RFQ_19_A_2026ed1.pdf

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Attached to: eBuy Pilot Wiping Rags Federal contract opportunity
Solicitation number: 47QSWBZ6192026
Issued by: GSA Federal Acquisition Service

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RFQ 47QSWB-Z6-19-A-2026-BPA

REQUEST FOR QUOTATION

(THIS IS NOT AN ORDER)

THIS RFQ IS IS NOT A SMALL BUSINESS-SMALL PURCHASE SET-ASIDE (52.219-6)

PAGE OF PAGES

1 | 32

1. REQUEST NO.

47QSWB-Z6-19-A-2026-BPA

2. DATE ISSUED

December 11, 2018

3. REQUISITION/PURCHASE

REQUEST NO. SEE BELOW

4. CERT. FOR NAT. DEF. UNDER BDSA

REG. 2 ➢ AND/OR DMS REG. 1

RATING

General Services Administration

Southwest Supply & Acquisition Center (7QSBPA-Z6)

819 Taylor Street, Room 7A37

Fort Worth, TX 76102-6105

7 days ARO

5B. FOR INFORMATION CALL: (NO COLLECT CALLS) 7. DELIVERY

NAME TELEPHONE NUMBER/EMAIL FOB DESTINATION OTHER

(SEE SCHEDULE OF ITEMS)

Sharita Sheppard, Contract Specialist sharita.sheppard@gsa.gov

AREA CODE

NUMBER

850.5515

9. DESTINATION

TO BE SHOWN ON EACH ORDER ISSUED AGAINST

RESULTING BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

8. TO:

a. NAME OF CONSIGNEE

a. NAME b. COMPANY

b. STREET ADDRESS

c. STREET

c. CITY

d. CITY

e. STATE

f. ZIP

d. STATE

e. ZIP

10. PLEASE FURNISH QUOTATIONS TO

THE ISSUING OFFICE IN BLOCK 5A ON

OR BEFORE CLOSE OF BUSINESS (Date)

December 18, 2018

2:00 PM Central

IMPORTANT: This is a request for information, and quotations furnished are not offers. If you are unable to quote, please so indicate on this form and return it to the address in Block 5A. This request does not commit the

Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the submission of this quotation or to contract for supplies or service. Supplies are of domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter. Any representations and/or certifications attached to this Request for Quotations must be completed by the quoter.

11. SCHEDULE (Include applicable Federal, State and local taxes)

ITEM NO.

(a)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(b)

QUANTITY

(c)

UNIT

(d)

UNIT PRICE

(e)

AMOUNT

(f)

THIS REQUEST FOR QUOTATION, IF ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT, WILL RESULT IN ONE SINGLE-AWARD BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (BPA) BEING ESTABLISHED AGAINST YOUR FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE 73, SPECIAL ITEM NUMBER (SIN) 375 200 MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE (MAS) CONTRACT, WITH APPLICABLE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

A. The period covered by the BPA(s) will begin at the date of award through the expiration date of your MAS contract, not to exceed a one-year base period with four, one-year option periods. The estimated quantities for the BPA(s) are indicated on page 4 of this RFQ. However, since demand can fluctuate significantly up or down due to market conditions, the agreement will be awarded as not to exceed $5.5 million over the period of performance mentioned above. There is no guaranteed minimum number of orders or quantities under the agreement and it is possible that orders and quantities could be significantly less than estimated. The BPA will be reviewed at least once a year prior to exercising an option.

B. The Estimated Total Quantities listed in the Schedule of Items were retrieved from historical data, and represent NO

GUARANTEE to the volume of purchases to be placed under any resulting BPA.

C. You may NOT submit pricing higher than your approved MAS contract price. See page(s) 24-25 for evaluation factors for award. The items being procured must be approved for your MAS contract by the time established for receipt of quotes;

otherwise the quote will be determined noncompliant and rejected in its entirety.

(Continued on Page 2) SIGNED DOCUMENTS INCLUSIVE OF ALL CLAUSES ARE REQUIRED FOR AWARD. FAX will NOT be accepted.

