Extra Questions for Pueblo Solicitation - Final.pdf

# Page # Solicitation Section Question 1 1

SF33

Section L - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors

L.3 Submission, Modification, Revision, and Withdrawal of Proposal Instructions

The SF 33 shows the proposal due date as 8/14/26.

However, pages 36 and 41 each show the proposal due date as 8/28/26.

Please confirm that proposals are due on 8/28/26.

The revised due date for proposals is 9/4/26 at 5PM EST.

2 3-12 Section B, 2. Contract Type The solicitation states on page 3 that the Government intends to issue a multiple year, time and materials (T&M) contract.

The pricing tables immediately beneath that text are labeled as Firm Fixed Price contract type.

Please confirm the anticipated contract type.

The correct anticipated contract type is Time and Materials.

3 3-12 Section B, 2. Contract Type Section B identifies the quantity and unit for each CLIN as “1 EA.” Please confirm that offerors should leave the quantity and unit unchanged and enter the total annual price for the staffing identified under each regular labor CLIN as both the Unit Price and Extended Price.

Yes, please enter the total annual price in the Section B CLINs.

If the contemplated contract is T&M or labor-hour rather than FFP, please provide a revised pricing schedule identifying the applicable labor categories, estimated hours, units, and rate structure.

4 3-12 Section B, 2. Contract Type CLINs X003 are labeled “Forklift OPR/WHSE OT,” and CLINs X006 are labeled “Labor OT.” Please confirm that “OT” means overtime and clarify the following:

1. Which labor categories are included under each overtime

CLIN?

2. Please confirm whether only overtime for the seven Forklift

Operator/Warehouse Specialists is priced under CLINs X003 and whether overtime for the Customer Service Representative II, Supply Technician, and Material Handling Laborer/Janitor is priced under CLINs X006.

3. Please provide estimated overtime hours by labor category and contract year, including historical overtime usage if available.

4. Should the Section B Unit Price represent the fully burdened overtime hourly rate, only the incremental overtime premium, or a total annual overtime allowance?

5. If multiple labor categories are included under CLINs X006, should offerors provide a separate overtime rate for each applicable labor category in a supporting schedule?

6. Will the overtime CLINs be included in the total evaluated price? If so, please identify the Government estimated quantities that will be used for evaluation.

The estimate is based on the October–September fiscal year, consisting of 252 business days. For Forklift Operator/Warehouse Specialist positions: (252 days × 8 hours/day × 7 employees) = 14,112 total regular hours. Total hours multiplied by the contractor’s rate represents the maximum annual amount for those positions. Estimated overtime hours for forklift operators/warehouse specialists will not exceed 1,050 per year. The material handling laborer is limited to a maximum of 150 overtime hours per year. Total overtime billed for the fiscal year will equal actual overtime hours worked multiplied by the contractor’s applicable hourly rates (e.g., 1,050 hours × the contractor’s rate represents the maximum annual amount for those positions).

5 13 Section C, 3. Scope of Work Please identify the website platform, content management system, hosting environment, expected transaction volume, anticipated update frequency, and applicable service-level or availability requirements. Please see the SOW for PDC. The Pueblo warehouse maintains customer websites developed by GPO’s IT department.

6 13 Section C, 3. Scope of Work Please clarify the anticipated scope and volume of print design and small-scale promotional printing support, including the types of products, production equipment, design software, average monthly workload, and required turnaround times. GPO partners with a local printer and the agency’s procurement office to supply printed materials to customers.

The Pueblo group does not print in-house.

7 13 Section C, 3. Scope of Work Please provide an inventory of Government-Furnished Equipment, systems, software, licenses, and accounts that will be available at contract start. Please also define “DOTs” and identify the Oracle and server-based tools the Contractor will use. The inventory includes standup and sit-down forklifts, stock pickers, and a scissor lift on site. DOTs is the in-house inventory system used to track inventory and order fulfillment. Contractors will not use Oracle at the facility; they will work in DOTs along with Outlook, Word, and Excel.

Equipment is provided as government-furnished property.

Personal protective equipment high visibility vests, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, is also supplied by the government. Safety shoes are not provided by the government and must be supplied by the contractor if it is required for the position being filled.

8 13

Section C, 3. Scope of Work

Section C, Section 5.a

Please identify which of the specified labor categories is expected to perform print design, promotional printing, and website development and maintenance.

All print design and promotional printing are handled through a separate printing contract. Customers supply the artwork and text, which is then forwarded to the printer.

9 13

Section C, 3. Scope of Work

Section C, 5.b.A. Customer Service Representative

Please clarify the level of website support required. Is the Customer Service Representative expected to perform routine content and order-file updates, or does the requirement include website design, software development, coding, testing, security remediation, and system administration?

The Pueblo warehouse maintains customer websites developed by GPO’s IT department. These sites allow customers to place orders and download them into the inventory system. Customer Service Representatives update the sites with changes such as new items and maximum order quantities. This work consists primarily of data entry, email correspondence, and phone support with customers. It does not include website design, software development, coding, testing, or security remediation.

10 13-18 Section C - Description/ Specifications/ Work Statement

H.2 Contractor’s Employees Identification and Government Contractor Relations

The SOW states that “Contractor employees will supplement the federal workforce to support these operations,” while Section H.2 provides that contractor employees shall not be placed under the supervision, direction, or evaluation of a Government employee. The solicitation identifies ten contractor FTEs but does not identify a dedicated contractor supervisor, project manager, or working lead position.

1. Please confirm whether a dedicated onsite contractor supervisor, project manager, or working lead is required.

a. If required, may one of the ten prescribed FTEs serve as a working lead?

b. Which labor category should perform this responsibility?

c. Must all management and supervision costs be included within the existing Section B labor CLINs?

d. Who is expected to provide onsite contractor supervision during authorized overtime, weekend, or holiday work?

Supervisors or lead supply technicians in each section will train contract employees on their assigned duties and provide the applicable standard operating procedures. They will also monitor the performance of contract employees on an ongoing basis.

If a contract employee underperforms, takes excessive leave without prior notification to supervisors, takes leave without approval, or exhibits similar performance or attendance issues, the staffing company will be contacted so it can work with the employee to resolve the matter.

11 13-18 Section C - Description/ Specifications/ Work Statement

H.2 Contractor’s Employees Identification and Government Contractor Relations

The SOW states that contractor employees will “supplement the federal workforce” in support of GPO operations and requires the Contractor to provide services with minimal Government oversight. At the same time, Section H.2 states that contractor employees shall not be placed under the supervision, direction, or evaluation of a Government employee. The solicitation does not otherwise describe how daily operational requirements will be communicated to the contractor workforce or how individual work assignments will be made.

1. Please clarify the intended day-to-day work assignment and direction process during contract performance. Specifically, how will GPO communicate daily work requirements, priorities, and task assignments to the Contractor, and who will be responsible for assigning and directing individual contractor employees? The department supervisor will communicate daily work requirements, priorities, and task assignments and will direct the individual contractor employees.

2. Will GPO communicate operational requirements and priorities to a designated contractor representative, who will then assign work to contractor personnel, or does GPO anticipate communicating daily task assignments directly to individual contractor employees? The GPO supervisor or lead will communicate daily task assignments directly to the individual contractor employee.

12 14 Section C, 4.a. Location Please provide the anticipated staffing allocation between 31451 United Avenue and 31700 Excellence Avenue West.

Will employees routinely move between the two facilities during a workday? The main warehouse is located at the United Avenue location; all staff mainly work there. The Excellence Avenue warehouse is primarily used for additional storage.

13 14 Section C, 4.a. Location If personnel or materials must move between GPO facilities, will GPO provide transportation, or must the Contractor furnish a vehicle? Please identify any licensing, insurance, security, or vehicle requirements. GPO will provide transportation if needed.

14 15 Section C, 5.b.B. Supply Technician

The Supply Technician is required to “provide directions to contractors.” Please clarify whether this position is intended to function as the on-site team lead or supervisor and identify the associated decision-making and personnel management responsibilities. This position is located in the Support Service Unit Office. An example of giving directions would be if a plumber were needed: the supply technician would schedule the service call at the facility and provide directions on how to get there.

15 14 Section C, 4. General Operating Conditions and 5.

Personnel Requirements

The SOW requires ten FTEs and states that staffing must be maintained from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., while the Cost/Price Instructions allow offerors to use their standard annual FTE-hours convention.

Please confirm whether all ten positions must be continuously staffed during all normal operating hours, including coverage for vacation, sick leave, training, and vacancies. If continuous coverage is required, should offerors include relief or backfill personnel within the existing annual CLIN prices? GPO does not need continuous coverage during operating hours. If staff are on leave or training, GPO will adjust the work that can be done with the reduced staffing level.

16 17 Section C, 5.c. General Personnel Qualifications

Will GPO provide equipment-specific MHE training and certification, or must personnel arrive fully certified? Please identify the acceptable certification standards and whether certification must be completed before the first day of performance. The Warehouse Manager is a trainer and will provide the MHE training. Personnel do not need to be fully certified because they receive the required training through

GPO.

17 17 Section C, 5.c. General Personnel Qualifications

Please specify the background investigation, suitability determination, or security-clearance level that may be required for each labor category. May personnel begin work with interim access while final adjudication is pending? GPO’s standard processing timeline for initial vetting – including fingerprinting, credit checks, and completion of the security questionnaire – averages approximately 14 days. Once the case is released to DCSA for investigation, their processing time varies based on workload and case complexity. The full background investigation can range from 90 days up to 12 months, depending on the required investigation level; however, cases extending to 12 months are uncommon. Facility access is granted only when all initial checks return favorably. GPO does not authorize badges or facility entry until this initial vetting is successfully completed. So, it's critical that all the correct onboarding documents have been submitted and that applicants pay attention to their email for any messages from the GPO office.

