Sample Hauling Questions and Answers for RFQ 12639524Q0120_Final.docx

Sample Hauling Questions and Answers for RFQ 12639524Q0120

1. Can you please provide the incumbent and previous contract amount?

a. While these services have been completed in the past for USDA, the routes themselves have changed. These contracts allow for various pick-up points to be added or removed in a given year under the contract based on harvest season and current requirements. Also, the rate per mile is considered proprietary information and cannot be disclosed. All of the previous Sample hauling contracts were as follows with the amount obligated in the FY23/24 Season:

i. 12474019D0007 Florence Northern Route 2 – Comer Phelps $105,293.37

ii. 12474020C0002 Macon Route 1B – Annie Christine $106,080.00

iii. 12474020C0003 Macon Route 1A – Annie Christine $83,880.00

iv. 12474020D0002 Rayville Route 1 – Comer Phelps $50,996.40

v. 12474021C0001 Florence Southern Route – Comer Phelps $101,948.38

vi. 12474022C0001 Macon Route 3 – Annie Christine $130,560.00

vii. 12474022C0002 Macon Route 2 – Annie Christine $102,000.00

viii. 12474022C0003 Macon Route 4 – Comer Phelps $131,037.93

ix. 12474022C0005 Rayville Route 2 – Comer Phelps $22,792.77

x. 12474022C0006 Dumas Routes – Comer Phelps $0.00

xi. 12474022C0007 Memphis Routes – Comer Phelps $290,110.66

xii. 12474022C0008 Memphis Route 5 – Gerald Moody $149,653.68

xiii. 12474022C0011 Corpus Routes – Comer Phelps $167,584.56

xiv. 12474022C0012 Corpus Route 4 – R L Burks Hauling $112,278.15

xv. 12474022C0013 Visalia North Valley – Mustin Pipeline $75,978.00

xvi. 12474022C0014 Visalia Central Valley – Mustin Pipeline $43,650.00

xvii. 12474022C0015 Abilene Kansas Route – Comer Phelps $112,552.93

xviii. 12474022C0016 Abilene Routes – R L Burks Hauling $173,124.60

xix. 12474023C0001 Lubbock Routes 1&2 – Meers Enterprises $28,350.90

xx. 12474023C0002 Lubbock Routes 3&4 – Meers Enterprises $113,929.20

xxi. 12474023C0003 Lamesa Routes – Meers Enterprises $108,519.53

xxii. 12474023C0005 Florence Northern Route 1 – Michael Duke $170,625.00

b. The above contract dollar amounts only represent what was obligated on the contracts for the last sample hauling season. These amounts may be higher than actual amounts earned as miles are ordered based on the estimated need for the season and paid out based on actual miles driven. De-obligations have not occurred for the FY23/24 season.

2. When reporting road closures and/or issues with the routes, do we need to inform both the area director and the CO?

a. No, you can work out the details with the area director/local point of contact, however if a change in the route increases the miles needed to be driven above the maximum daily allowed under the task order for the season, the CO will need to modify the order to change the maximum daily allowable miles. So either the program/area director can notify the CO or the contractor. We try to plan a buffer in the maximum daily miles so that we aren’t forced to modify the order, but we cannot plan for everything.

3. The statement of work states that there will be no assistance at the classifying office. In the past, the government employees/contractors have assisted in unloading the sacks from the rear of the trailer/truck and putting them onto carts to be moved into the building. Is this a change from how it has been run in the past?

a. The language in the SOW is generic to cover all situations. Sometimes the contractor will be required to haul to a location that may not have USDA employees/contractors working and in those cases, the contractor will have to haul the sacks of samples into the building. In some cases the classifying office will want to come out to the contractor’s truck/trailer and haul the sacks into the building. All sample hauling contractors must be able haul the sacks into the buildings and should quote the routes based on this fact. Each classifying office will accept delivery of the sacks as they see best suits their situation.