All responsible sources may submit a quotation, which if timely received, shall be considered by the agency.

12. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT ➢ a. 10 CALENDAR DAYS b. 20 CALENDAR DAYS c. 30 CALENDAR DAYS d. CALENDAR DAYS

% % % NUMBER PERCENTAGE

NOTE: Additional provisions and representations are are not attached.

13. NAME AND ADDRESS OF QUOTER 14. SIGNATURE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO 15. DATE OF QUOTATION

a. NAME OF QUOTER SIGN QUOTATION

b. STREET ADDRESS 16. SIGNER

a. NAME (Type or Print) b. TELEPHONE

c. COUNTY PHONE:

d. CITY e. STATE f. ZIP c. TITLE (Type or Print) FAX:

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION STANDARD FORM 18 (Re. 6-95)

Previous edition not usable Prescribed by GSA- FAR (48CFR) 53.215-1(a)

D. The Schedule of Items is to be used in submitting price quote information. Provide the unit price per the unit of issue shown and extend the sum, including freight charges as applicable. See page 4.

E. The item purchase description(s) can be found on page(s) 5-14. It is the quoter’s responsibility to provide only items that fully comply with the specifications of the Item Purchase Description(s).

F. Pursuant to clause M-FSS-301-D, award will be made in the aggregate. In order to qualify for an award prices must be submitted on each NSN listed.

G. This is ONLY a request for pricing. Delivery orders will be issued pursuant to the evaluation of the quotations received. DO

NOT SHIP on this RFQ.

H. Price increases, regarding any subsequent BPA, will be a matter for negotiation.

I. The Government intends to award on initial quotation.

J. The Government will seek price reductions on this BPA in accordance with FAR 8.405-4.

K. Contractor’s past performance will be considered for evaluation. See page(s) 24-25.

L. SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED:

1. FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE PRICE LIST. Provide a copy of your most recent authorized Federal Supply Schedule Price List and Cover Sheet in order for the Government to verify the item is on your MAS Schedule at the time of RFQ closing. Please be sure to identify the item(s) you’re offering within the copy of your price list. (Items must be on your MAS Contract prior to submitting your quote).

2. DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE/DRAWINGS. Clear identification is the sole responsibility of the quoter and descriptive literature for ALL the products being offered is required at the time of quote. The Government will use this descriptive literature as a means of verifying product compliance with the Item Purchase Description(s) (IPDs). Pursuant to FAR 52.211-6 Brand Name of Equal, if you are quoting an “equal” item, your quote must provide sufficient literature identifying the page and paragraph where the information can be found to show compliance with each salient feature. The Government reserves the right to seek additional information/clarification about the descriptive literature being provided.

**FAILURE TO PROVIDE #1 ABOVE MAY CAUSE YOUR QUOTE NOT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR AWARD. FAILURE TO

PROVIDE #2 WILL CAUSE YOUR QUOTE TO BE REJECTED IN ITS ENTIRETY**.

M. Following is how you can obtain specifications:

FED Specs – Copies of these documents are available from the Standardization Document Order Desk, 700 Robbins Avenue, Building 4D, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094 or online at https://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsSearch.aspx. Type the document name in the "Document ID" field or document number in “Document Number” field and hit Search.

MIL Specs - Copies of these documents are available from the Standardization Document Order Desk, 700 Robbins Avenue, Building 4D, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094 or online at https://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsSearch.aspx. Type the document name in the "Document ID" field or document number in “Document Number” field and hit Search.

ANSI Standards - Application for copies of ANSI standards should be addressed to American National Standards Institue,25 West

43rd Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10036. Telephone: 212-642-4900, Fax: 212-398-0023. www.ANSI.org. (ANSI does charge for their services.)

ASTM Standards- Application for copies of ASTM standards should be addressed to ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. Telephone: 610-832-9585, FAX: 610-832-9555. www.astm.org. (ASTM does charge for their services.)

Recycled Material - Information related to the EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) for recovered materials can be found at https://www.epa.gov/smm/comprehensive-procurement-guideline-cpg-program.

