Questions and Answers 15A00021R00000099 for Branding or External Markings.pdf

Questions and Answers 15A00021R00000099 for Branding or External Markings (Patches)

1. For the requisite items on Attachment B. Do you all have current products in use in which we could see the layout of the text needed?

Most (if any) items don’t exist yet. This effort is a new requirement for ATF. ATF is expecting the vendor to offer exemplars from the stated characteristics.

2. Items call for both cordura and PVC patches of the same items. For the FLAG – US (Red/White/Blue) there is no way to laser cut a flag to have all of those colors. Typically laser cut cordura flags only are two tones. With sometimes the except of adding in an alternate colored line (ie a thin blue line patch). However, the full colored flag you are requesting is able to be done in an embroidered patch. However, it would be unrealistic for a company and the government to assume it would hold up for 5 years without any type of degradation.

ATF realizes that wear and tear is a factor, however, a level of degradation would need to be stated and agreed upon that is cause for replacement. While ATF understands the vendor cannot be responsible for slight malformations/normal wear and tear, ATF should also not be responsible for excessive defects in workmanship or materials should it occur.

3. In attachment A – No. 3 – It calls out 5 years without any material breakdown or fading. Does the government have set standards to apply to the degradation of these patches? If no standards are available it could be assumed that the contractor who is awarded this contract could end up replacing every patch at their expense for no quantifiable reasoning.

While ATF reviewed Military Specification standard MIL-DTL-14651A for guidance and information, ATF IS NOT holding the vendor to this standard, rather an overall statement as to the durability of the vendors product and what the expected wear and tear should be and what is acceptable prior to a replacement request.

4. For contracts for customized equipment we have never seen a usage standard applied to the warranty of the goods. It could be assumed that there could be warranty of the goods based upon craftsmanship, however usage in highly dynamic environments in which there are multiple ways that an item could be damaged that is out of control by the contractor is unrealistic. This would be similar to asking a car company to warranty tires for 5 years without showing signs of wear, or discoloration due to daily driving. However, again if the tires had an unexpected defect in them that caused it to go flat, or blowout then that should be covered due to it being a manufacturing issues. Not wear from daily usage.

See response to #3

5. For Attachment A – No. 5 – is this stating that the colors from the manufacturer must be the same throughout the life of the contract (unless agreed upon)? Or is it stating a fact similar to that in No. 3 that the colors cannot change due to daily usage and environmental exposures?

ATF wants to ensure that (for example) the green fabric or PVC used stays consistent with items made in year one with as little variation with green items made in year three. ATF takes notice that color lots will vary slightly, however, to the extent possible consistency is paramount.

While ATF reviewed Military Specification standard MIL-DTL-14651A for guidance and information, ATF IS NOT holding the vendor to this standard, rather an overall statement as to the durability of the vendors product and what the expected wear and tear...