16Q0001_Q A_Amend_1.pdf

HU0001-16-Q-0001 Q&A Amendment #1 1 | P a g e

Uniformed Services University (USU) RFQ Questions and Answers (Q&A)

HU0001-16-Q-0001

Amendment #1

Based on our answers, USU is revising the attachments. Please make sure you read and respond to the Amendments attachments, not the outdated original documents. Offerors must note in their quotes that they acknowledge the Amendment #1.

1. Should the offeror submit a quote on those instruments that are currently covered under a contract?

Yes, offerors should submit a quote on all the instruments listed in the 16Q0001 Section B Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet, regardless whether the unit is currently covered under a contract or not.

2. What should we submit in the quote package?

A minimal quote will make up of a vendor’s current, standard quote that would typically submit as an offer to a Government customer; but firms are strongly encouraged to provide the following information so that the firm’s strengths are fully considered:

(1) Technical capabilities statement, (2) past performance references, (3) corporate experience history, (4) service response and repair timelines (awardee accountability), and (5) completed 16Q0001 Section B Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet [see Section M.

Evaluation Factors for Award].

A detailed technical capabilities statement addressing all our requirements found in Section C.

Descriptions and Specifications of the request for quotes (RFQ) may be replaced by a company’s standard (minimal) quote. Upon USU’s evaluation, if further clarification is necessary, we’ll open a dialogue directly with the offeror.

3. Please show by a run of the items about required documents or materials on the basis of our past status with USU.

USU is unable to extract this information for each manufacturer.

4. How should we submit a price quotation for the relocation service?

Offerors may detail the relocation service and the price on a separate document, e.g. Word document. There is no page limit regarding this service and its price. Offerors may title this section of their quote “Relocation Service.” This may be as simple as, “We do not provide relocation services,” or, “We do provide relocation services, which are billed at the rate $XX.XX.”

5. Should we offer the relocation service in the quote package?

If the relocation service available, USU encourages the offerors to offer this service in their quotes. USU would like to include relocation services in the scope of available services.

6. Is the Introduction letter necessary for manufacturers?

Neither the Introduction Letter nor a Coversheet is required. However, they are strongly encouraged so USU evaluators can easily identify the offeror [see Section L.2 Submission Format, part (a)].

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7. How should we submit the Required Provisions certification? Should we submit hard- and electronic-copies? If hardcopies are required, how many copies should we submit?

Offerors shall email the Required Provisions certificate before the quote submission deadline to Andrew Lee (andrew.lee@usuhs.edu). This certificate should be incorporated in the quote package. A hardcopy is not required.

8. Do we have to submit any subcontractor information if we do not work with any subcontractor?

Is the answer “None” acceptable in such case?

Yes, answering “None” is acceptable if you do not work with any subcontractor.

9. Is the Corporate Experience limited to US entities only? ADSTEC’s only US corporate experience is with USU, but have plenty of experience working with Japanese entities.

The corporate experience is not limited to US entities. We understand some interested vendors are foreign based. We will consider all relevant corporate experience regardless of location.

10. In the Certificate of Conformance, should we write the correct facility’s name and its room number if they aren’t located at USU? [refer to the Certificate where it specifies “USU Room Number”] USU encompasses both USU and AFRRI. Awardees shall list the correct room number where the instrument is housed. USU is removing the word “USU” to reflect simply “Room Number” [see the Certificate of Conformance attached to this amendment]

11. Are you looking for a service agreement quote? Please provide the S/Ns.

Offerors have the option to propose either the time-and-material (T&M) offers or an annual service agreement offers or both. There is no penalty for firms that offer only one pricing method, though USU is inclined to consider T&M awards which has not been the case with our previous awards.

The S/Ns are listed in the attached Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet.

12. Why was the contract pricing included in the Excel spreadsheet?

We included the prices to give firms the best understanding of the requirement and to preclude multiple Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) requests.

13. Should we quote solely on our own products (for the manufacturing company)?

If you are unable to maintain or are not interested in servicing certain instruments listed in the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet, you are not required to submit an offer for those instruments. Offerors are asked to offer service only for those instruments they are capable and interested in maintaining.

14. Is the Certificate of Conformance a post-award document to be completed by the awardee after the service is provided?

Yes.