Commercial Item Descriptions - https://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsSearch.aspx. Type the document name in the "Document ID" field or document number in “Document Number” field and hit Search.

Biobased/BioPreferred Products - Information related to the USDA’s BioBased and BioPreferred program can be found at can be found at https://www.biopreferred.gov/BioPreferred/.

VOC Products - Information related to the California Air Resources Board Volatile Organic Compounds regulations can be found at https://www.arb.ca.gov/consprod/regs/regs.htm.

DOE Energy Star Products - Information related to the DOE Energy Star products can be found at https://www.energystar.gov/.

Energy-Efficient Products – Information related to Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Energy-Efficient products can be found at https://www4.eere.energy.gov/femp/requirements/laws_and_requirements/energy_star_and_femp_designated_products_procureme nt_requirements.

Water-Efficient Products - Information related to the Water-Efficient Products can be found at https://www4.eere.energy.gov/femp/requirements/laws_and_requirements/energy_star_and_femp_designated_products_procureme nt_requirements.

N. There is no minimum order amount under this Blanket Purchase Agreement.

O. Deliveries to civilian activities: Supplies shall be marked in accordance with Federal Standard 123, edition in effect on the date of issuance of the solicitation.

Deliveries to military activities: Supplies shall be marked in accordance with Military Standard 129, edition in effect on the date of issuance of the solicitation.

P. This BPA can be cancelled by either party with a 30 day written notice.

Q. The awardee will be required to ship direct to APO/FPO addresses (state side addresses will no longer be provided) and to naval ships, when they receive orders that indicate this type of ship to addresses. This is a mandatory requirement.

S. GSA’s Order Management Service (OMS) will process orders utilizing only Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) or Vendor Portal (VP). Facsimile transmitted orders will no longer be an option.

EDI provides for fully electronic processing of all ordering transactions VP provides an internet portal for vendors to retrieve orders and manually input transactional data.

EDI is the preferred business transaction processing method, but vendors with small order volumes and less technical proficiency may use VP for reasons of lower overall costs and/or higher implementation costs for EDI.

Vendors are hereby notified that as of January 26, 2017, all new awardees are required to select either Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) or OMS Vendor Portal (VP) to interface with GSA Global Supply on receiving orders resulting from their award. EDI is the preferred method of order transmission to our vendors but OMS Vendor Portal is an acceptable means of transmission.

Vendors are required to review the instructions regarding enrollment in either one of these systems and processes contained on pages 27-31 of this solicitation/RFQ.

Enrollment in either program is required upon award and must be requested no later than 5 days after receipt of award. Failure to enroll may cause your award to be cancelled or terminated.

T. If supplies shipped are not packaged, packed, and marked in accordance with contract requirements, the Government has the right, without prior notice to the Contractor, to perform the required repackaging/repacking/remarking, by contract or otherwise, and charge the Contractor therefore at the following rates:

First Hour - $150.00 Each Additional Hour - $70.00

A minimum of two hours is required for each incident, making the minimum charge for remarking $220.00

The Contractor may also be charged for material costs, if incurred. This right is not exclusive, and is in addition to other rights or remedies provided for in this contract. The rates above shall be determined and may be periodically updated by the Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service, or a designee."

Signature Date

SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

Use the Schedule of Items below to submit your quoted prices. Quoters who have FOB Destination pricing on their Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract shall provide pricing for each item listed in “TABLE 1”. Quoters who have FOB Origin pricing on their MAS contract shall provide separate pricing for the product and transportation (shipping and handling) costs for each item listed in “TABLE 2”. The total BPA price (one, 12-month base period and four, 12-month option periods) will be considered for award.

Complete only one of the “Tables” listed below based on the delivery terms of your MAS contract.

TABLE 1: For MAS Contracts Awarded with FOB Destination Terms

NAICS Code: 313230 750 Employees

TABLE 2: For MAS Contracts Awarded with FOB Origin Terms

NAICS Code: 313230 750 Employees

* Total unit price for award determination is unit origin price plus the unit transportation costs. Unit transportation costs must be included in the total destination BPA unit price.

Item No.

