MINUTES FROM PRE-QUOTATION CONF AND SITE VISIT_19RP3824Q0136.pdf

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

MINUTES FROM THE PRE -QUOTATION CONFERENCE AND SITE VIST

JULY 18, 2024

RFQ NO. 19RP3824Q0136

DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION OF HVAC UNITS FOR USAGM

INTRODUCTION

The USAGM Station Manager welcomed all attendees while Procurement Agent, Kris Alcantara, introduced the other representatives from Contracting and Procurement (C&P) and United States Agency Global Media (USAGM).

I. DISCUSSION OF THE SOLICITATION PACKAGE

The following sections of the solicitation were highlighted:

1) Invitation Letter

− Changes per Amendment 0001

2) SF 1449 cover sheet (pages 1-2)

− Deadline of submission of offers: 5 August 2024 (refer to block 8), no later than 4:00pm (Date and time is Philippine local time).

− Electronic submissions will be accepted. Kindly follow the submission specific size and format not to exceed 10MB per file.

− Fill out the SF-1449, blocks 12, 17, 19-24, and 30a-c as appropriate

3) Section 1 – The Schedule (pages 3-6)

Subsection I. – Scope of Services, page 3

− Supply, delivery and installation of six new 30-ton HVAC Units at the United States Agency Global Media (USAGM) Shortwave Transmitting Station in Tinang, Concepcion, Tarlac, Philippines in accordance with the specifications and terms and conditions set forth in the solicitation.

− Firm Fixed Price purchase order/contract

− Prices shall include all labor, materials, overhead, profit, transportation and other services necessary for removing the existing units and installing the new HVACs in accordance with the specifications and terms and conditions set forth in the solicitation.

Subsection II – Pricing, pages 3-4

− A. Firm-fixed Prices > Prices are not subject to adjustments due to any escalation in the cost of materials, tools, equipment, fuel, transportation, labor or inflation rate, or because of the contractor’s failure to properly estimate or accurately predict the cost or difficulty of achieving the results required, or due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

− B. Value Added Tax

➢ VAT shall not be included in the firm fixed prices. VAT is not applicable to this contract. The U.S. Embassy has a tax exemption certificate from the host government.

− C. Offers and Payment in U.S. Dollars

➢ U.S. firms are eligible to be paid in US dollars and should submit their offers in U.S.

dollars.

➢ Non-U.S./Local/Foreign firms must submit prices in Philippines Pesos. Payments will also be made in Philippine Pesos.

4) Continuation to SF-1449, Schedule of Supplies and Services (pages 5-6)

− II. DELIVERY AND LOCATION TIME

➢ Delivery Address as stated

➢ Deliver and Install items not later than thirty (30) working days after date of contract award (Amendment forthcoming), between 0800-1600 Hrs, Monday-Friday excluding US/Philippines Holidays.

− III. PACKAGING AND MARKING

− IV. QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN > Method for the COR to monitor Contractor performance, advise the Contractor of unsatisfactory performance, and notify the Contracting Officer of continued satisfactory performance.

5) Attachment 1 – Statement of Work (pages 7-10)

− As discussed by USAGM/COR

− 6.0. Insurance (page 28-29)

➢ 6.1 GENERAL LIABILITY

a) Bodily Injury stated in US Dollars:

Per Occurrence $1,800.00 or the equivalent in local currency Cumulative $8,700.00 or the equivalent in local currency

b) Property Damage stated in US Dollars:

Per Occurrence $1,800.00 or the equivalent in local currency

Cumulative $8,700.00 or the equivalent in local currency

− 7.0 Warranty

➢ Parts – 5 years

➢ Compressor – 7 years

➢ Warranty repairs > performed within 10 working days after report of issue

➢ Must be valid in the Republic of the Philippines

➢ Items must be available for maintenance and repair in the Republic of the

Philippines

4) Section 2 – Contract Clauses (pages 11-29)

− Contract clauses are incorporated by reference or full text and forms part of the contract. The clauses can be accessed electronically at the website provided under

Section 2, Addendum to Contract Clauses. If the Contractor is unable to access the sites, the Contractor may request the Contracting Office for a full text copy in writing, and a copy shall be provided.

− FAR 52.222-50 COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (page 14). USG has a zero tolerance policy re trafficking. Every instance of trafficking will be examined and could result in termination of employees or subcontractors, suspension of contract payments or contract terminations.

− FAR 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer – System for Award Management (page 16) Payments will be made by Electronic Funds Transfer so the Contractor must ensure the correct EFT payment information is provided in SAM or the designated disbursement office.

− FAR 52.204-13 SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT MAINTENANCE (page 23) The Contractor shall maintain registration in SAM during contract performance and through final payment of any contract.

− FAR 52.204-25 Statute NDAA 889(a) (1) (B) and the prohibition on contracting with entities using certain telecommunications and video surveillance service or equipment (page 23)

➢ The offerors are required to certify:

• That they will or will not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services to the Government.

• Whether they do or do not use covered telecommunications equipment or services that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services

If the offeror does not comply with representations and certification (either in their offer or in SAM), the offer is considered non-responsive. The CO may remove the offer from consideration for award per FAR 4.2103. If the Offeror represents that it does use the prohibited technology or services, it is only eligible for award if a narrow exception applies or if a waiver is obtained.

