B12_Questions_and_Answers_04142022_0001.pdf

Questions and Answers

Battery IDIQ – SOL 140L3722Q0036 – April 14, 2022:

Question 1. F.O.B. Destination / Especially now, given the current supply chain issues and ever increasing transportation costs, would you consider changing this requirement to PP&A/Pre-pay and Add for the freight costs?

a. With our FAA contract, we find all kinds of challenges with a “standard delivery”, some are airport locations, maybe lift gate or inside delivery, this makes it unfeasible to have a flat rate freight & delivery charge. This prevents the government from overpaying based on a “flat rate” and protects the contractor should there be extreme (remote Alaskan island) or from added accessorial charges based on specific delivery needs.

b. Additionally, if multiple batteries are ordered for a single site, having a “flat rate” freight cost built into the battery price might cost considerably more than a PP&A cost.

Answer 1. PP&A/Pre-pay and Add would not be considered. The specifications state that the shipping locations are to the lower 48 only and would all be to street addresses so there would be no remote locations.

Question 2. Bolt Requirement / ¼-20 / Would an M6 bolt and threaded receptacle be acceptable? The M6 bolt is the metric equivalent at 0.24” vs 0.25” for ¼-20. The FAA spec is written this way to ensure there are no cable connection issues with existing equipment, the M6 being so close to same size as ¼-20 they are basically considered the same size.

Answer 2. The bolt requirement must be exactly ¼ - 20 as specified.

Question 3. Forecast / Would you have any type of forecast and/or ship to locations available to give a little insight into how many and where the estimated 150-300 batteries would ship to?

Answer 3. Our customer base ranges to all areas in the lower 48 states about equally between regions. The batteries would be shipped intermittently, year-round based upon the customers’ PM dates. Most of the time the batteries would be shipped as a single unit.

Question 4. I have been looking into meeting the requirement “minimum self- discharge to 80% = 6months at 25 degrees C for an 8 year lifecycle”. There is a made in America battery manufacturer I am working with to get my bid into you, however they are telling me that no AGM manufacturer can meet that requirement. Can you clarify please?

Answer 4. The battery currently in use meets that specification.

Question 5. Which battery are you currently using?

Answer 5. The current battery being used is:

Interstate Model DCM0090

100 Ah (20 Hr Rate to 1.75V/cell), Lead Acid - AGM