RFP_-_Attachment_B.docx

21 November 2013

STATEMENT OF WORK

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

DEPARTMENT-WIDE UNIFORM CONTRACT

1. BACKGROUND:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has five core missions: preventing terrorism and enhancing security; securing and managing our borders; enforcing and administering our immigration laws; safeguarding and securing cyberspace; and ensuring resilience to disasters. DHS is comprised of many different components, each having its own unique mission. In many components, uniformed officers and agents are utilized in the execution of the mission. The goal of this contract is to provide uniforms and related equipment to all authorized personnel in DHS and FDA.

2. SCOPE:

The SOW outlines general requirements of the DHS Uniform Program. Approximately 120,000 employees across multiple Components are authorized to participate in the DHS and FDA uniform programs. Uniformed employees are located throughout the United States and overseas locations. Therefore, an effective uniform program is vital in meeting the uniform and related equipment needs of the components’ officers and agents.

The tasks performed by the officers and agents include, but are not limited to: securing the nation’s borders; inspecting cargo and trade at air, rail and sea ports; protecting Federal facilities; screening passengers for air travel; and upholding America’s immigration laws within and beyond our borders through efficient enforcement and removal operations. Their duty stations range from extremely cold climates in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota, to extremely dry and hot climates in the deserts of the southwestern United States and tropical climates of Florida and the Caribbean.

The goals of the DHS Uniform Program are to:

· project a distinctive and professional publicly recognized image while promoting employee identification and pride;

· provide the highest possible degree of consistency in uniform appearance that is appropriate for assigned duties and area climates;

· maintain a uniform distribution system that consistently provides high quality uniforms in a timely manner and is financially accountable and cost effective;

· provide a mechanism to provision, manufacture, distribute, and manage uniform inventory;

· provide a secure web-based uniform request system with order and allowance management (capable of supporting bulk and individual uniform fulfillment as well as return/replacement orders);

· provide uniforms and uniforms management/support to students/trainees located at academies including Glynco, Georgia; Frederick, Maryland, and Artesia, New Mexico, as well as field employees located across the country and at overseas postings;

· provide recurring reports as well as real-time data reporting capabilities; and

· provide exemplary customer service.

Individual and unique Component requirements/deliverables will be provided in delivery orders. The DHS Uniform Program consists of the below listed Components, sub-Components and its partner, FDA.

· U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which includes the sub-Components:

· Office of Air and Marine (OAM)

· Office of Field Operations (OFO)

· Office of Training and Development (OTD)

· U.S. Border Patrol (USBP)

· Other smaller uniformed offices requiring uniform items

· Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which includes the sub- Components:

· Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT)

· Surge Capacity Force (SCF)

· Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)

· U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which includes the sub- Components:

· Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

· Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO)

· Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which includes the sub-Component of the Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) - Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS)

· National Protection & Programs Directorate (NPPD), which includes the sub-Components:

· Infrastructure Security Compliance Division (ISCD)

· Federal Protective Service (FPS)

· U.S. Secret Service (USSS)

· Other components of DHS not already listed above

· Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (not part of DHS)

3. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS:

The Contractor shall ensure all personnel and sub-contractors adhere to all relevant uniform and equipment policies and procedures established by DHS, as well as any particular standards for uniform items delineated in this SOW or the attached specifications. Moreover, the Contractor and any sub-contractors shall ensure compliance with all applicable trade agreements consistent with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 25. At a minimum, the Contractor shall comply with the following list of applicable documents, which may be updated by the Government during contract performance:

· Kissell Amendment, 6 U.S.C. § 453b

· 48 C.F.R. (HSAR) Subpart 3025.70

· Trade Agreements Act, 19 U.S.C. §§ 2501 et seq.

· ICE ERO Uniform and Grooming Policy

· DHS uniform handbooks and operational manuals

· CBP OAM Uniform Guidance

· CBP OFO Uniform Wear Policy

· CBP Border Patrol Uniform and Grooming Standards Policy

· CBP OTD Use of Force Policy Division Authorized Equipment Lists

· CBP Uniform Management Division Quartermaster Standard Operating Procedures

· National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 2112: Standard on Flame-Resistant Garment for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire (http://www.nfpa.org/aboutthecodes/AboutTheCodes.asp?DocNum=2112)

· NFPA 1975: Standard on Station/Work Uniforms for Emergency Services (http://www.nfpa.org/aboutthecodes/AboutTheCodes.asp?DocNum=1975)

· U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division (UND) Manual – 24

· FLETC Directive FD 65-94.A Law Enforcement Instructional Staff Uniform Regulations and Dress Code

· FLETC Manual 20120803 FM 65-94A Law Enforcement Instructional Staff Uniform Regulations and Dress Code

