47QMCA21R0008 Amendment 0001 SF30 (FedConnect) 09_08_2021.pdf

(x)

47QMCA21R0008

x x

1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted ; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE

RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR

OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted , such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

x

Washington DC 20405 Wing 3200

LIGHT_VEHICLES

1800 F Street, NW US General Services Administration Center for Vehicle Acquisition Light Vehicles Acquisition Support

09/08/20210001

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) is not extended.is extended, Items 8 and 15, and returning

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended , by one of the following methods: (a) By completing

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

FACILITY CODE CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)CODE 6. ISSUED BY

PAGE OF PAGES

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.3. EFFECTIVE DATE2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

08/20/2021

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority) appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return __________________ copies to the issuing office.

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

Program: 2022 Light Vehicles to include Sedans, Light Trucks, and SUVs

The above referenced solicitation 47QMCA21R0008 is amended as follows:

1) Provide presentation slides and recording from Pre-Proposal Conference held on August

25, 2021;

2) Provide Questions and Answers as submitted during the Pre-Proposal Conference;

3) Revise RFP Section A.2 – Acquisition Details to correct the defined period of performance;

4) Revise RFP Section D.2 – 52.216-18 Ordering (Aug 2020) to correct the defined period of performance;

5) Revise RFP Section C.17 – Open Season Periods to provide for two (2) open season periods

Continued ...

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

Gordon M. Scott

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Previous edition unusable

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9 A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect .

ITEM NO. SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR

2 12

CONTINUATION SHEET

REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED PAGE OF

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

47QMCA21R0008/0001

per fiscal year and to correct the period of performance end date for any new contract awards;

The POC for this amendment is Gordon Scott at gordon.scott@gsa.gov, (202) 251-7397. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

NSN 7540-01-152-8067 OPTIONAL FORM 336 (4-86)

Sponsored by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.110

Sol: 47QMCA21R0008 Award: [To Be Determined]

1) PROVIDE PRESENTATION SLIDES AND RECORDING FROM PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

HELD ON AUGUST 25, 2021

See attached for presentation slides. The Pre-Proposal Conference recording can be found at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eKTji_F95g_KV3XSL9hHEQntEKcGZlZ2/view

2) PROVIDE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AS SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THE RFP

**Please note: additional information is provided below from what was stated during the Pre- Proposal Conference; please read all responses below even if you were in attendance at the Conference.

Q1: What should contractors do if they do not have all the specifications and information for the next model year of a particular vehicle at the time of an open season?

A1: If most specifications and pricing information is known, contractors may enter TBD for any pending details and work with the contracting team and GSA Engineering to provide the missing information after the open season closing date. If pricing is not known by the time that the open season closes, contractors should wait until the next open season period for that particular line item. There will be two

(2) open seasons per fiscal year (please see Section 5 of this Amendment below), to afford contractors the flexibility to provide vehicle updates according to differing production schedules.

Q2: Will 888E proposals also be submitted through FedConnect?

A2: For contractors with awarded contracts seeking to add an emerging technology vehicle via 888E, the 888E proposal template must be submitted through FedConnect by sending a secure message to the contracting team with the completed 888E proposal attached. For new offerors who do not have an awarded contract, the submission must be sent via email to Arielle Alman at arielle.alman@gsa.gov with a CC to ontheroad@gsa.gov.

Q3: Please confirm 888E vehicles are not subject to the Statutory Price Limitation.

A3: That is correct that 888E submissions should be exempt from the Statutory Price Limitation. Per the statute: “the limits set forth in this section shall not apply to any vehicle that is a commercial item and which operates on alternative fuel, including but not limited to electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.”

Q4: What should contractors enter into the Engine and Fuel Tab fields in AutoBid if the emissions and fuel efficiency figures for a particular vehicle or option are not yet known?

A4: Please enter “0” for any unknown emissions or fuel efficiency figures at the time of AutoBid entry, and work with the Alternative Fuel Vehicles team to update any missing data after contract award. Please also indicate on the Technical Exceptions Worksheet (TEW) if there is a Certificate of Conformity available for any impacted vehicles.

Q5: In AutoChoice, will customers see the base vehicle price as well as the final configured price with optional equipment included?

