Addendum_-_Instructions_to_Offerors_-_Commercial_Items.pdf

Attachment 5

ADDENDUM

52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS – COMMERCIAL ITEMS

A. The following instructions cover the preparation and submittal of the offeror’s proposal for this solicitation. Non-conformance with any instructions provided below may result in an unfavorable proposal evaluation. Proposals shall be submitted to the Government in two (2) separate volumes as set forth below:

PAGE NUMBER

VOLUME LIMITS OF COPIES DESCRIPTION

I N/A 1 electronic copy Completed RFQ with pricing

II 50 1 electronic copy Technical Proposal

Completed RFQ with pricing and Technical Proposal shall be submitted in electronic format through AMRDEC SAFE following the Communications paragraph below.

In addition to the page limitations set forth above, proposals should comply with the following format:

(1) Print shall be no less than 12 point and page size shall be 8.5 x 11 inches.

(2) Margins shall be no smaller than 1 inch on the top and bottom and 3/4-inch side margins.

(3) Pages shall be numbered sequentially by volume. Offerors are cautioned that any pages exceeding the limitations set forth above will not be read or considered in the evaluation of the proposal.

(4) Each page containing proprietary information should be so marked.

(5) Each page should contain the following legend at the bottom of each sheet:

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION--SEE FAR 2.101 and 3.104

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Communications:

Exchanges of source selection information between Government and offerors will be controlled by the Contracting Officer. Initial proposals submitted via email are not permissible. Initial proposal packages shall be submitted through AMRDEC Safe at https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/. Offers submitted in electronic forms other than through AMRDEC Safe are not permissible and will not be considered.

Instructions for AMRDEC Safe are as follows:

1. To send files through AMRDEC SAFE, access http://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe.

Select “Click Here” under the “Non-CAC Users” (i.e. Guest) option. Once the page https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/ redirects to the package upload form, fill in all the required fields: Your Name; Your Email Address; Confirm Your Email Address; Description of File(s); File(s) – Click the “Browse” button to select your file(s) (you may add up to 25 files per package, so long as the total file size does not exceed 2 GB); and Email address to give access to – enter kathryn.vaccaro@us.af.mil then click “Add”, enter michael.hickey.2@us.af.mil, then click “Add”. Under Email Setting, select “Encrypt email message when possible”, “Notify me when file(s) downloads are COMPLETED” (You (the sender) will receive a notification via email when a recipient has successfully downloaded the files you have sent through SAFE), and select “Require CAC for pick-up (so that recipients have to log in with a CAC to download the files.) Click the “Upload” button to upload the files and submit the package. You will need to check your email to verify your email address before the recipients will be notified. After the package has been uploaded and verified, each recipient will receive a link to the package download page as well as a password.

These passwords are unique for each recipient (not the package), and will be disabled once SAFE detects that the user successfully downloaded each file within the package.

Forwarding recipient and send notification emails to anyone except the AMRDEC SAFE Team is strictly forbidden. For complete instructions on sending files via AMRDEC SAFE, please refer to https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/guide.aspx.

2. Files shall be submitted in a format readable by Microsoft (MS) Word 2016 or earlier, MS Excel 2016 or earlier, MS PowerPoint 2016 or earlier, or Adobe Portable Documentation Format (PDF). If submitting a PDF file, the Offeror shall create the file to enable textual search and copy functions. Macros or other embedded objects or features within files will be disabled as part of regular security precautions.

3. Uploaded files must be timestamped by the offer due date and time. Offerors shall allow sufficient time for receipt of electronic submissions by the due date and time.

Offerors bare the risk for receipt of offers being untimely.

After submission of the initial proposal package email may be used to transmit source selection information, only if the email can be sent encrypted, and must include “Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” in the subject line of the email. Otherwise, all source selection information will be transmitted via AMRDEC SAFE. In order to facilitate the sending and receiving of encrypted emails, offerors must use MS Outlook email configured to support encryption or a different email product that is S/MIME compatible and configured to support encryption. If you intend to submit your post proposal source selection information via encrypted email, you will need to contact the Buyer/Contracting Officer indicated on the face page of the solicitation prior to that first submittal in order to exchange certificates used for encryption. When submitting source selection information via email, file suppression utilities, to include but not limited to zip files, will not be accepted. Before you can exchange encrypted email you first need to swap certificates one time following the below instructions:

- Send a digitally signed message to the end user.

- Have the user respond with a digitally signed email.

- You should now be able to encrypt any messages to that user.

- Right-click the name in the “From” box, and then click “Add to Contacts” on the shortcut menu.

https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/guide.aspx

- If you already have a contact entry for this person, select “Update new information” from this contact to the existing one. To insure the process is working correctly, the offeror needs to send a test encrypted message first (without including any source selection information).

- When you are ready to send an encrypted email, insure encryption is selected and include “Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” in the subject line of the email.

B. Volume I – Completed RFP with Pricing

a. Shall consist of the completed and signed RFQ with a cover letter delineating any exceptions taken to the RFQ terms and conditions. However, offerors are cautioned that any noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the RFQ may cause their proposal to be determined unacceptable. Offerors shall ensure that all clauses and provisions that require “fill-in” information are appropriately completed, including the proposed prices associated with the contract line items in the Schedule of the RFQ, pages 3-4.

b. Discussions may be conducted, but the Government reserves the right, in limited circumstances, to award without discussions. Proposals received are subject to the requirements specified in FAR 52.212-1, unless otherwise tailored in the Addendum to the solicitation.

C. Volume II - Technical Proposal

a. Technical proposals shall be clear, concise, and include sufficient detail for effective evaluation. Technical proposals shall include a written response to EACH paragraph of the Purchase Description with sufficient supporting technical literature. Proposals shall include descriptive literature, brochures, and a technical proposal response. Sufficient technical literature, documentation, etc., shall be submitted in order for the Government to make an adequate technical assessment of the proposed unit. Solely restating the paragraphs of the Purchase Description or limiting the response to a simple statement of compliance is not acceptable. Where technical literature demonstrates that the proposed unit meets the requirement of a specific Purchase Description paragraph the page number and paragraph of the technical literature may be referenced in lieu of restating it. Offerors shall assume the Government has no prior knowledge of their proposed unit and will base its evaluation solely on the information presented in the offeror’s proposal.

b. Discussions may be conducted, but the Government reserves the right, in limited circumstances, to award without discussions. Proposals received are subject to the requirements specified in FAR 52.212-1, unless otherwise tailored in the Addendum to...