· FLETC Directive FD 54-01 20110215 Student Dress Code

· FLETC Manual FM 54-01 20110215 Student Dress Code

· NPPD Federal Protective Service Uniform and Grooming Manual

· FEMA Directive 123-18-REV Standard FEMA-Distinctive Clothing

· TSA Management Directive (MD) 1100.73-2, TSO Dress and Appearance Responsibilities and its Handbook

· TSA MD 2800.5, Internal Security Reporting: Foreign Contact and Travel

· TSA MD 3700.4, Handling Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information

· DHS MD 11042.1, Safeguarding Sensitive But Unclassified (For Official Use Only) Information

· Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) (http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104790)

· Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. § 552a

· Data Rights (FAR Part 27 as applicable)

4. SPECIFIC TASKS:

The objective of this acquisition is to provide uniforms for both male and female officers and agents, trainees and students of DHS and its partner FDA.

The Contractor shall utilize innovative and creative technical approaches to manage the supply chain of the DHS Uniform Program in accordance with standard commercial business practices and DHS policies. In the event of a conflict between those, the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) shall determine the best course in consultation with the Contractor. (See Section 13: Contract Administration.) The Contractor shall, at a minimum, be responsible for:

· provision and inventory management of uniforms (Note: detailed uniform requirements for all uniform items are included as an attachment to this SOW)

· on-site uniform service operations

· providing a secure web-based uniform requesting system with order and allowance management (capable of supporting bulk and individual ordering as well as return/replacement orders)

· real-time data reporting capability

· providing customer service

4.1 Provisioning and Inventory Management of Uniform Items:

Within 10 calendar days from contract award, the Contractor shall provide the Contract COR and Component CORs with body measurements that correspond to the Contractor’s standard sizes for all uniform clothing items (grading patterns). The Contractor shall provide color swatches for Contract COR and applicable Component COR approval within 30 calendar days of the award of the Component delivery order. The Contractor will provide first article testing along with proposed base patterns and Pantone Matching System (PMS) or Federal Standard 595C colors to the Contract COR and applicable Component COR within 30 calendar days of Government approval of color swatches. (See Section 6.5: Change Management Plan and Appendix B: Performance Requirements Summary for more information on first article testing and acceptance.)

Within 60 calendar days after contract award, the Contractor shall provide the Contract COR and applicable Component COR with base patterns for all non-COTS items either manufactured or sourced. (COTS refers to “commercial off the shelf” items.) The Contractor shall indicate in its Management Plan the type of Computer Aided Design (CAD) software it shall use during the contract period of performance. (See Section 6.1: Management Plan.) The Contractor shall also submit first article samples within 30 calendar days from the applicable Component approval date of the base patterns for manufactured items. The Contractor shall perform testing of first article samples.

The Contractor shall perform testing (as defined in each Component delivery order) of the uniform item prior to submitting the first article samples. All uniform items tested shall be at a minimum in compliance with the design, configuration, workmanship, dimensions, and other requirements included in its specification. The applicable Component will review the uniform item, perform any additional tests and conduct field wear tests (if required) to approve the item. The Component COR will provide the Contractor with a written decision on each first article sample. (See Section 6.5: Change Management Plan and Section 7: Deliverables and Delivery Schedule for more information on first article samples, Contractor testing, and Component acceptance.) The Contractor shall provide:

· Two (2) identical copies of first article samples of each uniform item for Government testing (See Section 6.5: Change Management Plan for additional information on the process for obtaining additional samples for field wear tests.) An identification tab which outlines the uniform item number, sample purpose (prototype, first article, field wear test, final approval, other), item description, fabric content and weight, size, color, and whether the item is Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS)

· Warranty information accompanied with the first article sample

· A detailed specification should include at a minimum fabric content, weight, weave, dimensions, specific color, style description, performance details, gender sizes and fit describing the item submitted

· Confirmation that the item submitted for first article testing meets the uniform requirements and specifications

The Government may waive specific testing activities for certain uniform items; however, the first article samples will still be required for all uniform items.

For uniform items added to the contract through the change management process, the Contractor shall provide grading patterns, color swatches, base patterns, and first article samples in accordance with the timeframes outlined above in Section 4.1, Provisioning and Inventory Management of Uniform Items, after the item has been added via modification to the Component delivery order.

The Government shall own all uniform base patterns and specifications for all non-COTS items provided under this contract, and the Contractor shall provide these items once the first article sample is approved.

Throughout the length of the contract, the Contractor shall:

· Comply with uniform specifications and number system that are provided as an attachment to this SOW

· Ensure consistency of patterns, fit, fabric and color of each item regardless of the location of manufacture or the time of manufacture throughout the contract period

· Ensure compliance with Government-established acceptable shade ranges for each item

· Assume responsibility for adequacy of uniform item sources and locating suppliers who can provide the required level of quality and quantity

· Provide garment care, item number, manufacturer name, date of manufacture, and sizing information within each uniform item or the packaging of the item

· Promptly address quality/durability, functionality/performance, and safety issues with items as they arise

Upon contract start, the Contractor will be required to take stock of 500,000+ Government furnished uniform items from various Components.

The Contractor shall propose the plan and schedule for the acceptance of the items and the availability to initiate order fulfillment (plan and schedule to be approved by the Government). (See Section 6.6: Transition Plan.)

The Contractor shall provide inventory control management, warehousing and tracking of all inventories either manufactured or sourced to ensure secure storage and timely deliveries of all uniform items in accordance with current commercial standards. The Contractor is expected to manage levels of inventory to the minimums necessary to meet the Government’s requirements.

All inventories shall be identified separately in the following two categories: Existing Government-Owned Inventory and Other Than Government-Owned Inventory. Uniform fulfillment shall be taken first from existing Government-Owned Inventory, as sizes are available, and when those sizes are exhausted, fulfilled from Other Than Government-Owned Inventory. (Refer to Section 4.3.2: Employee Allowances.)

The Contractor shall provide access to its warehouses/facilities that house existing Government-owned inventory in order for the Government to perform on-site inventory counts. The inventory count may be performed by the Government or a Government contractor. The scheduling and the inventory contractor shall be at the Government’s discretion.

The Contractor shall implement supply chain management and shall provide distribution and inventory controls throughout the supply chain lifecycle.

The Government will accept only completed items that correctly adhere to the uniform requirements and Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) list.

The Contractor shall provide documentation to the Contract CO and COR substantiating that uniform items will be housed in a secured facility/warehouse(s) that shall:

· Be clean and have an overhead sprinkler system for fire prevention

· Adhere to all applicable basic guidelines outlined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) which can be found by visiting its website at www.iso.org/iso/home/standards.htm

· Be protected from theft by security system that is connected to dispatch service and security cameras monitoring all entry and exit points of the facility/warehouse(s)

· Have a separate, locked area (e.g. cage or room) to house individual branded uniform items (e.g. patches, badges, shoulder emblems, and other individual branded items not affixed to a uniform) (See “Existing Inventory List” in Table 6: Government Furnished Property (GFP) and Information (GFI).). This area must be access-controlled and the Contractor is required to maintain an access log.

· Maintain a temperature of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with a relative humidity between 50 to 55 percent

· Protect uniform items from direct sunlight and/or exposure to ultraviolet radiation

4.1.1 Standard Sizes, Made-to-Measure Sizes and Cotton/Uniform Material Requirements:

· Standard Sizes: The Contractor shall define and provide the body measurements that accompany each of its standard sizes for uniform items. Standard sizes shall be considered the sizes for which a standard stock pattern already exists.

· Made-to-Measure Sizes: In addition to maintaining the standard sizes, the Contractor shall have the capability to produce or purchase garments with unique sizing requirements for employees whose measurements do not allow a standard stock pattern to be used. The Contractor shall be able to deliver all made-to-measure items within 60 calendar days from the Delivery Order date. Made-to-measure size patterns shall be saved for each employee that requires a made-to-measure uniform, and shall be submitted to the applicable Component COR upon the end of the contract.

· Cotton Uniforms: The Contractor shall produce and provide 100% cotton versions of uniforms available for those employees with allergies to materials in items that contain certain fabric. (Note: there may be restrictions to 100% cotton uniforms, for example, fire retardant items). The price for these items shall be the same as the standard versions (i.e., no price differential). These items shall be delivered within 60 calendar days from the Delivery Order date. The Component COR will provide the Contractor with documentation indicating which officers/agents require 100% cotton uniforms or other allergy-free uniform requirements. The Contractor shall keep the documentation on file until contract close-out per FAR Part 4.804. At contract close-out, the documentation shall be destroyed.

· Uniform Materials: The Contractor should seek to balance performance characteristics and materials with reduced exposure to potential allergens or other substances that may induce sensitivities.

4.1.2 Female Uniforms:

The Contractor shall produce female uniforms with true female sizing, pattern design construction, and grading to pattern alteration. This shall also include maternity uniforms and skirt options. Female uniforms, including maternity uniforms and skirt options, shall be considered as “standard sized” uniform items.

4.1.3 Warranty:

The Contractor shall unconditionally warrant all uniform items for fit, quality and comfort. The Contractor shall propose the warranty term that is provided to its most favored customers. Excessive shrinkage or fading after washing per manufacturer’s suggested instructions will be construed as a manufacturer’s defect. Warranties for COTS items will be established, at a minimum, by the manufacturer.

