Q&A_Responses_FINAL.docx

5 Dec 2016

H92240-17-R-0001 Special Mission Low Profile Clothing (SMLPC) Solicitation Questions & Answers

Q1. Assuming a contract is awarded, will the awarded contractors be able to add items during the period of performance?

A1. Yes, at the discretion and approval of the Government Contracting Officer, items may be added during the period of performance. Any items added must satisfy the “brand name or equal” standard contained in the base solicitation. The Contracting Officer on a case-by-case basis (SOW paragraph 3.1.2) may authorize substitutions.

Q2. Will there be any additional points awarded to offerors who propose more than two brands under each Exhibit Line Item Number (ELIN)?

A2. If this solicitation culminates in a contract award(s), it shall be awarded to the lowest priced technically acceptable offeror. No additional points will be awarded to offerors who propose more than two brands under each ELIN.

Q3. Please confirm the prices proposed are ceiling prices and can be discounted at the delivery order level.

A3. The prices proposed on Attachments 2.a—2.d represent ceiling prices, i.e. the highest price an offeror may charge for a particular item during the associated ordering period. However, during the contract ordering period, individual orders will be competed amongst the awardees in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 16.5. During the individual order competition, awardees are encouraged to propose competitive pricing on any particular order, not to exceed the ceiling price documented in their initial proposal submission.

Q4. Will delivery orders be competed among the awardees, or assigned based on the brands proposed?

A4. Each delivery order will be competed in accordance with FAR Subpart 16.5.

Q5. Will the Government please provide an extension to offer due date?

A5. Please see the revised solicitation, available at www.fbo.gov.

Q6. Is the intention of the Government for offerors to bid equivalent Berry Amendment compliant items for Attachments 2a and 2d?

A6. Yes. The Government is seeking brand name or equivalent items in response to those ELINs contained in Attachments 2a and 2d, as well as Attachments 2b and 2c.

Q7. Are offerors precluded from bidding if they cannot find a Berry Amendment compliant item?

A7. In order to be technically acceptable, the contractor shall provide at least two (2) brand name or equivalent items for each individual ELIN contained in attachments for the location that the vendor is proposing. For example, each offeror may submit a proposal for JEB Little Creek by completing ELIN attachments 2a and 2b. Or, each offeror may submit a proposal for NAB Coronado by completing ELIN attachments 2c and 2d. Or, each offeror may submit proposals for both locations by completing all ELIN attachments: 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d. Proposing a non-Berry Amendment compliant item in response to ELIN attachment(s) 2a or 2d is inconsistent with the instructions, terms and conditions of this solicitation.

Q8. If an offeror proposes both east and west (coasts), i.e. NAB Coronado and JEB Little Creek, can they be awarded one or both coasts?

A8. Yes, an offeror may be awarded either one, or both coasts contracts.

Q9. Should offerors submit separate proposals for east and west coasts, and one for both coasts?

A9. To be technically acceptable, the contractor shall provide at least two (2) brand name or equivalent items for each individual ELIN contained in attachments for the location that the vendor is proposing. For example, each offeror may submit a proposal for JEB Little Creek by completing ELIN attachments 2a and 2b. Likewise, each offeror may submit a proposal for NAB Coronado by completing ELIN attachments 2c and 2d. Or, each offeror may submit proposals for both locations by completing all ELIN attachments: 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d.

Q10. Please explain the purpose behind completing the two non-Berry Amendment compliant spreadsheets.

A10. The Government contemplates the award of a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract resulting from this solicitation. The Government may elect to award a single delivery order contract or multiple delivery order contracts to two or more sources. Regardless, the overall estimated maximum amount for this solicitation’s five-year ordering period shall not exceed $6,500,000.00. The Berry Amendment is applicable to this solicitation due to the overall estimated dollar value; i.e., it exceeds $150,000.00 (currently the Simplified Acquisition Threshold). However, the Berry Amendment shall be applied at the individual delivery order level. For those orders that exceed $150,000.00, only Berry Amendment compliant items may be offered. However, for those delivery orders that are less than or equal to $150,000.00, non-Berry Amendment compliant items may be offered. Each individual delivery will clearly indicate whether or not the Berry Amendment is applicable to that particular order prior to requesting a proposal. The estimated annual quantities reflected in ELIN attachments 2a—2d provide indication of the Government’s Berry and Non-Berry forecasts.

Q11. How do you intend to use the non-Berry Amendment compliant spreadsheet for award?

A11. Each offeror may submit a proposal for JEB Little Creek by completing ELIN attachments 2a and 2b. Likewise, each offeror may submit a proposal for NAB Coronado by completing ELIN attachments 2c and 2d. Or, each offeror may submit proposals for both locations by completing all ELIN attachments: 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d. The evaluated price will be determined using the estimated quantities contained in the ELIN attachments. An offeror’s total proposed price shall be derived by summing the extended prices on each submitted ELIN attachment. For evaluation purposes, JEB and NAB shall be separately evaluated, i.e. for JEB attachments, 2a and 2b shall be added together and evaluated; and for NAB, attachments 2c and 2d shall be added together and evaluated.

Q12. Are offerors supposed to fully complete each ELIN of the non-Berry compliant spreadsheet?

A12. See A9.

Q13. Do you intend to award using non-Berry compliant items?

A13. See A11.

Q14. Why are the prices for non-Berry Amendment compliant items being included in the total evaluated price?

A14. See A10. The Government shall apply its estimated quantities, as reflected in the spreadsheets, to the offeror’s proposed price for each individual ELIN to establish a price per ELIN, as is set forth in the solicitation; these prices will be summed to establish a total price, consistent with the terms and conditions of the solicitation. The Government’s estimated quantities in the solicitation include non-Berry Amendment compliant items, and therefore, those items must be evaluated.

Q15. On page 11 of the solicitation, under the “Price Reasonableness Analysis”, it states that the non-Berry Amendment compliant spreadsheets will be added to the Berry Amendment compliant spreadsheets to achieve the total proposed price. This seems contrary to the Berry Amendment since you are factoring in the price of non-compliant items as part of the overall price evaluation. Please advise.

A15. See A10.

Q16. If each offeror has a different ratio of Berry to non-Berry products per ELIN, how will this be adjusted or accounted for in the total evaluated price?

A16. An offeror’s evaluated price will be determined using the estimated quantities contained in the ELIN attachments. In this solicitation--for proposal purposes--the Government has provided every offeror the same estimated quantities. Following contract award, during the individual delivery order competition(s), the Government will clearly indicate whether or not the Berry Amendment is applicable to a particular order prior to requesting delivery order proposals.

Q17. Given that Volume III contains the completed spreadsheets, do you also want the completed spreadsheets included in Volume II (even though they will not count towards the page limit)?

A17. Yes.

Q18. In Section 3.1.2 of the SOW, it states that the “Contractor shall provide at least two (2) brand name or equivalent items that are required for each individual ELIN contained in Attachments 2.a—2.d.” Does this mean each offeror is required to provide Berry and non-Berry items for each individual ELIN? Or, in the alternative, should offerors provide two items for each of the Berry and non-Berry ELINS (2 Berry and 2 non-Berry, for a total of 4 items)?

A18. To be technically acceptable, the contractor shall provide at least two (2) brand name or equivalent items for each individual ELIN contained in attachments for the location that the vendor is proposing. For example, each offeror may submit a proposal for JEB Little Creek by completing ELIN attachments 2a and 2b. Likewise, each offeror may submit a proposal for NAB Coronado by completing ELIN attachments 2c and 2d. Or, each offeror may submit proposals for both locations by completing all ELIN attachments: 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d. When complete, the spreadsheets would reflect a minimum of 4 items: 2 that are Berry compliant, and 2 that are non-Berry compliant.

Q19. How will the different amounts provided be adjusted or accounted for in the total evaluated price?

A19. The evaluated price will be determined using the estimated quantities contained in the ELIN attachments. An offeror’s total proposed price shall be derived by summing the extended prices on each submitted ELIN attachment. For evaluation purposes, JEB and NAB shall be separately evaluated, i.e. for JEB attachments, 2a and 2b shall be added together and evaluated; and for NAB, attachments 2c and 2d shall be added together and evaluated.

Q20. Are the quantities in ELIN A011 (5088) for both short and long sleeve or a split?

A20. A revised ELIN list shall be posted providing a response hereto.

Q21. Would you prefer 2 separate belts to cover 2 separate profiles or just one to cover both (ELIN A010 & A015)?

A21. ELIN A010 and ELIN A015 are separate items. A010 is a rugged/tactical belt. A015 is a casual belt. Each has a different estimated quantity.

Q22. Will there be a list of specific color requirements or colors that will not be needed?

A22. Individual color selections will be made per member at the delivery order level. Attachments 2a—2d identify acceptable colors.