NSN/Description

Manufacturer’s Name and Part Number Or Equal

Est’d Orders (12- Month)

Est’d Qty.

(12- Month

Unit of Issue

Total Destination BPA Unit Price (Including Freight)

Annual BPA Total (Est’d 12mo Qty

X Total Destination BPA Unit Price)

CONUS

NSN: 7920-00-148-

RAG, WIPING

(COTTON&COTTON

SYN)

IPD Attached

693 8,789 BE

NSN: 7920-00-205-

RAG, WIPING

(COTTON&COTTON

761 9,264 BE

Annual BPA Total (Total of Destination BPA Unit Price X Est. 12-month Qty. for Each Item) $

Total BPA Price (Annual BPA Total X 5 Years) $

Item No.

NSN/Description

Manufacturer’s Name and Part Number Or Equal

Est’d Orders (12- Month)

Est’d Qty.

(12- Month)

Unit of Issue

Per Unit

BPA

Price

Per Unit Shipping

Handling

Total Destinatio n BPA Unit Price

Annual BPA Total

(Est’d 12mo Qty

X Total Destination BPA Unit Price)

NSN: 7920-00-148-

RAG, WIPING

(COTTON&COTTON

693 8,789 BE

NSN: 7920-00-205-

RAG, WIPING

(COTTON&COTTON

761 9,264 BE

Annual BPA Total (Total of Destination BPA Unit Price X Est. 12-month Qty. for Each Item) $

Total BPA Price (Annual BPA Total X 5 Years) $

1. Unit Weight: Unit Cube:

2. Unit Weight: Unit Cube:

All purchase orders are direct delivery shipments to end users throughout the Continental United States

(CONUS).

Provide your MAS Contract Number GS- .

Country of Origin_________________________

MAS Part Number__________________________________

Provide your company’s best destination delivery/origin shipment time after receipt of orders: _____DARO

(NOTE: Delivery/Shipment times faster than 7 DARO will not result in a more/less favorable rating.)

DESCRIPTIONS/SPECIFICATIONS

Item 1:

NSN: 7920-00-148-9666

RAG, WIPING, COTTON AND COTTON-SYNTHETIC: Shall be Mill Wiping P/N 7920001489666, or equal, mixed color,

2.0 TO 7.0 oz/yd2, cotton and cotton-synthetic blended wiping rags made from unused or reclaimed fabrics intended for use in wiping water, oil, and grease from machinery and for miscellaneous cleaning with the following characteristics:

MATERIAL: Wiping rags shall be all cotton or cotton-synthetic blends made from either clean mill ends and mill remnants or reclaimed fabrics from household articles and garments. Rags shall be soft, absorbent, and of either woven or knitted construction. Heavily napped fabrics, mesh fabrics constructed from hard twisted yarns, and starched or stiffened fabrics are not acceptable. Rags made from United States flags, national flags of foreign countries or rags made from fabrics obtained from laboratories, hospitals, clinics or any other source considered to be biohazard waste or remnants thereof are strictly prohibited

Size and measurement. Each wiping rag shall have an area of not less than 200 in2 and shall be not less than 9.0 inches in width and not greater than 44.0 inches in length (see below).

Weight. Wiping rags shall not weigh less than 2.0 oz/yd2 or greater than 7.0 oz/yd2 when tested in accordance with the testing requirements below.

Absorbency rate. All rags shall absorb water and oil within 15.0 seconds when tested in accordance with the testing requirements below.

Moisture Content. Rags shall have moisture content not greater than 7.5 percent when tested in accordance with the testing requirements below.

Washing and sanitization. All rags shall be thoroughly washed, rinsed, and sanitized (see below). The sanitizing process shall include subjecting the rags to temperatures of not less than 180°F (82°C) during washing cycles (see below). This processing shall be performed in the United States, its possessions, or Puerto Rico.

Defective Characteristics. Rags exhibiting any of the following characteristics shall be considered defective:

(a) Rags containing stains which cover more than 10 percent of the area of the rag.

(b) Rags containing an aggregate of more than 1 in2 of hardened surface.

