RFP - Questions and Answers 6.6.24.pdf

Questions and Answers Veterans Canteen Services Food Labeling Printers and Portal Solution

Solicitation Number: 36C10B24R0028 June 6, 2024

Q1. The Product Description (PD) for Optional Task Four CLIN 8001-1 through 8001-

5, notes up to 100 sites but the quantity listed in the Price Schedule specifies “Up to 20.” Please clarify.

A1. The Contractor shall provide its FDA-compliant food labeling solution inclusive of the administrative portal and thermal printers (including all docks and cables required for functionality) to additional sites, up to 20 times in the base period and each option period. Product Description (PD) Section 1.4.4 and CLIN 8001 and SLINs 8001-1, 8001-2, 8001-3, 8001-4 and 8001-5, in the Price Schedule have been updated to reflect the correct quantity.

Q2. The additional sites associated with CLINs 8001-1 through 8001-5 do not specify requirements for tablets and cases. Please clarify.

A2. PD Section 1.4.4, Optional Task 4 – Additional Site Expansion and CLIN 8001 and SLINs 8001-1, 8001-2, 8001-3, 8001-4 and 8001-5, in the Price Schedule have been updated to include tablet devices. Cases are not included in Optional Task 4, however they may be exercised under Optional Task 3, if required.

Q3. The PD states there must be logos on the labels. Will the logo be a color log or black and white?

A3. PD Section 1.0, states that “Labels shall be white, printed monochromatic and have easily scannable barcodes.” The VCS logo shall also be in monochromatic.

PD Section 1.0, Label Requirements, has been updated to add this clarification.

Q4. PD Section 1.4.3, states “The Contractor shall provide protective cases not to exceed 1000 throughout the PoP.” However, the Price Schedule for Optional Task Three states “this Optional Task may be exercised up to 200 times in the base period and each option period.” Please clarify.

A4. The Price Schedule and PD Section 1.4.3 has been updated from “The Contractor shall provide protective cases not to exceed 1000 throughout the PoP.” to “The Contractor shall provide protective cases up to 320 times in the base period and up to 200 times in each option period.”

Q5. Is the volume stated in the RFP an annual label usage or labels just needed for the start up of the new solution? If the volume is not an annual usage, is it possible to get an annual usage of labels?

A5. Per the PD Section 1.0, Label Requirements and the B.4, Price Schedule, the contractor shall provide 10,000 1X1 labels and 10,000 4X2 labels in Phase 1 and 390,000 1X1 labels and 390,00 4X2 labels in Phase 2 of the base period. If additional labels are required after the base period, they will not be purchased via this contract, they will be purchased via the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

Q6. Can you please confirm the unit of measure? Does each mean labels?

A6. Each means the number of labels. Therefore, there will be 10,000 1X1 labels and

10,000 4X2 labels purchased in Phase 1 and 390,000 1X1 labels and 390,00 4X2 labels purchased in Phase 2 of the base period.

Q7. Do both labels need to be easily removable? Typically, the 1 x 1 (prep label) is removable and the 2 x 4 is a freezer grade adhesive. Please clarify.

A7. In accordance with PD Section 1.0, “Label Requirements” all labels shall be easily removable without leaving residue.

Q8. Do we know how many colors will be printed on the 2 x 4 label?

A8. PD Section 1.0, “Label Requirements” has been updated to state “The Contractor shall provide customizable direct thermal labels to include the VCS logo in monochromatic, provided by VCS, on all delivered labels.”

Q9. Our labels are typically packaged 12 rolls in a master case. The quantities stated in Phase 1 of the RFP are less than case quantities. Is it ok to ship in full cases vs shipping rolls?

A9. The contractor is required to provide, 10,000 1X1 labels and 10,000 4X2 labels in Phase 1 and 390,000 1X1 labels and 390,00 4X2 labels in Phase 2. The labels can be shipped in full cases or shipping rolls, as long as the VA receives the quantity required.

Q10. At the NRA show, VCS representatives discussed a variable length printer as well, would you like us quote it also? If so, we would need to know what kind of custom as it would not be a fixed logo and would need to be a strip down the side or a watermark/flood coat.

A10. Offerors are allowed to provide one quote, which must be in accordance with the requirements in the PD titled “Food Labeling Printers and Portal Solution” included in the solicitation. Offerors must propose the best solution available in order to meet the Government’s requirements.

Q11. Would the printer depot be paid for and stored?