4. In the event that a contractor’s driver lives on the route and there is no deviation to the daily mileage, will that be an issue?

a. Assuming that the question here is, can the contractor’s driver start at the pick-up location that is closest to the driver’s home, yes, that is acceptable and I believe detailed in the SOW. The max allowable miles for the route is just calculated based on a loop from the classifying office, but where you start is up to the contractor provided that it doesn’t impact gins negatively.

5. Putting the routes into a mapping software shows that the total miles for some of the routes don’t line up with picking up at every location and starting/finishing at the classifying office. How will the total miles for each route be calculated.

a. Route will likely vary year to year. Actual pick-up locations and total estimated miles and maximum allowable daily miles will be established on each Task Order each year. The general pick-up locations are listed in each route for solicitation/quoting purposes and the estimated numbers in the solicitation are just an estimate. We will not know how big of a cotton harvest we will have until further into the cotton season and fairly close to when the sample hauling begins. We do the best we can based on the information we have. That said, the maximum daily miles will be based on a full round trip for all pick-up locations and the drop-off location. Notice will be sent in accordance with the SOW so the contractor awarded the route can plan and adjust based on the information we have from the cotton industry.

6. Could USDA clarify the route, such as the start and ending route for RFQ? For example, Dumas route 1 (Rayville) for Gin A is the start pickup location and drop-off location.

a. The route may start wherever best suits the contractor provided that all location listed in the individual Task Orders are picked up and dropped off at the classifying office. For calculating the maximum daily miles, USDA is assuming starting at the classifying office and driving to the first pick-up location (gin), proceeding to each pick-up location based on the most direct route until returning to the classifying office to drop off all sacks of cotton samples.

7. We are interested in this notice and would like to apply for it. When is the best time to call you and discuss this opportunity so that we cover all the requirements?

a. I cannot and will not take phone calls and answer questions for this requirement. If you have a questions, please submit to me via email by Monday, April 8th. I cannot interpret the SOW/requirement for each contractor individually and must supply all interested parties with a list of questions and answers that may have significant impact on a contractor’s quote. All of the information is in the addendum and examples of each route with potential pick-up locations and drop-off locations are in the attachments. Please read through every attachment carefully and make sure you follow all notes to make sure that you have submitted all required information.

8. How often will pick up and shipping (hauling) be needed?

a. This can change throughout the season but daily hauling will be required during the peak harvest/ginning season. At the start of the season, it is common that we do not require daily pick ups at every location, and the same goes for the end of the season.

9. Will the request for pick up only utilize when there’s enough sacks of cotton to haul?

a. Once we start hauling, we haul until all sacks are picked up. in the beginning and end of the season, there may be less pick-up sites and may be less sacks to be picked up. We try to wait to start hauling until we have enough sacks to pick up to make it cost effective for the government to pay a contractor to run the route. That said, some locations may have little to pick up and some may have a fair amount. Most locations do not have a large storage space to store sacks waiting for pickup.

10. How much does the cotton weigh?

a. This can be found in the SOW. Please read all documents in the RFQ.

11. Is cotton being transported around Memphis, TN or to another state?

a. While USDA does require pick up and drop offs in and around Memphis, not all the routes are included in this solicitation. additional routes will be solicited in a second RFQ post that will be posted after this solicitation closes and awards are made.

12. Is there extra pick up and deliver stops?

a. All potential pick-up locations and delivery locations are listed in the route attachments. Please read all documents attached to the solicitation.

13. How many sacks of cotton are approximately transported per route?

a. This varies throughout the season and by route. The estimates are listed in each route but can change based on the cotton harvest. If we have a great cotton season, we will increase our estimate and if we have a poor cotton season, we will decrease our estimate year over year. A lot play into the final harvest.

14. What is the single shipment weight?

a. This varies route to route, season to season, and throughout the season. Cannot provide an accurate weight for day-to-day hauling. Can provide estimates for each route closer to the start of the season based on the harvest for the current season.

