36C78618R0432-0004002.docx

Question: 1 - Ramp up period How much time will be given for a ramp up period (to get production to the required level) after an award is made?

Answer: 1- Ramp up period 30 days from the date the contract is awarded.

Question: 2 - On time delivery After the initial ramp up period, how long will be given to have production at the 15-day delivery time and the backlog eliminated?

Answer: 2- On time delivery After the 30 days ramp up period contractors are to start executing orders with meeting the delivery timeline set forth in the solicitation.

Question: 3 - Wood crate with packing for CONUS destinations There appears to be two items to price per year. The first item is for inscribed granite markers FOB destination. The second one is for 500 wood crates with packing for CONUS destinations. Should this read OCONUS and if so should this be for OCONUS shipping costs or just for the cost of the crate?

Answer: 3- Wood crate with packing for CONUS destinations The cost associated with wood crating shall be included in the line item price. It has been modified through Amendment A0002 has been revised to be included one-line item cost. All OCONUS shipments require crating which should be covered by the unit cost. Please see Section 7.0 Packaging and Palletizing, Section 7.1-7.6, page 12-14. The special crating within CONUS is specified in 7.6 and 7.5 Overseas shipments.

Question: 4 - Sample question The solicitation calls for Potential offerors to submit at contractor expense one granite sample (24” x 12” x 3/4”) representative of the granite to be used in the production of markers under the contract. Can we submit a sample 12 x 24 x 3?

Answer: 4- Sample question All samples must conform to Solicitation 36C78618R0432 in section 6.0, page 11. A sample that does not conform to the requirements of the solicitation will not be evaluated. Those samples will not be evaluated due to concerns for the safety and physical limitations of those who must handle the samples.

Question: 5- Regional Facilities or End Delivery Is this solicitation only for the production & delivery of the gravesite markers or is there a requirement to install the markers as well? Section C1 (page 18 of 82) discusses Dignity Standards describing the expected conduct and procedures for contractors when installing the markers.

Answer: 5- Regional Facilities or End Delivery The dignity standards are the standards for NCA contracts listed in C.1 Dignity Standards, page 18. Please review the 2.0 Purpose and 3.0 General for the basis of Solicitation 36C78618R0432 on page 9 of 75.

2.0 Purpose

The purpose of this contract is to supply:

• Inscribed flat granite markers (type G1) to cemeteries worldwide

3.0 General

This contract shall include all labor and materials necessary to furnish flat granite marker(s) to each consignee’s address. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing all labor and material needed to manufacture, inscribe, package, palletize, and deliver FOB destination.

Question: 6- Regional Facilities or End Delivery Are the markers being delivered to regional facilities, who will re-ship them from there, or are they being delivered to the final location where they will be installed?

Answer: 6- Regional Facilities or End Delivery No, they will not be shipped to regional facilities.

Question: 7- 15 Calendar Day delivery timeline We respectfully request that the delivery timeline read 20 business days (CONUS). It does state "7. TIME OF DELIVERY: Work is to be performed Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., except Federal Holidays and except as defined in the Statement of Work." It takes approximately 10 days to produce the finished stone and 20 business days would allow us time to properly pack and ship the finished product and deliver it to the destination during their operating hours

Answer:7 -7- 15 Calendar Day delivery timeline We have reviewed our requirement for the 15-calendar day delivery timeline. The discussion was conducted with our Memorial Program Services (MPS) Integrated Product Team (IPT) and they have made the decision based on the current awarded FOB Destination nationwide contracts and their performance. After further consideration by the IPT it has been determined that the Governments requirements are 15 calendar days for the period of performance. We have conducted additional market research by posting Request For Information(RFI) on FBO on two separate occasions and asking interested vendors whom responded to the RFI’s if they could meet the 15 calendar day period of performance. We have obtained a response from enough vendors to meet the requirements for competition regarding the RFI and their ability to meet the 15-calendar day period of performance.

Question: 8- Normal Delivery pg 17 9.1 reads Normal Delivery: All markers shall be manufactured and placed on a transportation carrier for delivery within (15) calendar days following the date the order was sent by Memorial Product Services (MPS). This contradicts 3.1 Performance period on page 11. 9.1 is wording from the original F.O.B. origin contract which gives us enough time to produce the finished product but we need additional time to ship to the destination. We request 10 additional calendar days be added to the 15 for production for a total of 25 calendar days for destination delivery of the finished product.

Answer:8-Normal Delivery This Solicitation is based on FOB Destination terms and conditions and there is no language listed in the solicitation as F.O.B. Origin.

The Solicitation shall be amended to clarify that the transportation carrier is contractor provided. The solicitation language in Section 9.1 shall be revised to the following:

9.1 Normal Delivery: All markers shall be manufactured and placed on a contractor provided transportation carrier for delivery within (15) calendar days following the date the order was sent by Memorial Product Services (MPS).

We have reviewed our requirement for the 15-calendar day delivery timeline. The discussion was conducted with our Memorial Program Services (MPS)Integrated Product Team (IPT) and they have made the decision based on the current awarded FOB Destination nationwide contracts and their performance. After further consideration by the IPT it has been determined that the Governments requirements are 15 calendar days for the period of performance. We have conducted additional market research by posting Request For Information(RFI) on FBO on two separate occasions and asking interested vendors whom responded to the RFI’s if they could meet the 15 calendar day period of performance. We have obtained a response from enough vendors to meet the requirements for competition regarding the RFI and their ability to meet the 15-calendar day period of performance.