A11. In accordance with the PD Section 1.0, “Thermal Printers”, "The Contractor shall provide an additional 20 thermal printer units that shall be made a part of an Advanced Exchange Depot (APS) program that the Contractor shall provide storage and manage of this "seed stock" to ship out replacement Printers next day to locations with broken/damaged equipment. The Contractor will notify VCS Whole Health & Nutrition Division when “seed stock” is below a 2-printer solution threshold. At that time, the Government may exercise Optional Task One to replenish the “seed stock.”

Q12. We are requesting an extension to the current due date.

A12. The due date has been extended until June 5, 2024 at 10:00AM ET.

Q13. In the price schedule section, a "software fee" line does not exist. What method would you suggest we use to specify and list our annual labeling software fee?

A13. Per PD 1.0, Section titled “Thermal Printers”, “The Contractor shall provide a quantity of 200 high speed thermal label printer solutions with required power supply and peripherals for functionality.” This requirement is for a thermal printer solution, not just a printer, therefore if there is a software fee associated with your printer solution, it shall be incorporated into each CLIN for a label printer solution, specifically, CLINs 0001 (SLINs 0001AA, 0001AB), 0002, 5001, (SLINs 5001AA, 5001AB, 5001AC, 5001AD, 5001AE), and CLIN 8001 (SLINs 8001-1, 8001-2, 8001-3, 8001-4 and 8001-5)

Q14. Our proposed solution has a built-in tablet, therefore; we do not offer pricing for detached tablets nor tablet cases. How would you suggest that we properly address our technology on the RFP, noting that our recommended hardware has a built-in tablet per printer device?

A14. All proposed solutions shall be addressed in each Offeror’s technical proposal. If an Offeror is proposing an all-in-one solution, then in the Price Schedule, the Offeror shall put in Not Separately Priced (NSP) for each CLIN for tablet devices and device cases.

Q15. We are requesting an extension until 6/7, may this be granted?

A15. The due date has been extended until June 7, 2024 at 10:00AM ET.

Q16. In the section for Warranty and training it says quantity 1 and “LO” in the unit of measure column; is this the price per unit or for the total units purchased by the

VA?

A16. CLINs 0008, Warranty and Maintenance, and 0009, Training, shall not be priced per unit. Instead, each Offeror shall propose one cost for all of the Warranty and Maintenance for all thermal printer solutions and tablets purchased in the base period and one cost for the Training required per PD Section 1.3.

Q17. There was an error code while trying to access the links in PD Section 2.1. Can you please provide a printed copy?

A17. The below hyperlinks that are included in PD Section 2.1 are accurate. You can also find a printed copy of the standards at the document titled “Revised Section 508 Standards and 255 Guidelines”.

https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and- standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule/text-of-the-standards-and-guidelines https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule/text-of-the-standards-and-guidelines https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule/text-of-the-standards-and-guidelines https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule/text-of-the-standards-and-guidelines https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule/text-of-the-standards-and-guidelines https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule

Q18. Taking into consideration the point of necessary negotiations related to contractual language, do we have an option to negotiate the terms? If yes, please let me know what that process would look like so that I can inform my legal team and proceed with allocating resources to that phase of the project.

A18. In accordance with the solicitation number 36C10B24R0028, Section E.9 FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation- Commercial Items, “All proposals shall be subject to evaluation by a team of Government personnel. The Government reserves the right to award without discussions based upon the initial evaluation of proposals. Proposals will be evaluated strictly in accordance with their content.

Proposals which merely restate the requirement or state that the requirement will be met, without providing supporting rationale, are not sufficient. Offerors who fail to meet the minimum requirements of the solicitation will be rated Unacceptable and thus, ineligible for award.” Therefore, the Government may go into discussions if warranted, however they are not required to do so, and each Offeror shall submit their proposal with the intentions of going straight to award.

Please also note that Volume V, “Solicitation, Offer and Award Documents and Certifications / Representations Volume” is where any assumptions should be annotated; however, the offeror is also “advised that any Offeror imposed terms and conditions and/or assumptions which deviate from the Government’s material terms and conditions established by the Solicitation, may render the Offeror’s proposal Unacceptable, and thus ineligible for award…”

Q19. If contractual language negotiations are not an option, would we have an option to sell VCS our hardware (and labels) on a purchase order basis, minus the terms outlined in the RFP? If yes, please let me know what your direct purchase process would be, and we will move forward with hardware (and Label) pricing to meet your food labeling requirements.

A19. The Government is unable to purchase the hardware on a purchase order basis.

In addition, this solicitation is for a complete solution and not just for the hardware and labeling portion of the requirements.

* As a reminder, all Offerors must submit their proposals in accordance with Section E.10 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS – PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS, of the solicitation.

https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule