SPE30026R0011 PreProposal Questions and Answers.pdf

SPE300-26-R-0011 Pre-Proposal Questions/Answers

Note: DLA Troop Support received the following questions in response to this solicitation, SPE300- 26-R-0011. The responses to these questions are provided for clarification purposes only and do not change portions of the solicitation requirements. In the event of any discrepancy between the answers provided in this amendment and the solicitation documents, the solicitation documents will take precedence.

Will DLA consider increasing the 25-page technical proposal limit, given that one proposal must address two zones and a geographically dispersed international distribution network?

DLA Troop Support Response: The page count will not be increased.

If the 25-page limit remains, will DLA exclude organizational charts, warehouse layouts, route maps, graphics, tables, resumes, certifications, facility photographs, and similar exhibits from the page count?

DLA Troop Support Response: Those exhibits will not be excluded from the page count.

Will DLA consider increasing the supporting documentation limitation from 50 pages to 75 pages to accommodate warehouse information, carrier agreements, supplier documentation, facility information, certifications, and other supporting documentation required to adequately demonstrate technical capability?

DLA Troop Support Response: The page count will not be increased.

Will DLA permit zone-specific appendices outside the 25-page limit when warehouse, carrier, supplier, or implementation information differs by zone?

DLA Troop Support Response: This will not be permitted. There is an additional 50 pages allowed for supporting documentation such as lease and carrier agreements.

Please clarify the minimum cash-flow documentation and financial capacity the Government expects under Resource Availability.

DLA Troop Support Response: Offerors are responsible for providing sufficient information with their proposal. All submission requirements for this factor are listed on pages 168 and 169.

Please clarify how affiliate or parent-company financial support will be evaluated when documented through a guarantee, intercompany agreement, or committed credit facility.

DLA Troop Support Response: Evaluation criteria are provided beginning on page 178.

The solicitation requires executed Carrier Agreements with USTRANSCOM-approved carriers as part of proposal submission. Since the Government is not a party to these agreements and does not evaluate or approve their negotiated commercial terms, please clarify the evaluation purpose served by this requirement. If an offeror is unable to obtain an executed Carrier Agreement because the offeror and a USTRANSCOM-approved carrier are unable to reach mutually acceptable commercial terms, how will the Government evaluate that proposal?

DLA Troop Support Response: Per the evaluation criteria for Section A, Factor II on page 178, “Proposals with adequate existing financial resources and agreements with carriers will generally be rated more favorably than those without.”

If the Government's primary objective in requiring executed Carrier Agreements is to ensure that offerors acknowledge that the Government assumes no liability for loss of or damage to product while it is in the custody of a USTRANSCOM-approved carrier, would the Government consider replacing the proposal requirement for executed Carrier Agreements with an offeror certification acknowledging its understanding and acceptance of that allocation of risk?

DLA Troop Support Response: The Government will not consider replacing the proposal requirement for executed Carrier Agreements. Per the evaluation criteria for Section A, Factor II on page 178, “Proposals with adequate existing financial resources and agreements with carriers will generally be rated more favorably than those without.”

Please clarify how Africa-specific experience will be evaluated relative to broader OCONUS Subsistence Prime Vendor experience.

DLA Troop Support Response: Evaluation criteria are provided beginning on page 178.

Please provide historical demand by DoDAAC, customer, country, zone, and distribution category for at least the previous 36 months.

DLA Troop Support Response: This will not be provided.

Given recent regional changes, please provide actual demand for the most recent three months by country, customer, and DoDAAC.

DLA Troop Support Response: This will not be provided.

Please provide estimated annual demand used to develop the solicitation estimates by country and DoDAAC for the base period and each option period.

DLA Troop Support Response: This will not be provided.

Please identify all DoDAACs or total ordering activities currently active in each country and expected to place orders at contract start.

DLA Troop Support Response: This will not be provided.

Please identify customers, countries, or DoDAACs expected to be added, removed, activated, deactivated, or materially changed before implementation.

