Responses_to_Industry_Questions_14_August.pdf

M67854-13-R-1017 Amendment 0001 Responses to Industry Questions

Question Response

1 Would the contractor or the government have the contractual relationship with the 3PL?

The Government wants to be in a prime contractor relationship with the provider of the 3PL services.

2 What regulations define 3PL requirements? There are no regulations defining 3PL requirements; however, for subject procurement, 3PL is defined as full logistical support to the government.

In accordance with paragraph C.3.1.1 of the updated Statement of Work, 3PL is logistical support that will be provided to the government from a single distributor stand alone with no business connections to the RAT boot manufacturer. The 3PL will be the Prime Contractor with the Sub Contractor being the boot manufacturer. The 3PL (Prime) will maintain all communication with the government, at no time shall the government need to contact the sub (manufacturer). The 3PL duties include, but are not strictly limited to:

1. CDRL 81249A – Conference Agenda. The 3PL will be responsible for organizing all conferences required during the life of the contract to include a “post award conference” if needed. The 3PL will provide the agenda items to the government prior to the conference for government approval.

2. CDRL 81250A – Conference Minutes. The 3PL will be responsible for all meeting minutes in accordance with the contract requirements. 3PL shall be responsible for gathering all minutes from the government and manufacture and provide per the governments guidelines.

3. CRDL 80368A – Monthly Status Report. All monthly status reports shall be provided to the government from the 3PL. Through the life of the, the 3PL and the sub will coordinate on quality concerns when identified by the government in regards to defective product. Any other reports that the government may need will be the responsibility of the prime, this includes failure summary and analysis reports.

4. Warranty: When identified by the government in regards to defects, the 3PL will be the focal point in responsible for reporting back to the government with solutions for replacements and return of defective product.

5. Delivery Schedule. The 3PL shall be responsible for providing all delivery schedules on a monthly basis, any discrepancies with overage or shortages will be addressed to the 3PL.

3PL duties also include providing timely and accurate responses to Government questions conerning the status of the following:

1. CDRLs;

2. Logistical tracking of delivery schedules and possible modifications to the schedule that the government may require based on tariff;

3. Government payment system software

(Wide Area Work Flow)and issues that affect current and future deliveries and payment thereof; and, but not limited to,

4. Resolution of defects.

3 Is there any type of governmental registration required for a 3PL?

No.

4 What activities would the 3PL be expected to perform under this contract?

Please see response to Question 2.

5 Could a contractor (manufacturer) perform 3PL activities for its own account under this contract?

No. By definition, a 3PL is a firm that provides service to its customers which would be of outsourced (or "third party") logistics services.

Furthermore, it has been the USMC’s experience with footwear manufacturers that 3PL services are not provided by the manufacturer themselves;

rather, the 3PL services have been successfully demonstrated and provided by the manufacturer’s distributors.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logistics

6 Is identification of the 3PL required in a potential contractor's response to this solicitation?

Please see response to Question 1.

7 The NAICS and Size Standard are not indicated in Box 10. We requests that this be corrected to reflect a NAICS of 316210 as stated in the Solicitation Notice on FedBizOpps. (pg 1)

Box 10 of the SF1449 has been updated to reflect NAICS code 316210 and a size standard of 1,000.

8 This states that the max order is maximum CLIN (i.e., 50,000 pair per ordering period).

This could result in up to 50,000 pair being required for delivery in 30 days and is not practical. Request a significantly lower maximum per order / per 30 day delivery requirement. (pg 43)

Solicitation paragraph F.1.2.3 has been updated as follows: “The Contractor shall deliver all subsequent orders placed, for quantities equal or less than 10,000 pairs of boots, within 30 days of order placement unless a longer period is specified in the order OR the parties mutually agree to a shorter delivery period for a particular delivery order. For orders exceeding 10,000 pairs of boots but less than the maximum ordering quantity for the ordering period, the contractor shall deliver and maintain a monthly delivery of 4,200 TW RAT Boots and 4,200 HW RAT Boots beginning 90 days after contract award until all items have been delivered unless otherwise specified by the Government.

9 The language in this section could result in much lower than 30 day delivery requirement on last delivery order (in month 36) since due 12 months from first shipment as we interpret (e.g., if deliver 1st shipment on Jan 5, 2014 and 3,000 pair order received on December 31, 2014, then 12 months from 1st shipment means December 31, 2014 order of 3,000 pairs is due on Jan 5, 2015 – 5 days to deliver). (pg 44)

Please see response to Question 8. Additionally, In accordance with reference cited (FAR 52.216-22 (Indefinite Quantity)), if an order is placed in month 36 of the contract period and deliveries begin in month 37, all quantities ordered must be received by month 49.

10 Ask that the period of testing for “Phase II” be indicated. Appears no indication in this section or anywhere else in the solicitation is such timeframe given. (pg 52)

The Field User Evaluation that will be conducted is expected to last 29 days.

11 CLIN numbers 0009-0014 conflict with CLIN numbers indicated on pages 3-9 of the solicitation. (pg 67)

The numbering of CLINS 0009-0014 have been corrected in the Addendum – 52.212-2 Evaluation

– Commercial Items.

12 Title on actual “Fair Opportunity Ordering Procedures” document indicates J.6, but on page 51 it is labeled as J.4.

Attachment label has been corrected to read J.4.

13 Does the multiple award split as specified in J4 apply to the 1,000 pair and 2,000 pair

J.4 applies to the award of delivery order 0001 to the respective awardees. Delivery of the boots as specified on pg 16, F1.1.3?

purchased under delivery orders 0001 will be at the rate specified in F.1.1.3.

14 This attachment (J.4) indicates the initial funding will be in FY13. Should this be

FY14?

Attachment J.4 has been updated to reflect initial funding will be in Fiscal Year 2014.

15 Will there be a minimum for each awardee for subsequent delivery orders? (J.4)

Order limitations are outlined in FAR 52.216-19 in the solicitation. Additionally, the Government anticipates that the application of the formula reflected in Attachment J4 will result in the award of the minimum contract requirements (paragraph B.1 of the solicitation) for each awardee at time of award.

16 Will the subsequent delivery orders be competed for each delivery order or will the distribution between awardees be based on the Government’s knowledge only? (J4)

In accordance with Attachment J4, subsequent delivery orders will be competed. The basis of award for these delivery orders is specified in the Fair Opportunity announcement details as reflected in Attachment J4.

17 In both the HW and TW Purchase Descriptions, Table VI lists a requirement for Stitch Tear (Fuel B) in the 5-iron midsole column. This requirement should be removed.

Requirement has been removed. Please see updated Purchase Descriptions.

18 Can a tariff be provided prior to the 55 pair each of HW and TW, the -production orders CLINs 0001 and 0008, and the first deliveries on CLINs 0002 and 0009?

The participants of the Field User Evaluation (FUE) will be a Company of Marines participating in infantry training scenarios. As the Marines Company has not yet been identified, the exact sizes required are unknown. As such, the tariff for the boots that are to be used during the FUE will be identified when the applicable purchase orders are awarded under paragraph 2.3 of Addendum to 52.212-1.

The tariff for the pre-production and production quantities will be provided at time of contract award.

19 Will the manufacturer’s boots be certified at the end of Phase 2? Will the Marine Corps provide a certification number?

If the RAT boot provided for the proposal meets all requirements for visual, lab testing, fit, and durability factors, a certification number will be issued to the boot manufacturer.

20 Are the female last the JV 620? No. Offerors are advised that the USMC is only ordering male boot sizes.

21 Where will the Pre-Production Product Verification Testing take place?

At the manufacturing facility.