A5: Yes, customers will see a complete pricing breakdown for each vehicle, including the base vehicle price and all optional equipment pricing as selected, along with any collisions requiring the addition or removal of any options.

Q6: Can offerors propose additional options that are not listed or available in AutoBid for a particular line item?

A6: If an offeror would like to propose new optional equipment not currently available under a particular line item in AutoBid, please enter it on the Technical Exceptions Worksheet along with the line item and description or any additional specifications. GSA Engineering will make a determination as to whether https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eKTji_F95g_KV3XSL9hHEQntEKcGZlZ2/view mailto:arielle.alman@gsa.gov mailto:ontheroad@gsa.gov the option should be made available for that line item, and if approved it will be added for bidding during negotiations or consideration after contract award.

Q7: Law-enforcement upfit (LU) options are tied to base vehicle awards, correct?

A7: Yes, LU packages are treated as optional equipment and require a base vehicle award for the applicable line item.

Q8: Can law-enforcement upfit (LU) options be proposed on 888E models?

A8: Yes, offerors can propose LU options to accompany models submitted under 888E. Please identify the LU package being proposed on the 888E submission template (see RFP Attachment L), and provide a completed LU purchase description and LU quote worksheet identifying the SIN and any technical exceptions or other specifications (see RFP attachments G01-G13 and R1-R3). GSA Engineering will make a determination as to whether the LU option is technically acceptable for the proposed 888E vehicle.

Q9: Will upcoming GSA systems modernization efforts impact ordering in AutoChoice and compatibility with contractor systems, and what is the timeline for these changes?

A9: Questions relating to GSA systems modernization and contractor systems should be directed to Jessica Huff at jessica.huff@gsa.gov, who will be holding workshops with existing contractors to discuss this effort in the coming weeks.

Q10: Are the quantities listed in Attachment I – Estimated Quantities for fiscal year 2022, or for the full 60-month period of performance?

A10: The quantities listed in Attachment I are a projection for FY22 only; quantity projections for FY23 and beyond will be provided to all contractors and interested parties during each subsequent fiscal year.

Please keep in mind these are estimates only and do not represent a guarantee of orders to be placed.

Q11: Additional information provided regarding line items subject to Statutory Price Limitations: 41 CFR 101-26.501 governs the application of additional systems and equipment (AS&E) in the context of the statutory price limitations:

§ 101-26.501 Purchase of new motor vehicles.

(a) It shall be the policy to procure commercially available motor vehicles, unless other vehicles are specifically required.

(b) New sedans, station wagons, and light trucks (other than those to be used for law enforcement or where other than standard vehicles are required) shall be procured as follows: Sedans, class IB-subcompact or II-compact; station wagons, class I-subcompact or class II compact vehicles, as described in Federal standard No. 122; and light trucks as defined in Federal standard Nos. 292 and 307. (Federal standard Nos. 122, 292, and 307 as used in this section mean the latest editions.)

Requisitions submitted to GSA for motor vehicles shall be in conformance with the requirements of subpart 101-38.1.

(1) Standard passenger vehicles as defined in Federal standard No. 122 are considered to be completely equipped for ordinary operation and are subject to the maximum statutory price limitation.

(2) Items (vehicles) included in Federal standard No. 122 other than those listed as standard (basic units) are considered to be equipped with additional systems and equipment for passenger vehicles.

(c) Requisitions submitted to GSA for the acquisition of new passenger vehicles and light trucks under 8500 GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) shall be in conformance with Pub. L. 94-163 and Executive Order 12375.

(d) New trucks and buses shall be requisitioned in accordance with the provisions of this § 101-26.501 and the following:

(1) Light trucks shall be in accordance with Federal standard Nos. 292 and 307; and

(2) Medium and heavy trucks and buses, when not procured from standardized buying programs, mailto:jessica.huff@gsa.gov https://www.congress.gov/public-laws/94th-congress#163 shall be in accordance with the latest editions of Federal standard No. 794, Federal specification Nos.

KKK-T-2107, 2108, 2109, 2110, 2111, and Federal specification No. KKK-B-1579. Standardized buying programs shall be based on these specifications as appropriate.

