Contractor Questions Update 3.pdf

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Carpet II Contractor Questions/Feedback

1. Please advise if a company can be both Tier 1 and Tier 2?

a. A company can only be a Tier 1 and Tier 2 company if and only if, they are a small business that is a manufacturer of carpet. Through our extensive market research we were unable to find a small business carpet manufacturer. Therefore, the intent for this is to solicit this requirement full and open because we are seeking to contract with ONLY carpet manufacturers, to ensure the United States Air Force receives the best pricing available. The local Contracting units that are in need of carpet will then draft a solicitation that is for 100% Small Business set-aside. They will find a small business carpet installer who will SHALL purchase carpet from any of the Tier 1 contractors, manufacturers, and the small business shall install the carpet. The ONLY purpose of this contract with the 771, is to award contracts to contractors that work in the following NAICS code: 314110.

Tier 1 is for Manufacturers and Tier 2 is for Installers and are separate contracts.

2. Can proposing contractors do both Tier 1 and Tier 2 contracts or do you have to have a manufacture as a Tier 1 contractor?

a. In order to be considered for award as a Tier 1 contractor the contractor shall be a carpet manufacturer operating under NAICS code 314110 – Carpet and Rug Mills. If the contractor does not operate under this NAICS they will not be considered for award under the contract through the 771. This does not mean you cannot be a Tier 2 contractor, a small business installer. The only thing that would preclude a contractor from being a Tier 2 contractor is if they are not a small business. Tier 1 is for Manufacturers and Tier 2 is for Installers and are separate contracts.

3. Does the Manufacturer have to give a list of local installers and pricing for the Tier 2 level?

a. The manufacturer, Tier 1 contractor, will not have to reach out to any small business installers, Tier 2 contractors. The local Contracting units will work to find what small business installer they will work with through their own contracting processes. Then the Tier 2 contractor will then reach out to all of the Tier 1 contractors and determine who they feel has the best product for the job by means of competition. The AF Carpet II Program Tier 1 Manufacturers will quote pricing for materials to the Tier 2 Installers who will provide pricing for installation services.

4. Manufacturer should propose turnkey as a Tier one supplier?

a. No, this is not a turnkey operation. The operational contracting units will be responsible for awarding the Tier II installation contract.

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5. How much flooring will be purchased annually and how many locations and projects are projected?

The AF Carpet II estimated program value is $32M over 5 years. We plan to award a target of 4 to 7 Manufacturers (Tier I). There are over 70 bases and installations in CONUS. This value is based solely on historical data for Air Force carpet purchases.

This is not a guarantee of the value of Carpet II nor is it a guarantee of orders awardees can expect.

6. I see where the box is checked for a SDVOSB requirement. Can a SDVOSB act as a

Tier 1 supplier if they have a Teaming agreement with a Tier 1 manufacturer? And, are there any other small business requirements?

a. This box was checked in error. It will be unchecked in the final solicitation. This solicitation will be full and open. There are no small business requirements on the contract with the 771. The only small business requirements will be that from the local Contracting units needing carpet will work with the small business installers.

7. I see where the acronym LTAP is used in the RFP. I’m assuming it is Lowest Technically Acceptable Pricing. Can you define exactly what you mean when using

LTAP?

a. Please refer to M-2.2.2 through 2.2.4. The verbiage is lowest price technically acceptable.

8. What is the total project volume for this contract?

a. Approximately $32M over 5 years. This value is based solely on historical data for

Air Force carpet purchases. This is not a guarantee of the value of Carpet II nor is it a guarantee of orders awardees can expect.

9. Would you consider providing more flexible terms that allow for a maximum “not to exceed” annual price increases?

a. USAF would expect potential offerors to propose annual increases based on widely accepted inflationary databases such as Global Insight or other industry specific inflation indices.

10. We have a carpet tile product that while not 100% moisture proof, does hold up and perform without degradation after hot water extraction cleaning, an industry recognized and recommended maintenance method that involves exposing the product to large amounts of water. Would the Air Force consider such a product for their carpet tile option?

a. The required specification pertains to the backing of the carpet tile. The requirement does not say “100%”, however if the properties of your backing does

3 | P a g e not include the description “moisture proof”, then it will not be acceptable or considered.

