Minutes from Pre-Quotation Conference.pdf

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

MINUTES FROM THE VIRTUAL PRE -QUOTATION CONFERENCE

16 JUNE 2025

RFQ: 19RP3825Q0107

JUSMAG SASP & CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE

Introduction Procurement Agent welcomed all attendees and introduced the representatives from Contracting Office.

Vendors are reminded that while C&P is doing a pre-quotation conference, it is still the vendor's responsibility to read the solicitation from cover to cover.

Discussion of the Solicitation Package The following sections of the solicitation were highlighted:

1) SF 18 cover sheet

- Completed SF18 (Blocks 8a-8f, 11e-f, 12a-12d if any, 13a-13f, 14, 15, 16a-16c)

- Deadline of submission of offers: 24 June 2025 (refer to block 10), no later than 12:00NN

No offers will be accepted after 12:00NN

- EMAIL SUBMISSIONS will be accepted

2) PRICE page 5

- The Contractor shall provide Health Insurance Coverage for SASP and Contractual employees detailed to JUSMAG-Philippines in accordance with the attached Scope of Work.

- Period of Performance: 01 July 2025 to 30 June 2026

- Local/Foreign firm must submit process in Philippine Pesos. Payments will also be made in

Philippine Pesos.

- Only U.S. firms are eligible to submit in US dollars and payment will be made U.S. dollars.

- Value Added Tax. VAT shall not be included in the price as it is not applicable to this contract.

The U.S. Government is exempt from payment of taxes.

3) Statement of Work – page 6 -13 C&P highlighted the period of performance specified in the Pricing Section on Page 5 of the solicitation, noting that insurance coverage is to commence on July 1, 2025. By submitting an offer, the vendor confirms its ability to meet the requirement as outlined in the scope of work.

4) Clauses –pages 14-59

- Contract clauses are incorporated by reference or full text and forms part of the contract.

• 652.242-70 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE

The COR for this contract is the JUSMAG OFFICER. 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 the contract modification(s).

• FAR 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons.

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.

• FAR52.204-7, System for Award Management.

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

• Statue NDAA 889(a) (1) (B) and the prohibition on contracting with entities using certain telecommunications and video surveillance service or equipment.

Please review FAR 4.21 and clause FAR 52.204-25 ins page 29. The offerors requirements 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.

5) Evaluation Factors

- Criteria by which the USG will evaluate offers. The USG intends to award to the lowest priced, technically acceptable offeror who is a responsible contractor.

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

- Acceptability will be determined by assessing the offerors compliance with the terms of the RFQ.

- Proposals which do not conform to the solicitation requirements may be eliminated at the USGs discretion.

6) Solicitation Provisions

- Completed SF18 (Blocks 8a-8f, 11e-f, 12a-12d if any, 13a-13f, 14, 15, 16a-16c)

- Completed REPS & CERTS Clauses pages 29-57

- Evidence/Copy of most current license/certificate/-accreditation, which demonstrates that the offeror is licensed/certified/accredited or otherwise authorized by the Government of the Philippines or its agent (e.g., insurance commission, board) to provide health insurance coverage to persons (to include organizations, companies, groups) within the host country. If the offeror is not licensed/certified/accredited or otherwise authorized by the Government of the Philippines it must demonstrate that it is licensed/certified/accredited by a government other than the Philippines to provide health insurance for persons in the Philippines and must demonstrate its capacity to provide health benefits in the Philippines to meet the minimum requirements and other conditions set forth in this solicitation.

- Proof of successful SAM registration.

Electronic submissions are allowed.

Please submit all the solicitation requirements to ManilaPurchasing@state.gov.

- 52.204-7 SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM),

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

• To register in SAM please go to https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ or refer to the attached quick guide

• A video guide has also been provided in our website on the link below:

https://ph.usembassy.gov/local-contracts-and-procurement/ mailto:ManilaPurchasing@state.gov https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://ph.usembassy.gov/local-contracts-and-procurement/

7) Questions

- Questions must be submitted in writing so that written answers can be provided. Oral answers during the conference are not binding unless provided in writing by the Contracting Officer.

- Deadline for submission of questions is on June 17, 2025, at 12:00 NN (Philippine local time) and must be sent to ManilaPurchasing@state.gov. No additional questions will be accepted after June 17, 2025 at 12NN (Philippine local time).

- If answers to questions necessitate a change in the solicitation, as amendment will be issued. If not, a general Questions and Answers will be posted in SAM.gov.

Please specify which section of the solicitation you have a question about.

8) Reminders

- SAM registration is FREE OF CHARGE.

- Offerors are encouraged to check the website regularly for updates on the solicitation.

- Any extension to the submission due date of offers shall be through an amendment issued by the Contracting Officer.

- Quotation must be submitted electronically to ManilaPurchasing@state.gov. It is important to make sure the submission is made 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.

- Vendors are reminded that if they do not intend to submit an offer, a written notice must be provided to the U.S. Government to avoid being considered non-responsive.

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

mailto:ManilaPurchasing@state.gov