EMM SP8000-20-R-0005 - QA_Responses.pdf

ELECTROLYTIC MANGANESE METAL

SP8000-20-R-0005

Questions and Answers

Source Selection Information - See FAR 2.101 and 3.104 1

Q1. Per Attachment G, Section B, only two CLINs are provided. One CLIN for Material Price and one CLIN for Packaging price. Would it be acceptable to add additional CLINs based on the statement of work in our proposal? To which CLIN do we account for transportation costs? To which CLIN do we account for COA testing costs?

A1. Per the Solicitation Attachment G, Section B –

“CLINs 0001 and 1001 – Material Price: Electrolytic Manganese Metal

• The price associated with providing 3,000 metric tons of Electrolytic Manganese metal, flakes with a manganese (Mn) purity of at least 99.70% by weight. This includes the price associated with the material packaged in super sacks in accordance with industry standard methods.”

It is requested that all transportation costs and COA testing costs be included within CLIN 0001/1001 as applicable. Your company can show the break out of the cost elements within the CLIN.

Q2. Per 5.2.1 of the Statement of Work (SOW), the independent analytical company shall be recognized by the industry or approved by the Government in advance. Our firm plans to use SGS S.A. for COA testing. SGS is a Swiss multinational company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland which provides inspection, verification, testing and certification services. It has more than 89,000 employees and operates over 2,600 offices and laboratories worldwide. Is SGS an approved COA provider? If not, does DLA have a list of approved COA vendors?

A2. SGS S.A. is an approved COA provider. DLA has no list of approved COA vendors. Section 5.2.1 refers to the example COA the offeror will submit with their proposal.

Section 5.2.1. states the following..

5.2.1 An offeror shall provide an example COA for the proposed material with their proposal.

The example COA shall be from a previous contract with the Government or Industry. The example is not required to meet the requirements in Sections 5.1.1 and 5.1.2 of this SOW. If the offeror has never sold the material, so that it has no example COA from the previous sales, the offeror must submit a COA, for the proposed material, from a qualified independent analytical company. The independent analytical company shall be recognized by the industry or approved by the Government in advance. The recognition by industry of an independent analysis company shall be a company that has continuously made the physical and chemical analyses of EMM produced from other producers for more than 5 years or a large international company with the various facilities around the world, particularly in the US.

With respect to Section 5.2.1, SGS S.A. is an approved independent analytical company for the example COA the offeror will submit with their proposal.

ELECTROLYTIC MANGANESE METAL

SP8000-20-R-0005

Questions and Answers

Source Selection Information - See FAR 2.101 and 3.104 2

Q3. Per 5.3.3 of the Statement of Work (SOW), upon delivery, the drums shall be intact, free of damage, contamination and leaks. In the event a drum is damaged during transit, is DLA agreeable to accept replacement drums (filled with EMM) with a future shipment?

A3. Yes, DLA is agreeable to accept replacement drums (filled with EMM) with a future shipment.

Q4. Per the labeling requirements in the SOW, how much flexibility do we have for the labeling material? Can we make metal (aluminum) or plastic labels to be attached by mechanical or adhesive means to the drums?

A4. As long as a material and the printed ink on it can last a minimum of 20 years (ops edit, GDP), it can be used for labeling. You can make metal (aluminum) or plastic labels to be attached by mechanical or adhesive means to the drums. The labels must be permanently affixed the drums and labels last a minimum of 20 years. Tag/label material shall have an expected lifespan of a minimum of twenty years with no degradation.

Q5. Per the pallet requirements in the SOW, do you possess a technical design document for pallets you want us to follow?

A5. The pallet spec drawings would come from a manufacturer and it may appear that we are requesting a specific brand/manufacture. Section 5.3.4.1 Pallet Design of the SOW is an excellent representation of the requirement.

Q6. Per 7.1.5 of the SOW, the contract shall not deliver more than 300 MT each month and no more than 60 MT each day, will we be able to schedule consecutive business days for delivery to the DLA depot or will delivery be restricted in some fashion such as certain days of the week or a few select days of the month.

A6. Yes, as long as meet the requirements of no more than 300 MT each month and no more than 60 MT each day, a vendor can schedule consecutive business days for delivery each month during the DLA business hours stated in 7.1.1 of the SOW, no restrictions in days of a week or a month.