4.2 On-Site Quartermaster/Uniform Services Operations:

The Contractor shall provide a plan to establish a presence at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) facilities in Glynco, Georgia, and Artesia, New Mexico, as well as at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) facility in Frederick, Maryland, which requires services on an as-needed basis. Detailed on-site uniform services requirements, as required by any Component, will be included in each delivery order. Component delivery orders shall be used for billing purposes for these Component-specific services. On-site uniform services include:

· managing on-site operations as directed in each delivery order

· measuring and fitting new employees, including alterations

· maintaining inventory at the Artesia and Glynco facilities, if required and included in each delivery order

· issuing prescribed uniforms for each employee during the training period per timelines specified in each delivery order

· ensuring each new employee has the proper attire and proper fit according to the specific Component’s uniform wear policy

· maintaining hours of operations at the facilities per the requirements specified in each delivery order

· providing the necessary personnel to perform the required services

· the Contractor must provide its own equipment and fixtures including computers, fax machines, desks, shelving, printers, phones, chairs/tables, sewing supplies (e.g., sewing machines, cutters, irons, and other necessary sewing materials), and appropriate insurance levels

· providing a facility in the Glynco, Georgia, area to provide Quartermaster uniform services for non-CBP Components due to space constraints at the Glynco training academy (See Table 1: On-Site Uniform Services.)

The Contractor shall develop a system of door key controls at these facilities to be included in Section 6.7: Security Plan. The plan shall ensure that all keys and lock combinations issued to the Contractor by the Government are not lost, misplaced, duplicated, left unsecured or used by unauthorized persons. All keys and lock combinations are to be returned to the Government upon the end of the contract.

CBP and ICE employees at the training academies will be issued uniforms in accordance with the Components’ respective delivery orders.

Uniform items shipped to the Artesia academy facility are received by one of two on-site security warehouses. (One is owned and managed by FLETC; the other is owned and managed by CBP.) The Contractor is required to move uniform items from the two warehouses to the Artesia academy’s distribution center. The Contractor is then required to move the uniform items from the Artesia academy’s distribution center to the building space in which the Contractor performs the on-site Quartermaster/uniform services.

Table 1: On-Site Uniform Services

4.3 Web-Based Uniform Requesting System (WBURS):

The Contractor shall provide a secure website that is user-friendly and allows for easy data entry. Consistency in formatting, simplicity and accuracy of reporting data will be considered critical performance factors. Additionally, the WBURS shall be Section 508 compliant. The Government shall own and have complete access to all data on the WBURS.

This website shall be used exclusively by the Contractor and authorized Government employees and shall deny access in the entirety to all other individuals. The uniform ordering website shall be password-protected. The website shall have a process for individuals to log into the system using unique credentials (e.g. unique username and password). The Contractor shall provide each individual with an initial username and password, which shall not contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII), where the password can later be changed by the individual. Only authorized individuals shall be allowed to establish log-in credentials. The secure website shall allow various levels of access while ensuring the security and integrity of the site and employee allowance amount information. Allowances are described in Section 4.3.2: Employee Allowances. There will be certain Government employees identified by the contract CO or COR who shall have full access to: all catalog items, all ordering data, all contract management data and reports including customer feedback. The Contractor shall manage the website and have e-commerce staff to maintain the web site and implement future enhancements, when required and in coordination with the Components.

The WBURS shall track real-time uniform allowance balances. Allowance balances are to be debited once items are requested, and are to be updated when a return/exchange is processed. (See Section 4.3.2: Employee Allowances and Section 4.3.5 Returns/Exchanges for more information.)

WBURS process for officers and agents with allowance accounts:

· Officers and agents select/request the uniform item(s) they want to receive

· WBURS stores the uniform request details (i.e. employee name, account number, item number, item size, item description, item quantity, item price, remaining allowance balance, personal funds details (if applicable), Government purchase card funds (if applicable), and shipping details)

· Contractor shall provide a weekly Uniform Requests report to the applicable Component COs and CORs outlining all uniform requests placed during the reporting period

· Only a Contracting Officer shall have the ability to modify the delivery timeframe of Uniform Requests report at no additional cost as each Component may have unique interval timeframes for the Contractor to transmit uniform requests data

· In the event a uniform request requires personal funds in order to fulfill the request, the Contractor shall require the WBURS user to provide the payment information on the WBURS (i.e. credit card number) and the Contractor shall pre-approve the payment information. The request shall be included in the Uniform Requests report and shall not be fulfilled until the Component COR indicates approval to fulfill/complete the uniform request.

· Under no circumstances will a Government purchase card be used to pay for allowance orders.

· For allowance accounts, uniform requests within the total authorized allowance amount shall be fulfilled immediately if a funded delivery order is in place.

Process for all non-allowance uniform orders:

· For non-allowance accounts, fulfillment shall occur upon receipt of a funded delivery order.

· For all orders placed using a Government purchase card, the Component COR must pre-approve these orders before fulfillment. Personal credit cards are specifically prohibited from use on non-allowance orders.

· If the Component COR notifies the Contractor that a uniform request using personal funds or a Government purchase card is not authorized and therefore should be rejected, the request should be cancelled. Any pre-approval, hold, or charge to the personal credit card or Government purchase card shall likewise be cancelled or removed from the account within two (2) business days of notification from the Component COR.

· Separate Delivery Orders will be placed by the Component COs to fulfill work, duty, and ceremonial uniforms and accessories at the training academies or other bulk purchases, urgent requests for disaster responses, and employee hardship replacement requests. Components may issue Delivery Orders as frequently as on a weekly basis.

In addition, the WBURS shall provide at a minimum:

· Each account shall have a unique account identifier, which does not contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII), for each individual Component employee authorized to buy uniforms

· The ability to place orders and track detailed order history down to the employee level (i.e. delivery times, order status, pending orders, size history, shipping/tracking details, and customer feedback)

· The ability to track employee allowance account balances in real-time

· Store/keep track of the uniform request/order history for each account for the entire contract period of performance regardless if the individual transfers to a different sub-Component or Component

· A mechanism to accept personal credit cards only for those Component employees authorized to use credit cards and only for the conditions which employees are specifically authorized to use credit cards.

· A mechanism for accepting the combination of personal credit cards with allowance expenditures, as authorized per Component or FDA. (For example, if an item costs $100 and an employee has $10 remaining in his/her allowance, he or she may add additional personal funds to pay for the remaining $90 of the uniform item.)

· A mechanism for accepting Government purchase cards

· Establish controls to confirm individual allowance expenditures are exhausted prior to accepting personal credit cards (See Section 4.3.1: WBURS Accounts for more information on order purchasing methods.)

· An online catalog of all contract uniform items and related articles that includes pictures, item descriptions, material composition(s), size scales, garment care instructions and pricing (See Section 4.3.4: Online Catalog for additional information.)

· A user-friendly interface for placing orders that meets the approval of the Government

· Provide real-time information of estimated delivery timeframes for each uniform item to assist users in making informed uniform requests

· Ability to accept and coordinate returns/exchanges

· Fitting instructions and measuring guide for each item

· A capability to track, report, search and query data for designated users

· All items made entirely or partially from leather shall identify the animal species in the online ordering catalog

· Provide the ability for officers/agents to request 100% cotton or other allergy-free uniforms on the WBURS within two (2) business days of receiving the appropriate documentation from the Component COR (NOTE: Only officers/agents that have the appropriate documentation provided by the Component COR can request 100% cotton or other allergy-free uniforms (See Section 4.1.1: Standard Sizes, Made-to-Measure Sizes and Cotton/Uniform Material Requirements.)

Personnel sometimes transfer between different sub-Components within the same Component (i.e. from OFO to OBP within CBP) or from one Component to another (i.e. from NPPD to CBP). The proposed system must be able to distinguish between employees of the same name and track all employees regardless of their movement within DHS without using PII such as partial Social Security Numbers (SSN). The Contractor must securely protect data provided by the Government that contains any PII.

The WBURS shall have the ability for customers to provide feedback on uniform items, ordering, customer service and returns/exchanges. All employee responses shall be available real-time (see “Appendix A: Table of Required Reports” for additional details). Furthermore, Components’ COs, CORs, or other personnel designated by the COs shall have real-time access to the customer feedback response. The Contractor must not edit, delete or otherwise alter any customer feedback.

WBURS testing and acceptance by the Components’ CORs must occur by the end of the transition period in order to be considered delivered on time. Contract CO will confirm acceptability of the WBURS. The WBURS testing and acceptance shall comply with the Contractor’s Phase-In Plan (See Section 6.6. Transition Plan – Phase-In Plan.) The addition or deletion of uniform items from the WBURS are in-scope changes and are not chargeable to the Government.

4.3.1 WBURS Accounts:

The Contractor shall create and manage upwards of 120,000 online accounts for the applicable Components’ individual officers/agents allowance accounts, separate bulk purchase accounts, and separate accounts that authorized users can use Government Purchase Cards. Components may utilize different processes for establishing these accounts (i.e. the use of an Excel spreadsheet, or paper-based digitized form submitted via email or fax). The largest Components will be CBP with approximately 50,000 accounts and TSA with approximately 50,000 accounts.

At a minimum, the system shall accurately track account funding, individual’s uniform classification(s), open/processed uniform requests, employee and Component information, uniform request and fulfillment histories, official Government duty station (delivery address), and necessary reporting. Examples of these reports are identified in “Appendix A: Table of Required Reports.” The Contractor shall keep each account distinct and separate from one another regardless of similar information (i.e. individual’s name, duty station, or Component). Bulk purchase accounts and accounts that can use Government Purchase Cards will not have an associated allowance amount.

The Government will provide the Contractor with a list of classifications and the uniform items that are within each classification each fiscal year. The classifications may change at the discretion of each Component. The Contractor shall create an electronic master Component file that contains all classification information and their associated uniform by Component.

