Amendment 1.pdf

Inspection Solicitation questions

1. Will USAID accept proposals for inspection of food commodities only?

USAID Response : No.

2. Would USAID consider extending the due date for proposals?

USAID Response: Deadline for offers shall be May 17, 2021 at 11:00 Eastern Time.

3. Under C.3-1 – Point 4 (page 4) – the last paragraph under this point which starts “For ad hoc inspection/testing services required by USAID … SOW will be issued to the contractor … so the full price for the performance of the work can be established when the order is placed.” Does this paragraph pertain to other commodities/items that are not currently listed in the Rate Schedule?

USAID Response: As per the solicitation, this refers to any currently unknown and hence unspecified “manufacturer facility, USAID warehouse, 3rd party warehouse, airport, sea port, or partner facility.” USAID occasionally recompetes warehouse and manufacturing contracts, and identifies new partners. In some instances, this may result in new inspection locations.

4. Under C.3-2 (page 4) – the first sentence states “The contractor must provide a single point of contact for each location …” must we include this information now in our response to the solicitation or would this info only be required if we are awarded this contract?

USAID Response: As mentioned in the solicitation, offerors are required to provide the name/resume of the Overall Project Manager and a matrix listing key management resources by region. If necessary, other points of contact may be provided upon time of award or when an ad hoc request is made.

5. RUTF (page 6 – 9) – Is the contractor supposed to carry out Laboratory Analysis of this product to determine fitness for human consumption? on page 7 the heading above the table says “The testing requirements for the samples are as follows” but the table does not contain any analysis tests.

USAID Response: The tests listed would be required at the vendor site and contribute to the determination of fitness for human consumption. Additional lab analysis may be required upon arrival or in the field if issues arise. This lab analysis includes tests for Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella, and Aflatoxin.

6.. What type of Laboratory Testing is required for SHELTER FIXING KITS?

Nothing mentioned within the solicitation for this commodity.

USAID Response: As we currently do not have a manufacturing contract for Shelter fixing kits, it is difficult to determine the exact laboratory testing details at this stage. However, it is possible that these include testing the quality of metal, tools’ strength and sharpness, as well as strength, thickness, and length of the wires. Since USAID does not have sufficient detail at this time, it is acceptable to not provide rates.

7. Under L.2 Submission of Proposals (page 40) – the third point down states “Offerors are encouraged to confirm receipt of proposals.” I don’t understand what this means, how do we confirm receipt of our proposal?

USAID Response: Offerors are encouraged to request confirmation of receipt at the time of proposal submission by asking the Point of Contact listed in the solicitation to confirm that their entire proposal, including all attachments were duly received.

8. With regard to the SHELTER FIXING KITS, there is no information within the solicitation that gives us any indication what items under this commodity have to be checked for compliance. This is making it difficult for our offices in China, UAE, Italy and USA to quote. Please could you provide us with some info on exactly what needs to be checked/counted in the SHELTER FIXING KITS.

USAID Response: We do not have a specific manufacturer identified at this time, hence cannot provide a specific address. Since USAID does not have sufficient detail at this time, it is acceptable to not provide rates.

9. Under the NON-FOOD COMMODITY ON-SITE INSPECTION section of the Rate Schedule - I have instructed all our offices to include their travel cost in the rates quoted to this office, however, as there are no specific inspection locations listed some offices have come back asking me to provide exact inspection location so they can calculate travel cost accordingly. I realise it is unlikely USAID has the specific inspection locations available at this time so would it be possible for us to include a

NOTE to the Rate Schedule that we would provide USAID with a travel quotation at the time we receive an individual SOW for a particular commodity on-site inspection?

USAID Response: USAID does not understand this question as locations by city are provided in the rate table for NFI’s.

10. Are we supposed to provide an Outturn Tally/Count in the Non-Food Items section of the Rate Schedule (point 5 below) … if the answer is yes, then please confirm that our understanding of the requirement is that our rate should be to count on a per unit basis with one unit being one roll of Plastic Sheeting / one Kitchen Set box / one Blanket / one 14L Bucket / one Hygiene Kit box / one Shelter Fixing Kit / one 10L Collapsible Water Container.

USAID Response: This is correct. Standard packaging (as 600 units in one carton or 60 units in one pallet) will be provided. So long as packaging is intact, opening pallets/cartons to count each unit will not be required or requested. If there are partial pallets/open boxes, then the physical unit count will be required. USAID buys and ships based on pallets in most cases, therefore the unit count with open boxes is rather rare.