15. Do we need to provide extra equipment?

a. No additional equipment should be required.

16. Would the subcontractor’s insurance need to have “USDA” listed as a party under the insurance or the prime contractor?

a. Either the subcontractor’s insurance or the prime contractor’s insurance must cover the load and make whole the USDA if any cotton is damaged while in the prime contractor's or the subcontractor’s possession. This is the time from which the contractor picks up the cotton sample sacks from the pick-up locations and USDA accepts delivery of the cotton sample sacks at the classifying office.

17. What type of vehicles have been used in the past to complete deliveries for this requirement (sprinter vans box trucks or tractor/trailers)?

a. Box trucks and truck/trailer combination have been used. The contractor must be able to handle all estimated sacks during the busiest part of the season. Sprinter vans will not be anywhere near large enough.

18. Did the previous contractor use two vehicles to split the daily route for any of the routes?

a. I do not know. I do not tell the contractor how to run the route outside of the terms and conditions listed in the contract. There are a couple routes that may have to be split and have two trucks running or driven every other day by the same truck to meet DOT and state regulations/laws on driving limits.

19. Do subcontractor’s have to be registered in SAM?

a. No. only the contractors who wish to be considered for award directly with the USDA have to be registered in SAM.

20. In the event of termination or rescheduling of this service, when the pick up locations are non operational, will we be properly notified before the driver leaves to first pick up location? If not, will we be compensated properly for a TONU (Truck Order Not Used) for driving to the pick up location and being denied?

a. You will not be ordered to drive unless we need pick up. Once we start the sample hauling season, the classifying office(s) will be in regular (most likely daily) communication with the contractor/driver. The contractor will be well aware of the current and future needs for hauling.

21. If one pick-up location’s pick up is cancelled, will the rest be canceled as well?

a. Pick ups will not be cancelled. A location may be removed from the route as the season is ending, but the contractor/driver will know this as the season is ending. They will be made aware of the last day for pick up at each of the locations. If a contractor is ordered to drive to a location and no pick up was required, they still get paid for driving, that is why we pay by the mile and not by the sack. But if the USDA tells the driver that they don’t need to pick up at a location, and the driver goes there anyway out of habit of running the route, that is the responsibility of the contractor/driver and USDA will not pay for those miles.

22. Will operations begin at the classifying office or the next scheduled pick-up location for each route?

a. The route starts at the location the contractor chooses to start at. If the contractor/driver lives on the route and wishes to start at the closest pick-up location to their home, that is fine.

23. Do we need to return sacks immediately or the day of the next pick up?

a. Next pick up.

24. Could you provide me with the solicitation details including the requirements, specifications, and evaluation criteria? Additionally if there are any size requirements or submission guidelines?

a. All of the documents can be found attached to the RFQ on SAM.gov. There are no limits on submissions, but please keep in mind that some emails/firewalls may restrict file size of attachments. I noted in the solicitation that the contractor should email Jeremy.pouliot@usda.gov to make sure that their submission has been received. I try to reply to all submission emails so that the contractor’s know that I received their submission.

25. Will all routes be performed at the same time or one at a time?

a. Some routes start and end at different times, but all routes run during the cotton harvest and ginning season. So all routes run around the same time. One driver cannot run more than one route per year/season.

26. What are the requirements on the equipment needed to perform the delivers other than being an enclosed trailer or truck, are there any specific requirements of the delivery vehicle that we need to know about that was not listed?

a. This is listed in the solicitation. Vehicles must be legal. The cotton must be covered/protected from weather conditions at all times. Must be able to haul all sample sacks that are required to be picked up along the route. Sack sizes and weights are listed. Estimated number of sacks are provided for each route.

27. Can we pick one route or the routes in one state to quote or is it all or none?

a. You may quote as many routes as you want to quote. You do not need to quote all of the routes to be considered for award.

