Questions_from_Solicitation.docx

Questions on Solicitation

Question Does the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation under solicitation number ERP785516 contain requirements similar to a current contract? If possible, please provide the current contract number. Or, is this a new requirement for the government?

Answer The requirement for an SAP Shipping Solution (Software) is a NEW requirement for Federal Prison Industries/UNICOR. No current contract is in place.

Question Ability to download/upload GSA rates.

Answer GSA Rates are published from GSA, FPI wants the ability to be able to see these rates whenever a shipment is created, Since FPI is a government entity FPI should never pay more than the published GSA rates as long there is a rate for that origin to destination available.

Question Print commercial BOL

Answer FPI would like to standardize the layout of other than parcel shipments to a single commercial Bill of Lading if possible, it would assist our centralized payable section in processing payments. FPI would like to know what capabilities the software has for document layout changes.

Question Print packing slips using handling unit logic. On page 3 2.1 second paragraph it is mentioned FPI does not use handling units. I need further details on this step.

Answer Currently FPI does not use handling units, but in the future if there is a business case FPI would want the ability to use handling units if needed. Also FPI doesn’t want to be force to move to handling units with the implementation of this software package.

Question Information related to web portal for customers and shippers. In 1.2 project goals there is no mention of providing web portal solution. We do have a supplier portal does FPI wish to add this product to the project goals? If so, provide list functionalities you wish to have performed such as suppliers performing shipping.

Answer FPI has no plan to implement web portal for customer/shippers in this phase of implementation. FPI wanted web portal information as part of this solicitation to make sure that is an available option in the future, possible phase II implementation. FPI doesn’t want to procure a software package without the ability to move in that direction in the future.

Question The question is how many users are the License quoted will be for? Under the RFQ you have 1 listed. Is this just one user or a group of users? If it is a group, how many are in the group, with concurrent users and dedicated users.

Answer FPI is planning on implementing at 50 shipping locations. Each shipping location should be a license. Each location could have different number of users of the software.

Question I have a question in regards to RFP ERP7855-16. On page 16 52.215-6, 52.222-22 a, b and 52.222-25 a, b. I wish to know if these questions are to be answered or for reference?

Answer Yes, those three Provisions should be completed and returned with your proposal submission package.

Question Can we bid on just the work or is it a package?

Answer This solicitation is for a complete solution, refer to section B, FPI is expecting pricing for software/licensing, Implementation, travel, and maintenance costs.

Question

3.6 Freight Vendors

The term Freight vendor is used and need clarification on this term. Do you reference this to be LTL carriers only?

Answer The term freight vendor can mean Parcel, TL, and LTL. We have a separate vendor account category for Freight vendors that is why the term was used.

FAR Clauses. Obviously, there are many clauses checked as pertaining to this RFP. Can you direct me to the website where I can review all relevant clauses?

Answer FAR clauses can be found at www.acquisition.gov

Question Carriers in Scope. Are UPS and FedEx the only carriers in Scope for the pilot site? If so, are the questions about other carriers pertaining to future effort/cost to implement the SAP shipping solution in additional facilities? Is there a list of other carriers that are used besides UPS and FedEx?

Answer Yes other FL/LTL carriers are in scope. Below is a list of carriers FPI did business with in FY2015. These are not in any order. If there are limits on the number of Carriers then include those on the solicitation, also include the cost and the process of bringing additional carriers to your system to include the maximum number of carriers your solution can support

Estes Express Lines

Overnite Transportation Co

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc

ABF FREIGHT SYSTEM, INC.

YRC

One Source Freight LLC

FANELLI BROTHERS TRUCKING CO.

C. H. ROBINSON WORLDWIDE, INC.

Aspen Transportation

Old Dominion Freight Line Inc

Watsontown Trucking Co Inc

Federal Express Gov't. Sales

Mapletree Transportation, Inc.

Universal AM Cam

J B HUNT TRANSPORT

4 Kies Trucking

BLUE STAR EXPRESS, INC

LANDSTAR INWAY

RYAN TRANSPORTATION SERVICE

AERO MAYFLOWER TRANSIT CO., LLC,

AVERITT EXPRESS

CRST Logistics, Inc.

Southwest Logistics Management

Brooks & Nellum Power Hauling, LLC

Great Lakes Connection

First Star Logistics, LLC

Dallas Mavis Specialized Carri

UNITED PARCEL SERVICE

B-LAK Logistic Services Inc.

MYERS TRUCKING, INC

UPS

How many total sites are, potentially, in scope in the future. In section 3.5 of the SOW, there is a question about trade-in discounts for upgrading to a larger license strategy. We will be able to provide a more detailed response to this question if we know how many total sites would be in consideration to be included in the “larger license”.

Answer Fifty (50) shipping locations (not SAP Plants) is the scope of this solicitation. We have multiple plants at the same physical location that is why we are not counting plants.

Question Address validation - What level of validation are you looking at? Is it enough to provide residential delivery indicator to manage shipping charges (some companies charge higher for residential delivery)? Or do you need higher level service (if the location is actively used)? The pricing may vary depending on the level you choose Answer FPI is looking for Business address validation, just that the address is correct. We should only be shipping to business/Government addresses.

Question Do you have your own SAP resources or SI maintaining your existing environment? Will they be involved at any point during the execution of this contract?

Answer We have our own in-house Basis and ERP Configuration team that will be assisting in the implementation that will be trained by the vendor on system changes and implementation procedures.