15. Do you have detailed quality documentation for the products/services we are bidding on?

USU does not have such documentation available. However, interested offerors should know that all our instruments that are currently maintained are required to be serviced in conformance with the OEM specifications.

mailto:andrew.lee@usuhs.edu

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16. Are the offeror responsible for providing the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) / Quality documents to support our affirmative response to certify that we hold all relevant licenses and/or certifications?

Such supporting documents are not required at this time, but it may be requested on a later date as deemed necessary.

17. Does the offeror need to provide supportive evidence of conformance with your technical requirements? If so, to what degree?

For the Technical factor, offerors are not required to substantiate their claims with supportive evidence. However, the Government will hold the offerors to their quotes.

The only supportive document the Government requires of the offerors are the Past Performance documents, including the references and the CPARS reports.

18. How should we coordinate the walkthrough (for recertification)?

Pre-award walkthrough visit will not be conducted for this requirement. Due to the number of instruments and the vendors interested in this requirement, scheduling these visits is not practical or realistic. We anticipate the inspections for recertification will occur when the awardee(s) visit USU for the first service or PM visit. Upon inspection, if a corrective service is necessary to bring the instrument to meet the OEM specifications, USU will consider additional costs at that time.

19. What do we do if our instrument is not listed in the Excel file (but are certain that USU currently possesses our product)?

If USU failed to list an instrument, we ask the offerors to email Andrew Lee (andrew.lee@usuhs.edu) by 2:00P ET on February 16, 2016.

20. Are you looking to have just one company to manage the contract or are you looking to use multiple vendors based on prices they provide?

During our market research, we learned that it’s likely not feasible for one company to manage all the instruments. We are looking to making awards to multiple vendors. The Government will evaluate each line of instrument separately for award. (Nonetheless, the Government expects most awardees will maintain more than a single instrument. USU will consider the total number of firms in making award decisions.)

If you’d like USU to add the missing instrument, please contact Andrew Lee (andrew.lee@usuhs.edu) by 2:00P ET on February 16, 2016.

21. Would you like for us to enter pricing in the Equipment Pricing spreadsheet? If so, can USU provide an unprotected copy of the Excel file? Also, which columns should we use to enter pricing?

Offer price must be entered in the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet. USU is posting an unprotected spreadsheet. Offerors must take care not to edit any existing information. If an edit is absolutely necessary, clearly indicate what’s been changed by highlighting the cells that you edit.

22. Please reflect only the machines you wish for Zeiss to cover.

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Offerors are able to filter the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 tables for the name of the manufacturer. Offerors that plan to offer service on a specific number of machines (at least one) must provide pricing on for the corresponding rows in the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet.

However, this does not mean offerors may alter the table. Offerors should not add or delete any of the rows or columns. If new rows (for missing equipment) must be added, they must be added at the very bottom of the table.

23. We have previously quoted two pieces of equipment (MP10 and Combijet) as a system. Quoting separately would be more expensive. How should we quote such items?

You may group certain items to create a system in your offer if doing so makes logical sense and will yield cost savings to the Government. If so, offeror must clearly indicate which lines are being grouped. In the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet, the offeror should complete only one of the lines (of the system) and refer all other affiliated lines to that priced line, i.e.

“CLIN 0005 makes a system with CLINs 0001 and 0002. See CLIN 0001 for the combined price.”

24. Will USU be willing to pay for an on-site inspection prior to activation of any agreements?

Based on the history provided in the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet, offerors should prepare their quotes with the assumption that all our instruments are in proper working condition.

Under a time-and-material (T&M) agreement, USU will authorize an inspection/recertification fee if during the first service repair or the first preventive maintenance (PM) the awardee learns the instrument is not up to the OEM specifications.

Under a firm-fixed price (FFP) service agreement, USU will consider on an individual basis whether or not an inspection/recertification fee will be authorized.

25. We do not agree to be held accountable for delay or failure to provide timely service. We cannot agree to OEM specifications; we will agree to operating (working order) only. We cannot agree to 10 years of service. We cannot commit to one-day response. We cannot quote computer equipment or software updates. We cannot quote time-and-material (T&M). USU will be responsible to book the first PM after the PO is received. We will not sign the Certificate of Conformance.

Section C. Descriptions and Specifications of the RFQ is the Government’s desired specifications and does not constitute firm requirements. Offerors are permitted to submit their own terms and conditions. Those who can best meet the Government’s specifications, however, may be rated more favorably than those who cannot meet them.