The Contractor shall create an electronic employee master file that contains all information contained in a CBP Uniform Allowance Form 313 (or equivalent) for each employee per Component.

Upon fiscal year end and contract end, the Contractor shall transfer all Component and employee master files to the Contract and Component COs and CORs in Excel format or a mutually agreed upon format. (See Appendix A: Table of Required Reports.) The Contractor shall submit Component and employee master files 90 calendar days after the end of each fiscal year and contract end. If an employee’s information is not complete due to backorders or returns/exchanges by the 90th calendar day, the Contractor shall still submit the master files on the 90th calendar day and annotate the specific employee(s) whose information is not complete.

4.3.2 Employee Allowances:

Allowance Account Creation/Updates

By the end of the transition period (outlined in Section 6.6: Transition Plan – Phase-In Plan) the Contractor shall implement a computerized system to establish and maintain individual employee allowances which will be associated with their individual WBURS accounts. Each individual WBURS account will have an associated allowance value. The following Components will have allowance amounts:

· CBP, which includes the sub-Components:

· USBP

· OFO

· OAM

· OTD

· Other smaller uniformed Offices

· ICE/ERO

· NPPD, which includes the sub-Components:

· ISCD

· FPS

· TSA

Allowance amounts will be established per Component Delivery Order. This information will be communicated to the Contractor by the Component CO. The Component’s employees’ allowance account spending shall not exceed the established allowance amount. Any spending exceeding the authorized allowance amount can be accomplished by personal credit card funds only. Should an employee place a uniform request that exceeds the uniform allowance balance, the WBURS shall require the employee to use a personal credit card to complete the uniform request. The Contractor shall manage and report on cumulative funding expenditures per Component Delivery Order(s). (See Appendix A: Table of Required Reports).

In coordination with the Component COs/CORs, the Contractor shall update employee allowance account details within two (2) business days of receipt of Government notification of employee allowance account updates. CBP currently uses the CBP Uniform Allowance Form 313. Other Components currently use different means of account creation and modification. Updates will include deleting employees who have separated from DHS (or other Government agencies included in this contract) or who are no longer authorized to purchase uniforms, or to change the access status of authorized employees. The Contractor shall create new employee accounts (new hires) within one (1) business day of receipt of Government notification. (See Section 6.1: Management Plan.)

Individual employees with allowance accounts shall be able to search, view or access the following information in real time on their own accounts:

· Allowance balance

· Order history, including size history

· Shipping/tracking status for all active, backorder or exchange orders

· Individual’s customer service feedback history

· Ability to change login passwords

Allowance Balance Management

Allowance balances shall be updated when a uniform request is placed. The Contractor shall ensure that allowance spending exceeds neither an employee’s authorized allowance amount nor the amount obligated by the Component’s Delivery Order(s) for that fiscal year. For Components not using individual allowance accounts, the Contractor shall ensure that the Component’s spending does not exceed the amount obligated under the Delivery Order.

Depending on authorization by Component, some employees will be authorized to use personal credit cards to pay for items they are authorized to purchase if the allowance balance is insufficient. (See Table 7: Employee Level of WBURS Access.) In the case of sales where personal credit cards are used to pay for a transaction, state sales tax shall apply only to the portion of the order that is funded by personal credit cards. Any personal credit cards used shall be tracked separately from Government funds for audit and data reporting purposes. All uniform requests placed using personal credit cards for full or partial payment require the approval of the Component COR in order to finalize the uniform request.

Existing Government-owned inventory shall only be used to fulfill delivery orders for officers/agents only if the account allowance balance can accommodate 100% of the contract price of the uniform item(s). (See Section 8 Government Furnished Property and Information for breakdown of invoicing and allowance account debiting.) Existing Government-owned inventory shall have unique effects on an officer/agent’s allowance account and invoicing to the applicable Component. The following scenarios outline how the Contractor shall manage these processes:

· Scenario 1: Officer/agent requests a uniform item that is available in existing Government-owned inventory in which the contract price of the item is covered 100% by the remaining allowance amount

· Effect A: Officer/agent’s allowance account is debited the contract price of the item

· Effect B: Component is invoiced only for the GFP co-efficient (See Section 8. Government Furnished Property and Information.)

· Scenario 2: Officer/agent requests a uniform item that is available in existing Government-owned inventory; however, the allowance balance cannot cover 100% of the contract price of the item

· Effect A: The item requested shall be fulfilled from Other Than Government-Owned Inventory

· Effect B: Officer/agent’s personal credit card will be charged the appropriate amount that exceeds the allowance balance

Allowance Account Reporting/Reconciliation

The Components that use employee allowance accounts will provide the Contractor with a Consolidated Uniform Allowance Report (CUAR) to validate and reconcile employee status and allowance amount. The Contractor is to provide an electronic reconciliation of the CUAR and confirmation of the Contractor’s system account update to the COR on a quarterly basis (due to the COR 15 calendar days after the end of each Government fiscal quarter). No accounts can be accessible to individual employees without an updated, verified CUAR from the COR.