18 17 Section C, 6. Security, Safety, &

Compliance The solicitation states that the Contractor is responsible for its own Safety and Occupational Health program and must provide all required PPE. Please confirm whether contractor costs for PPE, safety footwear, uniforms, drug testing, physical examinations, fingerprinting, background investigations, MHE training and certification, and other required personnel-related expenses must be included in the existing annual labor CLIN prices or may be separately reimbursed.

Equipment is provided as government-furnished property.

Personal protective equipment high visibility vests, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, is also supplied by the government. Safety shoes are not provided by the government and must be supplied by the contractor if it is required for the position being filled. Steel-toe/safety-toe boots are only mandatory for forklift operators. Safety shoes issued must conform to ANSI Z41-1999, American National Standard for Safety Toe Footwear or ASTM F2413-2005, American Society for Testing and Materials per GPO Directive 670.1E Foot Protection Program.

Please also identify which party will provide janitorial supplies, cleaning chemicals, waste bags, restroom consumables, and other supplies required by the Material Handling Laborer/Janitor. All janitorial supplies are provided by GPO. The Material Handling Laborer/Janitor will not have to provide any supplies.

19 17 Section C, 7. Quality Control and Reporting

Please confirm whether the stated order-processing ranges of 45 to 60 orders per hour and 15 to 100 orders per hour are historical workload data, staffing assumptions, or mandatory performance standards. If they are performance standards, please provide the measurement methodology and acceptable quality levels. Performance standards for orders filled by staff are evaluated each year. They are based on the average production standards for each customer and may be adjusted upward or downward accordingly.

20 17 Section C, 7. Quality Control and Reporting

Please provide the required inventory-accuracy percentage, order-accuracy percentage, timeliness standard, backlog threshold, sampling methodology, and corrective-action requirements. Inventory Accuracy ≥ 98% accuracy (no more than two errors per rating period).

Order Accuracy Agency-specific percentage targets established annually; performance is measured against each agency’s yearly standard and evaluated at year-end.

Timeliness Standard Orders must meet established daily, weekly, special-promotion, and annual processing deadlines.

Backlog Threshold (Not stated in the original answer — this element is missing and must be defined if required by the performance plan or contract.)

Sampling Methodology Random or systematic sampling of 10– 25 pieces with scaled (cycle) counting.

Corrective-Action Requirements Any deficiencies are reported to the contract company’s designated point of contact for corrective action.

21 18 Section C, 8. Transition Period Will GPO provide access to incumbent personnel, SOPs, workload data, system documentation, equipment inventories, and current performance reports during transition? Yes.

22 18 Section C, 8. Transition Period Please confirm whether the 90-day transition occurs concurrently with full production operations and whether all transition costs must be included in the annual fixed prices.

The cost should be included in the whole current fiscal year and option years.

23 18 Section C, 8. Transition Period Please clarify whether GPO anticipates parallel operations, shadowing, or validation of employee proficiency before the Contractor assumes full operational responsibility.

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) along with the government leads will monitor performance. There will be no formal parallel operations or shadowing period; proficiency will be validated through on-the-job training and supervision before full operational responsibility is assumed.

24 30-34 Section I – Contract Clauses The link to the MMAR leads to a PDF document which says it was last updated in 2003. This document does not contain some of the referenced MMAR clauses (for example, 52.204-7:

System for Award Management Maintenance (OCT 2016) on page 30.)

Can GPO please provide a link to the current MMAR document so that offerors may refer to the most current clauses and provisions?

The 2003 version is the most up to date. The 2016 reference was removed.

25 30-34 Section I – Contract Clauses Some of the MMAR provisions listed in the solicitation require completion.

1. Please clarify whether an active and up-to-date SAM registration satisfies the representations and certifications requirements for this solicitation, or whether Offerors are required to complete and submit the applicable fill-in provisions as part of their proposal submission. Active SAM registration fulfills this requirement.

2. If submission is required, please confirm the appropriate proposal volume in which these completed provisions should be included. N/A.

26 31-32 Section I – Contract Clauses 52.212-5 (c)

The solicitation includes 52.222-41, Service Contract Act, and associated clauses.

1. Please provide the applicable wage determination, including the wage determination number, revision number, and effective date, that will be incorporated into the resulting contract.

Wage determination was included with past amendment.

2. Please confirm the intended Service Contract Labor

Standards Directory of Occupations classification for each required position, particularly the combined Forklift Operator/Warehouse Specialist and Material Handling Laborer/Janitor positions, which include duties potentially associated with more than one SCA classification. The classification numbers for each of the positions are as follows: 1. Customer Service Representative (01041– Customer Service Representative I), 2. Supply Technician (01410 – Supply Technician), 3. Forklift Operator / Warehouse Specialist (Forklift Operator/Warehouse Specialist 21410), 4. Material Handling Laborer / Janitor (21050 – Material Handling Laborer)

27 31-32 Section I – Contract Clauses;

52.212-5 (c)

The solicitation includes 52.222-47, SCA Minimum Wages and Fringe Benefits Applicable to Successor Contract Pursuant to Predecessor Contractor Collective Bargaining Agreement

(CBA).