(e) Selection of additional systems or equipment in new vehicles shall be made by the requiring agency and shall be based on the need to provide for overall safety, efficiency, economy, and suitability of the vehicle for the purposes intended pursuant to § 101-38.104-2.

(1) The essentiality of such systems or equipment shall be weighed against the economic factors involved, the potential benefits to be derived therefrom, and the impact on the fuel consumption characteristics of the vehicle.

(2) Additional systems or equipment requested to be purchased by GSA will be construed to have been determined essential for the effective operation of the vehicle involved by the agency head or a designee. When systems or equipment other than those listed in Federal standards are requested, these systems or equipment shall be considered and treated as deviations under § 101- 26.501-4(b).

GSA has interpreted this language to mean any equipment on the base vehicle above what is “completely equipped for ordinary operation” is considered to be additional systems and equipment (AS&E). Optional equipment and destination charges are not factored into this calculation. As an example, equipment necessary for ordinary operation would be the vehicle frame, body, wheels, engine, transmission, doors, electrical systems, etc. Additional systems and equipment (AS&E) could cover such things as power windows, radio equipment, backup camera, spare tire, etc. Such additional systems and equipment (AS&E) may be included in the Government’s minimum requirements, but are not necessary for the “ordinary operation” of a passenger motor vehicle. As such, vendors may assign a dollar value to AS&E for the base vehicle in AutoBid for GSA to consider in determinations of statutory price limitations compliance.

In order to make this compliance determination, GSA uses the following formula:

Offered price - (destination charges + AS&E figures) = SPL calculation (The SPL calculation must be at/below the applicable statutory price limitation)

The following chart lists a few examples of fictional SPL calculations:

Line Offeror Model Unit Price Destination AS&E

SPL

Calculation SPL Within SPL?

10B.1 Offeror A Model A $25,000 $895 $4,500 $19,605 $19,947 Yes; with

AS&E

17.1 Offeror A Model B $29,000 $895 $2,000 $26,105 $27,197

Yes; with

AS&E

7.1 Offeror A Model C $17,000 $895 $1 $16,104 $19,947

Yes; without

AS&E

9P.1 Offeror A Model D $25,000 $875 $1 $24,124 $19,947 N/A*

8C.1 Offeror A Model E $24,000 $975 $16,000 $7,025 $19,947 Yes; with

AS&E**

9C.1 Offeror A Model F $25,000 $975 $3,000 $21,025 $19,947 No

Line Item 10B.1 would be considered compliant, factoring in destination charges and AS&E.

Line Item 17.1 would be considered compliant, factoring in destination charges, AS&E, and the higher police-type vehicle limitation.

Line Item 7.1 would be considered compliant without factoring destination and AS&E charges (offered price already below the stated limitation).

Line Item 9P.1 would be considered compliant because SPL does not apply to any vehicle that is a commercial item and which operates on alternative fuel, including but not limited to electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Line Item 8C.1 would be compliant on the surface, but the SPL calculation is so low as to require additional clarification from the offeror (it is unlikely that AS&E would be over twice as much as the SPL calculated price). Line Item 9C.1 would not be compliant, even when factoring in destination charges and AS&E.

GSA does not require vendors to indicate what equipment is included in its AS&E pricing with offers, but offerors should maintain this information in the event of an audit.

3) REVISE RFP SECTION A.2 – ACQUISITION DETAILS TO CORRECT THE DEFINED PERIOD OF

PERFORMANCE

FROM:

A.2 ACQUISITION DETAILS

FSC GROUP: 2310 and 2320 PRODUCT: Passenger Motor Vehicles And Trucks & Truck Tractors Wheeled

NAICS: 336111

PERIOD: The period of performance is a base period of sixty (60) months from November 1, 2021 (or the date of contract award, whichever is later), through October 31, 2026, with no option periods

TO:

A.2 ACQUISITION DETAILS

FSC GROUP: 2310 and 2320 PRODUCT: Passenger Motor Vehicles And Trucks & Truck Tractors Wheeled

NAICS: 336111

PERIOD: The period of performance is a base period of sixty (60) months from the date of initial contract awards, with no option periods.