In addition, the Contractor shall provide the Contract CO and COR and applicable Component COs and CORs with a list of employees and each employee’s current allowance balance monthly. Upon Government verification of the data, the Contractor may be required to perform updates to employee accounts. No accounts can be accessible to individual employees without updated, verified accounts from the COR.

4.3.3 Bulk Orders

Bulk purchases outside of the standard uniform requests placed on the WBURS will be placed only by employees designated by the Components’ COs. The Contractor shall be able to process Bulk Orders through the WBURS. Per Section 6.1: Management Plan, the Contractor shall outline the proposed plan for collecting this data from all Components and combining it into one system that is searchable and capable of generating reports.

4.3.4 Online Catalog:

The Contractor shall provide an online catalog for all uniform items. Each item shall include a high-resolution (at least 640 pixels wide by 480 pixels tall) thumbnail photo that can be expandable to full-screen view, item description, size scales, garment care instructions, country of origin, pricing, and size/fit guides. Garment care instructions shall be viewable for all items even if the item is discontinued or no longer available for purchase on the WBURS. The online catalog shall also be available in PDF format.

Individual employees shall be able to view only the catalog items for their job classification. Additionally, Component COs and CORs shall be able to view only the catalog items for their Component. There will be certain uniform items identified as available for purchase from multiple Components which will be identified in the contract.

4.3.5 Returns/Exchanges:

The Contractor’s process for returns, exchanges, warranty issues or recalls shall be described on the WBURS. The Contractor shall accept returns/exchanges that are shipped back to the Contractor within 60 calendar days of delivery. The Contractor shall pay shipping costs for all returns/exchanges on all orders regardless of size of order, or whether from existing Government inventory or other-than-Government inventory. (See Section 8: Government Furnished Property and Information for handling of returns/exchanges on Government owned uniforms.)

All returns/exchanges shall be tracked online. The Contractor must be able to manage returns/exchanges that extend beyond the contract end date, but fall within the 60 calendar day return timeframe. The WBURS shall be capable of allowing an individual to obtain and print a pre-paid return shipping label for returned/exchanged item(s). Prior to printing the pre-paid return shipping label, the WBURS shall require the DHS employee to select the item he or she is returning or exchanging from his or her account order history. Subsequently, the WBURS shall require the employee to provide the following information on the item(s) he or she is returning or exchanging:

· Returns: Reason for return, and additional comments

· Exchanges: Reason for exchange, order number, shipped item size, requested exchange item number, requested exchange size, and additional comments

All returns and exchanges shall be managed by the Contractor through the WBURS. For all returned items, the Contractor shall issue refunds to the funding source used to place the order the same amount that was charged. There will be no use of credit memos. Serviceable returned inventory shall be returned to the inventory from which it was pulled. Items that have only been tried on for fit, then returned, are considered serviceable. Items that have obviously been worn or laundered are no longer serviceable. The Contractor will track the number of unserviceable items returned or exchanged per account. (See Section 8. Government Furnished Property and Information for handling of unserviceable GFP uniforms.)

The WBURS shall link the original order number and employee information with the return or exchange for reporting purposes. (See Appendix A: Table of Required Reports.)

The Contractor shall manage any refunds to the employee’s allowance amount, personal credit card, or Government purchase card based on the return or exchange. Detailed return/exchange information will be included in the Return Reason Summary Report. (See Appendix A: Table of Required Reports.)

4.3.6 Urgent Orders for Disaster Response:

In certain instances, Components may need to place urgent, bulk purchase orders of uniform items for their employees responding to an emergency situation, which are typically delivered to a Government-specified staging location. The Contractor shall have capabilities of fulfilling urgent orders 24-hours/seven (7) days a week/365 days a year with a dedicated phone number. This is not to be confused with a requirement for 24-hour customer service. Services for fulfilling urgent orders will be available only to a Component CO or authorized Government purchase card holders. The Contractor shall be able to process Urgent Orders for Disaster Response through the WBURS. Components that require this level of support will include it on their delivery orders, and as such this cost will only be charged to those Components versus across-the-board contract item pricing.

4.3.7 Employee Hardship Replacement Order:

In certain instances, employees may require uniforms delivered in an expedited manner due to a hardship situation (e.g. the employee’s house flooded and his/her uniforms are damaged). Employee hardship replacement orders will be transmitted by the employee’s respective Component. An employee’s allowance balance shall not be adjusted for hardship replacement uniform items.

4.3.8 Allowance Accounts Delivery Order:

A Component CO may issue a Delivery Order for allowance accounts. The fulfillment of the Delivery Order will be accomplished when:

· All employee requests for uniform items during the period of performance of the Delivery Order have been processed;

· The requested uniform items are shipped to the employee; and

· The return period or Contractor’s warranty period, whichever is longer, has expired.