1. Can GPO please clarify if any or all of the positions under this contract are in a union? N/A.

2. If yes, please provide the name of the union, confirm which positions are included, and provide the CBA for pricing purposes. N/A.

3. If a CBA applies, please confirm whether the CBA wage rates, fringe benefits, paid leave, seniority provisions, and other compensation requirements must be incorporated into all base- and option-year pricing. N/A.

28 34 Section I – Contract Clauses;

52.232-33; 52.232-38

Section I incorporates MMAR 52.232-38, Submission of Electronic Funds Transfer Information with Offer, which requires offerors to provide electronic funds transfer/banking information as part of their offer. The solicitation also incorporates MMAR 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management.

To minimize the transmission and handling of sensitive financial information from unsuccessful offerors, will GPO waive the requirement for offerors to submit bank account/EFT information with their proposals and instead require the successful offeror to provide the applicable EFT information following award or as part of contract execution? If not, please clarify the required method for securely submitting this information and whether it may be provided separately from the technical and cost proposal volumes with access restricted to appropriate GPO financial or contracting personnel.

EFT information can be exchanged after award.

29 37 Section L - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors

The solicitation states, “Any and all team members comprising the legal entity must sign the Performance Guarantee.”

Can GPO kindly clarify when the Performance Guarantee must be signed, and provide a copy for review, if applicable to this solicitation?

N/A. Please disregard any mentions of a performance guarantee.

30 38-39 L.2 Proposal Preparation Instructions:

The paragraph describing the contents of the proposal on page 38 states that the portfolio shall consist of five (5) volumes and includes Technical Capability and Management Plan as a single volume (#2).

The list immediately following this text shows six (6) volumes, with Technical Capability as Volume 2 and Management and Staffing Plan as Volume 3. This same structure is shown on page 39 when describing the contents of each volume.

Please confirm that the proposal should consist of six (6) volumes, with Technical Capability as Volume 2 and Management and Staffing Plan as Volume 3.

Yes, please submit six (6) volumes.

31 45 M.6 Cost/Price Evaluation Section M.6 on page 45 states that the contract requires a cost-loaded Network Analysis Schedule (NAS), which seems to be more appropriate for construction or complex multi-phase projects.

The Cost/Price Proposal Instructions require Offerors to propose fully burdened labor rates, FTE methodology, and CLIN pricing in accordance with Section B.

1. Please clarify whether the cost-loaded Network Analysis

Schedule requirement on page 45 is applicable to this procurement. If not, will the NAS instructions be removed to align with the Cost/Price Proposal Instructions? N/A

2. If the NAS requirement is applicable, please provide the required format or template and identify the minimum information that must be included. N/A

3. If the NAS requirement is not applicable, please confirm that the completed Section B pricing, fully burdened labor rates by labor category, proposed FTE-hours methodology, and supporting pricing narrative will satisfy the cost/price submission requirements. Yes, please adhere to all other cost/price instructions.

32 38 Section L.1 Proposal Instructions

Please clarify whether the 75-page limitation applies collectively to all proposal volumes combined or individually to each volume. Additionally, please confirm whether any sections (e.g., cover pages, table of contents, resumes, past performance, or attachments) are excluded from the page count.

Yes, the 75-page count applies to all pages.

33 38

L.2 Proposal Preparation Instructions

L.3 Submission, Modification, Revision, and Withdrawal of Proposal Instructions

Section L.2 states that “Offeror's proposal must be submitted in an Adobe PDF portfolio format…” and that “Offerors shall submit one complete, electronic version of their proposal.”

Section L.3 states that “Multiple emails may be sent to accommodate the proposal size and content, but each email must clearly identify the attachments and instructions for assembling the proposal.”

Please confirm whether the required Adobe PDF portfolio may be divided among multiple emails and whether the assembly instructions may be provided in the body of each submission email. If not, please clarify the required method for providing assembly instructions.

The government will accept Adobe PDF portfolios and multiple emails with each volume separated. All volumes must be their own PDF file.

A. CONTRACT TYPE AND PRICING BASIS

Q1 — Contract type. Is the resulting contract firm fixed price or time and materials? Section B states the Government intends to award a "multiple-year, time and materials (T&M) contract," while all thirty CLIN blocks are labeled "Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price." Section I further incorporates MMAR 52.243-3 (Changes — Time-and-Materials or Labor-Hours) and 52.249-6 Alt IV (Termination — Cost Reimbursement), and SOW ¶7 requires a Monthly Labor Cost and Burn Rate Report. Offerors cannot construct a rate basis until the contract type is confirmed.

The Government intends to award a time and materials contract.