(d) Rags made of mesh fabrics, such as lace, scrim, and netting, except that mesh will be acceptable as a border if not greater than 1.0 inch in depth on an otherwise acceptable rag.

(e) Rags badly worn or tender so as to be unsuitable for the intended purpose (see below).

(f) Tattered parts less than 3.0 inches in width and greater than 6.0 inches in length.

(g) Edges frayed or raveled continuously or intermittently to a depth greater than 2.0 inches.

(h) Rags made from unopened sleeves and pants, shorts, and drawer legs.

(i) Any rags made from United States flags, national flags of foreign countries or biohazard waste, or remnants thereof.

(j) Rags containing buttons, hooks, eyes, pins, or any other metallic or plastic fittings.

(k) Rags containing elastic yarns amounting to more than 5 percent of the area of the rag.

(l) Rags made from fabrics containing crotches, cuff hems, waistbands, pockets, collar reinforcements, weltings, and pipings greater than 0.5 inch in width, and unopened hems greater than 0.5 inch in width are unacceptable, except for rags made from sheets and pillow cases containing hems greater than 4.0 inches in width.

Put up. Any bale weighing less than 49.75 lb or measuring greater than 3.5 ft3 shall be cause for rejection of the lot (see PACKAGING/PACKING below).

Workmanship. The wiping rags shall function for the purpose intended. No defects that affect serviceability shall be permitted.

Responsibility for inspection. Unless otherwise specified in the contract or purchase order, the contractor is responsible for the performance of all inspection requirements as specified herein. Except as otherwise specified in the contract or order, the contractor may utilize his own or any other facilities suitable for the performance of the inspection requirements specified herein, unless disapproved by the Government. The Government reserves the right to perform any of the inspections set forth in the specification where such inspections are deemed necessary to assure that supplies and services conform to prescribed requirements.

Certificate of compliance. When certificates of compliance for test requirements are submitted, the Government reserves the right to inspect such items to determine the validity of the certification. Certificates of compliance shall be accompanied by actual test results dated not more than one year prior to the date of the start of the contract or date of purchase order. The contractor shall provide the name and address of the laundry where the rags have been washed, rinsed, and sanitized if this process is not performed by the contractor.

Sampling. Unless otherwise specified, sampling shall be in accordance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society for Quality Control (ASQC) Z1.4, “Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by Attributes.”

Lot formation. All bales of wiping rags of the same grade and color from the same manufacturer offered for delivery at one time shall be considered a lot for purposes of inspection.

Weight/volume verification. Select 10 bales from the lot and determine the minimum net weight per bale. The average minimum weight of the bales shall be 50 lb. Any single weight determination of less than 49.75 lb shall be cause for rejection of the lot (see above).

Select 5 of the 10 bales and determine the volume of each bale. Any bale measuring greater than 3.5 ft3 (in volume) shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

Sampling for visual and dimensional examination. For the purpose of visual and dimensional inspection, the lot shall be defined as the number of rags submitted for inspection (this shall be the number of bales multiplied by 200, the approximate number of rags per bale). Sampling shall be in accordance with inspection level S-4, AQL 2.5 percent defective for major defects and 4.0 percent defective for minor defects. The sample unit shall be one rag. No more than five rags shall be selected from any one sample bale. Rags shall be selected at random and examined for the defects as listed in Table I. During this examination, if any rag is suspected of not containing cotton by visual examination or by feel, all rags in the sample are to be tested in accordance with the "Identification of cotton" paragraph below. If any rag fails the test in accordance with "Identification of cotton", it shall be classified as a major defect.

TABLE I. Examination for visual and dimensional characteristics.