The Delivery Order will identify the number of allowance accounts to be established for individual employees authorized to request uniform items through the WBURS.

The Contractor shall have allowance accounts available for use by the end of the Phase-In period, or within 30 calendar days (whichever is earliest). (See Section 6.6. Transition Plan – Phase-In Plan.)

4.3.9 Training Academy Allowance Accounts Delivery Order:

A Component CO may issue a Delivery Order for training academy allowance accounts. The fulfillment of the Delivery Order will be accomplished when:

· All employees are issued their authorized uniform items

The Delivery Order will identify the number of training academy allowance accounts to be established for individual employees authorized to be issued uniform items through the Academies.

4.3.10 Payment and Electronic Invoicing

Individual accounts will be established with a set allowance amount, which will vary by Component and Government fiscal year. Orders using allowance amounts (not paid by credit card) shall be invoiced bi-monthly or as directed in each Component delivery order, and shall be paid via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Some accounts will be authorized to use Government and/or personal credit cards for payment. The Component delivery orders shall provide this information.

Invoices shall reflect the items that have actually shipped, not the amount ordered. There will be no use of credit memos under this contract. Electronic invoicing is required.

Email addresses for electronic invoicing shall be provided upon contract/delivery order award. Each invoice submitted shall be a proper invoice. Electronic invoices shall be posted on the WBURS and email alerts shall be sent to the Contract COR, applicable Component CORs, and anyone else designated in the Component delivery orders. A proper invoice is defined under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.232-25(a)(3). A proper invoice must include the following items as a minimum:

· Name and address of the Contractor

· Invoice date and invoice number (contractor should date invoices as close as possible to the date of the e-mail transmission)

· Contract number and delivery order number

· Description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price, and extended price of uniform articles (or service) provided, along with all order numbers. the name of the person receiving those uniform item(s), order number(s), ship date(s), delivery date(s), and shipping tracking information

· Payment terms (e.g. discount for prompt payment)

· Name and address of contractor official to whom payment is to be sent (must be the same as that in the contract or in a proper notice of assignment)

· Name (where practicable), title, phone number and mailing address of person to notify in the event of a defective invoice

· Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

4.4 Data Tracking/Reporting Capability:

The data reporting system shall provide a capability for users authorized by the Components’ COs and CORs to run data queries. It shall also send alerts to identified users when designated events occur. The events are listed in “Table 4: Non-Uniform Deliverables.” The data queries shall be exported in an electronic format that allows for data manipulation (e.g. Microsoft Excel, Access, and Word). PDF files will not be accepted.

The system shall track the following types of data:

· Individual account data which includes allowance balance, size history, shipments, delivery times, order status, and order history

· Inventory levels

· Distribution and inventory control

· Online posting of milestones illustrating the progress on getting all Components operational on contract

· On-time Order Fulfillment (including processing and delivery timeframes)

· Customer feedback

· Acceptable Orders, defined in Appendix A: Required Reports

· Unusual purchasing behavior as defined in delivery orders

· Status of Components’ obligated allowance funding

· Delivery Order fulfillment status

Real-time data shall be searchable by sub-Component, Component, and contract-wide. The data queries shall be searchable by a time period (i.e. Month/Year) and shall be user-friendly. Levels of access to this information shall be restricted as directed by the COR of the contract and delivery order COR for each applicable Component.

For Components with individual employee allowances, the Contract CO and COR and applicable Component COs and CORs shall all receive an email alert when the Component reaches 80%, 90%, 95%, and 100% of its cumulative obligated funding for all of the Component’s task orders within the fiscal year.

Email alerts are listed in Section 7: Deliverables and Delivery Schedule, Table 4: Non-Uniform Deliverables. Any other required alerts will be identified in the Component delivery orders.

4.5 Customer Service:

The Contractor shall provide a customer service center that will provide efficient and courteous support online, via email, and a toll-free phone number. The customer service center shall take orders, process returns, resolve problems or complaints, and assist with information pertaining to uniform fitting and other program information. Call wait times shall be kept to five (5) minutes or less. Customer service center staff shall speak English and be easily understood by employees. Service center staff shall be located within the United States or its territories. The customer support center must be available Monday through Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm Central Standard Time, at a minimum. Federal holidays will be excluded from operating days.

5. SHIPPING:

All items shipped on this contract will be shipped to official Government duty station locations only. No items, including exchanges and orders placed using personal credit cards, will be shipped to personal addresses, home addresses, or post office boxes. All shipments require a signature of receipt. Uniforms will be shipped in a plain box, and the contents will not be disclosed on the outside of the box. Shipping will be included in every uniform item price on this contract. Individual accounts that contain an allowance amount will have the specified Government duty station (delivery address) associated with that account.