Q2 — Form of the priced CLIN. To understand the pricing structure for each CLIN: is the Government asking for a fully burdened hourly rate for each job classification listed, or for the annual burdened cost of each job classification? Section L Volume 6 and L.1(b) direct the offeror to "propose fully burdened labor rates for each labor category listed in the SOW," while every CLIN in Section B is structured as Quantity 1, Unit EA — an annual lot. Please confirm whether the Government wants (a) an hourly rate with the extended annual amount shown, (b) an annual lot amount only, or (c) both, and confirm the intended relationship between the two.

(C) Both, please provide the annual total per CLIN in Section B, and the fully burdened hourly rates in your cost/price proposal.

Q3 — Productive hour basis and coverage relief. SOW ¶4.c requires staffing to be maintained from 0630 to 1500 — an 8.5-hour span — across a fixed ten-FTE complement, and SOW ¶4.d observes eleven Federal holidays. Section L permits the offeror to propose its own full-time equivalency (e.g., 1,920 or 1,880 hours). Please confirm: (a) the daily productive hours per FTE the Government expects behind each staffed position; The work begins at 6:30am and ends at 3:00pm and includes a 30-minute lunch at 11:30am. All staff work 8 hours per day. (b) whether meal periods are paid or unpaid Meal period is unpaid; and (c) whether the Contractor must backfill scheduled leave, sick leave, and unscheduled absence so that all ten positions are covered on every operating day, or whether staffing may dip below ten on a given day. If full daily coverage is required, please confirm the associated relief factor is to be priced within the annual CLIN amounts, as no relief or backfill CLIN exists. The agency prefers continuous coverage most of the time during operating hours, but if staff are on leave or training, GPO will adjust the work that can be done with the reduced staffing level.

Q4 — Wage determination. Which wage determination applies? MMAR 52.222-41, -42, -43, -44 and -47 are incorporated in Section I, but no wage determination is attached or cited and Section J is "None." Please provide the applicable Pueblo County, Colorado determination — number, revision, and date — and the applicable Health & Welfare rate. Without it there is no compliant rate floor and 52.222-43's price-adjustment mechanism has no baseline to adjust from. Please also confirm whether Executive Order 13706 (Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors) applies.

No Executive Orders apply. The applicable wage determination was included in the past amendment.

Q5 — Predecessor collective bargaining agreement. MMAR 52.222-47 is incorporated in Section I. Is there a collective bargaining agreement in effect at the Pueblo Distribution Center under incumbent contract 040ADV-21-C-0091? If so, please provide it, as its wage and fringe schedule would become the floor for the base period.

No Collective Bargaining Agreement applies.

B. LABOR AND STAFFING

Q6 — Supervision. Is the Contractor to include supervision of these laborers, or will the

Government supervise them? Section H.2(c) states contractor employees may not be "placed in a position where they are under the supervision, direction, or evaluation of a government employee," and SOW ¶3 requires performance "with minimal Government oversight," yet SOW ¶4.c requires "onsite supervision" for all overtime and no supervisory, lead, or project-management labor category or CLIN appears anywhere in Section B or SOW ¶5. Please confirm: (a) whether a supervisory or lead position is expected on site; (b) if so, whether its cost is to be recovered inside the fully burdened rates of the ten priced positions, as a separate indirect, or by another means; and (c) whether the two Key Personnel are expected to supervise the remaining eight laborers.

Supervisors or lead supply technicians in each section will train contract employees on their assigned duties and provide the applicable standard operating procedures. They will also monitor the performance of contract employees on an ongoing basis.

If a contract employee underperforms, takes excessive leave without prior notification to supervisors, takes leave without approval, or exhibits similar performance or attendance issues, the staffing company will be contacted so it can work with the employee to resolve the matter.

Q7 — Material Handling Laborer / Janitor classification. SOW ¶5.b lists one non-key FTE as "Material Handling Laborer / Janitor" under a single DOL code, 53-7062.00. Under the Service Contract Act these are two distinct occupational classifications with different wage rates. Which classification is the Contractor to price for that position, and if the position performs both functions, does the Government expect the higher-rated classification to govern the full 40 hours? The Material Handling Laborer/Janitor and the forklift operators/warehouse specialists will perform the same work, except for minimal janitorial duties when needed.

Q8 — Overtime CLINs 0003 and 0006. CLIN 0006 is captioned "Labor OT," but the SOW lists four labor categories. Which labor category or categories is the Contractor pricing for overtime under CLIN 0006, and how does that differ from CLIN 0003, "Forklift OPR/WHSE OT"? Separately, both CLINs and their option-year mirrors are priced as Quantity 1 EA with no estimated overtime hours given anywhere in the solicitation. What overtime quantity should offerors assume? Please provide FY2024 and FY2025 actual overtime hours by labor category under the incumbent contract so that offerors price from a common basis. M.1(d) requires a proposal on all CLINs, so these cannot be left unpriced.

Estimated overtime hours for forklift operators/warehouse specialists will not exceed 1,050 per year.

The material handling laborer is limited to a maximum of 150 overtime hours per year. Total overtime billed for the fiscal year will equal actual overtime hours worked multiplied by the contractor’s applicable hourly rates (e.g., 1,050 hours × the contractor’s rate represents the maximum annual amount for those positions). Overtime total hours will remain the same for each option year.

Q9 — Website development scope. SOW ¶3 lists website development and maintenance in the scope of work, but none of the four labor categories in SOW ¶5.b covers web development and no CLIN is priced for it. How is that scope line to be staffed and priced? L.1(b) and Volume 6 require a fully burdened rate for each labor category listed in the SOW.

Please clarify the level of website support required. Is the Customer Service Representative expected to perform routine content and order-file updates, or does the requirement include website design, software development, coding, testing, security remediation, and system administration?

GPO maintains customer websites developed by the GPO IT department. These sites allow customers to place orders and download them into the inventory system. Customer Service Representatives update the sites with changes such as new items and maximum order quantities. This work consists primarily of data entry, email correspondence, and phone support with customers. It does not include website design, software development, coding, testing, or security remediation.

Q10 — Incumbent labor baseline and non-displacement. Section B ¶1 identifies the incumbent as Right Direction Technology Solutions under contract 040ADV-21-C-0091 at a total contract price of $3,172,155.34 for the period 11/23/2021 through 09/30/2026. To price the same scope on a common basis, please provide: (a) the incumbent's current staffing by labor category, including headcount, hourly wage rates, and seniority, as commonly furnished under MMAR 52.222-41(n); (b) the amount obligated under that contract for each fiscal year of its performance, since the stated total spans approximately 4.9 years at a headcount that may differ from the ten FTEs now solicited; and (c) whether any non-displacement or right-of-first-refusal obligation applies to incumbent employees.

Please also confirm whether the Government will populate MMAR 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires.

Currently for fiscal year 2026:

Forklift Operator/Warehouse Specialist – 6 positions.

FY2021:

Lead Customer Service Representative II 1 positions. Customer Service Representative 2 positions.

Forklift Operator/Warehouse Specialist – 4 positions.

Supply Technician – 1 position.

FY2022:

Lead Customer Service Representative II 1 positions. Customer Service Representative - vacant.

Forklift Operator/Warehouse Specialist – 5 positions.

Supply Technician – 1 position.

FY2023:

Lead Customer Service Representative II 1 positions. Customer Service Representative - vacant.

Forklift Operator/Warehouse Specialist – 5 positions.

Supply Technician – 1 position.

FY2024:

Lead Customer Service Representative II 1 positions. Customer Service Representative - 1 position.

Forklift Operator/Warehouse Specialist – 5 positions.

Supply Technician – Vacant.

FY2025:

Lead Customer Service Representative II - Vacant.

Customer Service Representative - Vacant.

Forklift Operator/Warehouse Specialist – 6 positions.

Supply Technician – Vacant.

Q11 — Screening cost responsibility. SOW ¶5.c requires all personnel to pass drug testing, physical examination, and background investigation, with a security clearance possibly required; H.1(b) requires Key Personnel substitutes to be able to obtain a public trust clearance; and H.14(d) requires fingerprinting and background checks for all contractor and subcontractor personnel. Please confirm which party bears the cost of fingerprinting, background investigations, drug testing, and physicals;

the clearance level actually required; and the expected adjudication timeline, given a 1 October 2026 performance start against an August closing date.

GPO’s standard processing timeline for initial vetting – including fingerprinting, credit checks, and completion of the security questionnaire – averages approximately 14 days. Once the case is released to DCSA for investigation, their processing time varies based on workload and case complexity. The full background investigation can range from 90 days up to 12 months, depending on the required investigation level; however, cases extending to 12 months are uncommon. Facility access is granted only when all initial checks return favorably. GPO does not authorize badges or facility entry until this initial vetting is successfully completed. So, it's critical that all the correct onboarding documents have been submitted and that applicants pay attention to their email for any messages from the GPO office.

C. GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY AND OTHER DIRECT COSTS

Q12 — Equipment and supplies. Will the Government provide all necessary equipment and supplies to perform these job functions? SOW ¶3 states the Contractor shall utilize Government Furnished Equipment "including material handling equipment (MHE), DOTs, Oracle systems, and server-based tools," but no GFE inventory, list, or condition report is provided and Section J is "None." Please provide (a) an inventory of the GFE and MHE to be made available, with quantity, type, age, and condition, and identify the party responsible for its maintenance, repair, fuel, and replacement; (b) confirmation of which consumables and operating supplies — including packaging materials, shipping supplies, janitorial supplies, and office consumables — are Government-furnished and which are contractor-furnished; and (c) the meaning of the acronym "DOTs." Note that MMAR 52.236-2 (Differing Site Conditions) and 52.236-3 (Site Investigations) are incorporated, and that Excelous was unable to attend the 4 August site visit — please confirm whether the Government will publish a site-visit record, and whether non-attendance carries any evaluation consequence under M.1 or M.4.

Equipment is provided as government-furnished property. Personal protective equipment high-visibility vests, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, is also supplied by the government. Safety shoes are not provided by the government and must be supplied by the contractor if it is required for the position being filled. Steel-toe/safetytoe boots are only mandatory for forklift operators. Safety shoes issued must conform to ANSI Z41-1999, American National Standard for Safety Toe Footwear or ASTM F2413-2005, American Society for Testing and Materials per GPO Directive 670.1E Foot Protection Program.

The government performs all routine maintenance, servicing, and related inspection logs for OSHA and GPO Safety for GFE, which the Warehouse Manager forwards to the GPO Fleet Manager. The contractor is responsible for performing daily safety checks on GFE before daily use.

Q13 — Uniforms. Is the Contractor expected to provide uniforms for its employees, or will the Government provide them? No uniform requirement appears in the SOW; H.11 refers only to satisfactory standards of employee "appearance." Please also confirm whether personal protective equipment beyond that required by SOW ¶6 is Government-furnished, and whether MHE operator training and certification under 29 CFR 1910.178(l) is a contractor cost.

No uniform requirement.

Equipment is provided as government-furnished property. Personal protective equipment high-visibility vests, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, is also supplied by the government. Safety shoes are not provided by the government and must be supplied by the contractor if it is required for the position being filled. Steel-toe/safety toe boots are only mandatory for forklift operators. Safety shoes issued must conform to ANSI Z41-1999, American National Standard for Safety Toe Footwear or ASTM F2413-2005, American Society for Testing and Materials per GPO Directive 670.1E Foot Protection Program.

The Warehouse Manager is a trainer and will provide the MHE training. Personnel do not need to be fully certified because they receive the required training through GPO.

Q14 — Insurance limits. Section H.3 requires "adequate insurance with the proper coverage limits, including general liability and professional liability insurances" but states no dollar limits. Please specify the minimum limits required, and confirm whether professional liability coverage is genuinely required for warehouse labor, given the "highest degree of care" property standard imposed by H.10.

The federal government is self-insured.

Q15 — Facility closures and appropriations lapse. Section H.14 permits the Government to deny facility access for weather, safety hazards, a lapse in appropriations, or "any other unforeseen reason," and provides that the Contracting Officer may adjust the schedule or forego the work. On an annually lot-priced CLIN carrying a fixed ten-FTE payroll, please confirm whether the Contractor is entitled to an equitable adjustment for days on which the Government denies access, or whether that exposure rests entirely with the Contractor.

A work delay of an hour or two due to road conditions for safety reasons may be expected. The contract type will be time and materials and contractors will be paid by the hours they work.

Q16 — Security policy set. SOW ¶6 requires strict adherence to GPO security, IT security, and information safeguarding policies but names no policy, standard, or marking regime and cites no document. Please identify the applicable policy documents so that any associated compliance cost can be priced.

No policy documents can be provided at this time.

D. SCHEDULE AND CLIN STRUCTURE

Q17 — Period covered by the staffing CLINs. The dates given for the staffing range read "10/26 to 9/27." Read as month and day that is an eleven-month period; read as month and year it is the twelve-month base period 1 October 2026 through 30 September 2027 shown in Section F. Please confirm which is intended. Relatedly, CLINs 2003 through 2006, 3001 through 3006, and 4001 through 4006 all carry that same "10/26 to 9/27" period, which contradicts both their own Option Time Dates (10/1/28, 10/1/29, 10/1/30) and the Section F periods of performance for FY29, FY30 and FY31. The Section B option metadata also shows 365 days for Option Year 1 and 364 days for Option Years 2, 3 and 4, which do not reconcile to the Section F periods. Please confirm the governing periods for every option year by amendment.

The CLIN Descriptions will be changed to the final award. The intended POP is as follows:

Base Year: 10/1/26 – 9/30/27

Option Year 1: 10/1/27 – 9/30/28

Option Year 2: 10/1/28 – 9/30/29

Option Year 3: 10/1/29 - 9/30/30

Option Year 4: 10/1/30 – 9/30/31

Q18 — Transition / phase-in. SOW ¶8 provides a 90-calendar-day transition/phase-in period at the start of the contract, but Section B contains no phase-in CLIN. How should transition costs be priced, and does the 90-day period run before or concurrently with the 1 October 2026 performance start in Section F? With a late-August close and the incumbent contract running through 09/30/2026, a preaward phase-in appears impossible; the two readings produce materially different bids.

The cost should be for the whole current fiscal year and option years.

Q19 — Closing date. Which closing date governs — SF 33 Block 9, which reads "17:0 local time 08/14/2026," or L.3(c), the Section L milestone table, and the SAM.gov response deadline, which all read 5:00 PM EST 28 August 2026? L.3(c) expressly defers to "the closing date and time identified on the SF33," so the sources do not reconcile on their own.

The submission date is 9/4/2026 at 5PM EST.

Q20 — Contract duration ceiling. Please confirm whether the 60-month ceiling at MMAR 52.217-9 is inclusive of any extension exercised under 52.217-8, since a base period plus four option years already reaches 60 months.

The period of performance for the resultant contract excludes the six-month extension allowed under

MMAR 52.217-8.

Q21 — Work locations. SOW ¶4.a gives the work locations as 31451 United Avenue and 31700 Excellence Avenue West, while the site-visit address in Section L is 31451 Excellence Avenue — matching neither. Please confirm the work locations and provide the square footage and number of buildings in scope at each. Separately, SOW ¶7 refers to a program with 131 customers plus 28 additional customers, while SOW ¶1 gives approximately 113 total customers; these are staffingmodel inputs and do not reconcile.

31451 United Avenue - 59,670 SQ FT (This includes the Office Space)

31700 Excellence Ave - 25,000 SQ FT

Total Square feet is 84,670

E. SUBMISSION AND EVALUATION

Q22 — Cost-loaded Network Analysis Schedule. M.6(c) states the contract requires a costloaded Network Analysis Schedule with the schedule of prices included as part of it, submitted with the proposal. Is a NAS genuinely required for this services requirement, and if so what format and level of detail does the Government expect? Section L never mentions a NAS and no attachment provides a format. N/A. Disregard all mention of NAS.

Q23 — Certified cost or pricing data and Cost Accounting Standards. Section I incorporates MMAR 52.215-12, 52.215-13 and 52.215-20 (cost or pricing data) and 52.230-1 and 52.230-2 (Cost Accounting Standards), while M.6(a) states the price evaluation is conducted "with the expectation of adequate price competition." Please confirm whether certified cost or pricing data will be required from the apparent successful offeror, and whether full or modified CAS coverage is anticipated.

No certified cost or pricing data is required.

Q24 — Performance Guarantee. Section L General Instructions (d) requires that "any and all team members comprising the legal entity must sign the Performance Guarantee." No Performance Guarantee form, clause, or definition appears anywhere in the solicitation and Section J is "None."

Please provide the instrument and confirm whether it carries a dollar value or bonding obligation.

N/A. Disregard all mentions of a performance guarantee.

Q25 — Submission mechanics and page limit. (a) L.2 requires the proposal as a single Adobe PDF portfolio, while L.3(b) caps any single email at 5 MB and lists accepted formats as .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx and .pdf with all attachments unzipped. A six-volume portfolio cannot fit within 5 MB. Will the Government accept separate PDF files distributed across clearly labeled emails per L.3(e)? (b) L.1(e) limits the proposal to 75 pages single spaced and states no exclusions. Please confirm whether the limit excludes the Standard Form 33, SAM registration information and IRS Form W-9 required in Volume 1; volume cover pages and tables of contents; Key Personnel resumes, letters of commitment and credential evidence required in Volume 4; the completed Past Performance Questionnaires in Volume 5; and the completed Section B priced schedule and any Network Analysis Schedule required in Volume 6. (c) L.2 states the portfolio "shall consist of five (5) volumes" and then lists six; please confirm the governing volume structure.

Submission of separate files over separate emails is accepted. Each volume needs to be its own PDF file. Six (6) volumes are required. The page count of seventy-five (75) is all inclusive.

Q26 — SF 33 block numbers and offer acceptance period. (a) L.1(a) directs completion of Standard Form 33 Blocks 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20a, 20b and 20c. On SF 33 (Rev. 12/2022) the offeror blocks are 12 through 18; Blocks 19 through 28 are Government award blocks, and Blocks 20a, 20b and 20c do not exist. Please confirm the offeror should complete Blocks 12 through 18. (b) SF 33 Block 12 preprints an offer acceptance period of 60 calendar days, while Section L states the offeror agrees to hold prices for 180 days. Please confirm the governing period; Excelous intends to insert 180 unless directed otherwise.

Yes, complete blocks 12 through 18. Lastly, Offerors must agree to hold pricing for a period of 180 days.

Q27 — Award basis and acquisition data. M.1 General Information (e) and M.1 Source Selection (a) state the Government will award to the offeror whose proposal "represents the best value," while M.1 Source Selection (b) and M.2 invoke MMAR 15.101-2 Lowest Price Technically Acceptable. Please confirm the award basis. Please also confirm the NAICS code and size standard assigned to this acquisition and whether any set-aside applies, as neither appears in the solicitation.

This award will be based on Lowest Price Technically Acceptable. The NAICS code is 493110. No set asides apply.

Q28 — Past performance rating conflict. M.4 rates Factor 4 Unacceptable where the offeror "lacks relevant performance history or performance information is unavailable," while M.5 assigns a NEUTRAL rating on exactly those two conditions per MMAR 15.305(a)(2)(iv). Which governs?

A neutral rating will apply to those who lack relevant performance history or information is unavailable. Applicable changes have been applied to the solicitation.