Bulk Road Salt for VA Medical Center Central Western MA

AMENDMENT NO. 2 SOLICITATION NO. 36C24127Q0028 DATE: 11/6/2026 1. THE SOLICITATION IS HEREBY AMENDED AS FOLLOWS: The following Questions and Answers, submitted by prospective offerors by October 30, 2026, at 4 PM EST, are incorporated into this solicitation. The Government s responses modify and/or clarify the solicitation. Revision to CLIN 0001 delivery requirement: Delete: "Initial delivery of Bulk Road Salt, 98% sodium chloride road salt and calcium chloride with CMA ice melt, delivered in accordance with the Performance Work Statement (PWS). Delivery required prior to November 15, 2026 and replace with "Initial delivery of Bulk Road Salt, delivered in accordance with the Performance Work Statement (PWS). The initial 40-ton delivery shall be completed no later than November 23, 2026." d. Revision to Performance Work Statement: Under Item Description and Salient Characteristics, revise the following sentence: Delete: "Initial delivery to take place prior to November 15, 2026, then as requested between November 15 until April 30th, 2027" and replace with Initial delivery of 40 tons shall be completed no later than November 23, 2026. Subsequent deliveries shall be provided as requested by the Government between November 15, 2026, and April 30, 2027." e. Revision to quoter submissions: Delete (4) Certifications in accordance with section 7.1. f. Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of amendments with their quotation submission. All other terms and conditions of the solicitation remain unchanged. Vendors are reminded to review all other aspects of the solicitation and consider this amendment when preparing their responses. 2. RFI QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: RFI s for Bulk Road Salt at VA Central Western MA Note: This version consolidates overlapping and duplicate vendor questions Product requirements 1. Please clarify whether CLINs 0001 and 0002 require (a) plain bulk sodium chloride road salt, (b) one pre-treated blend containing sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and CMA, or (c) separate road-salt and ice-melt products. Please confirm that CMA means calcium magnesium acetate and, if a blend is required, provide the required concentrations or an acceptable reference product. Also confirm whether magnesium may be substituted for calcium while maintaining the required overall composition. a. We do not require plain bulk sodium chloride. B. Yes, we require a blend that is premixed. C. No separate products. CMA is calcium magnesium acetate. We are seeking a blend of 85/15 Blend (85% Sodium Chloride + 15% Calcium Chloride Pellets by Weight. Magnesium can be substituted. 2. Is 98% sodium chloride a minimum acceptance requirement for every delivery measured on a dry-weight basis, or a nominal specification? Please identify applicable standards, including grade, grain size, testing or certificate-of-analysis requirements, and clarify which product is subject to the 4% maximum moisture limit. Would material with a typical sodium chloride content of 95-96% be unacceptable? We would prefer to adhere to ASTMD 632 which states not less than 95% blend specification. The 4% applies to calcium chloride and CMA products. 3. If road salt and calcium chloride/CMA ice melt are separate products, what quantity of each is required, should they be priced as separate sub-line items, and must the ice melt be delivered in bulk or bags? If bagged or palletized material is acceptable, specify the required bag size and whether the contractor must empty the bags into the salt shed and remove packaging. No separate products are required. Bagged or palletized material will not be considered. Quantities and ordering 4. Please confirm the total estimated quantity, the initial required quantity, and the deadline for the initial delivery. May the initial 40 tons be delivered in multiple truckloads before November 15, 2026, and would an initial delivery of approximately 32-35 tons be acceptable? Initial delivery is 40 tons and must be delivered prior to November 15, 2026. Additional estimated quantity is 200 tons. See Question 5. 5. For CLIN 0002, is any portion of the estimated 200 tons guaranteed? Please state the minimum and maximum quantity the VA may order during the contract period. The minimum quantity will be 40 tons and maximum is 200 tons. 200 tons is not guaranteed as it will be dependent on this winter season s weather conditions. 6. For subsequent orders, what are the expected minimum, typical, and maximum quantities per call? May deliveries be structured as full truckloads of approximately 20-25 tons or 30-32 tons? Minimum subsequent orders will be 20 tons (excluding the initial 40-ton delivery needed), Maximum will be 60 tons per call. We don t care how it is delivered, we can accommodate a triaxle or a trailer dump. 7. How will additional deliveries be ordered, what notice or lead time will be provided, and what is the ordering period and end date for the 2026-2027 winter season? Please also provide the anticipated award date. Orders may be placed between November 15, 2026, and April 30, 2027. Contract period runs November 9, 2026, through April 30, 2027. Delivery is expected within 72 hours of notification. We anticipate awarding this contract as soon as possible but cannot give an exact date. Delivery, access, and acceptance 8. Does the 72-hour delivery requirement mean calendar hours or business hours, and does it include weekends and federal holidays? Are deliveries accepted on weekends or holidays during the 8:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. receiving window, and how should a vendor handle a deadline that falls outside receiving days or hours? The PWS states delivery is expected within 72 hours of notification. This will be during business hours during the receiving window. Deliveries that fall on weekend or federal holidays would need to be pre-approved and coordinated by the program office prior to delivery. 9. Please provide the exact delivery, unloading, and storage location and describe access to the salt shed adjacent to Building 13. Identify any restrictions involving truck or trailer type, length, gross weight, height, turning radius, or overhead clearance, and confirm whether a standard tri-axle or tractor-trailer dump can access and tailgate-dump at the site. Delivery location is 421 North Main Street, Leeds, MA 01053, and the salt shed is adjacent to Building 13. Delivery hours are 0800-1430. See question 6. 10. Please describe the required unloading method and each party s responsibilities. If a conveyor, slinger, or front-end loader is needed to place material inside the shed, will VA personnel and equipment be available, or must the contractor provide them? If palletized deliveries are allowed, will VA unloading equipment be available? Dumping in the salt shed is the preferred method of unloading, we have all equipment to provide assistance in offloading. Our work hours are 8AM to 2:30 PM. 11. What inspection, acceptance, documentation, and invoicing procedures apply to each delivery? An invoice must accompany delivery and be signed by a VA representative. Pricing and acquisition approach 12. What pricing basis and schedule format are required, including whether quotes must be stated as a delivered price per ton inclusive of freight? If there are separate products, may offerors submit separate prices for each? Offerors must use the pricing template provided on page 3 of the solicitation; Price each line item in price per ton and give both the unit price and total price. Freight/Delivery charges would be included in your quoted prices for each line item. 13. Given the on-call delivery requirement from November 15 through April 30, will the VA treat this requirement as a supply-and-delivery service rather than a straight supply purchase and, if so, adjust the NAICS code and subcontracting certification accordingly? This procurement will be treated as a supply requirement only. 14. Will the VA require property salting labor or related services in the future? If so, may ...