DLA Troop Support Response: At this time, the list that is included in the solicitation under XIII.

Customers are all the countries supported. There is no expectation of change.

The solicitation establishes delivery requirements but also asks offerors to provide lead times.

Please clarify why proposed lead times are required and how they will be evaluated or incorporated into the contract.

DLA Troop Support Response: Offerors are asked to provide lead times for remote locations as they might differ from the established delivery requirements.

Delivery windows for Zone 3 are between 7-14 days after order placement. Please provide the current delivery schedule, required delivery days, delivery windows, and lead time for each country, DoDAAC, and location for Zone 3.

DLA Troop Support Response: This information will not be provided.

Please identify every remote location and provide historical order frequency, delivery method, and required lead time for each.

DLA Troop Support Response: Remote locations are included on page 142 of the solicitation; all other information will not be provided.

Please identify all African countries, installations, ports, airfields, diplomatic facilities, and temporary or contingency locations expected to receive support.

DLA Troop Support Response: African countries that may receive support are included on pages 138, 139, 142, and 143 of the solicitation.

Please distinguish African locations receiving routine deliveries from those supported only upon activation.

DLA Troop Support Response: This information will not be provided.

Please identify African locations requiring armed escorts, convoy movement, force-protection coordination, special communications, or movement clearances.

DLA Troop Support Response: This information will not be provided.

Please identify country-specific restrictions on meat, poultry, pork, dairy, eggs, produce, bottled water, seafood, alcohol-containing ingredients, GMO products, and halal products.

DLA Troop Support Response: All sourcing requirements are stated in the solicitation. As stated in the solicitation, the Berry Amendment applies, which requires that food items procured and delivered under the contract be grown, manufactured, reprocessed, or produced in the United States. Several exceptions to that requirement may apply to performance under this contract.

Please see Section IV. of the Solicitation, Product Sourcing and Pricing.

Please identify locations where pork or other restricted items cannot be imported, stored, transported, or delivered.

DLA Troop Support Response: Refer to Section IV. Product Sourcing and Pricing, C, Domestic Item Preference, which states that the Berry Amendment is applicable to the procurement of food items and requires that food items procured and delivered under the contract be grown, manufactured, reprocessed, or produced in the United States. Several exceptions to that requirement may apply to performance under this contract. For items that are purchased locally, they must be from approved sources where applicable in accordance with Section IX Quality Control, Quality Assurance and Inspections. The country of the source is determined by the item availability and the offeror. Please also see Section VII. Inventory and Warehouse Management, A. Warehouse Management, 1, which states in part “The Prime Vendor has responsibility for all supply chain management.”

Please identify the current contractor's warehouse locations, hubs, and primary delivery model for each zone.

DLA Troop Support Response: Current contractor’s warehouse locations, hubs, and primary delivery model cannot be provided.

Please advise whether the deadline for pre-proposal questions, currently due July 22, 2026, can be extended until July 30, 2026, also considering that submission deadline is Sept 09, 2026.

DLA Troop Support Response: The deadline is not extended.

FAR 52.216-19 Order Limitations (OCT 1995) – Would DLA TS please reconsider this provision and amend the solicitation language by increasing the minimum order value from USD 250 to

USD 2,500?

DLA Troop Support Response: The minimum order value will not be increased.

Tax on Certain Foreign Procurements—Notice and Representation (DEVIATION 2026-O0038) (FEB 2026): (b) Unless exempted, there is a 2 percent tax on the amount of a specified Federal procurement payment made to a foreign person. Would DLA TS please confirm and clarify that this 2 percent tax will not be applied to the sales value of each order under this contract?

DLA Troop Support Response: It is the Prime Vendor’s responsibility to manage its supply chain to meet the requirements of the contract, including, but not limited to any tax exemption process.

Refer to Section VI. International Agreements, Workers Compensation Insurance, and Interpretations/Translations, Paragraph A. International Agreements, for more information on taxes

We would appreciate if DLA TS could provide the historical sales data for the past 36 months for each DoDAAC in Zone 2 and Zone 3.