4) REVISE RFP SECTION D.2 – 52.216-18 ORDERING (AUG 2020) TO CORRECT THE DEFINED

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

FROM:

D.2 52.216-18 ORDERING (AUG 2020)

(a) Any supplies and services to be furnished under this contract shall be ordered by issuance of delivery orders or task orders by the individuals or activities designated in the Schedule. Such orders may be issued from November 1, 2021 (or date of contract award, whichever is later) through October 31, 2026.

(b) All delivery orders or task orders are subject to the terms and conditions of this contract. In the event of conflict between a delivery order or task order and this contract, the contract shall control.

(c) A delivery order or task order is considered "issued" when—

(1) If sent by mail (includes transmittal by U.S. mail or private delivery service), the

Government deposits the order in the mail;

(2) If sent by fax, the Government transmits the order to the Contractor's fax number; or

(3) If sent electronically, the Government either—

(i) Posts a copy of the delivery order or task order to a Government document access system, and notice is sent to the Contractor; or

(ii) Distributes the delivery order or task order via email to the Contractor's email address.

(d) Orders may be issued by methods other than those enumerated in this clause only if authorized in the contract.

D.2 52.216-18 ORDERING (AUG 2020)

(a) Any supplies and services to be furnished under this contract shall be ordered by issuance of delivery orders or task orders by the individuals or activities designated in the Schedule. Such orders may be issued from November 1, 2021 (or date of contract award, whichever is later) through October 31, 2026 the date of contract award through the end of the sixty-month period of performance.

(b) All delivery orders or task orders are subject to the terms and conditions of this contract. In the event of conflict between a delivery order or task order and this contract, the contract shall control.

(c) A delivery order or task order is considered "issued" when—

(1) If sent by mail (includes transmittal by U.S. mail or private delivery service), the

Government deposits the order in the mail;

(2) If sent by fax, the Government transmits the order to the Contractor's fax number; or

(3) If sent electronically, the Government either—

(i) Posts a copy of the delivery order or task order to a Government document access system, and notice is sent to the Contractor; or

(ii) Distributes the delivery order or task order via email to the Contractor's email address.

(d) Orders may be issued by methods other than those enumerated in this clause only if authorized in the contract.

5) REVISE RFP SECTION C.17 – OPEN SEASON PERIODS TO PROVIDE FOR TWO (2) OPEN

SEASON PERIODS PER FISCAL YEAR AND TO CORRECT THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END

DATE FOR ANY NEW CONTRACT AWARDS

FROM:

C.17 OPEN SEASON PERIODS

The Government desires the flexibility to order vehicles defined in this contract without interruption during the period of contract performance. Recognizing that the sixty-month period of performance will span several model year changeovers, as well as vehicle line discontinuations and new introductions, and other changes in the commercial automotive market, in order to mitigate the adverse impact on customer agencies GSA will establish one (1) “open season” period each fiscal year for existing contractors to update their line item offerings and to on-board new offerors. The open season period is intended to bridge contractor performance gaps to facilitate an uninterrupted supply of vehicles to GSA. Allowing existing contractors to update their line item offerings, and providing for the on-boarding of new offerors during the contract period, offers GSA the flexibility to keep pace with changes in the commercial marketplace and continue to provide the widest possible array of models to meet customer agencies’ evolving fleet needs.

Throughout the life of the contract, GSA will establish one (1) open season period per fiscal year. The open season will be announced by GSA via special notice under this solicitation in SAM.gov as well as by notification to successful offerors. The AutoStandards system will open to allow suppliers to update vehicle specifications and to aid in establishing the Federal Vehicle Standards for the upcoming fiscal year. Following completion of the AutoStandards process, and publication of the new Federal Standards, GSA will open AutoBid for open season submissions, according to the following procedures:

A. EXISTING CONTRACTORS:

During the open season period, existing contractors with awarded contracts under this program may:

- Update the model year**, pricing, base vehicle minimum data, optional equipment availability/pricing/collisions, clarifications, and engine and fuel tab data for existing awarded line items;

and/or

- Propose new models not previously awarded under the contract, for which there is an existing Federal Standard vehicle category and which conform to all GSA standards and regulations that pertain to the Government’s motor vehicle requirements.

