Solicitation HDEC02-10-R-0002 Questions Responses.doc

Solicitation HDEC02-10-R-0002 Questions & Answers

1. What will be the minimum amount that will have to be dropped per location? i.e. if they order one box of course ground will I have to deliver one box of course ground.

Ordering Limitations are discussed on page 64; however, the commissaries order according to their needs, if a pattern of ordering only 1 box of product occurs under contract, you may contact the store or its region point of contact to further discuss the issue.

2. How do you want the cutlets packaged? It states trayed without soaker pad, does that mean placed in tray then multiple trays cryovac together?

The cube steaks are to be bulk quantity; packaging should be such that when received at the commissary, the cube steaks can be removed from the container/box and placed in a tray by commissary personnel for resale.

3. What grade does the stew meat and cutlets have to be made from?

The stew meat and cube steaks should be processed in accordance with specifications from The Meat Buyers Guide-NAMP.

4. What are the packaging requirements of the hamburger patties?

The hamburger patties are to be in a bulk quantity case; the patties will be placed in trays at the commissary for resale.

5. Do you have a list of distributers going to these locations that could be used to make these deliveries? There are not enough products in this contract alone to make it beneficial to bid on if this is all we would be delivering.

No, we do not have a list of distributors that could be used to make deliveries. You may consult your local telephone directory for listings of military distributors.

6. Will the product have to be certified by USDA AMS that the product meets the IMPS specifications that they are to meet?

The Government expects that the products provided for this requirement be USDA certified; however, if your facilities utilize a State Approved source, please explain this in your Technical Proposal-Quality Program narrative (page 28).

7. Is the stew meat to be put up to an IMPS135 or IMPS135A specification? Both are listed as the specifications that are to be met, IMPS 135 is on Attachment F and IMPS 135A is on Attachment E.

The stew meat specification is IMPS 135A.

8. Is the ground beef to be put up at an IMPS 136 specification? The Attachment F has it listed and Attachment E does not.

The ground beef specification is IMPS 136.

9. Is there a possibility that this could be delivered to a current distributer (or distributer that has distribution contract during the contract period) for these locations. Doing this would maximize the freight going to the stores through the current distribution system in place.

We do not mandate the distribution method used. The distribution method utilized is at the company’s discretion.

10. What size of unit is DeCA requesting for the Frozen 75% and 93% patties?

The hamburger patties are to be in a bulk quantity case; the patties will be placed in trays at the commissary for resale.

11. What size patties?

This requirement does not specify the size of the hamburger patties. The size offered is at the company’s discretion.

12. What type of packaging does the Frozen 75% and 93% patties need to packed in? Boxed, Tray with over wrap, Tray with film.

The bulk packaging per case for the frozen ground beef patties is at the contractor’s discretion; however, the packaging should allow for easy product separation, the patties will be put in trays at the commissary for resale.

13. What type of shelf life is DeCA looking for from the frozen patties?

Each company has different processes. Offerors are asked to provide their guaranteed shelf life (in days) for each product in the solicitation (see page 28 of the solicitation and Attachment F).

14. Also, in reference to the attachment which indicates over 20 current SKU's of Frozen "K" coded patties that DeCA carries, why the need to add another?

DeCA determines its requirements based upon its review of its product line and customer needs.

15. Are the frozen patties going to be re-packed at the store, or will the package need to have a scannable bar code?

The frozen ground beef patties will be put into trays and labeled at the commissary for resale.

16. Can the frozen patties ship with fresh orders? If no, wouldn't the fresh and frozen be on two separate contract numbers (one for fresh and one for frozen orders)?

It is possible to ship frozen and fresh orders with the proper accommodations. It is the contractor’s decision whether or not to ship these items together and the contractor’s responsibility to deliver the product in its requested state of frozen or fresh. There will not be one contract for fresh items and one contract for frozen items.

Solicitation HDEC02-10-R-0002