Defects Classification

Major Minor

One or more rags made from United States flags, national flags of foreign countries, or is found to have been part of biohazard waste or remnants thereof shall cause the entire lot to be rejected.

a. Rags containing no cotton fiber (any amount of linen or flax fiber is acceptable)

b. Dirt, dust, and abrasive material X

c. Rags containing elastic yarns in excess of 5 percent of the area of the rag

d. Objectionable odor X

e. Not of specified dimensions X

f. An aggregate of more than 1.0 in2 of hardened surface X

g. Rags weighing less than or more than the amount specified X

h. Rags made of mesh fabrics, such as lace, scrim, and netting, except that mesh will be acceptable as a border not more than 1 inch in depth on an otherwise acceptable rag

i. Rags made from starched or stiffened fabrics X

j. Rags made from heavy napped fabrics and fabrics woven with hard twisted yarns

k. Stains which cover more than 10 percent of the area of the rag

l. Badly worn or tendered as to be unsuited for the intended purpose

m. Tattered parts less than 3.0 inches in width and greater than

6.0 inches in length

n. Edge frayed or raveled continuously or intermittently to a depth greater than 2.0 inches

o. Unopened sleeves, pants and drawer legs X

p. Buttons, hooks, eyes, closed safety pins, or any other metallic or plastic fittings (one or more)

q. Rags that have not been thoroughly washed, rinsed, and sanitized

r. Rags containing fiber content labels that declare 100 percent synthetic fiber

s. Foreign objects or dangerous materials such as nails, tacks, pins, opened safety pins, needles, glass, sharp edged metal items, etc.

3X*

t. Unopened hems greater than 0.5 inch in width X

u. Rags containing crotches, cuff hems, waistbands, collar reinforcements, pockets, weltings, and pipings greater than 0.5 inch in width which are not sheets.

* Defect is equivalent to three major defects as signified by "3X"

Examination for tenderness. Wiping rags which are in question as to tenderness shall be examined in the following manner:

The rag shall be grasped on opposite edges so that it remains fully opened and flat. There shall be approximately 3 inches of material gathered in each hand. With the arms extended, the rag shall be subjected to a steady outward force. If the rag can be easily separated in this manner, it shall be considered tender.

Testing. Rags shall be tested for characteristics detailed below for each lot of material presented for delivery.

Absorption. The lot size shall be expressed in terms of quantity of rags in the lot, based on 200 rags per bale. The inspection level shall be S-3, AQL 6.5 percent defective. The sample unit shall be one rag. Each sample rag shall be supported so that the area being tested does not contact any surface. One drop of distilled water and one drop of light machine oil (ISO 32 grade lubricating oil), each 0.04 milliliter in volume and 70 ± 2°F, shall be applied separately to applicable sample rags through a capillary tube. The drops shall fall freely onto the rag from a height of approximately 2 inches. The time, from initial contact of the drop with the rag until the drop is completely absorbed by the rag, shall be measured using a stopwatch. The time shall be noted to the nearest 0.1 second. Failure to completely absorb the drop in less than 15.0 seconds shall fail the sample.

Cotton Fiber Content. The lot size shall be expressed in terms of quantity of rags in the lot, based on 200 rags per bale.

The sample unit shall be one rag. The sample rags shall be randomly selected using inspection level S-3, AQL 6.5 percent defective. Rags chosen for the absorbency test may be used. The rags shall be tested in accordance with paragraph to determine the presence of cotton fiber.

Identification of cotton. Oils, waxes, and dirt shall be removed from the specimen by washing in one of the following:

ether, acetone, alcohol, or a 5-percent aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide. Dyes shall be removed using one of the following methods:

(a) By oxidation, using nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, or chlorine water;

(b) By solution, using alcohol, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, or pyridine; or,

After dirt, oils, waxes, and dyes have been removed, place a dozen fibers from the sample onto a slide. The fibers shall be immersed in 3 or 4 drops of Herzberg's stain, covered with a slide (avoiding air bubbles), and allowed to stand 2 minutes with surplus stain drained off. Examine the prepared fibers with a microscope using transmitted light and 100 diameters magnification. Magnification up to 500 diameters may be used if a more detailed examination is necessary. The sample fibers shall be compared with a reference sample which has been treated in the same manner.

The color of cotton (Gossypium species) in the natural state, ranges from white to ecru. The staple length of commercial cottons varies from about 1.24 inch to slightly more than 2 inches. Microscopically, most fibers appear much like a twisted ribbon with rounded edges. They have no longitudinal or cross markings; the lumens vary from very narrow to over 2/3 of the diameter of the fiber. Diameters of the fibers vary from about 9 to 25 microns and average from 16-20 microns. Undyed cotton fibers are stained pink to dark red in color by Herzberg's stain.

