Questions and Answers.pdf

Questions and Answers Solicitation 12639523Q0279 USDA/APHIS Insulated Shipping Boxes

Question 1: Will you accept the following sizes?

Note: Dimensions provided by the contractor asking this question are not detailed in this document as the details may contain proprietary information.

Answer 1: Please refer to solicitation section “2.2 SPECIFICATIONS”. The required dimensions are listed in this section as well as the acceptable range for each box which states, “The outside dimensions of the cardboard box must be within (+/- 0.25”) from the measurements above. The inner dimensions of the Styrofoam cooler must be within (+/- 0.125”) from the measurements above.”

Question 2: On the samples are they needing to be the exact size?

Answer 2: No, please see the amended sample requirements specified in solicitation amendment 12639523Q0279- 0001 section “QUOTE REQUIREMENTS”, bullet “f”.

Question 3: On the bid is the tooling fee incorporated into the price of each cooler or is that a upfront cost that would be taken care of?

Answer 3: Please refer to solicitation section “QUOTE REQUIREMENTS”, bullet “i” which states, “The Contractor's unit price must include all costs associated with furnishing and delivering all materials and for performing all work required under the contract in a complete and acceptable manner.”

Also, refer to solicitation section “1.1 SCHEDULE NOTES & INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTRACTORS” which states, “The government intends to award a single award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with firm-fixed-price type delivery orders to the selected awardee”.

A firm-fixed-price contract provides for a price that is not subject to any adjustment on the basis of the contractor's cost experience in performing the contract. The Government is not evaluating nor separately reimbursing cost elements. All costs must be incorporated into the firm-fixed-price quote.

Question 4: Would there be weekly/monthly purchase orders on this or would it vary with each order what would be needed? And would all items ship together? ie...If dividing the EAU to monthly to turns into approximately 30 pallets of product equally would that be what is taken?

Answer 4: Please refer to solicitation section “PART 1.0 – THE SCHEDULE OF ITEMS” which lists the estimated quantities per year and order quantities. Additionally, refer to section “1.1 SCHEDULE NOTES & INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTRACTORS” which states, “The government intends to award a single award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with firm-fixed-price type delivery orders to the selected awardee. The Government makes no guarantees as to frequency of orders or amount of supplies.”

The Government cannot predetermine, above a specified minimum, the precise quantities of supplies that the Government will require during the contract period, and it is inadvisable for the Government to commit itself for more than a minimum quantity.

Note: The minimum order dollar amount in clause AGAR 452.216-73 - Minimum and Maximum Contract Amounts (FEB 1988) has been amended from $10,000.00 to $20,000.00 in amendment 12639523Q0279-0001.

For further information on ordering and order limitations, please refer to contract clauses 52.216-18 Ordering (Aug 2020), 52.216-19 Order Limitations (OCT 1995), and 52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity (OCT 1995) contained in the solicitation.

Question 5: Clause F requests that contractors submit product samples of each box, at no additional cost to the government. We understand your need to test products to determine if offered product meet specifications, but would you be open to the idea of getting samples from the lowest bidders only. In other words, instead of getting samples from every bidder, the 3 lowest bidders are selected and asked to send samples for evaluation. To continue surviving today’s difficult economic times, businesses are looking to reduce overhead and marketing spend, modifying the sample requirement process will be a tremendous support to small business.

Answer 5: A sample is required however please see the amended sample requirements specified in solicitation amendment 12639523Q0279-0001 section “QUOTE REQUIREMENTS”, bullet “f”.

Question 6: With regard to shipping do you want the shipping costs reflected in the unit price of each box or separated?

Answer 6: Please refer to solicitation section “QUOTE REQUIREMENTS”, bullet “i” which states, “The Contractor's unit price must include all costs associated with furnishing and delivering all materials and for performing all work required under the contract in a complete and acceptable manner.”

Question 7: Wondering if you can advise if there is a current incumbent for RFQ 12639523Q0279 and if so, what the value of the contract is?

Answer 7: This information will not be provided.

Question 8: With regard to the Category B shippers, which temperature do you need to maintain when shipping, Ambient or Room Temp, Refrigerated, or Frozen?"

Answer 8: Shipping temperatures range from room temperature up to -70C with these boxes.