Question:9- Statement of Work Clarification Section 3.1 states “Performance period: The contractor shall have fifteen (15) calendar days following the day an order is sent to the contractor until the monuments are manufactured, inscribed, packaged, and delivered to destinations” b. Section 9.1 states Normal Delivery: All markers shall be manufactured and placed on a transportation carrier for delivery within (15) calendar days following the date the order One has the (15) calendar days including delivery and the other does not. What is the accurate performance period?

Answer 9: - Statement of Work Clarification The contractor shall have fifteen (15) calendar days following the day an order is sent to the contractor until the monuments are manufactured, inscribed, packaged, and delivered. The Solicitation shall be amended to clarify that the monuments are manufactured, inscribed, packaged, and delivered. The solicitation language in Section 9.1 shall be revised to the following:

9.1 Normal Delivery: All markers shall be manufactured, inscribed, packaged and placed on a contractor provided transportation carrier for delivery within (15) calendar days following the date the order was sent by Memorial Product Services (MPS).

Question: 10- Order entry

a. In what format will supplier receive the orders • Electronic vs Mail? • If electronic, what program will supply the order? • What type of information will be provided in the order? • Can we get an example of the information we will receive?

Answer 10:-Order Entry Please read and follow in accordance with the requirements listed in Solicitation 36C78618R0432, Statement of Work, Section 9.0.

9.0 Processing of Orders and Time of Delivery:

Contractors shall provide a single email address for electronically receiving orders.

Orders shall be electronically distributed by MPS to the contractor’s provided email address, Monday thru Friday. Contractors shall manufacture and ship individual orders on a first in/first out basis. Each order for Normal Delivery shall be produced in numerical sequence, by shipment number.

Question: 11- Order Schedule Is there an order schedule for the markers: daily, weekly, monthly?

Answer 11: -Order Schedule Orders are first in and first out. Orders may be daily, weekly and monthly. Please read and follow in accordance with the requirements listed in Solicitation 36C78618R0432, Statement of Work, Section 9.0.

9.0 Processing of Orders and Time of Delivery:

Contractors shall provide a single email address for electronically receiving orders.

Orders shall be electronically distributed by MPS to the contractor’s provided email address, Monday thru Friday. Contractors shall manufacture and ship individual orders on a first in/first out basis. Each order for Normal Delivery shall be produced in numerical sequence, by shipment number.

Question: 12-Order Sheet Can we have a sample of the order spread sheet or doc with john doe information?

Answer:12- Order Sheet The sample information listed in the sample submittal has the information needed for the sample submission. Please read and follow in accordance with the requirements listed in Solicitation 36C78618R0432, Statement of Work, Section 6.0. There are also attached drawings included with the solicitation.

Please read and follow in accordance with the requirements listed in Solicitation 36C78618R0432, Statement of Work, Section 7.4.

7.4 Labeling: the contractor shall provide a packing list or a shipping label for all packaged monuments. The label shall be at least five (5) inches wide by four (4) inches long with the Order Number, Last Name of the Veteran, and Consignee. Labels shall be completely adhered to the front of the package and shall be over-coated with transparent adhesive tape that completely covers the label to prevent removal, smearing or blurring of the information. Shipping labels shall not be covered or obscured in any way by individual packaging or banding materials that would make the labels unreadable.

For multiple orders that have been palletized, a packing list shall be included and attached to the outside of the shrink-wrapped pallet. The packing list shall include all headstones packed on the pallet: Order Number, Last name of the Veteran and Consignee. Use of a plastic, sealable pouch for the packing list is required to help ensure the packing list is not removed or torn during transit.

Question: 13-Custom Pallets Are custom pallets an acceptable option for single unit shipments as long as they are fork-able for offloading at the cemetery's?

Answer 13: -Custom Pallets No. The monuments must be shipped in accordance with the requirements listed in Solicitation 36C78618R0432. Please see Section 7.3 Palletizing in Solicitation 36C78618R0432.

Question: 14- Damage Markers If a stone is rejected upon delivery for an inscription error or damage during transit, is there a new deadline for remedy?

Answer 14: -Damage Markers Yes. It is the policy of NCA to order replacements under a new shipment number which then have an expected delivery date based upon a new 15-day performance period from the date of order. However, the MPS Support Unit reserves the right to request accelerated production of the replacement as described below.

Please see Section 7.3 Palletizing in Solicitation 36C78618R0432.

The contractor shall replace monuments at no additional cost to the Government if damage is incurred during transport. The MPS Program Support Unit reserves the right to notify the contractor by email within 5 days of any blanks damaged during transportation. Upon notification, the contractor shall replace the damaged monuments within ten (10) calendar days from the date the e-mail was sent by MPS to the contractor.

Please see Section 4.7 in Solicitation 36C78618R0432.

4.7 Workmanship: Each monument shall be free from defects in workmanship.

· Chips, cracks, open seams, or abraded edges, shall not be permitted and the repair or patching of any such defects is prohibited and shall be cause for rejection.

· Monuments shall be free of ink, oil, crayon marks, dirt, coatings, sealers and stone dust.

· Inscriptions shall be free from defects due to broken or blown out lettering.

· Workmanship and production shall be in accordance with industry standards, practices, and regulatory safety requirements