DLA Troop Support Response: This information will not be provided.

Could DLA TS please provide the list of the latest applicable SOFA agreements in place within Zone 2 and Zone 3?

DLA Troop Support Response: Refer to Section VI., A, International Agreements (i.e. Defense Cooperation Agreement, Diplomatic Notes, Status of Forces Agreement (“SOFA”), etc.), which states that “Each offeror, and ultimately the Prime Vendor selected as the awardee, is therefore responsible for ascertaining, for all countries to which their offers apply, the precise rules and regulations, limitations, documentation requirements, and restrictions that apply to imports for the use of the U.S. Forces.”

The checklist at page 5 of 181, point 8, requires the submission of a complete Small Business Subcontracting Plan, if the bidder is a Large or Foreign Business, as per FAR 52.219-9. The inclusion of this Plan within Volume II would create many issues due to the tight space limits.

Considering that among the Submission Requirements for Volume II there is not the SB Subcontracting Plan but only the request to discuss how the bidders will meet or exceed each of the small-business subcontracting goals, are the bidders authorized to submit their Small Business Subcontracting Plan as part of the documentation for Volume I – Solicitation?

DLA Troop Support Response: As stated in the solicitation, “If you are a Large or Foreign Business, submit your Small Business Subcontracting Plan in accordance with FAR Overhaul 52.219-9.”

We strongly believe that the 25-page limit for the Technical Proposal should apply to Volume II, Section A only, where all Technical Factors must be addressed. Volume II, Section B – Past Performance should be submitted as a separate document from Section A and should fall outside the 25-page limit. Please confirm this interpretation is correct.

DLA Troop Support Response: The 25-page limit applies to the entire Non-Price Proposal portion, Section A and Section B. Past Performance Questionnaires are considered supporting documentation and included in the additional 50-page limit.

If the answer to our previous question is negative: considering the 16 points to be developed for Section A – Technical Factors, and taking into account the need to submit Sections A and B of Volume II separately, we respectfully request that the 25-page limit apply to Section A – Technical Factors only, and not to both Sections A and B. An additional page limit of five to seven pages would be appropriate for Section B – Past Performance.

DLA Troop Support Response: The 25-page limit applies to the entire Non-Price Proposal portion, Section A and Section B.

Under the General Submission Requirement Information on page 165, the Technical Proposal is required to be “single sided”. Since proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format, this requirement appears to have no practical application to the offeror’s submission and would instead relate only to any subsequent printing undertaken by the Government. Please clarify that offerors should submit a continuous PDF of no more than 25 substantive pages (plus any Cover Page or Table of Contents), without inserting blank pages between written pages, and that the Government may determine whether to print the document single- or double-sided.

DLA Troop Support Response: Offerors should submit a continuous PDF of no more than 25 pages.

Considering the number of required vendor support letters, Memoranda of Understanding, Letters of Commitment, and technical supporting documents to be provided, we respectfully note that the 50-page limit for the Attachment to the Technical Proposal is not sufficient. We believe that a 100-page limit would be appropriate and we kindly ask to grant this increase.

DLA Troop Support Response: The page-limit will not be increased.

Please confirm that the inclusion of a cover page and a table of contents in the various Volumes and/or Sections, where applicable, will not count towards the relevant page limit.

DLA Troop Support Response: The inclusion of a cover page and table of contents will not count towards the page limit.

Page 166 of 181: the instructions for Volume I – Solicitation require the bidder to complete pages 167–181 of the solicitation. However, these pages do not relate to FAR/DFARS provisions to be completed by bidders. The pages of the solicitation to be completed by bidders should be limited to the following three: page 45 (FAR 52.209-11 and FAR 52.215-6), page 57 (FAR 52.229-11), and page 58 (DFARS 252.229-7001). Please confirm our understanding and be so kind to clarify the instruction provided on page 166.