As an alternative to the identification method described in paragraph above, ASTM Standard Test Method D 276 may be used to identify cotton fiber content.

Moisture Content. From the inspection sample for weight verification, randomly select 5 rags each from 5 bales (25 rags) with the moisture content to be determined immediately. If testing for moisture content is not possible immediately upon selection, the samples shall be placed in an air tight container or plastic bag and sealed to prevent moisture loss. To determine moisture content, place the rags in a tared air tight container and weigh. This weight minus the tare weight of the container is the original weight of the rags, symbolized below by "Wo". Remove the lid from the container and immediately place the container in an oven which has been preheated to a temperature of 221 - 230°F. After a minimum of 2 hours, remove the container and immediately reseal. Allow to cool. After the container has cooled, reweigh. This weight minus the tare weight of the container is the dry weight of the rags, symbolized below by "Wd". The percentage of moisture present in the samples shall be calculated using the following formula:

Percent Moisture Content = [(Wo - Wd)/Wo] x 100

The moisture content of the samples shall be considered the moisture content of the entire lot. If the moisture content of the sample unit exceeds 7.5 percent, the entire lot shall be rejected.

Cloth weight verification. The lot size shall be in terms of the quantities of rags, based on 200 rags per bale. The inspection level shall be S-3, AQL 2.5 percent defective. The sample rags shall be measured for their mass per unit area as specified by ASTM D 3776. Standard conditioning of samples for weighing shall not be required except in cases of dispute. The results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 oz/yd2. Any rag weighing less than 2.0 oz/yd2 or greater than

7.0 oz/yd2 shall fail.

Examination of preparation for delivery. A random sample of bales shall be selected from each lot for examination for conformance with the preservation, packaging, packing, labeling, and marking required in the contract or order. Samples shall be selected in accordance with inspection level S-2, AQL 6.5, expressed in terms of defects per hundred units. The sample unit shall be one bale.

Mixed Colors. The term "mixed colors" is intended to include rags of any color, including "white" rags, as acceptable.

Sanitization. The term "sanitized" means that the rags have been subjected to temperatures of not less than 180°F during washing cycles.

Size and Measurements. The terms "width" and "length" are defined as follows:

The minimum "width" of a rag shall be the measurement between the two closest opposing points on the perimeter of the rag. The maximum "length" of a rag shall be the distance between the two most distant points along opposing edges of the rag. When rags are nearly rectangular, the longest edge shall be considered the "length".

Tatter. The term "tatter" (see above language and Table I) means a fabric part protruding from the edge of the body of the fabric.

Rinsing Agents. In the process of rinsing rags, use of a wetting agent (surfactant) to increase the absorbency of the rags is permissible provided the rags so treated meet all requirements of this commercial item description and are non-toxic.

Rags made from U.S. flags or other national flags are strictly prohibited. Rags composed of a blue background and white stars, or red and white alternating stripes, and appear to have been a part of a United States Flag are prohibited.

Individual rags must contain cotton fiber.

Rags made from material obtained from hospitals, laboratories, research facilities, etc., which were considered biohazard waste, are prohibited.

Rags containing any kind of hypodermic syringe are prohibited. Discovery of a hypodermic syringe during inspection shall fail the lot.

Unit of issue: BE (Fifty (50) pound bale)

Copies of military standards may be obtained from Standardization Documents Order Desk, Building 4D, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094.

Copies of ASTM standards may be obtained from ASTM, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

PRODUCT CONFORMANCE: The products provided shall meet the salient characteristics of this description, conform to the producer's own specifications, standards, and quality assurance practices and be the same product offered for sale in the commercial market. The Government reserves the right to require proof of such conformance.

MARKING: Marking shall comply with GSAM 552.211.73. Marking of supplies for deliveries to domestic civilian activities shall comply with the latest edition of Federal Standard 123.

