Enclosure_1_LEMOORE_Questions_and_Answers.doc

Enclosure 1

LEMOORE NAS Commissary

Solicitation: HDEC08-13-R-0003

Questions and Answers 1.Q.This contract requires the use of the Rapid Gate system. Are these associated cost and fees reimbursable? There is not a line item provided in the solicitation for these costs.

Answer: In the past, the implementation of RapidGate after contract award has required DeCA to incorporate specific subline items to ensure payment to the contractor for costs incurred as a result, given these costs were unforeseen prior to award; however, for situations where the RapidGate requirement is known during the solicitation/proposal submission process, the costs associated with RapidGate are considered a cost of doing business and should be factored into the contractor’s pricing accordingly.

2.Q.Para. 2.3.1.1. On the share Government equipment, the 1 forklift and 2 electric pallet jacks that we are contracted to be able to utilize, who maintains the equipment log and maintenance of the batteries (specifically ensuring that proper water levels maintained)?

Answer: The government is responsible for the repair and maintenance of all shared equipment; however, each operator (including contractor operators) is required to fill out an inspection sheet prior to using the power equipment. Information for PIT (Powered Industrial Trucks) can be found in DeCA Directive 30-17, which was replaced (Feb 2010) with DeCA Directive 30-17 and DeCA Manual 30-17.1 Chapter 11, Safety and Occupational Health Program. Both are available on www.commissaries.com. See Section C-5, Reference Documents; page C5-1 of the Performance Work Statement.

3.Q. Exhibit 2-2 regarding the shared equipment, please specify who we actually share the equipment with. Are the vendors, deli and others also allowed to share the same equipment as the contractor?

Answer: The contractor may be required to share the equipment listed at Exhibit 2-2 with commissary employees and vendor stockers.

4.Q. Para 4.3.3.1.1 In the event of a mechanical failure of the bailer, the contract specifies that we will break and store cardboard. Does that apply only to the cardboard that the contractor generates or to all cardboard that is generated by others.

Answer: Given the contractor is not responsible for collecting or placing in the baler any cardboard generated by vendor stockers or by Commissary personnel, the same is true in the event of a mechanical failure of the baler. If a mechanical failure occurs, the Contractor shall breakdown and stack/store cardboard in an area designated by the Store Director. Others who generate cardboard are expected to do the same.

5.Q. We noticed 5 or 6 Conex Storage Trailers behind the Commissary, what is stored in those trailers and is there ever an expectation that the contractor would load or unload any merchandise housed therein?

Answer: Storage Trailers are not part of this contract. Therefore, the contractor will not be required to load or unload merchandise into or from the trailers.

6. Q. C 4-16 Supervalue Bre delivery is only one hour from 10am-11am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, how often is that delivery on time and who offloads the truck if it arrives outside that one hour window?

Answer: Given the required work schedule for RSHA operations is reflected as 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, the contractor is expected to offload all deliveries specified at Exhibit 4-3, even those which may occur outside the delivery window specified because of an unforeseen delay; however, in the event there is a delay, store management is required to notify the contractor, so they can plan accordingly. For this question specifically, store management has verified the accuracy of the delivery window for SuperValue Bre.

7. Q. Based on the definitions provided regarding storing and pulling, it seems that all cases stored will be pulled. Please explain how it is possible to have more cases pulled than stored as outlined in the DLS.

Answer: It is possible to pull more merchandise than is stored each month, as the stored area houses safety stock for fast movers and residual stock from past displays and this merchandise is pulled by the contractor for the purpose of replenishment stocking. It is likely that the contractor will actually pull for replenishment more cases than are stored each month.

8. Q. Para. 4.4.2.7 Regarding Storing of Merchandise, Safety Stock is expected and the contractor is responsible for storing, pulling and stocking these items. We did not see any area in the warehouse that was specifically assigned by line item for storing of the safety stock. How many line items and how many cases are kept on site for the “safety stock”? How are these items identified, and will a list be provided? How are these cases identified to the QAE as stored cases? And as pulled cases? Para. 4.3.3.14.1 indicates how the day and night cases stocked are counted by the Government, but there isn’t any indication in the PWS on how the RSHA numbers are derived and agreed on.

Answer: The store director is responsible for providing the contractor with a storage location plan, which will identify the area within the warehouse that merchandise is to be “stored”, per paragraph 4.4.2.7. The chart @ paragraph 4.4.2.7 indicates the number of line items and cases applicable to semi-perishable merchandise and operating supplies that are considered stored merchandise. For safety stock for fast movers, store management and/or the QAE(s) are required to provide the contractor with a list to identify these items and they are required to update the listing each time there is a change. This is required to ensure the contractor is aware of the items considered stored merchandise when FDS deliveries are handled, so the contractor knows to move these cases to the store merchandise area, rather than to the floor for stocking. A list is not provided for operating supplies or residuals from displays, as the contractor does not stock operating supplies and residuals from displays are placed in the stored merchandise area by other than contractor employees, when display periods have expired.

