70B03C20Q00000088 - AMENDMENT TWO - Q_A.pdf

70B03C20Q00000088 – SWB Detainee Meals Multi-Award BPA

AMENDMENT TWO

Questions and Answers Document

1. Q: Our company is a licensed food processor in one of the states under the solicitation. We are interested in using one of our mobile kitchens and establishing a commissary that can service one of the sectors in another state. That state has informed us that we will not have our food manufacturer license for that state, by the proposal due date of the solicitation (05/05/2020), however we would have it before the start date of this BPA. Will our license in the one state be sufficient for bid submittal until the point that the other state license is completed, or would we only be able to bid on Sectors within the state we are currently licensed?

ANSWER: Each vendor must be licensed for the requirement of the solicitation, for the state in which they are bidding, at the time of award of any BPA, which is currently expected at July 13, 2020. If licensing is anticipated, prospective bidders are encouraged to offer quotes for those states where certification and licensing is expected to be in place by the start date of the BPA (7/13/2020). If selected for award, and a license for a particular state is not in the proposal package but has been indicated to be expected, the vendor will be asked to produce the license prior to actually awarding the Blanket Purchase Agreement

(BPA).

2. Q: I was unable to find the applicable document #6 (TEDS Compliance from Section 4.1 of the SOW).

ANSWER: Applicable document #6 has been uploaded and attached to the solicitation documentation.

3. Q: Does there have to be multiple different meal options besides the gluten free, etc. for each age category, or can the meal / menu choices be the same every day? Does variety matter or, for example can the breakfast be the same every day? If the meals are different would we decide which option for each day or would the Border Patrol select the menus? Would all of the different locations select their own menus or would we let them know which menu is available for which day?

ANSWER: A menu with variety is encouraged, in accordance with the requirements of the SOW. Each meal shall be evaluated based on the requirements of the solicitation in so far as nutrition and adherence to USDA/FDA requirements and other terms and conditions of the solicitation. Prospective bidders should provide meals in accordance with their capability to provide, as well as the requirements of the SOW as outlined. Since each order above the micro purchase threshold of $10,000.00 must be competed amongst the applicable BPA Holders for any particular area, meal choices shall be determined based on competition after award of the BPA, and menu items will be restricted to those submitted for the solicitation. As the BPA progresses throughout the years of performance, it is expected that menu items can change based on the capabilities of the vendors. Modifications can be completed for this purpose if required.

4. Q: What is the written certification for USDA guidelines as required by the solicitation? Is that something we could certify our self or would it have be done by a third party?

ANSWER: The certification requirements are contained in the documents as linked in the Applicable Documents (Section 3.0) of the SOW. Self-Certification is allowable, but prospective quoters shall clearly indicate how their menu items meets the requirements of the solicitation, as well as the means of certification (Nutritionist certified, comparison to guidelines, etc.).

5. Q: It says that the expected average daily meals for larger sector stations is 500 people x 3 meals per day. For example: the San Diego Sector - Would that be 1500 meals per day total divided by the 8 sector stations or would that be 1500 meals per sector station for 12,000 meals per day?

ANSWER: Expected average daily meal counts are per station, not entire sector.

Larger stations shall have greater requirements.

6. Q: How much notice / lead time would we have for each meal and each location?

Just asking as if we need to provide meals within 24 hours for 1000 meals we need to make sure we have enough product on hand.

ANSWER: Please see Section 4.3 of the SOW. Advance notice of 24-hours is required to be given to any vendor providing meals.

7. Q: Can you confirm that the following packaging would be acceptable for the hot and cold meal options?

For Example:

Cold Breakfast Meal: Would these all need to be in a container together including the beverage or could the milk or juice be sent separately?

1 Ind Pack Plastic Utensil 1 Apple 1 Bagel w/Cream Cheese Packet 1 Individual Yogurt

1 Box Juice or Water or Milk - Do these have to be packed in the container or can they go separately?

Hot Breakfast Meal: Would the hot scrambled eggs be in their own container held and packed separately and all of the cold items packed together?

1 Cup Scrambled Eggs - In separate container packed separately 1 Banana 1 Muffin 1 Box Juice or Water or Milk

Hot Dinner Meal: All hot items / bread in container together except the beverages? Would the beverages be delivered in their original packaging separately or would we have to unpack them out of the master cases?

4 oz Chicken 6 oz Rice 4 oz Vegetable 1 Dinner Roll

ANSWER: Beverages can be separately packaged but shall be delivered with each meal as a total meal requirement.

8. Q: Appendix 2 “Location Data” lists the different stations for each sector. Will the contractor be required to deliver meals on a daily basis to all of the stations listed. If yes, can we get the addresses for each station?

ANSWER: Meals shall be required to be delivered to each individual station in accordance with the actual requirements of any order. Please see the following links for addresses to stations and ports of entry:

PORTS OF ENTRY: https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports

USBP SECTORS: https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/along-us-borders/border-patrol-sectors

9. Q: The Statement of Work, page 5 of 11, Section 4 refers to the menus requirements to be submitted with the quote. We do not see a requirement for frequency of menu item rotation. If the length of detention for individuals Is relatively short, can proposers submit a 1 week menu cycle to ensure variations in menu choices and meet the government’s requirement?

ANSWER: Yes.

10. Q: Does an offer have to consist of all Menu Order Quantities or Tiers? For example, can an offer be submitted to support the requirement of 501-900 meals or >901 meals only or do we have to submit pricing for all quantity requirements listed on the BPA Pricing Sheet per location?

ANSWER: No, variety in bids is encouraged. Prospective quoters should provide bids for only those quantities and locations for which they are able to provide meals. Please indicate clearly on each price sheet which quantities are available.

11. Q: Would the CBP allow for onsite mobile kitchen units to be deployed should a sustained requirement of >901 meals be required to fulfill specific location feeding requirements?

ANSWER: This shall be dependent on individual order requirements and the arrangements made between the ordering CO/POC and the vendor.

12. Q: Can offers specify longer than the minimum 24-hour lead time requirement?

For example, can offerors specify that the larger meal quantities require 48-72 hours as opposed to 24?

ANSWER: At this time the minimum lead time is 24 hours. Longer lead times are dependent on individual orders and the arrangements made between the ordering CO/POC and the vendor.

13. Q: Can you verify the initial start date for meal requirements is July 13th 2020 and this is the official date CBP locations can start ordering against the BPA?

ANSWER: At this time the initial start date for ordering meal requirements is July 13, 2020, for a 5-year ordering period of performance. The BPA’s shall be reviewed annually for continued usage.

14. Q: Does the CBP have any historical data for each location identifying the average number of detainees per day, annual spikes in population confinement or any other relevant population information per location?

ANSWER: Meal requirements have historically ranged from 50 meals per day for smaller locations, up to 5000 meals per day, depending on the operational environment. Please refer to www.fpds.gov for historical meal requirements. The site offers an easy-to-use search engine for review of historical contract actions for meals requirements.

15. Q: Do you want a rotating menu or same menu every day. Any information about meals or examples will be helpful.

ANSWER: Prospective quoters should provide menu items that can be provided by them in accordance with the requirements of the solicitation. Variety is encouraged but all meals must meet applicable standards.