70CDCR24Q00000015 (Q and A) Updated 09.25.2024.pdf

Number Question Answer

1 How should the BID be submitted?

Submit via email to Eric Peterson (eric.peterson@ice.dhs.gov) as listed under Instruction to Vendors paragraph.

Is there an active contract in place for these services?

Yes

3 Is there a current incumbant? Yes B&H INTERNATIONAL LLC 4 What is the current contract number? 70CDCR20P00000001 5 What is the value of the current contract? $204,993.75 6 What is the notice number? 70CDCR19Q00000014 7 Would a 1449 form be required? Yes - at time of award. A solicitation 1449 was not posted.

8 Would past performance be required? No

Please confirm the quote due date. ( 09/20/2024 or 09/25/2024)?

Questions were due on 9/20/2024. Quotes are were due on 9/25/2024. The deadline has been extended to 9/27/2024.

Regular Meal:

a) What are the portion sizes for the turkey and chicken sandwiches?

b) Should the meat be placed between the three slices of bread, or should it be packaged a)Two slices of meat (3 oz total) (Turkey or Chicken) b)Packed seperately

Vegetarian Meal:

a) Should the lettuce, tomato, and onion be included in the sandwich or wrapped separately?

Wrapped separately.

Halal Meal:

a) What are the required portion sizes for the meat, steamed vegetables, and green salad?

b) What varieties of "green" salads are

a) Sample: 4 oz of meat, 1 cup of vegetables, 1/2 cup of salad, bread b)Salads that are labeled as meeting Halal criteria accordingly by vendor.

Packaging:

a) Should the two 16.9 oz water bottles be packed inside the zip-lock bag along with the other items in the sack lunch?

No

Hours of Operation:

a) At what time will the Government notify the Contractor each morning about the required number of meals for the day?

Notification of meals needed will be provided 24 hours in advance. See SOW Paragraph 3.0

Order Quantity:

a) What is the average number of sack lunches ordered daily?

b) Is there a set minimum or maximum for daily orders?

a) Per SOW Paragraph 3.0 Quantities are estimated to be 55 meals per day.

b) No

Could you clarify the portion size for the 'two slices of meat (turkey or chicken)' specified in the statement of work? Is there a specific ounce, or are two slices sufficient as stated?

Two slices of meat (3 oz total) (Turkey or Chicken)

Will the contractor be providing 60 snack meals daily?

Per SOW Paragraph 3.0 Quantities are estimated to be 55 meals per day.

Are third-party companies permitted to respond to this solicitation and subcontract a catering company to fulfill the requirements?

The Purchase Order will be between the Government and the Prime Vendor.

Subcontracting is permitted.

Is the sack lunch meal subject to the per diem rate?

No

The SOW mentions meals should be delivered between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Will there be a specific delivery window within those two hours, or is the contractor free to deliver at any time during that window as long as they give a notice of the expected arrival time?

The delivery may be completed at any time between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM.

Does the government require specific documentation or certification for Halal meals?

Meals should be certified and clearly labeled as meeting Halal criteria by vendor.

22 Will a tax-exempt form be provided? Yes upon award if requested.

How frequently should invoices be submitted?

(e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)

Monthly - invoices should include the first through the last date of each month

What are the payment terms (e.g., Net 15, Net 30)?

Net 30

Will we be utilizing the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), the Wide Area Workflow, or another system for invoicing?

The invoice platform utilized is named Webview. The purchase order will specify instructions.

Is there a requirement for variety in the daily meals, or will the same meal (e.g., the same type of bread, meat, and vegetables) be acceptable each day?

No variety requirement

Can you clarify if the regular and vegetarian meals are intended to be sandwiches, and if so, why there are three slices of bread listed for each meal?

Yes, they are intented to be sandwiches. 3 slices are required to meet caloric request.

Can you clarify how the number of meals requested each day will be determined? Will the daily meal count vary significantly, or is there an estimated minimum or average number of meals per day that we can expect?

Quantities are estimated to be 55 meals per day. Actual need may vary based on population. The count is not anticipated to vary significantly.

Is there any possibility of establishing a minimum meal order per day or a more consistent estimate, given the logistics involved with delivery?

Quantities are estimated to be 55 meals per day. Actual need may vary based on population. The count is not anticipated to vary significantly.

The solicitation requests pricing information for a 5-year period. Considering potential inflation, will the awarded vendor be allowed to adjust rates after the base year? Additionally, once we submit our bid, are the rates fixed for the entire period, or is there flexibility to adjust them for the optional years?

Inflation and increase estimates should be built into option periods. The rates will be fixed for the entire period with no flexibility to adjust.

Will the caterer need special clearance or authorization to enter the facility and deliver meals? If so, what is the process for obtaining this clearance?

No special clearance authorization is anticipated. ICE Officer Escort will always be present.

Once inside the facility, how will the meals be transferred? Will the caterer deliver the meals directly to designated staff, or will there be a point of contact within the facility to receive and handle the meals?

See SOW: "Contractor personnel shall assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel in unloading the contractor’s vehicle at the designated areas in the staging facility". Entrance into the facility is escorted and only to drop off meals.

The packaging requirements mention that each meal includes bread and meat wrapped in plastic, but the Halal meal description does not list bread.

Should the Halal meal include bread, or is this a discrepancy?

It may include bread but bread is not required.

34 Will meal volume fluctuates throughout the week Quantities are estimated to be 55 meals per day. Actual need may vary based on population. The count is not anticipated to vary significantly.

35 Will their be an opportunity to renew? Any future contracts will be solicited via SAM.gov

Will there need to be upfront funds to cover the year? The vendor may voice monthly to receive payment

Once the contract is won, when would the funds be provided? The vendor may voice monthly to receive payment

The NAICS CODE is strictly manufacturing 311991.

Does this means that the order can only be filled from a manufacturer, instead of per say a catering company or restaurant?

The specifics of NAICS Code 311991 is located here:

https://www.naics.com/naics-code-description/?code=311991&v=2022 This includes the Prepared meals, perishable, packaged for individual resale. This is not restricted to a manufacturer.

Am I allowed to subcontract this solicitation as long as the food comes from a manufacturer?

Subcontracting is permitted. The food does not need to come from a manufacturer.

Aside from the regular, vegetarian, and halal meals, are there any special dietary needs (such as gluten-free or diabetic-friendly options) that we should be prepared for in the event of specific requests? No

Can the specific meal components (e.g., types of vegetables, granola bars) be substituted based on availability, or are these strictly defined by the SOW? Substitutions to similar items may be made.

Isn't a deadline supposed to be final... with no addition applicants allowed?

Deadlines are extended for a number of reasons to include the addition of time to incorporate any revisions required to a quote as a result of the answers to questions.

How is the decision made to extend the deadline date?

In this case the deadline has been extended due to the number of questions received. We thought it was fair to give additional time to prepare quotes based on the volume of questions. If a bid was submitted prior to the extension date, it may be revised if needed as long as the final bid is submitted prior to the final due date.

The amount listed as the incumbent's award amount is $204,993.75. Did that amount represent a single year or the entire 5 year contract? The entire contract.

What are the required portion sizes for the meat, steamed vegetables, and green salad? Meat - 3 oz total, 2-4 oz. of in season steamed vegetables, 1-2 oz. green salad.

46 What varieties of "green" salads are acceptable? Any leafy green variety is acceptable.

Is the vendor required to procure, deliver, supervise, and hand lunches over to non-citizens detainees. Only procurement and delivery to a Government Representative is required.

Summary of Questions