11. We are required to provide an analysis rate for HEB, however, test parameters are not mentioned within the solicitation document. Under section C.3-1 point 3, there is a link USAID Commodities Reference Guide which takes us to Food & Product Info Guide and then on page 11 to HEB. If we then click on the Product Specification link it takes us to a 13 page USAID Commodity Specification document for HEB which is dated March 3, 2016. Some of the test requirements in the list of ‘Compulsory Testing and Methods’ do not correspond with what USAID provided to us recently for HEB Sampling & Testing in Pakistan and Oman. Please advise what specific tests our analysis rate for HEB should be based on.

USAID Response: Please see the test parameters below. Additional items may be added at any time as the need arises.

The finished product must meet below requirements:

1. Moisture Content: Max. 4.5 %, Reference Method: AOAC 925.10, 2002

2. Water Activity: 0.2-0.4, Reference Method: Any AOAC recommended method or equivalent

3. Organoleptic Characteristics (color, smell and taste): Typical color. Pleasant smell and palatable taste. Sensorial inspection.

4. Protein Min.: 9 g/100g, Reference Method: AOAC 981.10

5. Fat: Min. 11.0 g/100g, Reference Method: AOAC 963.15, 2000

6. Ash (total): Max. 3.5 g/100g, Reference Method: ISO 2171.2000

7. Peroxide Value: Max. 10 mEq/kg fat, Reference Method: AOAC 965.33

8. Vitamin A-Retinol: Min. 250 mcg/100g, Reference Method: AOAC 960.45

9. Iron: Min. 11 mg/100g, Reference Method: AOAC 945.40

10. Coliforms: < 10 cfu/g, Reference Method: AOAC 2005.03

Biscuit Characteristics:

Organoleptic: The HEBs must be typical in color and have a pleasant smell and palatable taste which consumers will like and enjoy.

Broken: The percentage of broken HEBs must not be more than 5.0% (by weight).

Weight: One HEB should weigh between 5g and 10g.

RATE SCHEDULE

1. On the line for Outturn Tally per Metric Ton for Djibouti, Durban and Houston it shows N/A under the column for Minimum Daily Rate. Would it be possible to include this for these warehouses? This request is based on past experience whereby labour attendance costs on small outturn tally movements have exceeded the revenue charged when using only a per MT rate.

USAID Response: USAID has no objection. The rate table will be updated accordingly.

2. Following on from the above point, our Minimum Fee has always been equivalent to 2 hours so could we ask that the heading of the column “Minimum

Daily Rate” be changed to “Minimum Fee” as the word ‘Daily’ could imply more than 2 hours to other contractors.

USAID Response: Rate table will be updated and Section L, Pricing, is amended accordingly.

3. Warehouse Inspection lines for Miami, Dubai and Pisa – why do they not have N/A under the columns for Lab Analysis and Outturn Tally? Durban, Djibouti and Houston all show N/A under these columns.

USAID Response:

The structure is slightly different for food vs non-food warehouses. Lab Analysis and Outturn Tally are applicable to Miami, Dubai, and Pisa but we do not have the requirement breakdown for those warehouses as applicable to Miami, Dubai, and Pisa at this time.

4. Whilst we are able to cover most locations worldwide it will not be possible to provide rates for the following without a more definite location:

· Emergency Warehouse inspection at any location worldwide

· Airport Warehouse inspection at any location worldwide

· On Board Vessel Commodity Survey at any port worldwide

Wherever possible we will arrange to either send an inspector from a neighboring country where we do not have an Intertek office or use an associated sub-contractor, however, the location would be required in order to calculate attendance costs.

USAID Response: USAID understands that it is challenging to provide rates in unknown locations. USAID will confirm these rates ad-hoc when needed. Rate table will be updated accordingly.

5. under the section headed COMMODITY ON-SITE INSPECTION (includes counting) all the columns are blank. Are we supposed to provide rates for Lab Analysis and Outturn Tally/Count for each of the 9 commodities listed?

USAID Response: Correct.

6. under the LABORATORY TESTING section of the Rate Schedule on the lines for HEB and RUTF/RUSF the REQUIREMENT column says Commodity On-Site Inspection (includes counting). Is this a typo error? Should it say LABORATORY TESTING for these two commodities?

USAID Response: This was a duplicate. Rate table will be updated accordingly.

7. We do not understand the LOCATIONS listed under the LABORATORY TESTING section of the Rate Schedule. Are Wimpey Labs (Dubai) and Arlington Heights (IL) names of laboratories that will be doing the testing of the commodities? If so, then what analysis test rates do you require from Intertek?

USAID Response: Please disregard this section. Rate table will be updated accordingly.