Grounds Maintenance and Landscape

The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, supervision, and other items and services necessary to ensure that grounds maintenance is performed at the Cooper and Leestown Division of the two divisions VA Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40511, in a manner that will maintain healthy grass, trees, shrubs, and plants and present a clean, neat, and professional appearance. The contractor shall provide all management, tools, supplies, equipment, and labor necessary to ensure that grounds maintenance to include, but not limited to, edging, mowing, pre-emergent for weeds and crabgrass control, fertilizing, leaf police and removal, tree and shrub pruning, pre- treatment for snow/ice, and snow and ice removal services are performed at both Leestown and Cooper Division for the Lexington VA Medical Center in a manner that will maintain a safe and satisfactory environment in a reasonable amount of time to exemplify a well maintained and manicured site. MAINTAIN GROUNDS. Mow Grounds. Lot A (Leestown & Cooper) - Grass shall be cut on approximately 80 acres of grounds in Leestown Division. Grass clippings shall be removed or mulched when visible after mowing. Contractor shall maintain the growth of grass height between 2.5 to 4 inches. The height is a guideline for a neat and professional appearance. Grass clippings are to be blown off sidewalks and parking areas. Curbs, sidewalks and buildings shall be maintained by weed eating and proper edging. The grounds shall look well-manicured at all times. See Attachment A - Leestown Division and Attachment 3 - Cooper Site Plan. Lot B (Leestown only) - Grass shall be cut on approximately 50 acres of grounds in Leestown Division. Contractor shall maintain the growth of grass height between 6-8 inches. The height is a guideline for a neat and professional appearance. Grass clippings are to be blown off sidewalks. See Attachment A - Leestown Division. Edging. Contractor shall perform edging of walkways monthly with an edger. Edging will also include chemical treatment of vegetation from cracks in walks, along walls, curbs, and ramps, and all other paved areas. Trimming. Grass and weeds shall be trimmed around trees, shrubs, buildings, fences, posts, fire hydrants, parking lot bumper blocks, and other fixed obstacles. Trimming height shall match surrounding area grass heights. All areas shall be trimmed concurrent with mowing. Damage to trees and shrubs from trimming shall be repaired by the contractor. The contractor will be responsible for replacing the damaged plant with a plant of same size and type. Plant replacement shall occur within 15 days of noticed damage. Trees shall have limbs pruned to a height of eight (8 ) feet above the sidewalks and thirteen (13 ) feet above all streets, drives and public way. Contractor shall ensure no grass, limbs or weeds are allowed to grow through the perimeter fence. Work Schedule. A work schedule for mowing, edging and trimming shall be prepared by the contractor and submitted to the Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COR) for approval. Contractor will report on site, at least once a week, year-round. Remove Debris/Leaves/Police Grounds. The contractor shall perform general litter patrol of all grounds prior to each mow. During the off-season general litter control shall be performed on a weekly basis throughout the duration of the contract. Responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to the removal of all natural debris, (tree limbs, dry brush, rodent habitats, dead animals, etc.) and man-made debris. Any limbs that fall from trees or an entire fallen tree is the contractor s responsibility to remove. Contractor may dispose of these items in VAMC-LEX containers. Large debris items such as tree limbs are to be cut into 18 24 lengths and placed in location directed by the COR. During the fall months, fallen leaves shall be mulched at least weekly. The contractor shall maintain grounds maintenance to ensure that fallen leaves are policed and cleaned up daily, if needed, including parking areas and storm drains, during periods of heavy leaf fall. All fallen leaves shall be mulched and/cleaned up by November 15th. Additional cleanup, at the discretion of the COR, may be necessary if heavy leaf fall continues after November 15th. Wooded areas shall be cleaned at the end of the mowing season, and before the first snow. All leaves are to be put into containers and hauled away. Apply Pre-Emergent Weed and Crabgrass Control, Fertilizer and/or Lime. The contractor shall apply a pre-emergent weed and crabgrass control in non-wooded grounds by the end of April each year. The contractor shall perform an effective commercial fertilizer/lime application program for all non-wooded grounds. Approved fertilizers/lime shall be applied bi-annually in accordance with the manufacturer s instructions. The type and amount of fertilizer or lime applied shall be based on results of a soil test. Soil tests shall be conducted by the state land management university or equivalent commercial soil laboratory; such tests are the responsibility of the contractor. The Contractor shall submit these Test Results to VA Medical Center COR. Soil test and fertilizer by the end of May 1st time Fertilizer by the end of August 2nd time Roll & Aerate Soil. Roll and aerate soil, except wooded area, yearly to maintaining grounds in a healthy state. Aeration method shall be by plugging, not spiking, completed by the 30th of each September. Roller should be of sufficient size and weight to level uneven areas on the lawn. MAINTAIN