Marking of supplies for deliveries to military activities domestic and export locations, including forwarding and container consolidation points (CCPs), shall comply with the latest edition of Military Standard 129. The Military Shipping Label (MSL) must show the “Ship To” address as well as the ultimate consignee (Mark for DoDAAC and address) and the Transportation Control Number (TCN).

(Include special marking when required) Special marking shall include:

1) Lot Batch number.

2) Dates of manufacture.

3) Instructions for use.

DATA SUBMISSION: The safety data sheet (SDS) shall be submitted in accordance with the latest revision of Federal Standard No. 313. One copy of the SDS shall be included inside or affixed to the outside of each transport package. If affixed outside the SDS must be placed in a weather resistant envelope. For each SDS data in all 16 sections of the OSHA HazCom/ GHS standards will be required. Regulated material shall be labeled with an OSHA/GHS compliant label to include the following data: (1) Product identifier, (2) Signal Word, (3) Hazard Statements, (4) Pictograms, (5) Precautionary Statements, and (6) Chemical Manufacturer, Importer, or Other Responsible Party information.

PRIME PACKAGING: Packaging and packing requirements in this item purchase description are unique at the request of the U.S. Navy Supply Systems Command. This item is included in the Navy’s PLASTICS REMOVAL IN MARINE ENVIRONMENT (PRIME) PROGRAM under the U.S. Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 (MPPRCA) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships Treaty (MARPOL) Annex V. Items in the (PRIME) program prohibit the use of plastic packaging, void fill other than Kraft paper, and tape when plastics are defined in ASTM D883-00, “Standard Terminology Related to Plastics”. The package shall be the same as that normally provided by the supplier and the pack shall comply with the rules and regulations applicable to the mode of transportation except that the use of plastic packing materials, void fill other than Kraft paper, and pressure sensitive tapes are prohibited.

PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY: Item(s) packaged and packed for domestic and export shipments to civilian and military activities shall comply with the GSAM provision/Clause 552.211-75 and/or with the latest requirements of ASTM D-3951

Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging; however compliance to the latest edition of ASTM standard D-3951 is mandatory for General Supplies and Services (GSS) contracts. In the event a pallet or skid is used for shipping, the following notice shall apply:

WOOD PACKING MATERIAL: Packaging and packing of supplies using Wood Packaging Material (WPM) on a pallet or skid for export shipments (includes forwarding and container and consolidation points, commercial freight forwarders and third party logistics providers) shall comply with the requirements in provision/Clause GSAM 552.211.89, Non- Manufactured Wood Packaging Material for Export or the applicable requirements in ASTM D-3951 relative to the WPM.

All wood shall be treated and stamped appropriately for export, including the actual pallet or skid, if made of wood.

Item 2:

NSN: 7920-00-205-3570

RAG, WIPING, COTTON AND COTTON-SYNTHETIC: Shall be Mill Wiping P/N 7920002053570, or equal, white only, 2.0 TO 7.0 oz/yd2, cotton and cotton-synthetic blended wiping rags made from unused or reclaimed fabrics intended for use in wiping water, oil, and grease from machinery and for miscellaneous cleaning with the following characteristics:

SIZE AND MEASUREMENT: Each wiping rag shall have an area of not less than 200 in2 and shall be not less than 9.0 inches in width and not greater than 44.0 inches in length (see below).

WEIGHT: Wiping rags shall not weigh less than 2.0 oz/yd2 or greater than 7.0 oz/yd2 when tested in accordance with the testing requirements below.

ABSORBENCY RATE: All rags shall absorb water and oil within 15.0 seconds when tested in accordance with the testing requirements below.

MOISTURE CONTENT: Rags shall have a moisture content not greater than 7.5 percent when tested in accordance with the testing requirements below.

WASHING AND SANITIZATION: All rags shall be thoroughly washed, rinsed, and sanitized (see below). The sanitizing process shall include subjecting the rags to temperatures of not less than 180°F (82°C) during washing cycles (see below).

This processing shall be performed in the United States, its possessions, or Puerto Rico.

DEFECTIVE CHARACTERISTICS: Rags exhibiting any of the following characteristics shall be considered defective: