Questions and Answers - Force Protection Shredders.docx

Questions and Answers

1. Within this RFQ it states you are looking for a ‘Hard Drive Crusher’ – would it be technically acceptable to submit a machine that punches a hole through the hard drive, rendering it useless, that is also listed on the NSA Evaluated Products List?

Answer: No – a machine that punches a hole through the hard drive will not be acceptable.

2. In regards to the SSD/HDD shredder that you are looking for. It states on the April 2021 NSA/CSS Evaluated Product List for Hard Disk Drive Destruction Devices “The NSA/CSS does not evaluate hard disk drive shredders, however any shredder designed for hard disk drives is an approved method for platter deformation”. This means that any SSD shredder cannot have NSA rating for its destruction. However, it does state that any shredder designed for hard drive disk destruction is an approved method and ours SSD/HDD shredder meets that criteria.

Answer: As stated in the Description of Need (DON), the SSD Shredder – or as referred to as the SSD Disintegrator on the NSA Evaluated Products List – is the only shredder requested. This is a separate machine from the HDD degausser and HDD crusher.

3. If our Hard Drive Punch and degausser have heavy duty casters on the bottom that lead to easy mobility does a utility cart need to be submitted?

Answer: As stated in the DON, a utility cart is required to have wheels to allow for ease of mobility with these devices. Casters are acceptable as long as they have wheels.

4. Will partial quotes be allowed?

Answer: No – as stated in the RFQ, this is an all or nothing requirement. Partial quotes will not be accepted.

5. The RFQ specifies "NSA Approved SSD Shredder". However, NSA has not approved any SSD shredders, only SSD disintegrators. We can certainly provide a NSA degausser and NSA crusher that exceeds the requested specs (see attached data sheets). We also have an SSD Shredder, but not an SSD disintegrator. Please advise.

Answer: We are seeking an SSD disintegrator. This can be found in the RFQ where we listed the brand name items, and the SSD shredder we listed is actually a SSD disintegrator. We apologize for any confusion. However, given that these items need to be NSA approved, we will require a SSD disintegrator.