70B06C24R00000036 A0001 Attachment 5 - Question and Answer.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 24 KB Posted
- Attached to
- U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Ballistic Plate Armor Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- 70B06C24R00000036
About this file
This document is a Question and Answer (Q&A) attachment related to a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for ballistic plates.
The RFP, numbered 70B06C24R00000036, seeks ballistic plates that are compliant with either the NIJ 0101.06 or 0101.07 standard. Offerors can submit plates under Option I (0101.06) or Option II (0101.07), though 0101.07 certified plates are not yet available. The Q&A clarifies several requirements, including plate dimensions, ballistic performance, and testing/certification. Offerors must submit all required plate variants, and COTS products from treaty nations under the Buy American Act are eligible. The proposal due date is July 3, 2024, and the government will not accept any plates that are not NIJ certified and listed on the Compliant Products List, regardless of the option.
View the file
Other files for this federal contract opportunity
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5.1 70B06C24R00000036 A0002.pdf | ||
| 2.5.1- 70B06C24R00000036 A0002 Attachment 1 - Statement of Work.pdf | ||
| 70B06C24R00000036 A0001.pdf | ||
| 2.2.1- 70B06C24R00000036.pdf | ||
| 2.2.1- 70B06C24R00000036 Attachment 1 - Statement of Work.pdf | ||
| 2.2.1- 70B06C24R00000036 Attachment 2 - Pricing Schedule.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| 2.2.1- 70B06C24R00000036 Attachment 3 - Test Data Sheet.pdf | ||
| 2.2.1- 70B06C24R00000036 Attachment 4 - Past Performance Questionnaire.docx | DOCX document |
On GovTribe
Work with this file on GovTribe
- Download the original file
- Contacts named in this file
- Similar government files
- Ask GovTribe AI about this file
Text version
Sheet1
| Request for Proposals 70B06C24R00000036 | |||
| Attachment 5- Question & Answer | |||
| # | Question | Government Response | RFP Changes (if any) |
| 1 | Under each plate designation, Option I require 6-shots of each threat (SOW 4.3.7, 4.5.7, 4.7.7) but under Option II the same requirement is not stated. How will NIJ 0101.07 RF1 and RF2 compliant plates be graded against NIJ 0101.06 compliant plates without the 6-shot requirement? | The Government is requiring either Option I or Option II. Plates will be evaluated independently to determine if they meet the specific requirments of the Option they are submitted under. | No Change Needed |
| 2 | If the Plate 3 Option I that is submitted is of the same build/family of plates as Plate 1, does an additional 10x12 data set need to be supplied or can the data set from Plate 1 be used? | Vendors shall address each requirement independently and include all required data/documents for each plate. If Plate 3 is the same NIJ Make/Model as Plate 1, the same data/documents can be used but should be submitted for each respective plate in the offeror's proposal. | No Change Needed |
| 3 | Since the NIJ 0101.07 standard and certification process has not been started and will not be complete before the final delivery date of this proposal (as per the NIJ’s latest statements on schedule), how will offerors be allowed to submit RF1 and RF2 certified plate models? If these plates are allowed to be submitted, will plates that were offered for NIJ 0101.06 certification late in 2023, which have not be granted letters of compliance, but do have passing NIJ certified test reports, be allowed for submittal, given the NIJ statements in February that all submitted NIJ 0101.06 certification letters would be delivered by August 31, 2024? | The requirements are for either 0101.06 or 0101.07 certification, though given NIJ has not begun testing plates for 0101.07, it is understood that offerors will not be able to offer 0101.07 specification plates for this solicitation. The purpose of including 0101.07 specification plates as Option II in the SOW is to provide CBP flexibility in the future based on the status of 0101.06 specification plates and too retain the ability to acquire 0101.07 specification plates from the resultant contract should the successful awardee no longer produce or have separate manufacturing lines for 0101.06 specification plates. |
| All requirements regarding NIJ Certification and listing on an NIJ Compliance Product List apply. The government will not accept any ballistic make/model that does not meet these requirements no matter which option the vendor submits under. | No Change Needed | |||
| 4 | What is the tolerance on dimensions Length and width for each plate geometry as none are stated? | The government is using the term "nominal" to account for slight variations in dimensional length and width. | No Change Needed | |