DLA Troop Support Response: See updated conformed Statement of Work, removing reference to pages 167-181.

Would DLA TS accept the Past Performance Questionnaires already submitted for the parallel Zone 4 Solicitation where the offeror decides to rely on the exact same contracts and references also for Zones 2 and 3? The PPQs to be used for Zone 2 and 3 are exactly the same format and assess the same core performance areas as Zone 4. Requiring resubmission would create unnecessary duplicate work for the relevant contractual POCs without providing DLA with any different or additional information. Please confirm that the five (5) PPQs already received by DLA for Zone 4, may be cross-referenced and accepted for this Solicitation too, without resubmission.

DLA Troop Support Response: Past Performance Questionnaires cannot be cross-referenced; it must be resubmitted with the solicitation package for SPE30026R0011.

Considering that the Annual Dollar Value for Zone 4 is 60M$ (as per SOW SPE30026R0017 page 176), the Annual Dollar Value for Zone 2 is 55,4M$, and the Annual Dollar Value for Zone 3 is 1,6M$, (as per SOW SPE30026R0011 page 179), and taking into account that the expected value for Zone 3 is considerably lower and uncomparable to Zone 2, and finally considering that we are not aware of the presence of any U.S. land-based permanent locations in Zone 3, following the withdrawal from Niger in 2024, it is expected that the operations in Zone 3 will be absolutely marginal. Therefore, to save contractual efforts, create valuable synergies, and provide efficiency and operational readiness, we strongly recommend the DLA TS to remove Zone 3 from SPE30026R0011 and leave only Zone 2. In case of needs for temporary land-based locations in Zone 3, these can be easily supported by the SPV for Zone 4, which indeed includes all North and West African Countries. This is also supported by the Conformed SOW recently issued by DLA for SPE30026R0017, where all North African and West African countries are mentioned, including the landlocked ones. For example, at page 140, 14 days of leadtime are required for the Prime Vendor of Zone 4 to reach Niger or Mali (landlocked countries). In conclusion, considering that the SPV for Zone 4 must be ready to provide food items even in the landlocked countries of Zone 3, the removal of the marginal Zone 3 from Solicitation SPE30026R0011 would provide a lot of savings and efficiencies, allowing the bidder to fully focus on the preparation and execution of Zone 2, without creating any disruption to the operational readiness.

DLA Troop Support Response: Zone 3, Western Africa, will not be removed from this solicitation.

In the Zones 2 and 3 Market Basket, the line-item numbering proceeds directly from Line Item 5 to Line Item 7. Please confirm whether Line Item 6 was intentionally omitted. If not, please provide a corrected Market Basket including the missing item.

DLA Troop Support Response: The numbering on the Market Basket Tab was off by 1 and has now been corrected. Please use the updated Pricing Spreadsheet.

When the DLA TS will answer to all questions from the bidders, there will be the possibility that some of the answers still need a clarification and/or raise new/different doubts. Therefore, we kindly request to establish a second short window of time, after the issue of the first set of answers, to allow the bidders to pose additional questions. These additional questions should be limited to the contents of the answers provided by DLA and should be posed only in case the clarifications are essential for a correct preparation and submission of the proposal.

DLA Troop Support Response: There will be no additional questions.

Can DLA advise what the date range is of the current catalog data that was provided by DLA for this solicitation?

DLA Troop Support Response: It is one (1) year worth of data. Specific date range will not be provided.

Page 12 of the SOW: (l) Termination for the Government’s convenience. The Government reserves the right to terminate this contract, or any part hereof, for its sole convenience. In the event of such termination, the Contractor shall immediately stop all work and shall immediately cause any and all of its suppliers and subcontractors to cease work. Subject to the terms of this contract, the Contractor shall be paid a percentage of the contract price reflecting the percentage of the work performed prior to the notice of termination, plus reasonable charges the

Contractor can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Government using its standard record keeping system, have resulted from the termination. The Contractor shall not be required to comply with the cost accounting standards or contract cost principles for this purpose. This paragraph does not give the Government any right to audit the Contractor’s records. The Contractor shall not be paid for any work performed or costs incurred which reasonably could have been avoided.

