, vendor will use existing bait stations. However, vendor will need to use their own interior monitoring stations.
The vendor is responsible for bird control and structural bird proofing. Most structural bird proofing has been done. However, there are instances they will need to repair netting.
Termite question: Vendors should be submitting a quote for what is expressly stated in the PWS. The PWS includes termite inspections as part of the services to be provided. Things relating to "what if" scenarios would be handled on a case by case basis whether modification or separate action.
I don t have a list of pre-approved herbicides. If specific herbicides are prohibited, it seems like all others are ok.
2. Labor Scheduling, Hours, & Geographic Operations
Direct Labor Hour Calculation Discrepancies:Â Section 5.3 explicitly states that the on-site technician's schedule at the Fresno location is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. However, the text immediately follows by saying the contractor will be on site "6-8hrs per day"Â to conduct rounds. Please confirm the exact billable hours expected per day for Service Contract Act (SCA) compliance. Is the vendor required to guarantee 24 hours of billable labor weekly at Fresno, or is it purely fulfillment-based?
Geographic Logistics and Travel Compensation for Off-Sites:Â Section 5.3 notes: "When not conducting rounds at the Fresno location, Contractor will perform scheduled visits to the offsite locations listed in exhibit 1, Off-Sites."Â Given that the technician's schedule tightly binds them to the Fresno VAMC on Mon/Wed/Fri from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., are monthly visits to Merced, Oakhurst, Visalia, and Clovis expected to occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays? If so, should these be priced as additional labor hours on top of the 3-day Fresno baseline?
Mandated Off-Hours Shift Pricing:Â The PWS requires bi-weekly main kitchen and canteen kitchen treatments to occur after 3:30 p.m., Operating Room inspections to take place between 5:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m., and lawn chemical applications to occur exclusively between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Since these windows sit outside the standard 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. shift, will the government allow the technician to flex their daytime hours on those specific service dates? Alternatively, must these off-hours duties be priced as premium night/early-morning labor?
Labor Hours. Some time is spent at our other locations. Labor is expected to be 8 hours.
I believe some of those hours spent at off-site locations are billed within the 8 hours at Fresno. Off-stie locations are once per month.
Hours are flexible, mission dictates. If treatment is needed in those areas, hours of work can be adjusted.
3. Emergency Response & Pricing Mechanisms
Conflicting Emergency Response Windows:Â There is a distinct conflict regarding emergency response timelines within the document. Section 1 dictates that the contractor must respond to emergency service within a minimum of 4 hours and up to 12 hours based on PMO approval. Conversely, Section 5.3 mandates a strict 2-hour response window during scheduled times and a 2-to-4-hour response window outside of scheduled hours. Please clarify which specific response window governs emergency call-outs.
Emergency Response Compensation Model:Â Please clarify if emergency call-outs particularly those occurring on non-scheduled days (Tuesdays/Thursdays) or weekends are fully covered under the base FFP contract price. Alternatively, will emergency call-outs be compensated on a per-call basis utilizing separate established labor rate CLINs? If emergency call-outs must be bundled into the annual pricing, can the government provide historical data on the average number of emergency responses required per year under the current incumbent?
Emergent calls. If on campus, 2 hour minimum. After hours is 4 hours.
4. Security, Vetting, & Personnel Continuity
PIV Vetting Levels and Interim Pass Access:Â Clauses VAAR 852.204-70 and 852.204-72 dictate stringent contractor personnel vetting. What specific level of background investigation (e.g., SAC, T1/Public Trust) is required for the primary on-site technician? Given the July 1, 2026, start date, will the VA grant interim access or temporary PIV badges based on finger-print clearing to prevent a gap in service on Day 1 while full investigations proceed?
Vetting Requirements for Emergency/Contingency Staff:Â To fulfill the evaluation criteria under Factor 1 requiring a "contingency plan to replace personnel as needed", must all backup/contingency technicians undergo identical full VA vetting and badge allocation prior to award? In emergency or short-notice staff absences, will the VA allow an un-badged backup technician to fulfill daily rounds under physical escort by cleared VA personnel?
I do not know the level of background. I have yet to submit anyone for a PIV.
The contractor should conduct their own vetting as well. Short notice absences will allow a non-vetted individual.
5. Administrative & Quote Submission Logistics
Question Submission and Closing Date Alignment:Â The Standard Form 1449 lists the final offer due date as June 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PDT. However, the continuation text states that all questions must be submitted no later than May 22, 2026. Given that May 22, 2026, has passed, will the government officially extend the question cut-off period to 5 business days prior to the actual June 1 closing date to permit vital technical clarifications?
Price Proposal Structuring (CLIN Alignment):Â To ensure an apples-to-apples evaluation across vendors, does the government require a single flat monthly or annual FFP rate encompassing all five locations under Section B.2? Alternatively, should offerors append a detailed price breakdown separating the core Fresno VAMC labor from the individual travel/material costs of each CBOC and the Clovis storage lot?
Incumbent and prior contract context: Is there a current or recent incumbent performing this requirement, and if so, what is the incumbent name, contract number and / or award amount?
If there's an Incumbent, has there been any significant "Change in Scope" or increase in the numbers between the incumbent's award solicitation and this 2026 solicitation?
IGCE Range: Does the government have an IGCE range it can share, or provide historical pricing from prior similar work at this location?
Quote submission due date has been extended. Price proposal requires a single flat monthly rate for VA Central California Healthcare System and all of it s CBOC locations listed in the PWS. Do not include a price breakdown or create your own price schedule. Everything must be factored into the monthly rate as shown in the solicitation. This will be a Firm-Fixed Price Contract. Incumbent information must be requested through the Freedom of Information Act.
