The National Cemetery Administration is soliciting offers under Solicitation No. VA-786-13-R-0242 for the following service:Submittal by Potential Offerors All potential offerors shall submit at their expense one of each sample type by the closing date of this solicitation. The samples shall be used to determine potential awardees" ability to perform inscriptions. Sample Requirement for (U1/ R2) Inscriptions - One Marble inscription sample on a (24" x 13"x [with thickness tolerances between 3/4"-2"]) grey Marble block to be inscribed and packaged to prevent any damage during shipping. The sample should conform to government specifications for lettering, spacing, inscription depth and layout. The single sample for either U1 or R2 inscriptions shall NOT be lithichromed. The sample shall be clearly marked (on the back) with permanent marker to show the following: contractor name, telephone number, physical/e-mail address, solicitation number and name of cemetery.
The following inscription shall be used for this sample submission-refer to drawings for lines, spacing and dimensions, etc.:

Emblem # 43 (Farohar)
JOSÉ
RAFAEL
QUIÑÃ"NEZ
2ND LT
US AIR FORCE
AFGHANISTAN
SEP 19 1936
AUG 31 2012
PURPLE HEART
BELOVED
HUSBAND & DAD

" Sample Requirement for (I1) Inscriptions - One Marble inscription sample on a (15-3/4" x 11-1/4" x 3/4") grey Marble is to be inscribed and packaged to prevent any damage during shipping. The sample should conform to government specifications for lettering, spacing, inscription depth and layout. The sample for the (I1) inscription shall NOT have lithichrome. The sample shall be clearly marked (on the back) with permanent marker to show the following: contractor name, telephone number, physical/e-mail address, solicitation number and name of cemetery.

Emblem # 4 (Farohar)
DIAZ-SALVADÃ"R
JAVIER JR
L CPL USMC
WW II KOREA
1918 2013
BELOVED SON
AND BROTHER
WE LOVE YOU

Failure to meet any of the requirements will result in the rejection of the sample(s).
The sample(s) shall establish the acceptable product for all inscriptions under this contract and shall be the basis for comparisons of all inscriptions services provided under this contract.

All potential offerors who have submitted and received approval notification for a sample of the same monument type within the last 12 months may submit a copy of that approved sample review with the bid to avoid submitting an additional sample. If a prior approval is submitted in lieu of an actual sample, an electronic copy of such prior approval must be emailed to [email protected] prior to closing of the solicitation.

The sample(s) must be received by Memorial Programs Service (MPS) prior to closing date. If a sample is disapproved by MPS another sample may be considered until the closing date of the solicitation.

NO samples shall be accepted after closing date.

Once submitted the sample becomes the property of the Department of Veterans Affairs and will not be returned. Submit sample(s) to:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Memorial Programs Service
Program Support Unit, Rm. 654
1575 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005


The contractor shall be responsible for all work at the cemetery. This procurement is for Lowest Price Technically Acceptable. Evaluation criteria for this award will be in the following order: 1) Price, 2) Technical Qualifications, and 3) Past Performance. This acquisition is 100% set aside for Small Business (SB). The NAICS Code is 327991. Size standard is 500 employees. Electronic solicitations will be available for download from http://www.fbo.gov on or about May 21, 2013. Responses to the solicitation are due on or about 2:00 P.M. on June 11, 2013. Any amendments to the solicitation will also be available at www.fbo.gov. Offerors are advised they are responsible for obtaining any amendments.