**Note: the open season process will replace the previous Next Model Year (NMY) process for awarded line items.

Contractors with existing contracts will automatically be provided with AutoStandards accounts for each new fiscal year. For all awarded line items, existing contractors are required to update any revised base vehicle and optional equipment data during AutoStandards each year. For any new models not previously awarded, contractors must submit a request to GSA Engineering to add these models prior to the opening date for AutoStandards; instructions for submitting requests for new models will be disseminated when the dates for AutoStandards are announced via SAM.gov. For newly-proposed models, contractors should propose the SIN they believe is the best fit for the proposed vehicle and GSA Engineering will determine if the SIN designation is acceptable.

Once AutoStandards is complete and the Federal Vehicle Standards for the upcoming year are published, existing contractors will be provided with AutoBid accounts, and AutoBid will be opened for contractors to input all pricing information, optional equipment availability, collisions, clarifications, and fuel economy/emissions data. The closing date for AutoBid will be communicated to all contractors and interested parties. Any exceptions to the published Federal Standards must be entered on a Technical Exceptions Worksheet (see Attachment E2) and submitted to GSA via FedConnect.

All open season submissions for existing contractors, whether updates to existing line items or new model proposals, will be evaluated for technical acceptability in meeting or exceeding all requirements under the established Federal Standards for that fiscal year for the applicable standard item number (SIN), as well as for fair and reasonable pricing. Any proposed price increases to awarded line items must be fully substantiated with supporting information (see Attachment M – NMY Cut-off Date & Pricing Template) submitted to GSA via FedConnect.

For existing line items updating to the next model year, contractors may not offer the current and new model year offerings simultaneously; contractors must designate the date on which current model year ordering will close, as well as the date on which NMY ordering will open (via the NMY Cut-off Date & Pricing Template in Attachment M). Any changes to production availability (e.g. extension of previous model year production) must be brought to the attention of the contracting officer prior to the NMY effective date. Once GSA has switched a vehicle line to the next model year, it will remain in the new model year; any orders placed after NMY switch-over must be filled as NMY models, regardless of change in production schedule. For any changes to production availability after the NMY effective date, GSA will consider a revision to the base vehicle shipment time to accommodate the contractor’s updated production availability for the new model year.

Contractors should update engine and fuel tab specifications for any NMY line items in their open season submissions. Lack of updated fuel economy and emissions data will NOT prevent a line item from opening for NMY; however, for any NMY vehicle which does not have published fuel economy data at the time of open date, GSA will denote risks associated with buying vehicles with unpublished fuel economy data in the clarifications tab, viewable to customers in AutoChoice. GSA reserves the right to keep closed any line item for which emissions and fuel economy data is unduly delayed.

Final approval of an open season submission will be communicated to the contractor in the form of a contract modification. This document is the contractor’s authorization to proceed with the agreed-upon terms and conditions and must be received by the contractor in writing as a contract modification. No other means of communication is binding and the sole authority to issue a modification is through the GSA Contracting Officer.

B. NEW OFFERORS:

In addition to the above, new offerors not currently under contract may submit proposals during the open season periods for new models not then on contract with any contractor, or for the next model year for existing models (proposals for awarded models of the same model year will not be accepted; e.g. if an MY22 Hyundai Accent is already under contract under SIN 7, a new SIN 7 MY22 Hyundai Accent will not be considered, however a MY23 Hyundai Accent will be considered from any offeror). When an open season period is announced via SAM.gov, potential new offerors must request an AutoBid account prior to the opening date for AutoBid (a Request for AutoBid Account form will be provided with the special notice on SAM.gov). This form must identify all models the offeror intends to bid on, including new and/or existing models. New offerors will then be required to enter all base vehicle and optional equipment data for these models during the AutoStandards period.

As with existing contractors, new offerors who requested AutoStandards accounts will be provided with AutoBid accounts once AutoStandards is complete and the Federal Vehicle Standards for the upcoming year are published. New offerors must enter all pricing information, optional equipment availability, collisions, clarifications, and fuel economy/emissions data for their proposed models during the AutoBid period. The closing date for AutoBid will be communicated to all new offerors and interested parties. Any exceptions to the published Federal Standards must be submitted to GSA via a Technical Exceptions Worksheet (see Attachment E2).