TREES/SHRUBS/HEDGES. Trimming/Pruning. This applies to all hedges and shrubs on VA grounds. It includes all small trees within 5 feet of buildings. The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring that all shrubs, trees and other plants are cleared from building structure within 5 feet. Shrubs, small trees, and other plants shall be maintained according to the American Society of Landscape Architect s standards. They shall be trimmed and pruned as required to maintain their natural growth characteristics and to enhance the beauty and health of the plant while not allowing contact with buildings. Hedges shall be maintained to their natural mature height and shape. Trees shall have limbs pruned to a height of eight (8 ) feet above the sidewalks and thirteen (13 ) feet above all streets, drives and public ways. Maintain Bedding and Planted area. Annually fertilize, edge, and mulch plant/bush beds. Contractor shall remove or eradicate all weeds manually, mechanically, or chemically ensuring no damage to healthy plants, shrubs, or grass occurs. SNOW REMOVAL AND ICE CONTROL for Leestown and Cooper Division. (See Attachment C & 3) Basic Services. Contractor can expect to be notified any time snowfall reaches between ¼ to ½ or more for control of slippery conditions or complete snow removal. Snow removal shall be provided when notified by VAMC-LEX. Contractor shall typically apply ice control after completion of snow removal. Snow removal and ice control means clearing snow accumulation, piles, and drifts and/or ice control from edge to edge on all walks, steps, porches, ramps, roads, parking lots, drives, and loading dock areas. All snow in the loading dock area is to be pulled out and placed on VAMC-LEX lawn areas. All snow is to be removed from parking spaces upon completion of each removal job. To ensure a thorough and complete snow removal job, scraper blade is to have contact with the ground. Contractor shall not leave spillovers. Snow is not to be pushed off VAMC-LEX premises into streets or onto neighboring property. Contractor is to provide enough labor, equipment, and material to assure that each job is completed in six (6) hours or less. Response. During non-administrative hours, (4:30 PM 8:00 AM, Monday through Friday, and all day Saturday, Sunday and National Holidays) VAMC-LEX Police and Administrative Officer on Duty (AOD), will monitor weather conditions to determine when snow removal and ice control services are required and based on weather conditions mobilize crew to ensure snow removal and deicing of all parking lots, drives, entrances, loading dock areas, walks, steps, landings, porches, and ramps is completed prior to 8:00 AM. During administrative hours of 8:00 AM 4:30 PM Monday through Friday, not including national holidays, the COR or the designee, will contact the contractor when snow removal and/or ice control is required. Contractor will be required to be on site within sixty (60) minutes of call. The Contractor shall perform these services under the hourly flat rate of the contract. Pretreatment for Snow: Pretreatment of roadways, parking lots, and sidewalks shall be provided any time one or more inches of snow is anticipated. The Contractor will perform this work under the CLIN 0002 of the Contract. This shall be completed 8 to 12 hours prior to anticipate 1 of snow accumulation. Estimated materials based on historical use: i. Leestown: 7,000 lb. salt for roadways and parking lots ii. Leestown: 1,000 lb. de-icer for sidewalks and steps iii. Cooper: 300 lb. de-icer for sidewalks and steps Parked Vehicles. Parking lots will have vehicles parked in various locations at any time. The contractor shall maneuver around these vehicles to clear the area. The contractor shall be liable for any damages to vehicles or property in performance of this contract. See FAR 52.237-2 regarding liability. Remove Ice. The contractor shall remove ice to provide secure footing or safe driving conditions by the snow removal operation or by applying rock salt and ice melt. No Sand/Salt or Sand/Ice Melt mixtures shall be used unless directed/approved by the COR. The contractor shall provide rock salt for roads, parking lots, loading area, and drives and provide all calcium or magnesium chloride beads or pellets (No flakes or Rock Salt) for walks, steps, landings, porches, ramps and handicapped parking areas. Ice melt pellets shall be able to melt at 25 degrees Fahrenheit generating heat on contact and product shall leave little or no residue. Priority. Snow removal and deicer priority list. Leestown and Cooper shall be given same priority with work being performed simultaneously. Leestown Division (See attachment): Ambulance entrance and front steps/walks, Bldg.1 Around Bldg. 4 to Bldg. 3 and docks Around Bldg. 3 and 12, including dock Walks around Bldgs. 16, 17, 29, 25 Walks around Bldgs. 37, 22, 47 Walks in courtyard Walks around Bldgs. 27, 28 At ambulance entrance, clean flat area, and handicapped parking, also walks to Bldg.1 Parking lot in front of Bldg. 1 Walks to Bldgs. 2 and 25 Walks to Bldgs. 4, 16, 17, 29 If time permits, assist cleaning main parking areas. Walks around Bldgs. 27, 28 if necessary Gates 2 and 3 Main road Small parking areas at Bldgs. 2, 28, 25 and by flagpole Main parking lot Parking areas around Bldg. 37, 22, 47 Road to Bldg. 5 Cooper Division (See Attachment): Front entrance Loading dock, morgue ramp Front and sidewalks Parking garage entrance/exit.

Division 32 -

Exterior Improvements, Operation and Maintenance of Exterior Improvements, Irrigation, Planting Irrigation, Planting, Planting Preparation, Soil Preparation, Landscape Grading.