26. Please define “minimal quote.” Will you accept as the OEM our standard quote without addressing the pages of requirements? We would only answer to one item in the RFQ and we are the only factor-authorized service provider.

A “minimal quote” is the vendor’s current, standard quote format that is typically submitted as an offer to a Government customer.

27. What is the instrument that you would need service on?

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We require service on all the instruments listed in the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet.

We ask interested offerors to submit quotes on those instruments they can service using time-and-material (T&M) and/or firm-fixed price (FFP) basis. Offerors are not required to offer service on more than a single instrument.

28. We would like to submit a quote for CLINs 0168 and 0169 but cannot insert a price. How should we move forward?

Please try the unprotected version of the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet. If it still does not work, please let Andrew Lee know at andrew.lee@usuhs.edu.

29. Is there a list of serial numbers?

The S/Ns are listed in the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet. Please note there are two tabs at the bottom for two different Excel sheets: One detailing the information regarding USU instruments and another for offerors to complete for the pricing submission.

30. What facility is this for?

This requirement is for Uniformed Services University (USU), a part of US Department of Defense (DoD), including Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI), located in Bethesda, MD. All the instruments listed in the Equipment Pricing spreadsheet are located on the same base in Bethesda, MD.

31. C.2.2. Scope of Work, Page 5, Paragraph 2:

Can the software requirement as it relates to the service be defined further (e.g. software updates, upgrades, maintenance, etc.)?

A software/firmware update refers to patches to a current version of software. An update is meant to correct bugs or issues of the existing software that allows for better performance and/or ensure hardware compatibility support. An upgrade refers to the replacement of the current version of the software product with a newer, standalone version. An upgrade may add new functions among other improvements.

Neither the updates nor the upgrades are required. Interested offerors should note whether or not these services can be provided and whether they are included in the offer.

32. C.2.2. Scope of Work, Page 6, Paragraph 5:

We understand that the daily credit is not a requirement, however do the current maintenance agreements include a credit or a penalty for failure to provide timely service? If so, can you update the pricing spreadsheet to include response/resolution times and penalties per item?

No current USU contracts require a daily credit. This is new for this solicitation.

33. C.2.3. Documentation of Service, Page 7, Paragraph 2:

Please confirm that the FSR requirement is only for time and material (T&M) equipment and not for equipment coverage provided under the firm fixed price (FFM) offer.

The field service report (FSR) is required for all services, regardless of the pricing method.

Awardees must inform the Government what they have accomplished with itemized parts and service detail for every service rendered.

34. C.2.3. Documentation of Service, Page 7, Paragraph 3:

Can the required log be revised to be sent monthly rather than after each service?

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Ideally, we would like the service log to be updated with each service and it be made available to USU Technical Service Branch (TSB), even if submitted only by email. We fear that the awardee may miss a service if done once a month. However, if this log can be updated only once a month, offerors may offer such reporting method in their quote.

35. C.2.4. Standards of Workmanship, Page 8, Paragraph 2 and C.2.7. Software/Firmware Upgrades, Page 8:

System hardware, software, and firmware upgrades are typically provided to enhance or improve the functionality of the system, typically have a fixed cost and are not included with maintenance agreement coverage’s. Do the current maintenance agreement coverage’s include upgrades? If so, can you update the pricing spreadsheet to include this information for each specific item for which this is included?

Those instruments that currently include software updates are mentioned under the Notes column in the Equipment Information sheet in the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet.

Refer to C.2.7 Software/Firmware Updates in the 16Q0001 Request for Quotes Amend 1 (RFQ) and 16Q0001 Q&A Amend 1 nos. 36 and 39 for additional information.

36. C.2.18. Required DoD Manpower Reporting, Page 11:

Is this requirement only for time and material (T&M) equipment and not for equipment coverage provided under the firm fixed price (FFM) offer?

DoD Manpower Reporting is required for all DoD service contracts and agreements regardless of the pricing method.

37. M.1 Technical, Page 15:

Please clarify whether software upgrades or updates are to be included or both. Do the current maintenance agreement coverage’s include software updates? If so, can you update the pricing spreadsheet to include this information for each specific item for which this is included?

The software update refers to deploying new patches to correct issues and improve performance; the software upgrade refers to installing new major versions of the software. As an update/upgrade is released by the OEM, the vendor should be able to implement them on their offered instrument. Whether or not an instrument requires a software update (referring to both upgrades and updates) is detailed in the Equipment Pricing Amend 1 spreadsheet, the Equipment Information sheet, under the Notes column.

and 16Q0001 Q&A Amend 1 nos. 34 and 98 for additional information.

