USAID_RFP_7200AA18R00040_Q&A.pdf

Question and Answer

General comment: The purpose of this contract is to have a logistics contractor provide logistics support for the receipt, handling, and warehousing of USAID humanitarian assistance cargo.

The contractor will provide (or lease) operational support and management of warehouse space and handle logistics for the U.S. government in Dubai, UAE. These commodities to be stored are humanitarian relief cargo donated by the people of the United States.

The cargo to be managed, handled and stored includes but is not limited to the following:

High Energy Biscuits (about 400 pallets. Quantity may increase as commodity is use for emergency response). We anticipate having about 400 pallets of HEB stored at the warehouse constantly. From time to time USAID may require the contractor to store more cargo during emergency response.

HEB Details:

1. Containerized Cargo of Net weight of 20.02 Metric Ton/ 40ft Container.

2. 26 pallets/ 40ft Container

3. 77 cartons / pallet

4. Pallet Dimension 1.0 meter x 1.2 meter x 1.90meter (LWH) Weight. Approx. 790 KG

5. Carton Dimension 500mm x350mmx190mm. Weight 10kg.Other humanitarian assistance cargo including food may be stored by the government.

1) With regards to (B.4 PRICE SCHEDULE) is there a soft copy file format to list out the pricing?

Answer: Please use attachment to Q&A

2) With regards to (DAILY BULK STORAGE RATE PER CUBIC FEET) please clarify estimate cubic feet per month?

Answer: Estimates are as provided on pg. 4 of solicitation

3) The RFP spells out that the invoices and accompanying documents are to be sent via email to the address specified (ei@usaid.gov) , and that the exchange rate will be as of the date of the invoice. Just to be clear the Ceva office in Dubai will invoice directly to USAID in US Dollars and payments will be made into their bank, correct?

Answer: USAID will make payment to the contractor in US dollars

4) Will there be a regular volume for vaccines? What is the projected volume and frequency of inbound shipments for vaccines and other goods that need cold storage? What is the temperature requirement?

mailto:ei@usaid.gov

Answer: The regular volume will consist of HEBs

5) What is the volume of the Hazardous goods to be stored and/or transported? Please specify the quantity for each UN Class and provide MSDS.

Answer: As of now, USAID does not have Hazardous cargo for this requirement

6) Is the 24/7 warehouse operations only required during emergency response operations?

Answer: Yes

7) Will USAID provide the stickers/materials to be used for marking the packaging

Answer: Yes

8) Please confirm that the estimated requirement is 5,000 cubic feet per month (on the rate sheet it is written as 5, 00).

Answer: 500

9) What is the protocol for testing of sample(s) of commodities received? Do we do the testing by ourselves or do you have QA who will do the testing? What is the estimated amount?

Answer: USAID will perform testing through a separate contracted entity

10) Are the equipment/ vehicles to be maintained part of the NFI inventory?

Answer: Details of potential equipment/ vehicles storage is not known

11) What is the volume split between 42"x 48"x 83" and 40"x 48"x 50"?

Answer: We currently do not have this information

12) What is the volume for Food item (HEBs)?

Average: 300-500 pallets

13) What are the items to be stored in bulk? Please specify stacking height and quantity per item.

Answer: We currently do not have this information

14) As stated in the RFP, expiry date shall be captured for food products. Please specify the required period before expiry (i.e. at least 2 months before expiry) to qualify if the batch is still suitable to be shipped.

Answer: Information to be shared at time of award

15) What is the picking system required (i.e. case picking or pallet picking)

Answer: Information to be shared at time of award

16) Please confirm if the “15” page limit is a typo. If not, please confirm if the 15 pages include all of the technical, pricing, and Past Performance together.

Answer: 15 page limit consist of technical and pricing

17) Please advise if we are to use this document or will the government be issuing a SF30 Amendment Form for Amendment 1

Answer: Please use the SF1449

18) Reference: 15 page limit. Based on the instructions of RFP requirements, the offeror must provide the following in addition to written content:

• Cover Letter (1 page)

• Signed SF 30 document – (2 pages)

• Amendment 1 –(SF1449) form (2 pages)

• Completed Key Personnel J2 form, (2 pages) o Based off your key personnel requirements – Warehouse Manager & Project Manger

• Photographs are required of the warehouse facility, inside and out. limit to (1 page)

• Proposals are to contain sufficient information and documentation including o Copies of licenses (1 page) o Insurance certificates (1 page) o Full lease agreement (2-4 pages) o Agreements with supporting partners (2- 4 pages)

• Past performance – (3 pages) limiting 1 page per project.

The above is estimated over 14 pages, minus the 1 page for pricing which maxes out the page count Question: Please advise if we are able to submit the above list as attachments, allowing the 14 pages to be written content to address technical requirements (i.e. technical approach, warehouse details, management plan, corporate capacity, experience, etc.) which will still be extremely challenging to compress to your page limitation.

Answer: The above list to be submitted as attachments.

19) Reference: “Maintaining vehicles, water pumps, generators, and other similar equipment on a regular basis as per direction from USAID which may include starting them, Performing maintenance activities in accordance with the manual, driving vehicles, arranging suitable transport to and from the local vehicle maintenance facility, and purchasing and implementing repair services.”

Question: What level of maintenance professional is required of the Contractor and will the USG reimburse for actual costs related to maintenance of the equipment as well as vehicles?

Answer: The level of maintenance professional to be negotiated if USAID has a requirement to store the subject items. The cost will be reimbursable.

20) Reference: Offer Validity

Question: Please advice time the period of time the proposal shall remain valid from submission date.

Answer: 4 months

21) Reference: Price Schedule:

Question: Please confirm the estimate required bulk storage space. Is it 5,000 cubic feet per month?

Answer: 500

22) Reference: Warehouse Management:

Question: Should the monthly report still contain a layout of the warehouse facility showing storage areas and indicating which commodities are stored in which areas if we have a warehouse management system and can provide a report in which the commodities will have an individual location and can be identified easily?

Answer: Answer provided above

23) Reference: High Energy Biscuits:

Question: Can we store HEBs in the warehouse with temperature gauging from +18⁰C to +24⁰C?

Answer: Yes

24) Reference: Lot Identification

Question: Can we get a Product Master Data with SKU, Brand, and Product Category in order to set the area for storage by category and upload the data in our warehouse management system which will help us in easy receiving, put-away and allocation of products as well as identifying the commodity by lot/batch?

Answer: Will be provided at time of award

25) Does USAID have a Jebel Ali trade license and customs importer and exporter codes? If not, will USAID acquire these before start of operation?

Answer: USAID does not intend to secure trade license and customs importer and exporter codes

26) Are the food products registered with Dubai Municipality? Will USAID have its own Dubai Municipality account?

Answer: No. USAID will require the contractor to secure the necessary accounts and licenses to meet the requirements of the contract

27) Can we have a list of the HS Codes of the items to be stored?

Answer: Will be provided at time of award

28) Will USAID provide training to the 3PL for USAID specific procedures?

Answer: Yes

29) Will all products arrive with labels and barcodes?

Answer: Yes

30) For procurement activities, will USAID reimburse the 3PL for procurement admin costs?

Answer: Yes

31) How can we charge for affixing the USAID emblem on the packaging? Is this emblem to be affixed on the pallet (i.e. 1 emblem per pallet) or is it 1 emblem per carton or piece?

Answer: On pallets

32) In our normal process, our clients send us inbound shipment information, normally by EDI, which we use to create an advanced shipping notice (ASN) which effectively tells us what items to expect and what quantity prior to the arrival of the shipment to our warehouse. Will USAID provide us this information? If so, in what format or mode (EDI, email, etc.)?

Answer: the requested information will be provided via email

33) How will USAID send us outbound shipping instructions pertaining to items to pick, quantities, destination, etc.? Will these be sent by EDI? If not, can we request USAID to enter all pertinent information into a preformatted template (to be supplied by us) that can be uploaded into our WMS?

Answer: The information will be sent via email

34) How much time, from the arrival of the container at our dock, will we have to receive cargo into our system and send confirmation back to USAID?

Answer: Within a week

35) How much time will we have to pick and prepare cargo for dispatch from the time outbound shipping instructions are sent to us?

Answer: Within a few days

36) How do we send receipt and dispatch confirmation back to USAID?

Answer: Information will be sent via email

37) Does USAID require us to provide a dedicated warehouse manager and a dedicated project manager who cannot be shared with other clients or can we provide shared personnel in order to reduce cost to USAID?

Answer: Providing shared personnel is acceptable

38) Will we be allowed to use subcontractors to deliver any aspect of the required services?

Answer: Yes

39) Can we provide office space in a separate facility from the warehouse?

Answer: Yes

40) We understand that the volume estimates found on the price schedule are non-binding but do they represent USAID's best estimate of the expected volumes or are they totally theoretical figures meant to simply compare pricing among various bidders? If the latter is the case, can USAID at least provide a range of expected volumes?

Answer: The estimates are the expected volumes

41) We would like to clarify some of the terminologies used in the pricing schedule. Does "Door to Floor" mean unload container, receive cargo and putaway into storage locations?"

Answer: Yes

42) We would like to clarify some of the terminologies used in the pricing schedule. Does "Floor to Door" mean Pick from storage locations, prepare for dispatch and load on container or truck?"

Answer: Yes

43) Does "Delivery of commodities to/from Dubai International Airport, Floor to Airport" mean Floor to Door + the transportation cost?

Answer: Yes

44) The document states that FIFO is the order preparation logic. However, for food items, shouldn't this be replaced with FEFO (first expiry first out)?

Answer: Yes. FEFO for food

45) If food items stay in the warehouse past their expiry date through no fault of the contractor and thus become unfit for consumption, who shall bear the cost of disposal or return to origin?

Answer: USAID

46) Who shall bear the cost of export packaging materials and consumables such as bubble wrap, edge boards, new outers, etc. Will USAID reimburse the contractor for these expenses?

Answer: USAID

47) Please breakdown, how many percentage in Palletized and loose?

Answer: Information provided in the general comments section of this Q&A.

47) Please share the MSDS of the product

Answer: Information will be share at time of award

48) For vaccines product, will these be stock items in storage or treated as transit items moving, state approval from authority is required to handle storing?

Answer: Treated as transit item

49) Is warehouse location should be at Jebel Ali? Or we can provide at DWC (free zone area)?

Answer: DWC Free zone area can be provided

50) Please specify the temperature required for this product?

Answer: Available temperature requirement is as identified in the solicitation

51) For custom duty and taxes, what would be the credit term?what will be the voume pecetage in Y1, Y2, Y3?

Answer: Question is not clear

52) Which product in 40" x 48" x 50" pallet? And what is the temperature require?

Answer: Temperature requirement is as identified I the solicitation

53) Which product in 42" x 83" x 50" pallet? And what is the temperature require? And can you estimate the volume per month?

Answer: Temperature requirement is as identified I the solicitation

53) Please share the average dimension of bulk product?

Answer: Determine at time of award

54) Can we charges on per CBM?

Answer: Contract schedule will be per the request in the solicitation.

55) With regards to (DAILY BULK STORAGE RATE PER CUBIC FEET 5, 00 cubic feet per month 5,00 cubic feet per month) please clarify estimate cubic feet per month?

Answer: 5, 00 per month