Amendment_1-_Questions_and_Answers.docx

Manual Price Shopping Services

HDEC05-16-R-0005

Amendment 1: Questions and Answers

Question 1. Is there an incumbent for this project or is this an entirely new effort?

Answer. There is no incumbent for this project. This is a new effort for DeCA.

Question 2. Would DeCA consider extending the quarterly data collection of 1400 UPCs over a 12 week period as opposed to a 45 day period?

Answer. No, the requirements in the RFP must be performed as written to ensure a very definitive price survey for the agency. DeCA will not accept the alternatives suggested and thereby the alternatives will not be adopted for this solicitation.

Question 3. Will DeCA accept one of the following alternate reporting options for the commercial retailer information:

a. Report including an average price of the 3 locations specified by DeCA as opposed to actual price per retailer?

b. Report including masked price of 3 commercial grocery stores or supercenters, determined by the contractor, which are mostly located with 20 miles of each commissary?

Answer. No, the requirements in the RFP must be performed as written to ensure a very definitive price survey for the agency. DeCA will not accept the alternatives suggested and thereby the alternatives will not be adopted for this solicitation.

Question 4. In the RFP it states that in regards to payment from DFAS, you need to submit a proper invoice using WAWF electronic Commerce. Does the offeror have to set up in WAWF at this time or is it something done by the awardee of the contract.

Answer. The offeror is not required to set up a WAWF account at this time. To ensure that there are no issues with creating an account and for a more timely payment once the contract is awarded, it is highly recommended that the awardee enroll in WAWF as soon as possible upon contract award.

Question 5. What is the expected total value of the contract? What is the budgeted amount for CLIN0001 and CLIN0002?

Answer. These values are part of the Independent Government Estimate (IGE). The IGE is considered to be procurement-sensitive information and will not be released.

Question 6. It appears DeCA has been procuring price database information from vendors such as Nielsen. Is this manually collected price data meant to replace or supplement the Nielsen data?

Answer. As stated in the Statement of Work (SOW), the manual price shopping is meant to develop price comparison. This requirement is not intended to replace other data collection that the Defense Commissary Agency utilizes.

Question 7. DeCA is requiring that private label SKUs utilized as a part of the manual price shop process be chosen based on their attributes, be national brand equivalent in quality, and be specifically flagged as private label items.

Is the contractor required to decide which own label products to include or will guidance be given by DeCA? If the contractor, then how would we define national brand equivalent in quality?

Answer. DeCA requires the contractor to be capable of determining which product is a national brand equivalent; the contractor will then closely coordinate with DeCA for private label requests and data formatting requirements.

Question 8. Each vendor is required to submit a technical capabilities write-up and have their references provide past performance surveys. May we attach a separate document as a technical appendix to our 3 page proposal submission?

Answer. A separate document may be attached for an appendix. This appendix will not count against an offeror’s 3 pages; however, be advised that any additional information provided on the appendix will not be evaluated.

Question 9. With regards to permissions for auditing locations (both commissary and external grocery store chains) will the DeCA aid in gaining permissions either at HQ or local levels or should this be solely a task for the contractor?

Answer. Surveys at each of the commissaries will be authorized by the DeCA Headquarters; however, gaining permissions at other retail outlets are solely a task for the contractor.

Question 10. The description of the requirements states that the contractor will not be permitted to utilize a web or database method of data collection. Does DeCA consider online grocers such as FreshDirect, Peapod, or Amazon.com valid points of comparison for price shopping? Or should all research be limited to physical grocery outlets?

Answer. No online grocers will be surveyed. All research will be limited to physical grocery outlets.

Question 11. Does an offeror have to be registered on SAM.gov to be eligible for an award?

Answer. Offerors must be registered on SAM.gov to be eligible for award. Also within SAM.gov, offerors must also complete the “Offeror Representations and Certifications” for both FAR and DFARS along with register under the North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code 541910.