Question What is the Shipping vol at MI? What is the total volume for all 50 sites?

Answer The Shipping volume for all 50 shipping locations during FY15 was approximately 22 million dollars. The actual number of shipments is unknown. The factory at Milan ships metal furniture generally in large truckload or LTL shipments. The number varies based upon sales orders.

Question No. of SAP users and no. of shipping users @ MI site? The doc mentions total shipping users as 150 but not sure how these users are distributed among 50 sites.

Answer The number of staff using the software will vary at each site, that is why FPI is wanting the licensing at the shipping locations, not users to the software, the number of shipping locations is 50 physical shipping location for total implementation.

Question In our proposal should we assume the best possible architecture for 50 sites or consider this as a one site project? 50 site assumption will have more upfront cost with minimal per site cost. One site solution may reduce the initial cost.

Answer The solution should be able to run at a full implementation of all 50 shipping locations. As per the statement of work in 1.3 “The new shipping solution should be able to install in our current SAP hardware in its own namespace. The reason for the separate hardware requirement section is for sizing requirements when and if FPI implements a virtual environment for our SAP system.

Question The document states that the delivery is expected within 30 days of the order. Is it asking us to implement the entire system in 30 days? It may not be possible to deliver a quality solution in this time frame as it requires a lot of analysis and integration work with SAP and Carriers Answer Delivery of the software for installation into FPI’s landscape will need to be accomplished in the 30 day period. The implementation of the pilot site and integration work with carriers will take longer, please input your implementation schedule for the one site at FCI Milan into the solicitation.

Question Why is it termed SAP shipping solution instead of shipping solutions that integrate with SAP? Is there a technical significance?

Answer No technical significance. This is how FPI decided on naming the project.

Question Do you only work with GSA rates from your carriers or are there other rates as well? It is possible to maintain multiple pricing for the same product but with different category and hence the question

Answer FPI part of the Federal Government, FPI should receive GSA freight rates or better for shipments as long as there is a GSA rate for the route available. FPI wants the ability to show what the GSA rate is as well as rates from freight vendors to ensure FPI is getting government rates for better.

Question Is it enough to maintain these rate in the shipping solution software or do you have any use in maintaining it in SAP as well?

Answer These rates only need to be maintained in the shipping solution.

Question Integrated shipping address verification. I am not sure if you already use any other software to validate master data addresses (customers - SoldTo/BillTo/ShipTo/Payer/etc. and vendors) in SAP. When do you want to verify the shipping address? At the time of creating delivery order in SAP or at the time of shipment processing?

Answer The only software we use for customer address is the customer master in SAP. On the delivery document the address is pulled from master data and from the sales order. The address should be verified at shipment processing, some of FPI sales orders have very long delivery schedules and the address could of changed from sales order creation.

Question Would you like SAP to print the bill of lading (both commercial and government) or the shipping software? Both are possible

Answer As part of the project goals we want to be able to output the Commercial Bill of lading and Government Bill of Lading, doesn’t matter to FPI how it is accomplished as long as FPI has the ability to output the required documents.

Question Delivery and shipment consolidation could be done by SAP itself. Is this functionality available at your place or it needs to be configured as part of this project? Consolidation could be done at the shipping software level as well.

Answer FPI as part of the project goals is wanting a solution that will alert the person creating the shipment to have the ability to consolidate shipments. FPI just wants the option at the time of shipment to be able to do this.

Question The product of which I am re-seller is a stand alone shipping solution that integrates very well with SAP. The product is an SAP partner. It may be cost-effective to have your shipping personnel process the shipments using shipping software's own GUI screen. The data will be automatically pulled from and pushed to SAP. But if you need shipping interface similar or within SAP, it could be easily done but adds cost to it. Is SAP shipping screen an absolute requirement?

Answer Part of project objectives 1.3 and to reduce cost of ownership “The new shipping solution should be able to install in our current SAP hardware in its own namespace.”

The reason for the separate hardware requirement section is for sizing requirements when and if FPI implements a virtual environment for our SAP system. The Shipping screens should appear “SAP like” to reduce training effort required.

Question Proof of delivery doc is a standard process. It could be stored separately or within SAP doc itself for easier reference. For it to be stored within SAP, you must have SAP Document Management implemented or any 3rd party imaging solution connected to it (open text/ IXOS etc.). Do you have preferred or specific requirement?

Answer FPI wants the ability to store the proof of delivery either in SAP or SharePoint.

Question We for sure at least need 2 technical consultants (one from SAP side for ABAP integration and the other from Shipping software) but I am not sure about the SAP Basis part. Would the existing / native SAP Basis person or system integrator from your side help with port / network configuration or are we expected to take care of the SAP Basis component too?

Answer FPI will be responsible for the BASIS type functions for the project (ie creating RFC’s in SAP).

Question If you currently do not use handling units, I assume there is no impending need to use it now. It also depends on how complex the products you ship are, how you consolidate and how you track the components of consolidated shipments. For us to clearly state if you need handling units or not would require us to understand the products / process thoroughly.

Answer Currently FPI does not use handling units and have no current business need to implement handling units. FPI wants to ensure the shipping software allows for handling units in case FPI has a future business requirement for handling units.

Question FAR Clauses. Obviously, there are many clauses checked as pertaining to this RFP. Can you direct me to the website where I can review all relevant clauses?

Answer FAR clauses can be found at www.acquisition.gov