38. M.1.6. Offer guaranteed response and repair time, including any contingencies;

Do the current maintenance agreements include a guaranteed response and repair times? If so, can you update the pricing spreadsheet to include this information for each specific item for which this is included?

Historically, USU stipulated that the offerors respond within 48 hours of a service call and complete all repairs within 6 days of the service call. It is evident that some major repairs were not accomplished in the six-day window. We are inquiring offerors to detail their own response and repair timelines. Those who can provide faster service may be deemed to be of greater value to USU.

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39. M.1.7 Issue field service report (FSR) to USU TSB upon each call and service visit;

Please confirm that this requirement is only for time and material (T&M) equipment and not for equipment coverage provided under the firm fixed price (FFM) offer.

The field service report (FSR) is required for all services, regardless of the pricing method.

Awardees must inform the Government what they have accomplished with itemized parts and service detail for every service rendered.

40. M.1.13 Detail how often the software/firmware upgrades will be deployed and how it will be implemented for those applicable instruments;

Software/ firmware upgrades are typically provided to enhance or improve the functionality of the system, typically have a fixed cost and are not included with maintenance agreement coverage’s. Do the current maintenance agreement coverage’s include upgrades? If so, can you update the pricing spreadsheet to include this information?

The software/firmware updates should be deployed on the schedule per the OEM’s recommendation/requirement. The upgrades should be deployed upon USU’s request.

and 16Q0001 Q&A Amend 1 nos. 34 and 36 for additional information.

41. Are offerors permitted to submit an addendum to the Provisions and Clauses (terms and conditions)?

Offerors may propose addendums but they should be clearly and prominently indicated as such and may be subject to further negotiations.

42. Can current terms and conditions be defined? Are Emergency Visits Limited or Unlimited? Are there any specific Inclusions or Exclusions included in coverage?

All our existing maintenance contracts and agreements are for unlimited emergency (remedial) visits. Further detailed terms and conditions cannot be defined for each instrument.

43. CLIN No. 0022 BD Bio Cytometer LSRII System

Can the age of the laser be provided?

All 3 lasers were installed in September of 2007.

44. CLIN No. 0023 BD Bio FACSAria III Laser System Cell Sorter

Three of the 4 lasers were installed in September of 2005 and the last one was added in July of 2015.

45. Can cost breakout for Software Coverage be provided or itemized?

Itemized cost information cannot be divulged as such is proprietary information.

46. CLIN No. 0101 GE Imager

The laser is the original laser from when the instrument was manufactured in 2003.

47. CLIN No. 0102 GE Molecular Dynamics Storm Workstation System

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Can the age of the laser be provided? Can current terms and conditions be defined?

The laser is the original laser from when the instrument was manufactured in 1999.

48. CLIN No. 0121 Innovatis/Roche Cedex Cell Viability Analzyer

Can you confirm whether current pricing provided is for full coverage or PM only?

The previous contract was for full service maintenance with 2 annual PMs.

49. CLIN Nos. 0125 & 0138 JL Sepherd Irradiator/Calibrator System and

CLIN Nos. 0126 & 0137 JL Sepherd Irradiator/Calibrator System Duplicate Serial Numbers with different annual Costs. Is coverage PM only?

The duplicity has been corrected. The current coverage is for PM only. However, with this new RFQ HU0001-16-Q-0001, we are moving away from PM-only coverage and the offer should include unlimited emergency (remedial) repairs.

50. CLIN No. 0205 Waters HPLC System

Can complete component list be provided? Can current terms and conditions be defined? Are Emergency Visits Limited or Unlimited? Are there any specific Inclusions or Exclusions included in coverage?

The system consists of:

1 Waters Technologies 600 HPLC Controller

1 Waters Technologies 626F Fluidics Pump

1 Waters Technologies 2996 PDA Detector

1 Waters Technologies TAP Vacuum Degasser All our existing maintenance contracts and agreements are for unlimited emergency (remedial) visits. Further detailed terms and conditions cannot be defined for each instruments.

51. CLIN No. 0222 ZEISS Microscope Scanhead LSM 710

The current laser was manufactured in June of 2008.

52. CLIN No. 0222 ZEISS Laser Scanning Microscope System

The current laser was manufactured in September of 2014.