Questions and Responses

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION CONTRACT (STC)

SOLICITATION HTC711-09-R-0040

QUESTIONS & RESPONSES

Questions 18 - 35

18) Regarding FAR Clause 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting, I am not sure what this means. We are a 3-Party Freight Logistics company and we arrange the transportation of freight through a fleet of contract carriers. I want to ensure that we will be able to contract out the actual trucks and still meet the 50% cost of contract performance incurred for personnel with its own employees.

RESPONSE: By submission of an offer and execution of a contract, the Offeror/Contractor agrees that in performance of the contract in the case of a contract for Services, at least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern. Reference FAR Clause 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting.

19) When dealing with the past performance survey that will be submitted directly to the contracting officer should a hard copy be sent in with the proposal as well.

RESPONSE: The respondent identified in Section B of Attachment 3 will fax/e-mail the hard copy to the Contracting Officer. Reference Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Paragraph (b)(10)2.

20) It states not to send hard copies of the rates but to input them into the Faifax system why does it state Volume III Original and Five (5) copies.

RESPONSE: Offerors shall submit their Schedule B in Volume III. Reference Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Paragraph (b)(12)4.

21) If we are awarded part of the contract, how does it work. First, are the shipments divided up and each company gets a certain number of shipments and we must cover what is awarded or are the shipments offered to all 5 companies and whoever responds first gets the shipments?

Or are shipments offered to a company and they have a certain time frame to accept them and if they do not respond then they are offered to another company? Can we decline shipments that we feel we can not cover or would have a hard time covering quick enough?

RESPONSE: All offers shall include pricing based on all regions and all lanes. Offers without this information will be determined unacceptable. Reference Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Paragraph (b)(12) 4, Volume III – Price Proposal.

The Government will issue orders for service to the low cost contractor on individual lanes.

Reference Performance Work Statement (PWS) Paragraph C.3.2.

Offerors shall provide service on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reference Performance Work Statement (PWS) Paragraph C.3.1.1.

22) Volume III: The price proposal is not page limited but is strictly limited to price information.

All pages shall be numbered. Please define this statement.

RESPONSE: Offerors shall include only pricing information in Volume III and offers shall number all pages. Reference Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Paragraph (b)(12)1.g. and Paragraph (b)(12)4.

23) If the company is a broker does that mean the broker must have a HAZMAT Certification.

On HAZMAT shipments a Broker always uses a HAZMAT Certified Carrier.

RESPONSE: Third Party Logistics providers and Brokers who are not HAZMAT certified shall submit a statement with their offer indicating that HAZMAT shipments will be offered to HAZMAT certified carriers.

24) Due to the size of this Solicitation closing the questions and answers 10 days prior is not feasible.

RESPONSE: We will make every effort to answer all questions; however, due to the time required to research a question and provide an answer, questions received less than 10 calendar days prior to the due date of offers specified in this solicitation may not be answered. Reference FAR 52.212-1 Paragraph (b)(20)(b).

25) The price proposal/contract documentation shall be submitted separately from all other executed RFP documents. Offerors are cautioned that no reference to proposed price(s) shall be made in any other volumes but Volume III. Each page of each copy should include the following legend: Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104. Please define this statement:

RESPONSE: The statement “Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” is required on each page to ensure procurement integrity.

26) What is meant by (buying and administrative)?

RESPONSE: The “buying” Contracting officer (CO) is the individual awarding the contract.

The “administrative” CO is the individual administering the contract after award. The buying and administrative CO are sometimes the same individual.

27) Can past performance information consist of non-contracted and non-government customers?

RESPONSE: Past performance information can consist of non-contracted and non-government customers. Reference Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Paragraph (b)(10)1 and Addendum to FAR 52.212-2 Paragraph (d)c.

28) The past performance survey reference contract numbers. Can we substitute contract numbers with invoice numbers or project numbers?

RESPONSE: Yes. Reference Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Paragraph (b)(10)1 and Addendum to FAR 52.212-2 Paragraph (d)c.

29) “The Contractor agrees to comply…supplement clauses which, if checked is included…" Are these clauses applicable, if not checked but listed?

RESPONSE: If not checked, the clauses are not applicable. Reference FAR Clause 252.212- 7001.

30) Is the hazard certification applicable to administrative personnel as well as drivers?

RESPONSE: HAZMAT certification does not apply to administrative personnel. Reference Performance Work Statement (PWS) C.3.3.

31) Is hazmat certification required from a specific hazmat certifying organization or agency?

RESPONSE: The Department of Transportation (DOT). Reference Performance Work Statement (PWS) C.3.3.

32) "Each page of each copy should include the following legend: Source Selection-See FAR

2.101. Can you provide a simple explanation of the above statement/requirement.

RESPONSE: The statement “Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” is required on the top or bottom of each page of the offeror’s proposal.

33) "Each page of each copy should include the following legend: Source Selection-See FAR

2.101. Is the legend, a title page we should reference on each page of Volume II?

RESPONSE: The statement “Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” is required on the top or bottom of each page of the offeror’s proposal.

34) "Offerors shall be an Approved DOD Freight Carrier at the time of award..." Does this section apply to 3PL (3rd Party Logisitics) companies?

RESPONSE: Yes. Offerors shall be an Approved DOD Freight Carrier at the time of award.

Reference Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Paragraph (b)(15) and Performance Work Statement (PWS) paragraph C.2.6.

35) I have a question about the spreadsheet to which I am inputting our rate submission. When entering the cpm figure in the rate column the first line appears as a percentage.

RESPONSE: Offerors shall upload their rates for the lanes identified in the Pricing Schedule (attachment 2) to the following on-line pricing website:

http://www.fairfax.ihost.com/stcbid. Do not submit a hard copy of the Pricing Schedule with Volume III. We will download your rates from the website. Reference Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Paragraph (b)(12)4.

http://www.fairfax.ihost.com/stcbid