Question and Answer Letter 3.pdf

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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

374TH AIRLIFT WING

27 NOV 2023

MEMORANDUM FOR PROSPECTIVE QUOTERS

FROM: The 374th Contracting Squadron

SUBJECT: Question and Answer (Q&A) for Request for Quotation (RFQ) No. FA520924Q0005, Boiler and Unfired Pressure Vessel Inspection Service at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

1. We received questions from prospective quoters for the referenced RFQ, and hereby provide the responses as follows:

No. Question Answer from the Government

1. Can you please confirm that this certification is indeed required for this bid submission and, if so, how we can go about obtaining it?

The certification is required for this requirement as Yokota Air Base follows Japanese commercial practices to maintain our boilers and UPVs installed in Japan. The Government does not know how to obtain the certification but, we know who are able to provide the inspection.

Registered agencies for inspection in Tokyo are listed in following site.

https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/tokyo-roudoukyoku/hourei_seido_tetsuzuki/anzen_eisei/kensa.html

2. The page 6, 7, 8, and 12 show titles but no texts to describe those contents.

There is no information on the page of 6, 7, 8 and 12 as it is not applicable.

3. I and some of the people with whom I communicated today feel that this is your office’s responsibility to provide bidders know how to obtain the certification, what kind of document(s) is required to obtain it, and where can we get the document(s). Would you please find out the answer and provide it to us?

The copy of certification IAW the solicitation page 37(c) means that the Government requires the offerors to show us a proof of document that the company is a “registered agency for Seinou Kensa” and able provide the inspection IAW Industrial Safety and Health Act, Article 41. The Government requires in particular, a copy of “Touroku Seinou Kensa Kikan Touroku/Koushin Tsuuchisho” or equivalent.). The Contracting Office is not responsible to instruct companies how to obtain the certification.

4. Why is Yokota Air Base is the only U.S. Base that requires the Industrial Safety and Health Act, Article 41 (2)?

We, Civil Engineering Squadron of Yokota Air Base, operates boiler/UPV plants IAW Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-1068, Heating System and Unfired Pressure Vessels. We follow the AFI, para 3.5.5.1.2. In Japanese Standard for https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/tokyo-roudoukyoku/hourei_seido_tetsuzuki/anzen_eisei/kensa.html https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/tokyo-roudoukyoku/hourei_seido_tetsuzuki/anzen_eisei/kensa.html

Boiler Inspection, it indicates that the inspection for boiler/UPV are mandatory and has a valid term of inspection certificates. The valid term is renewable only when the boiler/UPV pass examination conducted by licensed inspectors from registered agency.

5. We need the waiver to certification you require us to submit. Would you please tell us how to obtain it?

Due to the reason above, we do not wave the certification for any offerors for this requirement. Instead, we accept the copy of certificate that is owned by your sub-contractor.

6. In Question and Letter 2, you stated that “Due to the reason above, we do not wave the certification for any offerors for this requirement. Instead, we accept the copy of certificate that is owned by your sub-contractor.” Would you please clarify what you mean by the latter statement?

The answer of “ Instead, we accept the copy of certificate that is owned by your sub-contractor” meant that we accept a copy of “Touroku Seinou Kensa Kikan Touroku/Koushin Tsuuchisho” registered for your sub-contractor. In another word, your company does not have to be a registered agency if the sub-contractor is the registered agency. What we would like to see is a proof of document that indicates you can provide a “performance inspection or Seinou Kensa in Japanese” with a person registered by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

7. You also explained that “The Government requires, in particular, a copy of ‘Touroku Seinou Kensa Kikan Touroku/Koushin Tsuuchisho’ or equivalent.” I understand that Touroku Seinou Kensa Kikan Touroku/Koushin Tsuuchisho applies to the company that provides boiler inspectors who follow Japanese standards for boiler inspection, but “equivalent” applies to boiler inspectors who follow ASME/NBIC standards for boiler inspection, so why do my inspector’s license and authorizations not meet the subject of your requirement?

Inspection of certain size of boiler/UPV is mandatory in Japan. As we respect Japanese standard to maintain our boilers and UPVs in Yokota, they have been inspected by inspectors registered by the Government of Japan. The boilers/UPVs have received “Inspection Certificates” issued by the inspectors to pursue to the article 40(1) of Industrial Safety and Health Act. As the Inspection Certificates have a valid term and expire annually, it needs to be renewed having an inspection conducted by the certified inspectors IAW the article 41(1). As for the “equivalent” mentioned, it could be a copy of approved application for the authorized boiler/UPV inspector to GOJ or a copy of certificate as inspector issued by a registered agency.

8. I reviewed Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-1068, 2020 version, Heating System and Unfired Pressure Vessels.

However, I found no paragraph “the AFI, para 3.5.5.1.2.” in this document that you stated your office follows. Would you please check again and clarify?

We apologize that the AFI 32-1068, para 3.5.5.1.2 is not stated in the latest version of AFI 32-1068. It was in the previous version and is currently updated to AFI 32-1068, dated 16 Jun 2020 para 6.6. As the latest AFI supersedes the previous version, we follow the para 6.6.2, that is “Installations in foreign countries shall inspect boilers and unfired pressure vessels according to host nation standards, host nation agreement, or the NBIC, whichever is more stringent”. Nine (9) of boilers in Yokota and three (3) UPVs are manufactured by Japanese manufacturer. They have been

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inspected under Japanese regulations for over 10 years. We also comply with the Air Force Instruction as the performance work statement (PWS) was made based off AFI 32-1068. We determined that complying Japanese Industrial Safety and Health Act was to comply with the host nation standard to install/maintain/inspect boilers and UPVs in Yokota Air Base.

2. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Mr. Kawasaki at daisuke.kawasaki.jp@us.af.mil .

Daisuke Kawasaki Lead Buyer

CC:

374 CES/CEOES

mailto:daisuke.kawasaki.jp@us.af.mil