− FAR 52.228-4 WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND WAR-HAZARD INSURANCE OVERSEAS

(page 23) DBA insurance, in accordance with FAR 28.305. US Embassy Manila has an active waiver.

Although contractors are encouraged to review and read this clause.

− 52.211-6 BRAND NAME OR EQUAL, page 24-25 > Offeror must prove that the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics specified in the solicitation.

https://www.acquisition.gov/content/part-4-administrative-and-information-matters#id1989G0W90SA https://www.acquisition.gov/content/part-52-solicitation-provisions-and-contract-clauses#i1051105 https://www.acquisition.gov/content/part-28-bonds-and-insurance#i1087897

− 652.232-70 PAYMENT SCHEDULE AND INVOICE SUBMISSION (FIXED-PRICE), page 26 The Contractor shall send invoices to USAGM Philippines Procurement’s electronic inbox only: adminprocurement_philippines@usagm.gov

− DOSAR 652.242-70 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE, page 28 > The COR for this contract is the Building and Grounds Maintenance Supervisor. The COR is not authorized to issue changes or direct to the Contractor to perform work outside of the scope of the contract. Only the CO has the authority to issue a change or changes to the contract terms and conditions through contract modification(s).

− 652.242-73 AUTHORIZATION AND PERFORMANCE, page 34

5) Section 3 – Solicitation Provisions (pages 30-35)

− Explain submittals; Use the guidelines as a checklist in completing your offer.

− Use Section 3 requirements as checklist to ensure complete and accurate submission.

➢ A.1 Volume 1 = SF-1449 cover page (blocks 12, 17, 19-24, and 30 as appropriate), Section 1.2 PRICING (subparagraphs 2.2 through 2.8; indicate the currency), Section

5, REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

➢ A.2 Volume 2 = Technical requirements

− FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management

➢ Contractor should have an active registration at the time their offer is submitted.

➢ Your offer may be ineligible for award without proof of registration in SAM.

= To register in SAM please go to www.sam.gov or refer to the attached quick guide

− Electronic submissions are allowed

➢ Must be submitted electronically to ManilaContracting@state.gov in two separate file folders indicating A.1 Volume 1 and A.2 Volume 2.

➢ Must be submitted in specific size and format; in MS-Word 2007/2010 or MS-Excel

2007/2010 or Adobe Acrobat (pdf) file format. The file size must not exceed 10MB. If the file size should exceed the 10MB, the submission must be made in separate files and attached to separate emails with less than 10MB each.

− SITE VISIT

➢ The site visit is scheduled on a one-time basis and serves as an opportunity for offerors to gain firsthand knowledge of the project site, its surroundings, and any existing conditions that may impact the supply, delivery and installation activities.

➢ Mandatory. Acceptance of any offer is contingent upon compulsory attendance of the site visit. Failure to attend the site visit will result in proposal rejection.

➢ Taking photos is not allowed during the site visit. Offerors are urged and expected to inspect the site where the work will be performed.

6) Section 4 – Evaluation Factors (page 36-37)

- Criteria by which the USG will evaluate offers.

- The Government intends to award to the lowest priced, technically acceptable, and responsible contractor.

mailto:adminprocurement_philippines@usagm.gov http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:ManilaContracting@state.gov

- The Government reserves the right to reject quotations that are unreasonably low or high in price.

- Acceptability will be determined by assessing the offeror's compliance with the terms of the RFQ and attendance to the site visit.

- FAR 52.225-17 EVALUATION OF FOREIGN CURRENCY OFFERS (page 37) > evaluation of offers using the exchange rate used by the Embassy in effect in accordance with (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this clause.

7) Section 5 – Representations and Certifications (pages 38-63)

− Fill out only those that are applicable and indicate N/A for item that does not apply.

➢ 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video

Surveillance Services or Equipment

➢ 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services Representation

➢ 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Products and

Commercial Services

8) REMINDERS

− QUESTIONS - must be submitted in writing so that written answers can be provided.

If answers to questions necessitate a change in the solicitation, an amendment will be issued. If not, a general Questions and Answers will be posted on the Embassy website.

Oral answers during this conference or site visit are not binding unless provided in writing by the Contracting Officer.

Deadline of submission of questions: July 22, 2024, no later than 4pm (Philippine local time) and must be sent to ManilaContracting@state.gov Note: indicate specific section, subsection, paragraph no. in listing questions; No additional questions will be accepted after July 22, 2024, 4PM (Philippine local time)

− Deadline for submission of quotations/offers: August 5, 2024, no later than 4:00 PM (Philippine local time) and must be sent to ManilaContracting@state.gov. No offers will be accepted after 4:00pm.

− Deadlines are strictly observed.

− Submit required Volumes 1 and 2.

− All questions and answers, minutes of the meeting and amendments (if any) will be posted on SAM.gov and the U.S. Embassy website.

− Offerors are encouraged to check the SAM.gov website regularly. For SAM.gov search, note that 19RP3824Q0136 or 19RP3824Q136 are one and the same, and are linked to each other on SAM.gov.

− Any extension to the offer submission deadline shall be through an amendment issued by the Contracting Officer.

II. SITE VISIT

All attendees were shown the site and were given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the area. Drawing (1 page) was distributed during the site visit. (An amendment will be issued to reflect inclusion of the drawing).

The Pre-Quotation Conference and Site Visit concluded, and attendees were thanked for their presence and expression of interest in serving the U.S. Government. The meeting was adjourned.