Market_Survey_Stirring_Stick_Beverage__Wood_FBO.doc

MARKET SURVEY

GSA, GLOBAL SUPPLY SERVICE, FAS

FIRE AND INDUSTRIAL ACQUISITION DIVISION

FSC 7340- Cutlery and Flatware Name:

Company:

Phone #:

Fax #:

Email:

Your comments are valuable in the preparation of the upcoming solicitation for FSC 7340- Cutlery and Flatware. Please review and return pages 1- 3 pages only no later than Tuesday, September 25, 2012, via email at kellei.mccray@gsa.gov. The destinations and quantities will be determined by on demand requisitions from various agencies.

This is a market survey only; 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 if the NSN should be placed on a Solicitation.

National Stock Number

1. 7340-00-753-5565 Stirring Sticks, Beverage (Wood)

UNIT OF ISSUE: BX

Request for Quotation Information:

If you have a Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract, please enter your MAS contract number here:______________________ Are these items currently on your MAS Contract ____ yes ____no

If so, please list the part number here ______________________

1) Inspection will be at destination.

2) Is your organization a small business? ____Yes or ____ No

3) The suggested NAICS code for this product is: 332211. Do you agree? ______ If not, please indicated the suggested NAICS code here: ______.

4) Are you the manufacturer of this item? ____________________ If not, please list the item’s country or origin here ___________________.

5) Please list the country in which final manufacturing takes place ____________.

6) If your offered product is not manufactured in the United States, how many months supply is kept on-hand? _____ Have you experienced any problems getting this item through customs? ____________________

What is your normal customs processing time? __________

7) Delivery will be to French Camp, CA 95231 and Burlington, NJ 08016 – FOB

Destination. Can you meet this? ____Yes or ____ No

8) GSA customarily receives a price for the GSA Stock Depot Program that is equal to (or better) than your commercial price. Are you willing to comply? ___

9) The method of award is by item for both depot locations. Will your organization be able to offer pricing in the aggregate? _____YES _____NO. Will this enable you to offer better pricing to GSA? _______YES _____ NO

10) What quantity/price breaks do you offer to your commercial customers? ___________________________________________________________

11) For those items going to GSA’s depots, palletization is required. Can you comply with this requirement? __________

12) What type of delivery terms can you offer? ________________ (e.g. 30 DARO; 45 DARO, etc.)

13) What is your commercial minimum order for these items? ________________

14) What is your commercial maximum for these items? ____________________

15) Are these commercial off-the-shelf items? ____________________________

16) Do you see anything on the IPD that might cause a problem for you in quoting on these NSNs? ______________________________________________________________

17) What, if any, are the differences between our IPDs and your commercial items? (e.g., marking, packaging. standard unit pack) __________________

18) What is your availability of raw material? _____________________

19) For those items going to GSA’s depots, palletization is required. Will you comply with this requirement? __________

20) Do you have a copy of Federal Standard 123 and MIL Standard 129?

21) Is your product package in accordance with the below IPDs? ______

22) Would you be able to provide proof of conformance if the Government requested such proof? _____

23) If you are not interested in this opportunity, please explain why.

Thank you for the time and participation. If you have any questions, please contact me via email at kellei.mccray@gsa.gov.

ITEM PURCHASE DESCRIPTION

Dated: 07/17/2012

NSN: 7340-00-753-5565

STIRRING STICK, BEVERAGE (WOOD): Shall have the following characteristics:

Unit of Issue – BX (box of 1000)

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. The stirring stick shall be made from either gumwood, white birch, or rock maple. The dimensions of the stirring stick shall be as listed below:

Length – 5-1/4 inches minimum

Width - 0.187 inch minimum

Thickness - 0.036 inch minimum

The stirring stick shall be made with the grain of the wood running in the same direction as the long axis and shall have a smooth natural finish. The ends of the stirrer shall be either rounded or square. The stirrer shall have no objectionable odor or taste.

NOTICE: Packaging and packing requirements in this item purchase description are unique at the request of the U.S. Navy Supply Systems Command. This item is included in the Navy’s PLASTICS REMOVAL IN MARINE ENVIRONMENT (PRIME) PROGRAM under the U.S. Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 (MPPRCA) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships Treaty (MARPOL) Annex V. Items in the PRIME program require biodegradable packing materials. The statement “PLASTIC PACKING MATERIALS AND PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPES ARE PROHIBITED” is included in the packaging and packing requirements for all PRIME program items.

WORKMANSHIP. The finished stirring stick shall be clean, free from surface checks, rough edges, splinters, and any other defects which may affect appearance or serviceability.

FDA REQUIREMENTS. The wood used for the stirring stick shall conform to the applicable requirements of Food and Drug Administration, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Subchapter B.

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. PLASTIC PACKAGING MATERIALS AND PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPES ARE PROHIBITED. 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 steel or nonmetallic strapping. 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 can be found at the USDA.gov web site. 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.

(End of Item Purchase Description)

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