28. Will these routes require multiple stops per day? Are all stops required to be picked up on the same day and delivered the same day?

a. Yes. Although throughout the season and from year to year, the number and specific stops required may change, there will be multiple stops most if not every day the route is run and delivery should be made the same day it is picked up.

29. What is the average amount of sacks of cotton samples at each stop and the average load time?

a. The average number of sacks will vary throughout the season and from year to year and from stop to stop. The total estimated sacks are provided as soon as we have an estimate to give based on the growing and harvest season. USDA does not know the average load time and this will vary depending on number of sacks being picked up, physical capabilities of the drivers, and how energetic/tired the driver is.

30. Just to verify as well, the driver is the one to load and offload the products from the trailer as stated in the RFQ? No assistance will be given?

a. Correct. While there are classifying offices that may grab the sacks off the end of the truck/trailer, contractor’s should not plan for it.

31. Total miles, are these route-trip miles?

a. They are total estimated daily miles for the route which may vary throughout the season.

32. Do samples need to be refrigerated?

a. No.

33. Can these be hauled on a flatbed?

a. No.

34. Who loads and unloads the cotton samples?

a. Read the solicitation, it clearly states this.

35. How many routes per day for each location?

a. There are multiple pick-up locations for each route. The potential pick-up locations are listed in each route attachment. Not all potential pick-up locations will be required every year and specific annual needs will be listed on individual task orders issued each year.

36. Is worker’s comp required?

a. I don’t require to see proof of workers comp to be eligible for award.

37. Is a helper required or just the driver?

a. USDA does not make that determination.

38. Is a TWIC Card required?

a. No.

39. Do you have an estimated weight of the entire load for the routes or a trailer size required?

a.

40. The routes show starting at the classifying office, do sacks need to be picked up before running the route or do the gins have sacks?

a. Gins have sacks. When you drop off full sacks at the end of the route, you will be given empty sacks to be dropped off the following day you run the route. You can start the route at any of the pick-up locations or the classifying office.

41. Do the total miles include returning empty sacks?

a. No. The first time a contractor runs the route, they will not be dropping off sacks. The empty sacks get dropped off when picking up full sacks on following days. Contractors will not run the route to just drop off empty sacks.

42. Will the route be available in advance?

a. Yes. As stated in the SOW, a notice will be sent to the contractors roughly 30 days in advance that the season will start on an approximate date and the contractor will be provided the estimated data that we have at that time. The exact date and Route details will be provided 2 days prior to starting. Please see C.4.1.

43. Are the sacks of samples ready for immediate pick up allowing the driver to take minimal time to collect the sacks?

a. Yes

44. How much notice is given for pick ups?

a. Once the route starts, it is constant. Either running daily or in set iterations based on beginning, peak, and end of season. Notice to start route is two-fold, both notice time-frames have been addressed and are listed in the SOW.

45. Does the Certificate of Insurance need to have USDA listed as the Certificate Holder?

a. The contractor does not need to list the USDA as a certificate holder to be considered for award, however the contractor must prove they have insurance on the cargo at least 15 days prior to starting the route. Since the USDA will provide roughly a 30 day notice of the estimated start date for each season, they contractor will have time to provide a copy of the insurance information. They can list the USDA as a certificate holder at that time and at least 15 days prior to starting.

46. Could you provide an estimated number of days per month services would be required during the onset and end of the ginning season as described in C.4.1?

a. This varies season to season and route to route. USDA cannot predict the growing or harvest season which greatly impacts the length of these periods. Typically this period doesn’t last long as once the harvest season starts, we work with the industry to keep costs down and utilize the contractors in the most efficient way possible. That said there may be a week or two on either end of the season that the route is not required to be run every day or specific Gins do not require pick up every day so the daily mileage may be less than the max.

47. Will you specify which months of the year typically experience heavy daily pick ups for Visalia route?

a. In the past the harvest season for Visalia runs Oct through Dec. That said, it greatly depends on the growing and harvest season/weather.

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