The process of recording the number of cases stored is handled during the receiving process, when the Daily RSHA Report is completed. The contractor coordinates the recording of this information with store personnel on the daily report, prior to placing the cases in the stored merchandise area. When cases are pulled from the stored merchandise area for replenishment stocking by the contractor, they are to be identified as such to store personnel and store personnel shall record those cases on the Daily RSHA report, as such. Information from the daily reports is transferred each day to the Monthly RSHA Report at the end of the work day and is initialed by the QAE and PM, to indicate concurrence with the workload posted.

9.Q.Para 4.3.3.2.1.1 How will the estimated 75 cases of ½ cases for stocking be identified by the Store Director, will a list be provided?

Answer: Yes, upon award of contract and per 4.3.3.2.1.1., the Store Director will identify to the Contractor which line items have been designated as half case items.

10.Q.Para 4.4.2.6.1 Multi-Day Shipments with Stock Intermingled indicates that the contractor shall “prepare for Government receipt”. What exactly does the “prepare for government receipt” mean?

Answer: The contractor is not required to prepare the merchandise for government receipt at this location. Therefore, the PWS has been revised to remove reference to this task from paragraph 4.4.2.6.1. In addition, review of the PWS as a result of the receipt of this question, revealed that information was inadvertently omitted from paragraph 4.4.2.2, Offload Trucks. As a result, paragraph 4.4.2.2 has been revised, as well.

11.Q.Para 4.3.3.7. Replenish Displays – This paragraph indicates that the contractor is not responsible for the build or dismantles of displays. Who is responsible for those actions and what are the critera by which those actions are performed? Will the residual display merchandise be repacked in original boxes, milk crates or co-mingled into shopping baskets? Will any of the contractor responsible line items of residual display merchandise be stocked to the shelf by anyone other than contractor personal?

Answer: Building and dismantling displays is performed by government employees or other entities. The contractor is only responsible for display replenishment after the build of the display has been completed. At the end of the display period, government employees or an entity other than the contractor is responsible for dismantling the displays and repacking the merchandise in like case packs. In no instance should the dismantled display merchandise be placed in shopping carts or baskets. Replenishment stocking to the shelf of the residuals from displays may occur by other than the contractor, in the event the contractor fails to ensure full case stocking of all cases available for stocking has been achieved by the end of the night stocking operation.

12.Q. Exhibit 4.1 – This exhibit indicates that the contractor is not responsible for stocking baby food. Does that mean that the contractor is also not responsible for stocking baby formula?

Answer: Baby formula is considered a contractor stocked item and therefore, the contractor is responsible for stocking baby formula and ensuring proper rotation is achieved, per paragraph 4.3.3.3. Baby food is a vendor stocked item.

12.Q. C4-24 What is the frequency for cleaning the 13 glass Dairy Doors?

Answer: Exhibit 4-5, paragraph 1 states “The Contractor shall determine the specific techniques and frequency of performance required to maintain these quality standards The government does not dictate cleaning frequencies. As indicated at Exhibit 4-6-2, surveillance of the glass doors will be conducted on a weekly basis; however, the contractor is expected to maintain the standards specified within Exhibit 4-5.

13.Q. C1-2 Indicates that we begin our day custodial two hours after the store opens, who will be responsible for the first two hours the store is open for wet clean ups?

Answer: Government personnel will be responsible for policing restrooms and taking care of emergency clean-up situations only vs. routine maintenance. It is not expected that restroom supplies will be depleted during the first two hours of store operation, if they are properly maintained prior to the end of the contractor’s night custodial operation. As required within paragraph 4.6.2.1.1, the contractor is required to police the restrooms at the start of the day custodial shift and every two hours thereafter, throughout the Contractor’s day custodial shift.

14. Q.The PWS indicates that the shopping carts are located inside the sales area, however we noticed that they are currently outside, will they remain outside?

Answer: The Store Director has indicated that the shopping carts will remain outside. Therefore, the PWS has been revised accordingly at Exhibit 4-6-4, to add a separate row for the square footage for the cart storage area and to reduce the square footage for the front of the store, as a result.

15. Q. In the PWS on page C4-25, Exhibit 4-6-3 it shows Locker Rooms (all areas) surveillance frequencies. However, on page C4-24, Exhibit 4-6-2 there is no square footage listed for Locker Rooms (all areas). There are no Locker Rooms listed there at all. My question is there supposed to be square footage listed for Locker Rooms or is the Locker Room square footage included in the 435 square feet of the rest rooms that is listed?

Answer: The Locker Room square footage is included in the 435 square feet that is listed adjacent to the entry for the restrooms at Exhibit 4-6-2. The PWS has been revised at Exhibit 4-6-2, to show that the locker rooms are included.

16.Q.Can you clarify exactly what "RSHA coverage for Contractor Work Schedule" is on the DLS. Is this a subtotal? We are not clear on what your looking for.

Answer: The “RSHA coverage for Contractor Work Schedule" is required, when the annual workload and associated productivity rates will not produce sufficient hours to provide the coverage required by the required work schedule for RSHA operations, that is shown within the chart at 1.2.1 of the PWS. Review of the workload for this requirement against anticipated productivity rates revealed there is no need for this item on the DLS. Therefore, the DLS has been revised (dated 03/26/13) and is required to be used by offerors with proposal submission.