030ADV21Q0150 Questions and Answers.docx

July 2, 2021 Solicitation 030ADV21Q0150

Library of Congress Questions and Answers

1. You request three files for the submission (Product Specifications and Delivery, Past Performance, and Price). The attachment template includes areas for both the specifications and price. Should the attachment be considered section three (Price) but contain both the item specifications and price? Yes, Pricing is provided either on the Excel form or your own price list.

2. Is it permissible to adapt the template (add columns) to account for answers to the category specific questions in Section C and the Content of Proposals section on page 43? Yes

3. Please confirm if you require that section three (Price, using the template) must be an Excel file. Sections one and two can be in Adobe PDF, so could section three be formatted as an Excel spreadsheet but be submitted as a PDF file? Yes, Excel or PDF are acceptable.

4. Order Limitations--Can you clarify this clause? Is there a limit for an "order for a combination of items in excess of $50,000.00"? Can we propose a budget greater than $50,000? Orders will be placed as needed, $50,000 is the maximum for a single order.

5. Are there any defined timeframes for the required delivery of goods (months, years, fiscal years?) and any budgets assigned to those years we need to be aware of? Orders will be on a task order basis, as needed by the retail shop, timeframes/period of performance will be task order based.

6. Is the use of Subcontractors permitted in this contract? With custom product, and with product sourced overseas especially, there are commonly various entities involved in the development, design, manufacturing, and management of products of the types requested in the solicitation. If subcontractors are permitted, must they be named in the proposal? In some cases individual contractors (such as designers) might not be known until the LOC decides certain creative direction or timing for such products. Sub-contractors are permitted, and do not need to be listed at this time

7. Page 10, Section H, Special Contract Requirements--The solicitation states that technical direction won't change the price of the products. With custom products of the types requested, it is common for prices to increase or decrease based on the creative choices made during the development process and final approved design (non-standard dye colors chosen, more or less embroidery chosen, particular manufacturing methods selected, such as placement of decals wrapped on mug interiors versus exteriors, fabrics that would print better or worse with the imagery chosen, etc.). How will price changes be handled in the contract? How will adjustments be handled if specifications change based on LOC preference? Prices should be determined at firm fixed price based to the submitter’s assessment of the merchandise currently depicted on our shopify website.

8. Page 4, Requirements--Can you clarify that by using the required Business Enterprises' designated freight carrier or shipping account that LOC will be paying shipping charges from port of entry of goods in the US or from the manufacturing origin in the US? Would the proposal therefore not need to include domestic shipping fees? On page 7, Section F, Deliveries of Performance, the solicitation appears to state that the pricing should be inclusive of delivery cost to LOC warehouse location. The Library has negotiated rates for shipping. We recommend use of our account for shipping. If the vendor recommends a specific carrier, current rates for the carrier should be provided and the Library will assess which is most favorable at the time the order is placed.

9. With regard to overseas shipping cost, shipping is highly dependent on the quantities purchased, plus other factors such as if items will be shipping together, number of cartons of final order packed, and the date of shipment, not to mention the Covid-19 status throughout the international community. With a contract period of 5 years (7/14/21 to 7/13/26) and many variables unknown as to products that will be created based on LOC preference, shipping cost could vary from the time of proposal to LOC's order. Many manufacturers might not even be willing or able to quote on shipping so far in advance of an order. In these cases, do you prefer we use estimates? And if we use estimates, how will shipping fee changes be handled in the contract? As specified in #8, please provide current rates.

10. Do you determine if the items will be sold in the gift shop or online? Or do we have a choice? The distribution is at the Library’s discretion. If there are industry-wide prohibitions, they should be specified and the Library will comply.

11. What is the sales tax for the gift shop/online store? As a federal agency, the Library is exempt.

12. How long after the due date if selected will the first shipment need to arrive? Orders will be placed in separate task orders that will follow award of this base contract. Delivery schedules will be specified at the order level.

13. LC52.203-1 Contractor Publicity does this exclude social media? In particular Instagram, Facebook or Twitter it says news release/commercial advertising. Yes, this applies to all media.

14. My items come from China do you need anything additional because of that? No