11. Are we able to provide additional adhesive groupings/options? If so, how many additional options can we propose?

a. The Government’s requirement is to only submit three (3) adhesives. If a contractor chooses to submit more than three adhesive options, only the first three adhesive options shall be considered. Anything past the first three will not be reviewed or accepted.

12. Can you share with us the intent of requiring moisture-proof backing in the specification? We have a number of product options available that when combined with separate moisture solutions could result in significant cost savings for the duration of the contract.

a. Due to the various geographic locations of AF installations through-out the US, it was decided to plan on possible flooding in lower levels and locations with extreme moisture and humidity. Additional moisture solutions will not be considered as part of this solicitation.

13. In the pattern requirement sections, it is listed that 100% BRANDED nylon (Type 6,6 or Type 6) is to be used. What is the definition of BRANDED nylon? The industry typically defines branded nylon as nylon fiber produced by the various fiber producers such as ANTRON, AQUAFIL, ULTRON, UNIVERSAL, ASCEND, etc. These are all branded fibers that manufactures can use. Some manufacturers produce “their own” fiber used only for their products. We do not consider this to be “branded” fiber, but wanted to clarify how you would define this?

a. The definition of “Branded” nylon as stated by industry above is correct.

14. Is there an additional value the Department of Air Force places on the use of TYPE 6,6 fiber versus Type 6.

a. NO additional value. Carpets submitted may be Type 6 OR Type 6,6 nylon.

15. In the color sections, would the Department of Air Force want to see multiple color options listed for each of the color categories? Only providing 1 color per category would severely limit the available options.

a. The Air Force has requested multiple color options for each selection of carpet.

The main 4 color categories will have one main selection but that does not preclude the selection of other offerings in the same color family.

16. Is the unit pricing for MATERIAL only, not to include delivery/freight?

a. It is for material only, not with delivery/freight charges.

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17. We appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback for the upcoming RFP. In the attachment “AF Carpet Requirements Matrix”. Some collections only consist of one style. Requesting a collection with a minimum of 2-4 patterns per sub-category would limit the amount of product that manufacturers need to fill out for each category. We suggest updating from collection to style so manufacturers would be able to provide more options per category. Historically, some of the top Air Force styles are in the one style per collection category which would immediately eliminate them as an option the way the RFP is currently written.

a. The Air Force’s understanding of the term “Collection” means there is more than one coordinating pattern available. One pattern would not be considered a Collection. Coordinating patterns could be of different scale, design or pattern repeat, with an overall consistent color scheme intended to be used through-out an entire facility. If an Air Force customer requires one of these styles to match their existing carpeting, a waiver will be submitted through the appropriate channels.

18. Are the Tier I contractors expected to provide an equal opportunity consistent with the affirmative action goals of equivalency (pricing and support) to Tier II contractors- being at the time of the request are dealers in good standing with a particular manufacturer. Will there a mechanism to verify?

a. Tier 1 contractors will not have to worry about choosing Tier 2 contractors. The Tier 2 contractors will reach out to the Tier 1 contractors for pricing so the Tier 2 contractors can install carpet for local Contracting Units.

19. Are the dollars for the carpet material expected to be contracted in such a manner that those dollars will be “captured “as part of the contract value and be included in the requested small business or other set asides programs?

a. The ordering guide will require CONS units to structure the Tier II contracts so they will include separate CLINs for material and installation services.

Part 1: Will government customers be allowed to purchase products directly from the manufacturers awarded under this new RFP? Please see below info from current “Carpet Ordering Guide” below for context. Part 2: Will the Air Force Purchase directly from Tier 1 providers at the NTE and other terms as included in the contract with awardees?

Part 3: Are Tier 2 installation contractors expected to purchase carpet for the Air Force at NTE price and terms as established between the Air Force and Tier 1 awardees?

a. Answer to part 1 and part 2: Yes, Air Force customers will be allowed to purchase directly from the manufacturers. See Carpet I Air Force ordering guide verbiage below.

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b. Answer to part 3: Yes, Tier 2 installation contractors are expected to purchase carpet for the Air Force under the Tier I, Carpet II program. These will not exceed the prices given from the Tier I manufacturers under their established price lists which will be set at the NTE price or lower depending on prices quoted through competition between the Tier I manufacturers.

