Questions and Responses to FMCSA FIELD UNIFORMS Solicitation Questions .pdf

REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ) 693JJ420Q000008

Uniform Program for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Office of Field Operations (MC-F)

OFFEROR SOLICITATION QUESTIONS

Offeror Question 1: How many employees will be ordering clothing items, and will they have an allowance?

Government Response 1: The PWS Objective #9 quantifies the scale:

The system must be large enough to handle a minimum of 800 individual FMCSA Field personnel accounts and an estimation of 200 authorized ship-to addresses.

The government estimates the following yearly allowances:

• 200 Employees with $500 Allowances

• 250 Employees with $200 Allowances

• 70 Employees with New Clothing Allotments

Offeror Question 2: Will each member pay for items ordered, or will there be one mass order to cover all, then each member and new hires are on their own to purchase after the first year, but would get reimbursed. And will members be able to order outside the items lists, but have the DOT pay for it?

We stock all uniform items here, do all the sewing and alteration, ordering and shipping from our store.

Also do you have any past qtys ordered, to give me an idea of how many of each items where ordered???

Government Response 2: PWS Objective #9 details how orders are placed and will answer the ordering questions.

Orders are primarily allowance based so individual item quantities vary.

The government estimates the following yearly allowances:

• 200 Employees with $500 Allowances

• 250 Employees with $200 Allowances

• 70 Employees with New Clothing Allotments

Offeror Question 3: Will we have to buy the existing contractors inventory for the transition? or we start fresh?

Government Response 3: No. The new contractor will not buy any existing inventory.

Offeror Question 4: Will you please explain what you are requiring regarding samples at the time the RFQ is due? There is mention of pre-production samples under the Technical Approach which are to be evaluated and then later in the RFQ, there is mention of first article samples which are due after award. Are you requiring to receive samples of every item at the time the RFQ is due? Or are you looking for the manufacturer specification sheets at the time that the RFQ is due? If you would like physical samples at the time that the RFQ is due, will you please provide the contact and address for the physical samples?

Government Response 4: At the time of the RFQ, individual products must be clearly identified and manufacturer specification sheets must be provided.

Offeror Question 5: Under the Uniforms Specifications, for Item numbers 0023-0028 & 0030-0032, when you request a brand name (5.11) or equivalent, can we submit 2 options, both the brand name and the equivalent? If we cannot offer the 2 options, the specifications will be equivalent, but FMCSA may prefer the brand name. Can you please advise as to which option would be to our benefit to offer? There may be a significant difference in price and inventory conditions vs. employee preference.

Government Response 5: FMCSA would prefer to have both options (brand name and equivalent).

Offeror Question 6: Will you please define what ODC represents? Listed under Volume II – Price Quote, Item b.

Government Response 6: ODC represents Other Direct Costs. The government does not expect to incur ODC as part of routine operations within this BPA. The RFQ has been updated to reflect this clarification.

Offeror Question 7: What are the style numbers being used in the current contract?

Government Response 7: Please refer to the Uniforms Specifications List.

Offeror Question 8: What company has the current contract?

Government Response 8: Unitec Distribution

Offeror Question 9: The RFQ mentions not allowing open market products. Is mandatory that all products be in the GSA contract of the bidder? This is the most importance to be able to bid. 511 has a limited of business that they allow in GSA.

Government Response 9: Items that are not available on the GSA contract of the offeror may be obtained on the Open Market. The RFQ has been updated to reflect this clarification. The Parts List spreadsheet has been updated to include a column for the

Offeror to indicate the source of each line item (Open Market or GSA Schedule).

Offeror Question 10: Who covers the RA return shipping items and the replacement cost of shipping?

Government Response 10: Return shipping will be paid by the government.

Offeror Question 11: How many working days are allowed for shipping an order?

Government Response 11: The performance metric for shipping is described in the

PWS, Section H. # 1.

Offeror Question 12: Our customer service phone hours can be modified from the RFQ request?

Government Response 12: Customer service requirements are described in the

PWS, Objectives #10 and #12.

Offeror Question 13: Will the contractor be required to have a line of all the sizes for all the products on site for employees to be measured? Or/and will be expected that the contractor performs onsite measurements?

Government Response 13: Onsite measurement is not required.