In addition to the AutoBid submission described above, new offerors will be required to submit full administrative and technical proposals following all instructions as specified in Section F of this solicitation. The due date for these administrative and technical submissions will be the closing date for AutoBid. These proposals will be evaluated exactly as all proposals under this solicitation are, in accordance with the evaluation procedures outlined in Sections G.1 and G.2 as well as the approved Source Selection Plan. If any technical proposal revisions or pricing discussions are required, the Government will open discussions with new offerors and request Final Proposal Revisions, as well as communicate the deadline for any proposal revisions to be received. Any new contract award resulting from this process at any point during the 60-month period of performance will have the same end date for performance as all other contracts under this solicitation (October 31, 2026).

If one or more proposals are received for the same model and model year, from new offerors and/or existing contractors, the same lowest-price, technically acceptable (LPTA) evaluation process will be conducted at the base vehicle level per model as at the time of initial contract award (see Section G.4):

the successful offeror for each model will be the lowest-price, technically acceptable, responsible offeror who meets the Government’s requirements, and whose pricing has been determined to be fair and reasonable by the Contracting Officer.

GSA continues to seek the lowest price for its customers. In order to achieve this goal, GSA will seek price reductions in accordance with its market research, benchmarking, potential customer market volume, and other economic data during the open season periods.

C.17 OPEN SEASON PERIODS

The Government desires the flexibility to order vehicles defined in this contract without interruption during the period of contract performance. Recognizing that the sixty-month period of performance will span several model year changeovers, as well as vehicle line discontinuations and new introductions, and other changes in the commercial automotive market, in order to mitigate the adverse impact on customer agencies GSA will establish one two (12) “open season” periods each fiscal year for existing contractors to update their line item offerings and to on-board new offerors. The open season periods is are intended to bridge contractor performance gaps to facilitate an uninterrupted supply of vehicles to GSA. Allowing existing contractors to update their line item offerings, and providing for the on-boarding of new offerors during the contract period, offers GSA the flexibility to keep pace with changes in the commercial marketplace and continue to provide the widest possible array of models to meet customer agencies’ evolving fleet needs.

Throughout the life of the contract, GSA will establish one two (12) open season periods per fiscal year.

The open season will be announced by GSA via special notice under this solicitation in SAM.gov as well as by notification to successful offerors. The AutoStandards system will open to allow suppliers to update vehicle specifications and to aid in establishing the Federal Vehicle Standards for the upcoming fiscal year. Following completion of the AutoStandards process, and publication of the new Federal Standards, GSA will open AutoBid for open season submissions, according to the following procedures:

A. EXISTING CONTRACTORS:

During the open season periods, existing contractors with awarded contracts under this program may:

- Update the model year**, pricing, base vehicle minimum data, optional equipment availability/pricing/collisions, clarifications, and engine and fuel tab data for existing awarded line items;

and/or

- Propose new models not previously awarded under the contract, for which there is an existing Federal Standard vehicle category and which conform to all GSA standards and regulations that pertain to the Government’s motor vehicle requirements.

**Note: the open season process will replace the previous Next Model Year (NMY) process for awarded line items.

Contractors with existing contracts will automatically be provided with AutoStandards accounts for each new fiscal year. For all awarded line items, existing contractors are required to update any revised base vehicle and optional equipment data during AutoStandards each year. For any new models not previously awarded, contractors must submit a request to GSA Engineering to add these models prior to the opening date for AutoStandards; instructions for submitting requests for new models will be disseminated when the dates for AutoStandards are announced via SAM.gov. For newly-proposed models, contractors should propose the SIN they believe is the best fit for the proposed vehicle and GSA Engineering will determine if the SIN designation is acceptable.

Once AutoStandards is complete and the Federal Vehicle Standards for the upcoming year are published, existing contractors will be provided with AutoBid accounts, and AutoBid will be opened for contractors to input all pricing information, optional equipment availability, collisions, clarifications, and fuel economy/emissions data. The closing date for AutoBid will be communicated to all contractors and interested parties. Any exceptions to the published Federal Standards must be entered on a Technical Exceptions Worksheet (see Attachment E2) and submitted to GSA via FedConnect.

All open season submissions for existing contractors, whether updates to existing line items or new model proposals, will be evaluated for technical acceptability in meeting or exceeding all requirements under the established Federal Standards for that fiscal year for the applicable standard item number (SIN), as well as for fair and reasonable pricing. Any proposed price increases to awarded line items must be fully substantiated with supporting information (see Attachment M – NMY Cut-off Date & Pricing Template) submitted to GSA via FedConnect.

For existing line items updating to the next model year, contractors may not offer the current and new model year offerings simultaneously; contractors must designate the date on which current model year ordering will close, as well as the date on which NMY ordering will open (via the NMY Cut-off Date & Pricing Template in Attachment M). Any changes to production availability (e.g. extension of previous model year production) must be brought to the attention of the contracting officer prior to the NMY effective date. Once GSA has switched a vehicle line to the next model year, it will remain in the new model year; any orders placed after NMY switch-over must be filled as NMY models, regardless of change in production schedule. For any changes to production availability after the NMY effective date, GSA will consider a revision to the base vehicle shipment time to accommodate the contractor’s updated production availability for the new model year.

Contractors should update engine and fuel tab specifications for any NMY line items in their open season submissions. Lack of updated fuel economy and emissions data will NOT prevent a line item from opening for NMY; however, for any NMY vehicle which does not have published fuel economy data at the time of open date, GSA will denote risks associated with buying vehicles with unpublished fuel economy data in the clarifications tab, viewable to customers in AutoChoice. GSA reserves the right to keep closed any line item for which emissions and fuel economy data is unduly delayed.

Final approval of an open season submission will be communicated to the contractor in the form of a contract modification. This document is the contractor’s authorization to proceed with the agreed-upon terms and conditions and must be received by the contractor in writing as a contract modification. No other means of communication is binding and the sole authority to issue a modification is through the GSA Contracting Officer.

B. NEW OFFERORS:

In addition to the above, new offerors not currently under contract may submit proposals during the open season periods for new models not then on contract with any contractor, or for the next model year for existing models (proposals for awarded models of the same model year will not be accepted; e.g. if an MY22 Hyundai Accent is already under contract under SIN 7, a new SIN 7 MY22 Hyundai Accent will not be considered, however a MY23 Hyundai Accent will be considered from any offeror). When an open season period is announced via SAM.gov, potential new offerors must request an AutoBid account prior to the opening date for AutoBid (a Request for AutoBid Account form will be provided with the special notice on SAM.gov). This form must identify all models the offeror intends to bid on, including new and/or existing models. New offerors will then be required to enter all base vehicle and optional equipment data for these models during the AutoStandards period.

As with existing contractors, new offerors who requested AutoStandards accounts will be provided with AutoBid accounts once AutoStandards is complete and the Federal Vehicle Standards for the upcoming year are published. New offerors must enter all pricing information, optional equipment availability, collisions, clarifications, and fuel economy/emissions data for their proposed models during the AutoBid period. The closing date for AutoBid will be communicated to all new offerors and interested parties. Any exceptions to the published Federal Standards must be submitted to GSA via a Technical Exceptions Worksheet (see Attachment E2).

In addition to the AutoBid submission described above, new offerors will be required to submit full administrative and technical proposals following all instructions as specified in Section F of this solicitation. The due date for these administrative and technical submissions will be the closing date for AutoBid. These proposals will be evaluated exactly as all proposals under this solicitation are, in accordance with the evaluation procedures outlined in Sections G.1 and G.2 as well as the approved Source Selection Plan. If any technical proposal revisions or pricing discussions are required, the Government will open discussions with new offerors and request Final Proposal Revisions, as well as communicate the deadline for any proposal revisions to be received. Any new contract award resulting from this process at any point during the 60-month period of performance will have the same end date for performance as all other contracts under this solicitation (October 31, 2026).

If one or more proposals are received for the same model and model year, from new offerors and/or existing contractors, the same lowest-price, technically acceptable (LPTA) evaluation process will be conducted at the base vehicle level per model as at the time of initial contract award (see Section G.4):

the successful offeror for each model will be the lowest-price, technically acceptable, responsible offeror who meets the Government’s requirements, and whose pricing has been determined to be fair and reasonable by the Contracting Officer.

GSA continues to seek the lowest price for its customers. In order to achieve this goal, GSA will seek price reductions in accordance with its market research, benchmarking, potential customer market volume, and other economic data during the open season periods.