2.2 Authorized Customers

Contracting Officers (CO) or Government Purchase Card (GPC) holders buying AF carpet are authorized to use the Tier I Contracts. In addition, general contractors fulfilling USAF flooring requirements are authorized to use the Tier I Contracts in accordance with FAR 52.251-1 entitled “Government Supply Sources.” Tier I Contracts are Mandatory Use for all AF CONUS installations effective 1 Oct 2017. Although it is not mandatory for MILCON, OCONUS, AF Reserves, and Air National Guard to use these contracts, it is highly encouraged.

20. The way that I read the current contract, it is confusing as to whether the AF expects/allows the Tier 2 contractor to mark up the product at an appropriate rate or if the AF is expecting the Tier 2 Contractor to pass the NTE price along to the AF and “hide” these cost somewhere in the installation quote. Could you please clarify the AF expectations on this matter?

a. The Tier 2 Installers shall not mark up the Tier 1 Manufacturer NTE Pricing for materials. Language in the Ordering Guide will prevent CONS units from allowing Tier II contractors from hiding pass-through costs or additional profit in installation costs or other areas. Ultimately, it is the PCO at the CONS units who will do due diligence to ensure prices are fair and reasonable at the Tier II level.

21. Should manufacturers, Tier 1 contractors, establish the NTE price anticipating that the manufacturer will have no further obligations (cost) to monitor, follow-up and improve the overall level of the installation processes of these installation contracts standards and specifications processes generally. Or is the manufacturer anticipated to offer overall high-level guidance and support to the dealer/installer to elevate the final satisfaction to the AF customer to improve the overall level of mission support requirements?

a. The Tier 1 Manufacturers will provide product catalogs with NTE pricing, material quotes, quarterly reports, and hold annual, funded PMRs with the Government. Tier II contractors are also expected to be well-versed and familiar with standard carpet installation industry practices and will be responsible for all aspects of installation. Installation shall be monitored by the local contracting officer and their customers.

22. When using the current AF Carpet Contract, Step 1 calls for selection of products from each manufacturer. In the past the selections might have included products that were not technically similar. In some case a walk off tile was equated as technically comparable to an interior space tile. In other cases, products from one

6 | P a g e manufacturer might have an NTE below $14.00/yard and chosen from one section of the matrix and other products selected were more than $28.00/yard and chosen from other sections of the matrix. Is this breadth of technically comparable what the AF expects and desires? See below for context.

a. The ordering guide will ensure to spell out that the Air Force personnel will compare like to like items.

23. On what criteria will the Tier 1 manufacturers limit availability and pricing to specific competing installers, dealers and contractors?

a. Refer to mandatory users and optional users listed for the AF Carpet II Program.

24. Will all terms and conditions be included in the solicitation language that the AF request of Tier II Contractors for completion of projects associated with this RFP.

a. No, the Tier 1 Manufacturer and Tier 2 Installer contracts will have varying term and conditions.

See Instructions Below from Current AF carpet Contract below to better understand the reason for the question.

25. When installations projects are solicited by the local AF Contracting offices, What NAICS code will they be identified as?

a. There could be multiple NAICS codes for installation services and those will be selected by the Local CONS.

26. Is it expected that General Contractors will be able to use this vehicle? If so under what conditions and restraints?

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a. Any contractor awarded a Tier II contract, shall use the Carpet II program as this is a mandatory source. See the Air Force Ordering Guide guidance below:

2.2 Authorized Customers

Contracting Officers (CO) or Government Purchase Card (GPC) holders buying AF carpet are authorized to use the Tier I Contracts. In addition, general contractors fulfilling USAF flooring requirements are authorized to use the Tier I Contracts in accordance with FAR 52.251-1 entitled “Government Supply Sources.” Tier I Contracts are Mandatory Use for all AF CONUS installations effective 1 Oct 2017. Although it is not mandatory for MILCON, OCONUS, AF Reserves, and Air National Guard to use these contracts, it is highly encouraged.

27. Will the USAF consider requiring the use of recycled content in the technical evaluation of this contract? If so, what percentage by weight? Will post-consumer recycled content be evaluated as well within that framework?

a. Questions 27-29 were related and answered after 29.