| 5 | Is there a minimum area of coverage and uniform areal density requirement which is not stated in the SOW? | The minimum area of coverage is limited by the dimensional requirements listed in Section 4.2.5 of the SOW. There is no uniform areal density requirement. | No Change Needed | |
| 6 | Para 4.10.1 – How does “encrypted” apply to the barcode? Is the serial number required to be printed along with the barcode or is it to be left off the label? | The government is using the word "encrypted" to mean the serial number shall be included in barcode format on the NIJ label. This is in addition to serialization requirements contained in Section 4.9 of the SOW. | No Change Needed | |
| 7 | Does the warranty have to be verified through NIJ cert or will separate warranty be accepted? | The warranty does not need to be vetted through NIJ. The warranty, however, must be listed on the ballistic plate label as 10 years and the offeror must submit a Manufacturer's Certificate (Letter) of 10-year Warranty as part of their proposal (see sections 4.11 SOW). | No Change Needed | |
| 8 | For all Option II requirements – There is no current path to certification to the updated NIJ 0101.07 standard, will testing IAW the .07 standard be accepted? NIJ is currently not accepting applications for any certifications. | No. All requirements regarding NIJ Certification and listing on an NIJ Compliance Product List apply. The government will not accept any ballistic make/model that does not meet these requirements no matter which option the vendor submits under. |
| The requirements are for either 0101.06 or 0101.07 certification, though given NIJ has not begun testing plates for 0101.07, it is understood that offerors will not be able to offer 0101.07 specification plates for this solicitation. The purpose of including 0101.07 specification plates as Option II in the SOW is to provide CBP flexibility in the future based on the status of 0101.06 specification plates and too retain the ability to acquire 0101.07 specification plates from the resultant contract should the successful awardee no longer produce or have separate manufacturing lines for 0101.06 specification plates. | No Change Needed | |||
| 9 | Do we have to have all variants to bid? | Yes. Offerors need to meet all requirements contained in the SOW. | No Change Needed | |
| 10 | Is there a maximum edge foam thickness? Is edge to edge ballistic protection required? | There is a maximum plate thickness (but not foam thickness) specific for each plate in the Statement of Work. The government expects complete ballistic protection coverage for each dimension specificed in the SOW. | No Change Needed | |
| 11 | For the option II plates, will the requirement be the six shot or three shot methods? | Option II requires NIJ Certification based on the testing procedures specifiec in NIJ Body Armor Standard 0101.07. The process of achieving this is left up to the manufacturer. | No Change Needed | |
| 12 | Does the test data sheet need to be filled out by the same lab that performed the certification? | No, as long as a NIJ approved laboratory completes and signs the test data sheet. | No Change Needed | |
| 13 | We have plates that will meet each of your requirements, but they have been through the NIJ certification process with textile outer covers and are currently awaiting final CPL listing. Will you accept a bid on the basis that the plates were certified with textile covers but will be supplied with polyurea coatings and with full certification prior to production deliveries? | No, proposals must be complete and meet all requirements contained within the SOW at time of submission. | No Change Needed | |
| 14 | Will a submission be eligible for evaluation if it is a COTS product from a treaty nation under the Buy American Act? | Yes, a submission of a COTS product from a treaty nation will be eligible for evaluation. | No Change Needed | |
| 15 | Given that National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has not begun testing plates to NIJ Standard 0101.07 and there is no guarantee that plates currently certified to NIJ Standard 0101.06 will meet the new standard, will the government allow an "on-ramp" once the NIJ begins certifying plates to 0101.07? |
There will be no 0101.06 Compliant Product List maintained beyond CY27. There will be no Certified NIJ m0101.07 products available to respond to this RFP before contract award. NIJ has issued the following guidelines to law enforcement agencies (https://nij.ojp.gov/ballistic-resistance-body-armor-nij-standard-010107#0-0 ):
a. "Law enforcement agencies should expect to see body armor certified by NIJ to the 0101.07 standard sometime in late 2024 or early 2025."
b. "NIJ Compliance Testing Program anticipates maintaining the 0101.06 Compliant Products List through at least the end of calendar year 2027." The requirements are for either 0101.06 or 0101.07 certification, though given NIJ has not begun testing plates for 0101.07, it is understood that offerors will not be able to offer 0101.07 specification plates for this solicitation. The purpose of including 0101.07 specification plates as Option II in the SOW is to provide CBP flexibility in the future based on the status of 0101.06 specification plates and too retain the ability to acquire 0101.07 specification plates from the resultant contract should the successful awardee no longer produce or have separate manufacturing lines for 0101.06 specification plates.
Proposals with 0101.06 certified (Option 1) plates will not need to recertify under the new 0101.07 standard at a later date.
| Additionally, the SOW section 4.1.4 states "Ballistic plate model status shall remain “Active” on its respective NIJ Compliant Product List as long as the NIJ continues to publish that CPL." | No Change Needed | |||
| 16 | Would it be prudent to "bridge" the current contract for one (1) year, then reissue a new 5-year IDIQ, so that DHS-CBP can get the most recent NIJ threat levels, female armor standard, updated perforation (Back-Face Deformation), and oblique angle considerations; which also (logistically) offers a true 5-year and beyond program? | No. | No Change Needed | |
| 17 | The Government has specific sizes called out as “8x10”, 10”x12” and 11”x14” as well as specific requirements on the size of the chamfers at the top of the plate. However, does the Government have a tolerance on overall dimensions and/or a minimum area of coverage? | No. Overall dimensions are "Nominal" and there there is no minimum area of coverage specifically called out. However, SOW Section 4.2.6 also applies to sizing, stating "Front/Back ballistic plates shall fit CBP’s current contracted soft armor Scalable System Base Carrier with minimal movement for each respective size and proper closure." | No Change Needed | |
| 18 | SOW paragraph 2. SCOPE – the subparagraphs under this paragraph are incorrectly numbered. Please renumber accordingly. | CBP acknowledges the misnumbering of the subparagraphs under SOW Section 2- Scope. Note that no subparagraphs are missing. CBP erred in their numbering. The resultant contract will have this error corrected. | No Change Needed | |
| 19 | SOW paragraph 4.11.4 – will the Government provide the identification of authorized representatives for warranty work? | The government will identify all authorized representatives regarding warranty work after issuance of a Delivery Order. | No Change Needed | |
| 20 | SOW paragraph 4.3.4 – are there weight limitations for the 8”x10” and 11”x14” plates? | No. However, the make, model, radius, and shape of the plates are required to be the same as the 10x12" size. | No Change Needed | |
| 21 | SOW paragraph 4.3.7 – are there requirements for the 8”x10” and 11”x14” plates to be able to defeat additional rounds similar to the 10”x12”? | Yes, however only the 10x12" size is subject to special threat testing requirments. The NIJ Model number and build specifications must be the same for all three sizes. | No Change Needed | |
| 22 | SOW paragraph 4.5.4 – are there weight limitations for the 8”x10” and 11”x14” plates? | No. However, the make, model, radius, and shape of the plates are required to be the same as the 10x12" size. | No Change Needed | |
| 23 | SOW paragraph 4.5.7 - are there requirements for the 8”x10” and 11”x14” plates to be able to defeat additional rounds similar to the 10”x12”? | Yes, however only the 10x12" size is subject to special threat testing requirments. The NIJ Model number and build specifications must be the same for all three sizes. | No Change Needed | |
| 24 | RFP Volume II – Samples (Factor 1) page 26 only requires one sample for Plate #3, a 6x6 side plate. However, SOW paragraphs 4.7.6 and 4.7.7 discuss a 10”x12” version of this plate. Please confirm that we are NOT required to submit a sample of the 10”x12” version of the side plate. | Correct. Only a 6x6" version of the plate shall be submitted as a sample. The 10x12" version is only referenced for ballistic testing purposes. | No Change Needed |
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .