marketsurvey 2008 FSC 7340 RQ 041708.doc

MARKET SURVEY

GSA, GLOBAL SUPPLY SERVICE, FAS

MWR AND SECURITY ACQUISITION DIVISION

FSC 7340 –Cutlery & Flatware

TO:

Name:

Company:

Phone #:

Fax #:

Email:

This is a market survey to determine current industry conditions in preparation for an upcoming solicitation for the above FSC 7340 – Flatware. Your comments are valuable in the preparation of the upcoming solicitation for the above FSC Classes – Flatware Items. Please review the following and respond no later than Friday, May 2, 2008, via email at billy.wineinger@gsa.gov 817-574-4205 or fax to 817-574-2615. This solicitation will consist of several national Stock Numbers (NSNs) to be stocked in our Burlington, NJ and French Camp, CA depots. This is a market survey; this is NOT a request for quote.

NOTE: It is important that you return this survey completed, with your feedback in order to help GSA determine the acquisition strategy for the NSN.

Thanks!

National Stock Numbers

7340-00-229-9475 Fork, Dessert (Kings)

7340-00-229-9477 Fork, Table (Kings)

7340-00-229-9479 Knife, Dessert (Kings)

7340-00-235-5013 Knife, Table (Kings)

7340-00-235-5021 Spoon, Iced Tea (Kings)

7340-00-235-5023 Spoon, Soup (Kings)

7340-00-235-5027 Spoon, Table (Kings)

7340-00-235-5029 Spoon, Tea (Kings)

7340-00-235-5042 Fork, Salad (Kings)

Which NSN will you submit an offer on?

7340-00-229-9475 Fork, Dessert (Kings) _____ 7340-00-229-9477 Fork, Table (Kings) _____ 7340-00-229-9479 Knife, Dessert (Kings) _____ 7340-00-235-5013 Knife, Table (Kings) ____ 7340-00-235-5021 Spoon, Iced Tea (Kings) _____ 7340-00-235-5023 Spoon, Soup (Kings) _____ 7340-00-235-5027 Spoon, Table (Kings) _____ 7340-00-235-5029 Spoon, Tea (Kings) _____

7340-00-235-5042 Fork, Salad (Kings) _____

If NSNs were to be aggregated by groups, would you still submit an offer?

YES ______

NO _____

If the NSNs are awarded as a group, would you give a better discount?

YES ______

NO _____

Which NSNs would you bid on as an aggregate group? Show NSNs by the number of groups below (e.g. fire hose nozzles, Group II, coupling hose quick connect, etc).

UNIT OF ISSUE IS------ DOZEN

1. Solicitation Information:

a) This acquisition is for a requirements stock term contract. This market research seeks domestic and trade agreement manufacturers/distributors.

b) The REQUIREMENTs CONTRACT period will be effective May 15, 2008 or Date of Award through May 14, 2013. An Economic Price Adjustment clause will be included in the solicitation and applicable to the option year. Contract price(s) may be adjusted upward or downward during the option periods pursuant to market data in the Producer Price Index and or NAICS. If you are not interested in this, please explain why.

Since the Producer Price Index and/or NAICS will be tied to the EPA, if you do not agree with the ones listed below, please insert the one you feel is most appropriate for the item you are interested in supplying.

NSNs

NAICS

Agree If you don’t Agree enter

One you feel Is appropriate

7340-00-229-9479 Knife, Dessert (Kings)

7340-00-235-5013 Knife, Table (Kings)

7340-00-235-5023 Spoon, Soup (Kings)

c) Delivery will be to French Camp, CA (S1), Burlington, NJ (N3) and Fort Worth, TX (F3) – FOB Destination.

d) Source Inspection (Government).

2. Delivery Terms:

a. First Article Samples – we anticipate that first article samples will be required 30 days after notice of award for NSN XXXXXXXXX.

Can you meet this requirement? yes ______ no _______

If no, explain why and what are your best terms for presentation of 1st article samples would ___________________________________________________________

Delivery – What is your commercial delivery time for this item? _______________

Can you deliver in 1-5 days? YES ______ NO______ If no, why?

If yes, how does it affect pricing? ____________________________________

Can you deliver in 10-20 days? YES _______ NO __________ If no, why?

If yes, how does it affect pricing? ________________________________

Can you deliver in 30-45 days? YES _________ NO _________If no, why?

If yes, how does it affect pricing? _______________________________

Can you deliver in 60-90 days? YES ________ NO________ If no, why?

If yes, how does it affect pricing? ___________________________

Can you deliver in over 90 days? YES ____ NO_______ If no, why?

If yes, how does it affect pricing? _____________________________

b. Can you do partial shipments? Yes ______ no _________

Would it cost the Government more if you did partial shipments?

Yes ______ No _______ If yes, explain why

c. What is your monthly production capacity for these items?

Qty per month

3. Minimum/Maximum Order:

a) What is your commercial minimum order for these items? _____________

b) Based on our requirements, we are looking at establishing a minimum order of see below. Can you accept this as your minimum order?

Min

Yes

No

7340-00-229-9475 Fork, Dessert (Kings)

7340-00-229-9477 Fork, Table (Kings)

7340-00-229-9479 Knife, Dessert (Kings)

7340-00-235-5013 Knife, Table (Kings)

7340-00-235-5023 Spoon, Soup (Kings)

If no, explain why and state what minimum order you could accept.

c) What is your commercial maximum for these items?

d) Is there expectation that we would receive better pricing if a maximum quantity is set for these items? If so, at what quantity could we expect to receive a better price and why?

e) What qty breaks do you offer to your commercial customers? __________

4. Item Purchase Descriptions (IPDs) (see attached):

a) What, if any, are the differences between our IPDs and your commercial items?

b) Do you see anything on the IPDs that might cause a problem for you in quoting on these NSNs?__________________________________

c) Are there any known economic or unusual market conditions that may have a drastic impact on this procurement?

5. Company Information:

a) Are you a SMALL __________ or LARGE ______________ business?

b) Are you a MANUFACTURER __________ or a DEALER ___________?

c) Is this commodity manufactured in the United States? _______ yes _______ no

d) What is your availability of raw material?

e) Who/Where is your PRODUCTION POINT for these items?

Company Name _____________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________

City/State/Zip Code: __________________________________________

Person to Contact: ___________________________________________

Phone Number of Point of Contact: ______________________________

6. Federal Business Opportunities:

a) FedBizOpps.gov is the single government point-of-entry (GPE) for Federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000. Government buyers are able to publicize their business opportunities by posting information directly to FedBizOpps via the Internet. Through one portal - FedBizOpps (FBO) - commercial vendors seeking Federal markets for their products and services can search, monitor and retrieve opportunities solicited by the entire Federal contracting community. The Internet address is: http://fbo.gov. Are you familiar with the FedBizOpps? Are you registered with the FedBizOpps? If not, please explain.

Thanks for your time and participation. If you have any questions, please contact me via email at billy.wineinger@gsa.gov or telephone 817-574-4205.

7340-00-229-9475

Issued 03/12/08

FORK, DESSERT (SILVERPLATED): Shall have the following characteristics:

Silverplated, Fork, dessert

Unit of Issue – DZ (one dozen )

Materials. Materials not definitely specified shall be the type and quality supplied by the manufacturer for their normal commercial product provided the completed items comply with all the provisions of this IPD. Commercial tolerances are applicable to all material thicknesses and diameters.

Base metal. For silverplated items the base metal shall be stainless steel, nickel brass or brass.

Nickel brass sheet. Nickel brass sheet specified herein shall have a minimum of 8 percent by composition of nickel with the balance of copper and zinc in accordance with commercial practices.

Brass. Brass specified herein shall have a minimum of 65 percent copper with the balance of zinc.

Stainless steel. Stainless steel shall conform to the type 300 series in accordance with ASTM A 240/A 240M.

Design and construction. The design shall be the “Kings” pattern and shall be sharp and clearly defined. Figure below is to be used as a guide only.

Weights of fork blanks. Minimum weights of blanks for the spoons shall be 16.0 Avdp. lbs. per gross brass/nickel brass or 15.0 Avdp. lbs. per gross stainless steel.

Fork, Dessert

All dimensions are in inches

Length dimension tolerance: +/- ¼ inch

Thickness of silver. The thickness of silver applied to each item shall represent an average thickness of at least 280 microinches or 0.23 troy ounce per square foot when tested in accordance with ASTM B568.

Weight of silver. The minimum weight of silver shall be 2.9 troy oz/gross.

Adhesion. When testing, the silver plating shall show no evidence of blistering.

Tine attachments. Shells of hollow handle cutlery shall be one piece construction when possible. Tines may be soldered into the handles with soft solder, secured by a nontoxic cement, or argon welded so that attachment is not evident in accordance with commercial practice.

Finish. The finished items shall have a bright finish.

Marking. Each item shall be clearly and permanently marked with the manufacturer’s name, trademark or tradename of such known character to be easily identifiable with said manufacturer. The surface opposite the markings shall show no signs of penetration.

Workmanship. Finished items shall be clean, well made, and free from any defect which may affect appearance or serviceability. Except for specified fork tine tips, there shall be no sharp edges, burrs, rough die, tool, gouge or grind marks. The silver plating shall be smooth, fine grained, adherent, and free from visible blisters, pits, porosity, and indications of burning or excessive edge buildup. The finished items shall not be fractured, dented, bent, punctured or malformed.

PRODUCT CONFORMANCE. The products provided shall meet the salient characteristics of this description, conform to the producer's own drawings, specifications, standards, and quality assurance practices, and be the same product offered for sale in the commercial market. The Government reserves the right to require proof of such conformance.

MARKING. Shipments to GSA and other civilian agencies shall be marked in accordance with FED-STD-123. Shipments to the Department of Defense (DoD) shall be marked in accordance with MIL-STD-129.

PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY. The item(s) shall be packaged and packed in accordance with the latest revision of ASTM D 3951, Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging. Copies of ASTM standards are available from the American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. Phone: 610-832-9585, Fax: 610-832-9555, Web site: www.astm.org, e-mail: service@astm.org.

Palletization: The shipping (transport) containers shall be palletized. The pallets shall be 48-inch length x 40-inch width, general purpose, four-way entry, flush stringer, and double-face non-reversible pallets. The palletized load shall not exceed 2500 pounds in weight for shipments to the Eastern Distribution Center (Burlington). The palletized load shall not exceed 2000 pounds in weight for shipments to the Western Distribution Center (French Camp and Stockton locations). The palletized load shall not overhang the pallet deck board edge by more than 1 inch and shall not exceed 53 inches in overall height (including pallet). Less than half pallet loads or loads shipped by small package carrier in acceptable transport packing need not be palletized. When less than full but more than a half pallet is used, the palletized load shall utilize proper bracing and/or reinforcement to ensure that the load can withstand two additional loads placed on it.

Stacking. A load-stacking test shall be performed once, at the beginning of the contract, for each different unitized or palletized load configuration. A fully palletized load shall be tested utilizing a total stack of three palletized loads, with all the proper bracing and/or reinforcement necessary to perform the test. There shall be no evidence of damage to the pallets, shipping containers or products when stack is tested on the rigid surface for a minimum of 24 hours, in compliance with all the National and Local Safety Regulations. The pre-tested palletized load configuration shall be duplicated using the same packaging materials, pattern, number of shipping (transport) containers, and procedures consistent throughout the duration of the contract. Palletized loads shall be stable and safe when handled with mechanical equipment by qualified personnel.

Materials. All lumber used inside or outside a shipment shall be bark free. No used wood pallets with repaired components or stringers will be acceptable. All wood pallet stringers shall be manufactured from hardwoods. Pallets manufactured of materials other than wood, shall conform to all the requirements specified herein.

Unitization. For the purpose of this requirement, the assembled group of containers or items in a single load that can be handled as a unit throughout the distribution system. Unitization encompasses, but is not limited to, consolidation in a container, placement on a pallet or load base having forklift capability, or securely binding together. Shipments should be considered for unitization where appropriate or specified.

Unitization of pallet load. The palletized load shall be unitized and secured to the pallet to insure that the load arrives intact without product damage. The containers or items shall be placed in a suitable pattern to form a stable and balanced load. Vertical, horizontal or filler reinforcement shall be added as necessary to meet the stacking strength requirements. A palletized load shall be secured to the pallet by shrink or stretch wrapping, and/or, by steel or nonmetallic strapping. When steel or nonmetallic strapping is used, edge protectors shall be provided to prevent damage to the cartons when tensioning the strapping. As a minimum, two straps shall run lengthwise, two straps shall run widthwise, and two straps shall run around the girth of the palletized load. A palletized load shall be capable of protecting the products against damage in a multiple handling, transportation, and storage environment having distribution warehouses with rack systems that support the load/s overhead of warehouse personnel.

Notice of special requirements for shipment to all countries that have endorsed the IPPC Guidelines for treatment of non-manufactured wood packaging: The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has approved and published on March 15, 2002, “Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade”. Countries endorsing the IPPC Guidelines are found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp/. Clause D-FSS-468 requires non-manufactured wood pallets and other non-manufactured wood packaging material used in shipments destined to IPPC compliant countries require the appropriate wood treatment. Additionally, shipments delivered to DOD distribution facilities or freight consolidation points for eventual delivery to or through EU/IPPC countries shall comply with applicable DLA Regulations and Procurement Letter PROCLTR 02-17.

7340-00-229-9477

Issued 03/12/08

FORK, TABLE (SILVERPLATED): Shall have the following characteristics:

Silverplated, Fork, table

Unit of Issue –DZ (one dozen)

Materials. Materials not definitely specified shall be the type and quality supplied by the manufacturer for their normal commercial product provided the completed items comply with all the provisions of this IPD. Commercial tolerances are applicable to all material thicknesses and diameters.

Base metal. For silver-plated items the base metal shall be stainless steel, nickel brass or brass.

Nickel brass sheet. Nickel brass sheet specified herein shall have a minimum of 8 percent by composition of nickel with the balance of copper and zinc in accordance with commercial practices.

Brass. Brass specified herein shall have a minimum of 65 percent copper with the balance of zinc.

Stainless steel. Stainless steel shall conform to the type 300 series in accordance with ASTM A 240/A 240M.

Design and construction. The design shall be the “Kings” pattern and shall be sharp and clearly defined. Figure below is to be used as a guide only.

Weights of fork blanks. Minimum weights of blanks for the spoons shall be 21.0 Avdp. lbs. per gross brass/nickel brass or 20.0 Avdp. lbs. per gross stainless steel.

Fork, Table

Length dimension tolerance: ¼ inch

Thickness of silver. The thickness of silver applied to each item shall represent an average thickness of at least 280 microinches or 0.23 troy ounce per square foot when tested in accordance with ASTM B568.

Weight of silver. The minimum weight of silver shall be 3.5 troy oz/gross.

Adhesion. When testing, the silver plating shall show no evidence of blistering.

Tine attachments. Shells of hollow handle cutlery shall be one piece construction when possible. Tines may be soldered into the handles with soft solder, secured by a nontoxic cement, or argon welded so that attachment is not evident in accordance with commercial practice.

Finish. The finished items shall have a bright finish.

Marking. Each item shall be clearly and permanently marked with the manufacturer’s name, trademark or tradename of such known character to be easily identifiable with said manufacturer. The surface opposite the markings shall show no signs of penetration.

Workmanship. Finished items shall be clean, well made, and free from any defect which may affect appearance or serviceability. Except for specified fork tine tips, there shall be no sharp edges, burrs, rough die, tool, gouge or grind marks. The silver plating shall be smooth, fine grained, adherent, and free from visible blisters, pits, porosity, and indications of burning or excessive edge buildup. The finished items shall not be fractured, dented, bent, punctured or malformed.

PRODUCT CONFORMANCE. The products provided shall meet the salient characteristics of this description, conform to the producer's own drawings, specifications, standards, and quality assurance practices, and be the same product offered for sale in the commercial market. The Government reserves the right to require proof of such conformance.

MARKING. Shipments to GSA and other civilian agencies shall be marked in accordance with FED-STD-123. Shipments to the Department of Defense (DoD) shall be marked in accordance with MIL-STD-129.

PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY. The item(s) shall be packaged and packed in accordance with the latest revision of ASTM D 3951, Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging. Copies of ASTM standards are available from the American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. Phone: 610-832-9585, Fax: 610-832-9555, Web site: www.astm.org, e-mail: service@astm.org.

Palletization: The shipping (transport) containers shall be palletized. The pallets shall be 48-inch length x 40-inch width, general purpose, four-way entry, flush stringer, and double-face non-reversible pallets. The palletized load shall not exceed 2500 pounds in weight for shipments to the Eastern Distribution Center (Burlington). The palletized load shall not exceed 2000 pounds in weight for shipments to the Western Distribution Center (French Camp and Stockton locations). The palletized load shall not overhang the pallet deck board edge by more than 1 inch and shall not exceed 53 inches in overall height (including pallet). Less than half pallet loads or loads shipped by small package carrier in acceptable transport packing need not be palletized. When less than full but more than a half pallet is used, the palletized load shall utilize proper bracing and/or reinforcement to ensure that the load can withstand two additional loads placed on it.

Stacking. A load-stacking test shall be performed once, at the beginning of the contract, for each different unitized or palletized load configuration. A fully palletized load shall be tested utilizing a total stack of three palletized loads, with all the proper bracing and/or reinforcement necessary to perform the test. There shall be no evidence of damage to the pallets, shipping containers or products when stack is tested on the rigid surface for a minimum of 24 hours, in compliance with all the National and Local Safety Regulations. The pre-tested palletized load configuration shall be duplicated using the same packaging materials, pattern, number of shipping (transport) containers, and procedures consistent throughout the duration of the contract. Palletized loads shall be stable and safe when handled with mechanical equipment by qualified personnel.

Materials. All lumber used inside or outside a shipment shall be bark free. No used wood pallets with repaired components or stringers will be acceptable. All wood pallet stringers shall be manufactured from hardwoods. Pallets manufactured of materials other than wood, shall conform to all the requirements specified herein.

Unitization. For the purpose of this requirement, the assembled group of containers or items in a single load that can be handled as a unit throughout the distribution system. Unitization encompasses, but is not limited to, consolidation in a container, placement on a pallet or load base having forklift capability, or securely binding together. Shipments should be considered for unitization where appropriate or specified.

Unitization of pallet load. The palletized load shall be unitized and secured to the pallet to insure that the load arrives intact without product damage. The containers or items shall be placed in a suitable pattern to form a stable and balanced load. Vertical, horizontal or filler reinforcement shall be added as necessary to meet the stacking strength requirements. A palletized load shall be secured to the pallet by shrink or stretch wrapping, and/or, by steel or nonmetallic strapping. When steel or nonmetallic strapping is used, edge protectors shall be provided to prevent damage to the cartons when tensioning the strapping. As a minimum, two straps shall run lengthwise, two straps shall run widthwise, and two straps shall run around the girth of the palletized load. A palletized load shall be capable of protecting the products against damage in a multiple handling, transportation, and storage environment having distribution warehouses with rack systems that support the load/s overhead of warehouse personnel.

Notice of special requirements for shipment to all countries that have endorsed the IPPC Guidelines for treatment of non-manufactured wood packaging: The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has approved and published on March 15, 2002, “Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade”. Countries endorsing the IPPC Guidelines are found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp/. Clause D-FSS-468 requires non-manufactured wood pallets and other non-manufactured wood packaging material used in shipments destined to IPPC compliant countries require the appropriate wood treatment. Additionally, shipments delivered to DOD distribution facilities or freight consolidation points for eventual delivery to or through EU/IPPC countries shall comply with applicable DLA Regulations and Procurement Letter PROCLTR 02-17.

7340-00-229-9479

Issued 03/12/08

KNIFE, DESSERT (SILVERPLATED): Shall be a silver-plated, dessert knife, with the following characteristics:

Unit of issue – DZ (twelve (12) knives per container).

Materials. Materials not definitely specified shall be the type and quality supplied by the manufacturer for their normal commercial product provided the completed items comply with all the provisions of this IPD. Commercial tolerances are applicable to all material thicknesses and diameters.

Base metal. For silver-plated items the base metal shall be stainless steel, nickel brass or brass.

Nickel brass sheet. Nickel brass sheet specified herein shall have a minimum of 8 percent by composition of nickel with the balance of copper and zinc in accordance with commercial practices.

Brass. Brass specified herein shall have a minimum of 65 percent copper with the balance of zinc.

Stainless steel. Stainless steel shall conform to the type 300 series in accordance with ASTM A 240/A 240M. The stainless steel used for the knife blades may be a type 410 or 420 series in accordance with ASTM A 240/A 240M.

Design and construction. The design shall be the “Kings” pattern and shall be sharp and clearly defined. Figure below is to be used as a guide only.

Knife, Dessert

Length dimension tolerance: +/- ¼ inch

Thickness of silver. The thickness of silver applied to each item shall represent an average thickness of at least 280 microinches or 0.23 troy ounce per square foot when tested in accordance with ASTM B568.

Weight of silver (handle only). The minimum weight of silver shall be 2.0 troy oz/gross.

Adhesion. When testing, the silver plating shall show no evidence of blistering.

Knife blades. The blades of knives shall be fabricated from stainless steel. Blades shall have a hardness of between 40 and 58 on the Rockwell C scale or between 90 and 89 on the Rockwell 15-N scale when tested in accordance with ASTM E-18.

Blade attachment. Shells of hollow handle cutlery shall be one piece construction when possible. Blade may be soldered into the handles with soft solder, secured by a nontoxic cement, or argon welded so that attachment is not evident in accordance with commercial practice.

Finish. The finished items shall have a bright finish.

Marking. Each item shall be clearly and permanently marked with the manufacturer’s name, trademark or trade name of such known character to be easily identifiable with said manufacturer. The surface opposite the markings shall show no signs of penetration.

Workmanship. Finished items shall be clean, well made, and free from any defect which may affect appearance or serviceability. Except for specified fork tine tips, there shall be no sharp edges, burrs, rough die, tool, gouge or grind marks. The silver plating shall be smooth, fine grained, adherent, and free from visible blisters, pits, porosity, and indications of burning or excessive edge buildup. The finished items shall not be fractured, dented, bent, punctured or malformed.

PRODUCT CONFORMANCE. The products provided shall meet the salient characteristics of this description, conform to the producer's own drawings, specifications, standards, and quality assurance practices, and be the same product offered for sale in the commercial market. The Government reserves the right to require proof of such conformance.

MARKING. Shipments to GSA and other civilian agencies shall be marked in accordance with FED-STD-123. Shipments to the Department of Defense (DoD) shall be marked in accordance with MIL-STD-129.

PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY. The item(s) shall be packaged and packed in accordance with the latest revision of ASTM D 3951, Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging. Copies of ASTM standards are available from the American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. Phone: 610-832-9585, Fax: 610-832-9555, Web site: www.astm.org, e-mail: service@astm.org.

Palletization: The shipping (transport) containers shall be palletized. The pallets shall be 48-inch length x 40-inch width, general purpose, four-way entry, flush stringer, and double-face non-reversible pallets. The palletized load shall not exceed 2500 pounds in weight for shipments to the Eastern Distribution Center (Burlington). The palletized load shall not exceed 2000 pounds in weight for shipments to the Western Distribution Center (French Camp and Stockton locations). The palletized load shall not overhang the pallet deck board edge by more than 1 inch and shall not exceed 53 inches in overall height (including pallet). Less than half pallet loads or loads shipped by small package carrier in acceptable transport packing need not be palletized. When less than full but more than a half pallet is used, the palletized load shall utilize proper bracing and/or reinforcement to ensure that the load can withstand two additional loads placed on it.

Stacking. A load-stacking test shall be performed once, at the beginning of the contract, for each different unitized or palletized load configuration. A fully palletized load shall be tested utilizing a total stack of three palletized loads, with all the proper bracing and/or reinforcement necessary to perform the test. There shall be no evidence of damage to the pallets, shipping containers or products when stack is tested on the rigid surface for a minimum of 24 hours, in compliance with all the National and Local Safety Regulations. The pre-tested palletized load configuration shall be duplicated using the same packaging materials, pattern, number of shipping (transport) containers, and procedures consistent throughout the duration of the contract. Palletized loads shall be stable and safe when handled with mechanical equipment by qualified personnel.

Materials. All lumber used inside or outside a shipment shall be bark free. No used wood pallets with repaired components or stringers will be acceptable. All wood pallet stringers shall be manufactured from hardwoods. Pallets manufactured of materials other than wood, shall conform to all the requirements specified herein.

Unitization. For the purpose of this requirement, the assembled group of containers or items in a single load that can be handled as a unit throughout the distribution system. Unitization encompasses, but is not limited to, consolidation in a container, placement on a pallet or load base having forklift capability, or securely binding together. Shipments should be considered for unitization where appropriate or specified.

Unitization of pallet load. The palletized load shall be unitized and secured to the pallet to insure that the load arrives intact without product damage. The containers or items shall be placed in a suitable pattern to form a stable and balanced load. Vertical, horizontal or filler reinforcement shall be added as necessary to meet the stacking strength requirements. A palletized load shall be secured to the pallet by shrink or stretch wrapping, and/or, by steel or nonmetallic strapping. When steel or nonmetallic strapping is used, edge protectors shall be provided to prevent damage to the cartons when tensioning the strapping. As a minimum, two straps shall run lengthwise, two straps shall run widthwise, and two straps shall run around the girth of the palletized load. A palletized load shall be capable of protecting the products against damage in a multiple handling, transportation, and storage environment having distribution warehouses with rack systems that support the load/s overhead of warehouse personnel.

Notice of special requirements for shipment to all countries that have endorsed the IPPC Guidelines for treatment of non-manufactured wood packaging: The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has approved and published on March 15, 2002, “Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade”. Countries endorsing the IPPC Guidelines are found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp/. Clause D-FSS-468 requires non-manufactured wood pallets and other non-manufactured wood packaging material used in shipments destined to IPPC compliant countries require the appropriate wood treatment. Additionally, shipments delivered to DOD distribution facilities or freight consolidation points for eventual delivery to or through EU/IPPC countries shall comply with applicable DLA Regulations and Procurement Letter PROCLTR 02-17.

7340-00-235-5013

Issued 01/24/08 KNIFE, TABLE (SILVERPLATED): Shall be a silver-plated, table knife, with the following characteristics:

Unit of issue – DZ (twelve (12) knives per container).

Materials. Materials not definitely specified shall be the type and quality supplied by the manufacturer for their normal commercial product provided the completed items comply with all the provisions of this IPD. Commercial tolerances are applicable to all material thicknesses and diameters.

Base metal. For silverplated items the base metal shall be stainless steel, nickel brass or brass.

Nickel brass sheet. Nickel brass sheet specified herein shall have a minimum of 8 percent by composition of nickel with the balance of copper and zinc in accordance with commercial practices.

Brass. Brass specified herein shall have a minimum of 65 percent copper with the balance of zinc.

Stainless steel. Stainless steel shall conform to the type 300 series in accordance with ASTM A 240/A 240M. The stainless steel used for the knife blades may be a type 410 or 420 series in accordance with ASTM A 240/A 240M.

Design and construction. The design shall be the “Kings” pattern and shall be sharp and clearly defined. Figure below is to be used as a guide only.

Knife, Table

Length dimension tolerance: +/- ¼ inch

Thickness of silver. The thickness of silver applied to each item shall represent an average thickness of at least 280 microinches or 0.23 troy ounce per square foot when tested in accordance with ASTM B568.

Weight of silver (handle only). The minimum weight of silver shall be 2.0 troy oz/gross.

Adhesion. When testing, the silver plating shall show no evidence of blistering.

Knife blades. The blades of knives shall be fabricated from stainless steel. Blades shall have a hardness of between 40 and 58 on the Rockwell C scale or between 90 and 89 on the Rockwell 15-N scale when tested in accordance with ASTM E-18.

Blade attachment. Shells of hollow handle cutlery shall be one piece construction when possible. Blade may be soldered into the handles with soft solder, secured by a nontoxic cement, or argon welded so that attachment is not evident in accordance with commercial practice.

Finish. The finished items shall have a bright finish.

Marking. Each item shall be clearly and permanently marked with the manufacturer’s name, trademark or tradename of such known character to be easily identifiable with said manufacturer. The surface opposite the markings shall show no signs of penetration.

Workmanship. Finished items shall be clean, well made, and free from any defect which may affect appearance or serviceability. Except for specified fork tine tips, there shall be no sharp edges, burrs, rough die, tool, gouge or grind marks. The silver plating shall be smooth, fine grained, adherent, and free from visible blisters, pits, porosity, and indications of burning or excessive edge buildup. The finished items shall not be fractured, dented, bent, punctured or malformed.

PRODUCT CONFORMANCE. The products provided shall meet the salient characteristics of this description, conform to the producer's own drawings, specifications, standards, and quality assurance practices, and be the same product offered for sale in the commercial market. The Government reserves the right to require proof of such conformance.

MARKING. Shipments to GSA and other civilian agencies shall be marked in accordance with FED-STD-123. Shipments to the Department of Defense (DoD) shall be marked in accordance with MIL-STD-129.

PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY. The item(s) shall be packaged and packed in accordance with the latest revision of ASTM D 3951, Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging. Copies of ASTM standards are available from the American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. Phone: 610-832-9585, Fax: 610-832-9555, Web site: www.astm.org, e-mail: service@astm.org.

Palletization: The shipping (transport) containers shall be palletized. The pallets shall be 48-inch length x 40-inch width, general purpose, four-way entry, flush stringer, and double-face non-reversible pallets. The palletized load shall not exceed 2500 pounds in weight for shipments to the Eastern Distribution Center (Burlington). The palletized load shall not exceed 2000 pounds in weight for shipments to the Western Distribution Center (French Camp and Stockton locations). The palletized load shall not overhang the pallet deck board edge by more than 1 inch and shall not exceed 53 inches in overall height (including pallet). Less than half pallet loads or loads shipped by small package carrier in acceptable transport packing need not be palletized. When less than full but more than a half pallet is used, the palletized load shall utilize proper bracing and/or reinforcement to ensure that the load can withstand two additional loads placed on it.

Stacking. A load-stacking test shall be performed once, at the beginning of the contract, for each different unitized or palletized load configuration. A fully palletized load shall be tested utilizing a total stack of three palletized loads, with all the proper bracing and/or reinforcement necessary to perform the test. There shall be no evidence of damage to the pallets, shipping containers or products when stack is tested on the rigid surface for a minimum of 24 hours, in compliance with all the National and Local Safety Regulations. The pre-tested palletized load configuration shall be duplicated using the same packaging materials, pattern, number of shipping (transport) containers, and procedures consistent throughout the duration of the contract. Palletized loads shall be stable and safe when handled with mechanical equipment by qualified personnel.

Materials. All lumber used inside or outside a shipment shall be bark free. No used wood pallets with repaired components or stringers will be acceptable. All wood pallet stringers shall be manufactured from hardwoods. Pallets manufactured of materials other than wood, shall conform to all the requirements specified herein.

Unitization. For the purpose of this requirement, the assembled group of containers or items in a single load that can be handled as a unit throughout the distribution system. Unitization encompasses, but is not limited to, consolidation in a container, placement on a pallet or load base having forklift capability, or securely binding together. Shipments should be considered for unitization where appropriate or specified.

Unitization of pallet load. The palletized load shall be unitized and secured to the pallet to insure that the load arrives intact without product damage. The containers or items shall be placed in a suitable pattern to form a stable and balanced load. Vertical, horizontal or filler reinforcement shall be added as necessary to meet the stacking strength requirements. A palletized load shall be secured to the pallet by shrink or stretch wrapping, and/or, by steel or nonmetallic strapping. When steel or nonmetallic strapping is used, edge protectors shall be provided to prevent damage to the cartons when tensioning the strapping. As a minimum, two straps shall run lengthwise, two straps shall run widthwise, and two straps shall run around the girth of the palletized load. A palletized load shall be capable of protecting the products against damage in a multiple handling, transportation, and storage environment having distribution warehouses with rack systems that support the load/s overhead of warehouse personnel.

Notice of special requirements for shipment to all countries that have endorsed the IPPC Guidelines for treatment of non-manufactured wood packaging: The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has approved and published on March 15, 2002, “Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade”. Countries endorsing the IPPC Guidelines are found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp/. Clause D-FSS-468 requires non-manufactured wood pallets and other non-manufactured wood packaging material used in shipments destined to IPPC compliant countries require the appropriate wood treatment. Additionally, shipments delivered to DOD distribution facilities or freight consolidation points for eventual delivery to or through EU/IPPC countries shall comply with applicable DLA Regulations and Procurement Letter PROCLTR 02-17.

7340-00-235-5021

Issued 01/24/08 SPOON, ICED TEA (SILVERPLATED): Shall be a silver-plated, iced tea spoon, with the following characteristics:

Unit of issue – DZ (twelve (12) spoons per container).

Materials. Materials not definitely specified shall be the type and quality supplied by the manufacturer for their normal commercial product provided the completed items comply with all the provisions of this IPD. Commercial tolerances are applicable to all material thicknesses and diameters.

Base metal. For silverplated items the base metal shall be stainless steel, nickel brass or brass.

Nickel brass sheet. Nickel brass sheet specified herein shall have a minimum of 8 percent by composition of nickel with the balance of copper and zinc in accordance with commercial practices.

Brass. Brass specified herein shall have a minimum of 65 percent copper with the balance of zinc.

Stainless steel. Stainless steel shall conform to the type 300 series in accordance with ASTM A 240/A 240M.

Design and construction. The design shall be the “Kings” pattern and shall be sharp and clearly defined. Figure below is to be used as a guide only.

Spoon, Iced Tea

Length dimension tolerance: +/- ¼ inch

Weight of spoon blanks. Minimum weights of blanks for the spoons and forks shall be 11.0 Avdp. lbs. per gross brass/nickel brass or 10.0 Avdp. lbs. per gross stainless steel.

Thickness of silver. The thickness of silver applied to each item shall represent an average thickness of at least 280 microinches or 0.23 troy ounce per square foot when tested in accordance with ASTM B568.

Weight of silver. The minimum weight of silver shall be 1.65 troy oz/gross.

Adhesion. When testing, the silver plating shall show no evidence of blistering.

Finish. The finished items shall have a bright finish.

Marking. Each item shall be clearly and permanently marked with the manufacturer’s name, trademark or tradename of such known character to be easily identifiable with said manufacturer. The surface opposite the markings shall show no signs of penetration.

Workmanship. Finished items shall be clean, well made, and free from any defect which may affect appearance or serviceability. Except for specified fork tine tips, there shall be no sharp edges, burrs, rough die, tool, gouge or grind marks. The silver plating shall be smooth, fine grained, adherent, and free from visible blisters, pits, porosity, and indications of burning or excessive edge buildup. The finished items shall not be fractured, dented, bent, punctured or malformed.

PRODUCT CONFORMANCE. The products provided shall meet the salient characteristics of this description, conform to the producer's own drawings, specifications, standards, and quality assurance practices, and be the same product offered for sale in the commercial market. The Government reserves the right to require proof of such conformance.

MARKING. Shipments to GSA and other civilian agencies shall be marked in accordance with FED-STD-123. Shipments to the Department of Defense (DoD) shall be marked in accordance with MIL-STD-129.

PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY. The item(s) shall be packaged and packed in accordance with the latest revision of ASTM D 3951, Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging. Copies of ASTM standards are available from the American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. Phone: 610-832-9585, Fax: 610-832-9555, Web site: www.astm.org, e-mail: service@astm.org.

Palletization: The shipping (transport) containers shall be palletized. The pallets shall be 48-inch length x 40-inch width, general purpose, four-way entry, flush stringer, and double-face non-reversible pallets. The palletized load shall not exceed 2500 pounds in weight for shipments to the Eastern Distribution Center (Burlington). The palletized load shall not exceed 2000 pounds in weight for shipments to the Western Distribution Center (French Camp and Stockton locations). The palletized load shall not overhang the pallet deck board edge by more than 1 inch and shall not exceed 53 inches in overall height (including pallet). Less than half pallet loads or loads shipped by small package carrier in acceptable transport packing need not be palletized. When less than full but more than a half pallet is used, the palletized load shall utilize proper bracing and/or reinforcement to ensure that the load can withstand two additional loads placed on it.

Stacking. A load-stacking test shall be performed once, at the beginning of the contract, for each different unitized or palletized load configuration. A fully palletized load shall be tested utilizing a total stack of three palletized loads, with all the proper bracing and/or reinforcement necessary to perform the test. There shall be no evidence of damage to the pallets, shipping containers or products when stack is tested on the rigid surface for a minimum of 24 hours, in compliance with all the National and Local Safety Regulations. The pre-tested palletized load configuration shall be duplicated using the same packaging materials, pattern, number of shipping (transport) containers, and procedures consistent throughout the duration of the contract. Palletized loads shall be stable and safe when handled with mechanical equipment by qualified personnel.

Materials. All lumber used inside or outside a shipment shall be bark free. No used wood pallets with repaired components or stringers will be acceptable. All wood pallet stringers shall be manufactured from hardwoods. Pallets manufactured of materials other than wood, shall conform to all the requirements specified herein.

Unitization. For the purpose of this requirement, the assembled group of containers or items in a single load that can be handled as a unit throughout the distribution system. Unitization encompasses, but is not limited to, consolidation in a container, placement on a pallet or load base having forklift capability, or securely binding together. Shipments should be considered for unitization where appropriate or specified.

Unitization of pallet load. The palletized load shall be unitized and secured to the pallet to insure that the load arrives intact without product damage. The containers or items shall be placed in a suitable pattern to form a stable and balanced load. Vertical, horizontal or filler reinforcement shall be added as necessary to meet the stacking strength requirements. A palletized load shall be secured to the pallet by shrink or stretch wrapping, and/or, by steel or nonmetallic strapping. When steel or nonmetallic strapping is used, edge protectors shall be provided to prevent damage to the cartons when tensioning the strapping. As a minimum, two straps shall run lengthwise, two straps shall run widthwise, and two straps shall run around the girth of the palletized load. A palletized load shall be capable of protecting the products against damage in a multiple handling, transportation, and storage environment having distribution warehouses with rack systems that support the load/s overhead of warehouse personnel.

Notice of special requirements for shipment to all countries that have endorsed the IPPC Guidelines for treatment of non-manufactured wood packaging: The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has approved and published on March 15, 2002, “Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade”. Countries endorsing the IPPC Guidelines are found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp/. Clause D-FSS-468 requires non-manufactured wood pallets and other non-manufactured wood packaging material used in shipments destined to IPPC compliant countries require the appropriate wood treatment. Additionally, shipments delivered to DOD distribution facilities or freight consolidation points for eventual delivery to or through EU/IPPC countries shall comply with applicable DLA Regulations and Procurement Letter PROCLTR 02-17.

7340-00-235-5023

Issued 03/12/08 SPOON, SOUP (SILVERPLATED): Shall be a silver-plated, soup spoon, with the following characteristics:

Unit of issue – DZ (twelve (12) spoons per container).

Materials. Materials not definitely specified shall be the type and quality supplied by the manufacturer for their normal commercial product provided the completed items comply with all the provisions of this IPD. Commercial tolerances are applicable to all material thicknesses and diameters.

Base metal. For silverplated items the base metal shall be stainless steel, nickel brass or brass.

Nickel brass sheet. Nickel brass sheet specified herein shall have a minimum of 8 percent by composition of nickel with the balance of copper and zinc in accordance with commercial practices.

Brass. Brass specified herein shall have a minimum of 65 percent copper with the balance of zinc.

Stainless steel. Stainless steel shall conform to the type 300 series in accordance with ASTM A 240/A 240M.

Design and construction. The design shall be the “Kings” pattern and shall be sharp and clearly defined. Figure below is to be used as a guide only.

Spoon, Soup

Length dimension tolerance: +/- ¼ inch

Weight of spoon blanks. Minimum weights of blanks for the spoons shall be 20.0 Avdp. lbs. per gross brass/nickel brass or 19.0 Avdp. lbs. per gross stainless steel.

Thickness of silver. The thickness of silver applied to each item shall represent an average thickness of at least 280 microinches or 0.23 troy ounce per square foot when tested in accordance with ASTM B568.

Weight of silver. The minimum weight of silver shall be 2.3 troy oz/gross.

Adhesion. When testing, the silver plating shall show no evidence of blistering.

Finish. The finished items shall have a bright finish.

Marking. Each item shall be clearly and permanently marked with the manufacturer’s name, trademark or tradename of such known character to be easily identifiable with said manufacturer.