28. Will the USAF be utilizing the standards set forth by FAR Subpart 23.4 regarding Bio-Based materials and Bio-Preferred status in evaluation of the submitted products? Will priority consideration be given to products that meet these requirements? Is there any potential penalty for including the status of the individual products in the technical submissions?

a. Questions 27-29 were related and answered after 29.

29. Based on 3rd party calculations from the EC3 calculator (buildingtransparency.org), the potential baseline for greenhouse gas emissions associated with the fulfillment of this contract are approximately 28,000 – 30,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. With an eye toward the significant destabilizing effects and subsequent national security risks posed by climate change, will the USAF consider requiring the bidding manufacturers to submit a global warming potential figure (amount of net CO2 emitted per unit) associated with the full life cycle of each product? Will the technical evaluation give consideration to this figure when considering submissions?

If so, will products with lower global warming potential be given priority or preference?

a. This answer is to provide clarification on the above three questions. The USAF

Carpet II will following all applicable FAR-driven regulations as it relates to materials and manufacturing processes allowed to be used in procurement of materials for Federal consumption. No priority will considerations will be given related to BioBased materials. In accordance with FAR 23.4 “ Agencies shall purchase these products to the maximum extent practicable without jeopardizing the intended use of the product while maintaining a satisfactory level of competition at a reasonable price. “ Through our recent RFI

8 | P a g e responses and market research there are not enough sources with conforming products to have adequate competition.

30. Regarding L-1.8 on attachment 4 around pricing relief associated with sharp changes in the price of petroleum, can you please provide detail as to the process? Is that something that can be initiated by request of the manufacturer to the contract administrator? Any further clarification on this process in the current inflationary atmosphere would be greatly appreciated.

a. USAF understands the uncertainty surrounding petroleum prices. If a contractor feels a price adjustment is warranted, the Air Force is working on a final solution for this issue.

31. We suggest amending section M-2.1.1.1 to state that a company may propose product types in any category they provide while keeping all pattern options for that category. For instance, our company offers cushion backed carpet tiles and LVT. We shouldn’t have to provide thermoplastic options or rolled goods o also be considered for award. We have a great selection of products, in all pattern categories, that are excellent cushion backed solutions and are in current use by many Air Force Bases globally. We also have products that are standardized at a number of bases and continuity of those products would be very important to those specific bases. By mandating a manufacturer to submit products in all product categories for consideration is not fair or reasonable for companies that utilize their optimized technology. We would also like to see an LVT component (product category) that meets the Buy America Act.

a. We are not including Luxury Vinyl Tile in this carpet program but we will continue to have rolled carpet as a part of the program to provide as much flexibility as possible for this program.

Updated Questions

32. Can a dealer provide a proposal on this solicitation?

a. The Air Force is seeking to achieve process efficiencies and standardization by working directly with manufacturers while still allowing competition at the Tier II level amongst small businesses. This acquisition model proved to be extremely successful during the current iteration of the USAF carpet acquisition at both delivering warfighter requirements as well as delivering at prices below what were seen in commercial marketplace. By having privity of contract with the manufacturers, USAF has direct communication with those manufacturing the carpet vs. having to go through an intermediary to gather data, discuss requirements, and understand industry trends.

33. I want to confirm we interpret this correctly. Collection 1 OS-T will require 3 collections each making up 2-4 styles. This would result in a minimum of 6-12 styles for each category as organic small tile, organic small medium etc. Last contract we

9 | P a g e did one style on each block. This time we need 2-4 styles on each block. Can you confirm?

a. Collection 1 OS-T will require 3 collections each making up 2-4 styles. This would result in a minimum of 6-12 styles for each category as organic small tile, organic small medium etc. is a correct way of thinking when proposing on this contract.

34. Regarding issuance of pricing to a requesting dealer for the local Air Force base for a complying project:

a. Does the Tier 1 awardee retain the right to provide a “no quote” to dealers that are not a manufacturer approved “authorized dealers”?

i. If a dealer is selected to perform the installation services at the Tier II level, the Tier I manufacturers will be responsible for providing pricing to the Tier II contractor at the order level.

b. Does the Air Force expect or require that Tier 1 awardees to the Air

Force Carpet II Contract provide the same price to all dealers (authorized or not) receiving a quote for a specific project?

i. Under Carpet II we are planning to update the ordering guide to have CONS instruct the Tier II contractors to provide the procurement ID to the Tier I manufacturers in order to identify the order. The same price will be given to all Tier II contractors for that particular order.

c. Does the Air Force require or expect the manufacturer to qualify the installer or the project installation in any way? If so, what additional levels of support is expected from the Tier 1 awardee.

i. The Tier I manufacturers will not be required to qualify the installer or be responsible for the any portion of the installation.

35. Regarding carpeting, the Air Force also provides UFGS: UFGS 09 68 00 Carpeting and installation requirements found at the following web site.

http://www.wbdg.org/FFC/DOD/UFGS/UFGS 09 68 00.pdf. This product standard and the recommended installation standards provided by this UFGS (also mandatory for Air Force project… as I understand it) provides that product selections and installation shall be as according to standards in CRI 104 (CRI 104 - STANDARD For INSTALLATION of COMMERCIAL CARPET (PDF) or manufacturers recommendations that contain instructions to eliminate/mitigate moisture issues.

a. The UFGS is for reference only. The UFGS is available to programmers and project managers to assist in creating a specifications document/ Statement of Work. A standardized product is not specified.

http://www.wbdg.org/FFC/DOD/UFGS/UFGS%2009%2068%2000.pdf https://carpet-rug.org/downloads/cri-104-standard-for-installation-of-commercial-carpet-pdf-format/ https://carpet-rug.org/downloads/cri-104-standard-for-installation-of-commercial-carpet-pdf-format/

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a. Do all three sets of standards apply to projects for the Air Force and in what order of priority is one to be applied over the other in situations that are in conflict.

a. The requirements of the United States Air Force and specifications are to be applied over “Guide Specifications”

b. Moisture issues as related to carpet tile are addressed from the top down (caused by maintenance and flooding) and from the bottom up (caused by installation over concrete with excess relative humidity).

a. Any assessment of the condition of the concrete in relation to the installation will be handled at the Tier II level.

i. Should detailed information (such as under what circumstances are these issues anticipated to be a problem and how would this impact the local anticipation of performance) be included with the response.

a. This is not necessary for this requirement.

ii. Is it expected that all installation test and extra requirements/cost will be included by line-item evaluation of products selected as related to moisture coming from the slab? Should manufacturers include a description of additional cost considerations per square yard is offered products might have this additional cost requirement for installations?

a. Installation issues and any additional cost requirements will be addressed at the Tier II level with the installation contractor and local CONS units.

b.

36. When considering adhesives in “wet” (high moisture content slab areas) installation environments, some carpet tile backings require concrete moisture remediation (https://www.spectracf.com/special-services/moisture-remediation/). If the installations requirements are not followed (with one of the 3 adhesives solutions meeting the requirements) as provided for in the UFGS 09 68 00, the type of the backing may be impacted in order to receive a standard product warranty. Is it expected that each manufacturer will be required to provide detailed information with installation requirement’s and how these additional requirements may escalate cost and diminish warranties if these three adhesives are inadequate (relative to the installation requirements of USFG 09 68 00) in order to be considered “technically compliant”?

a. Manufacturers are not expected to provide detailed information on installation requirements. These installation requirements should be addressed at the Tier II level between the installers and the local CONS units.

https://www.spectracf.com/special-services/moisture-remediation/

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b. For Clarification of this questions considering the previous moisture issues discussed involving product and installation techniques, is it the AF intention to have Tier 1 awardees to expect this condition and provide a narrative of expected performance for both occasions?

i. This is not an expected condition.

c. Products will be able to withstand occasional “flood” conditions within the terms to still receive warranty of the products and

i. Warranty under flood conditions are not expected.

d. Installations with included adhesives will meet the UFGS 09 68 00 installation requirement’s, such that the installation shall meet the manufacturers recommendations on all concrete floor in the absence of standing water and have no degradation of the warranty?

i. The tier II installers shall follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for carpet installation.

e. To add additional clarity, UFGS 09 68 00 also includes on page 11 the following:

So does that mean that the Air Force Carpet II shall not include,

i. An inhouse fiber produced by a Carpet Manufacturer (Tier 1 provider) And/or a fiber

ii. That is not Federally registered is technically unacceptable, correct?

The UFGS is there for reference, rather than being an Air Force mandate.

The Air Force is requiring branded nylon. Federal registered is not a requirement for Carpet II.

37. Is the carpeting provided by the Tier 1 manufacturers expected to be compliant with the standards expressed in the Whole Building Design Guide, United Facilities Guide Specifications, Installation Facilities Standards as identified below? At the following link: https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/af-afcec/installation-facilities-standards-ifs

a. Government answer: The UFGS is for reference and can be used by a project/ program manager for a project as a template. Items identified in brackets are specifications a project manager can select and add to their specifications in their project. Requirements for this solicitation have been identified in the requirements matrix.

https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/af-afcec/installation-facilities-standards-ifs

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38. How do we submit our Representations and Certifications in accordance with Attachment 4, Instructions to Offerors paragraph L-1.9.

a. Government Answer: The representations and certifications are not required to be provided in full if the vendor is registered in SAM and their reps and certs are filled out. Offerors shall complete paragraph (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certification electronically in the System for Award Management (SAM) accessed through https://www.sam.gov.

The offeror shall complete this by filling out the provision in the solicitation.

Please see below:

FAR 52.212-3

The Offeror shall complete only paragraph (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certification electronically in the System for Award Management (SAM) accessed through https://www.sam.gov. If the Offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically, the Offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (v)) of this provision.

(b)

Annual Representations and Certifications. Any changes provided by the Offeror in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision do not automatically change the representations and certifications in SAM.

(2) The offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically in SAM accessed through http://www.sam.gov. After reviewing SAM information , the Offeror verifies by submission of this offer that the representations and certifications currently posted electronically at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services , have been entered or updated in the last 12 months, are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation (including the business size standard(s) applicable to the NAICS code(s) referenced for this solicitation), at the time this offer is submitted and are incorporated in this offer by reference (see FAR 4.1201), except for paragraphs ______________.

[Offeror to identify the applicable paragraphs at (c) through (v) of this provision that the offeror has completed for the purposes of this solicitation only, if any.

These amended representation(s) and/or certification(s) are also incorporated in this offer and are current, accurate, and complete as of the date of this offer.

Any changes provided by the offeror are applicable to this solicitation only, and do not result in an update to the representations and certifications posted electronically on SAM.] https://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR_52_212_3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-4#FAR_4_1201

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39. Are offerors required to submit on all products? Do we need to meet all requirements?

a. Government Answer: Yes. Please see Attachment 4, instructions to offerors.

L-2. Proposal Instructions

L-2.1 For the purpose of this solicitation, there are three (3) Carpet Categories: Modular Carpet Tiles, Carpet Roll Goods, and Carpet Planks (Skinny tiles). Offerors must meet 100% of the Government requirements for all categories to be considered for award. Only one proposal per manufacturer will be evaluated. Only one proposal per Offeror will be accepted.

40. What is the final proposal date and time? Is it 05 May 2022 by 12:00 EST as listed in the solicitation?

a. Government Answer: Yes, the correct date and time is 05 May 2022 by 12:00 EST. An amendment was created to update the date and time in attachment 4, instruction to offerors. Please make sure that you acknowledge the amendment by providing a signed cover sheet with your proposal submission.

UPDATED QUESTIONS 2

41. We want to confirm that each block, (example: 10S-T), will indeed require 2-4 styles, or if we are able to provide 6-12 styles within the category (example: Small Scale Organic), this would meet the requirements even though there might be a block that only includes one style, yet we still have 6-12 styles within the category?

a. In the requirements matrix it states 2-4 patterns in the collection but the others could be small, medium or large patterns. There should be at least two to four patterns for each block (example 1OS-T).

42. Do you know a time frame for the contract being awarded after submission?

a. This contract is estimated to be awarded by mid-July.

43. Please confirm if this is an electronic submittal only or if hardcopies are required as well.

a. The proposal shall be submitted electronically via DoD SAFE.

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44. We would be required to put “does not meet” for color minimum. Would this immediate result in disqualification? We want to ensure the most used styles are captured, but we do not want to be excluded due to technical noncompliance.

a. This question is substantially similar to question 39. A contractor must propose on the entirety of the requirement. Please see below for an excerpt from Attachment 4.

L-2. Proposal Instructions

L-2.1 For the purpose of this solicitation, there are three (3) Carpet Categories: Modular Carpet Tiles, Carpet Roll Goods, and Carpet Planks (Skinny tiles). Offerors must meet 100% of the Government requirements for all categories to be considered for award. Only one proposal per manufacturer will be evaluated. Only one proposal per Offeror will be accepted.

45. Majority of manufactures put multiple styles in a collection, these styles have a combination of large and small scale patterns with organic and geometric shapes. How do we decide which collection we should put in each category when a collection can fit into 4-5 buckets?

a. Please refer to the OPA-1 and GPA-1 sections of the requirements matrix (attachment 2) as this will provide you with guidance.

46. Attachment 2 AF Carpet Matrix lists "Collection Name" in Column C of Pricing Year 1 - 2 tabs. In the tabs for Pricing Year 3-5 "Pattern Name" is listed in Column C. The Pricing Instructions tab also refers to Column C as the "pattern name". Could you confirm the correct entry that should be entered into Column C?

a. Government Answer: Column C on Pricing Year 3-5 have been adjusted to say collection name.

UPDATED QUESTIONS 3

47. Volume II Section 1 requirement states (pg 14 of attachment 4) shall consist of a cover letter (letter of transmittal), title page, table of contents, glossary of any abbreviations and acronyms, and Standard Form (SF) 1449

For the Form 1449 - are you requesting all 99 pages of the document or just page 1?

a. Government Answer: No, you are not required to submit all 99 pages of the SF 1449. Please see Attachment 4, Instructions to offerors:

L-1.10 Offerors shall complete the Offeror section of SF 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items (blocks 17a, 17b, 30a, 30b, and

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30c). In doing so, the Offeror accedes to the contract terms and conditions as written in the solicit

48. Volume I the cover letter states

(8) A completed copy of the representations and certifications at FAR 52.212-3 (see FAR 52.212-3(b) for those representations and certifications that the offeror shall complete electronically);

If we are up to date in SAM - can we state that or shall we also include all 99 pages to the SF 1449 in the cover page?

a. Government Answer: The representations and certifications are not required to be provided in full if the vendor is registered in SAM and their reps and certs are filled out. Offerors shall complete paragraph (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certification electronically in the System for Award Management (SAM) accessed through https://www.sam.gov.

The offeror shall complete this by filling out the provision in the solicitation.

Please see below:

FAR 52.212-3

The Offeror shall complete only paragraph (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certification electronically in the System for Award Management (SAM) accessed through https://www.sam.gov. If the Offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically, the Offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (v)) of this provision.

(b)

Annual Representations and Certifications. Any changes provided by the Offeror in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision do not automatically change the representations and certifications in SAM.

(2) The offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically in SAM accessed through http://www.sam.gov. After reviewing SAM information , the Offeror verifies by submission of this offer that the representations and certifications currently posted electronically at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services , have been entered or updated in the last 12 months, are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation (including the business size standard(s) applicable to the NAICS code(s) referenced for this solicitation), at the time this offer is submitted and are incorporated in this offer by reference (see FAR 4.1201), except for paragraphs ______________.

https://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR_52_212_3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-4#FAR_4_1201

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[Offeror to identify the applicable paragraphs at (c) through (v) of this provision that the offeror has completed for the purposes of this solicitation only, if any.

These amended representation(s) and/or certification(s) are also incorporated in this offer and are current, accurate, and complete as of the date of this offer.

Any changes provided by the offeror are applicable to this solicitation only, and do not result in an update to the representations and certifications posted electronically on SAM.]

49. How do we submit our proposals?

a. See updated Attachment 4, Instructions to offerors dated 28 April 2022 for updated instructions.

50. Do we need to sign and return the amendments?

a. Yes, contractors must sign to acknowledge all amendments to the solicitation when providing their proposals.

51. Is the SF 1449 the solicitation document?

a. Yes, the SF1449 is the solicitation document.