B08 73351020Q0008 Amend 1 Questions-Answers.docx

RFQ 73351020Q0008 SBA and SBA-ODA Logo Jackets

Questions and Answers

The due date for the quotes and the sample of the shirt(s) are extended and must be submitted on or before 1:00 PM ET. March 9, 2020.

This is a notice that the resultant contract is for a total Woman Owned Small Business set-aside requirement and only quotes from women owned small businesses will be accepted by the Government.

1. Does the government have a preferred brand of jacket?

Answer 1: The government does not have a preferred brand of jacket. The jackets must meet the specification as show in the question and answer 14.

1. Page 8 information on Buy American act states that “a two-part process is used to determine compliance”. Only 1 part (American made) is listed. Is the government requiring an American made jacket?

Answer 2: FAR Clause 25.101 applies to this order. Here is the entire clause:

(a) The Buy American statute restricts the purchase of supplies that are not domestic end products. For manufactured end products, the Buy American statute uses a two-part test to define a domestic end product.

(1) The article must be manufactured in the United States; and

(2) The cost of domestic components must exceed 50 percent of the cost of all the components. In accordance with 41 U.S .C 1907, this component test of the Buy American statute has been waived for acquisitions of COTS items (see 12.505(a)).

(b) The Buy American statute applies to small business set-asides. A manufactured product of a small business concern is a U.S.-made end product, but is not a domestic end product unless it meets the component test in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

(c) Exceptions that allow the purchase of a foreign end product are listed at 25.103. The unreasonable cost exception is implemented through the use of an evaluation factor applied to low foreign offers that are not eligible offers. The evaluation factor is not used to provide a preference for one foreign offer over another. Evaluation procedures and examples are provided in subpart 25.5.

1. Does the jacket need to be manufactured in USA and have a “made in USA” label?

Answer 3: Made in the USA label is not requirement, but the Buy American Act still applies. (See question 2 for the Buy American Clause).

1. Can the jacket be produced out of country and still be considered made in USA when embroidery and labor requirements are taken into consideration?

Answer 4: Made in the USA is not requirement, but the Buy American Act does apply (See question 2 for the Buy American Clause).

1. Page 35 of 36 includes template for pricing for base year and each of four option years. Is there a template for the initial order?

Answer 5: There is no template for the first order. The quote for the first order can be done in the contractors preferred format as long as it includes all charges that make up the cost of the quote. The prices that are charged for the first order against the IDIQ contract cannot exceed the rate in the IDIQ Contract.

1. Please clarify discrepancy between Section 4.1 quote preparation instructions and Section 5.2 Basis for Award.

Section 4.1 Quotation Preparation Instructions states “offeror must submit a technical and price submission related to the requirements identified herein”.

Section 5.2 Basis for Award states:

The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

(i) technical capability of the item offered to meet the Government requirement;

(ii) price;

(iii) past performance

Each offeror shall submit Past Performance Information on at least three (3) contracts performed within the last three (3) years for services comparable to the government's requirement demonstrating your ability to perform the proposed effort.

Answer 6: The RFQ is broken down into 5 sections. Section 1 is Introduction and General Information, Section 2 is the Statement of Work or the IDIQ Contract and the First Order, Section 3 General IDIQ and Order Terms and Conditions, Section 4 is Quotation Preparation Instructions which addresses the what should be submitted, when and where it needs to be submitted and Section 5 Evaluation of Quotations and Basis for Award which explains how the quotes will be evaluated to determine who will received the award.

1. Do these items have be manufactured within the US or can they be manufactured in the following countries as well

Answer 7: The Buy American Act applies to this requirement. For manufactured end products, the Buy American statute uses a two-part test to define a domestic end product. (See question 2 for the Buy American Clause).

1. Do the jackets need to be made in the USA?

Answer 8: Made in the USA is not requirement, but the Buy American Act does apply (See question 2 for the Buy American Clause).

1. There is a page on the RFQ where we need to enter price per unit for the Tall sizes, but I do not see quantities for those sizes. Do you have those quantities?

Answer 9: The prices for the Tall sizes are part of the IDIQ contract that orders will be placed against. The IDIQ contract sets that terms and conditions and the maximum prices that the contractor can charge SBA for the Jackets for the base year and option years. When the need arises SBA can order any size jacket that is needed at the rate in the IDIQ contract or at a discounted rate. The first order against the IDIQ contract is for regular sized jackets and does not include tall sizes.

1. Based on the quantity of 1,190, will the full order be placed one time to 1 delivery location (VA)?

Answer 10: The requirement for the 1,190 jackets is the first task order that will be issued against the IDIQ contract and will be delivered to Herndon, VA.

When a need arises for more jackets SBA can order any size that is needed at the rate(s) in the IDIQ contract or at a discounted rate. The location of deliver will be determined at the time a need arises. Future orders may be for any of SBA locations, for the sizes and quantities that they need.

1. Due to frequent economic changes, is it ok to leave the 4 year renewal option per unit cost sections blank and just put in the costs for 2020? Will there be a penalty for doing so?

Answer 11: The quote must include prices for the base and option years in order to be considered for award. The IDIQ contract sets that terms and conditions and the maximum prices that the contractor can charge SBA for the jackets per year. When SBA has a need for additional jackets, they will contact the contractor to verify the rates that they will be charging for the order. The contractor cannot charge more than what the rates are in the IDIQ Contract, but they can discount them.

1. Are you able to provide a list of all of the WOSB bidders who have responded to this RFQ?

Answer 12: The government is not releasing a list of all of the WOSB bidders who have responded.

1. We want to confirm if this solicitation is "Made in America" only.

Answer 13: Made in the USA is not requirement, but the Buy American Act does apply (See question 2 for the Buy American Clause).

1. Is there any flexibility regarding materials and components like fabric?

Answer 14: The government is hereby revising the specification for the jackets as follows. This change with replace the SOW specifications on pages 6 and 12 of the RFQ:

Regular: XS, S, M, LG, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL Tall: LT, XLT, 2XLT, 3XLT, 4XLT

LOGO COLORS

• Red (HEX/#cc0000, RGB/204.0,0)

• White (HEX/#ffffff, RGB/255,255,255)

1. Would items made in Peru under the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement be considered as options for this solicitation?

Answer 15: The Buy American Act applies to this requirement. For manufactured end products, the Buy American statute uses a two-part test to define a domestic end product. (See question 2 for the Buy American Clause).

1. Do you anticipate any change in the due date for response and submission of sample jackets?

Answer 16: The due date for the quotes and the sample of the jacket(s) are extended and must be submitted on or before 1:00 PM ET. March 9, 2020.

1. Will you accept jackets with buttons/Snaps or do you them to be zippered?

Answer 17: Jacket can be either zipper or button/snap. The zipper or button/snap must match the blue color material of the jackets.