Q1: Please clarify which categories of contractor costs DLA considers to constitute "reasonable charges" recoverable under FAR 52.212-4(l) for this solicitation. Specifically, please confirm whether contractor commitments such as non-cancellable supplier orders, transportation bookings, dedicated inventory, warehouse demobilization, and other contract-specific obligations are intended to be considered within the scope of recoverable reasonable charges.

Q2: Can the Government clarify whether unavoidable warehouse lease obligations, dedicated storage costs, and facility demobilization expenses incurred as a direct result of a Termination for Convenience would be considered recoverable "reasonable charges" under this provision?

Q3: If inventory has been procured in anticipation of required surge capability or forecasted demand in accordance with contract requirements, but has not yet been delivered to customers at the time of a Termination for Convenience, would such inventory be eligible for reimbursement where the Contractor can demonstrate that procurement was reasonable and contract-driven?

DLA Troop Support Response: This will be determined at the Contracting Officer's discretion in the event of Termination for Convenience under FAR 52.212-4(l).

Page 56 of the SOW:

(b) Maximum order. The Contractor is not obligated to honor --

(1) Any order for a single item in excess of ______$855,000,000_______;

(2) Any order for a combination of items in excess of ______$855,000,000________; or

(3) A series of orders from the same ordering office within ______$855,000,000_____ days that together call for quantities exceeding the limitation in subparagraph (b)(1) or (2) of this section.

Q: Paragraph (b)(3) states "$855,000,000 days." Please clarify the intended value for the number of days, as the current wording appears incomplete and cannot be interpreted as written.

DLA Troop Support Response: See updated text in SOW.

Page 56 of the SOW: Minimum order requirements

Q: Please confirm whether offerors may propose minimum order quantities, minimum delivery values or minimum vehicle-utilization requirements for remote, emergency or low-volume delivery points.

DLA Troop Support Response: The minimum order will remain at $250.

Page 66 of the SOW: The Defense Logistics Agency-Troop Support (“DLA-Troop Support”) intends to enter into a Fixed Price Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (“IDIQ”) Contract, with Economic Price Adjustment (“EPA”) with a full line food distributor who will act as a Prime Vendor responsible for the supply and delivery of semi-perishable and perishable food items as well as Food Service Operating Supply (“FSOS”), and Ship Store items (“1Q aka

QCOG”).

Q: Are QCOG items a requirement for land based customers?

DLA Troop Support Response: No.

Page 66 of the SOW: The Prime Vendor will be required to support all authorized DLA customers located within the aforementioned Zones. This includes all port locations throughout Zones 2 and 3. Prime Vendor may be required to deliver to any port located within each Zone.

Q: May the Prime vendor be required to supply Navy ashore customers to “all port locations”?

DLA Troop Support Response: See SOW text on pg 138 regarding known customers and the addition of customers during the life of the contract.

Page 66 of the SOW: Mentions “Ship Store items (“1Q aka QCOG”)”, “Prime Vendor may be required to deliver to any port located within each Zone.”, while page 137 mentions “The Prime Vendor shall check all Navy customers’ piers”, page 139 “During the life of the contract, Ports of Call maybe added to Zone 2 or Zone 3 to service any country listed, at no additional cost to the Government.”

Q: Does the above mean that also Navy/Coast Guard or other USG vessels may place orders under this contract?

DLA Troop Support Response: No. See revised SOW.

Page 67 of the SOW: Section III describes both Contract Implementation (Ramp Up) and Contract Transition Out (Ramp Down).

Q: Please confirm that the Contract Transition Out requirements apply upon expiration or termination of the resulting contract, including transition to a successor Prime Vendor.

DLA Troop Support Response: The Ramp Up & Ramp Down requirements apply to the awardee of this solicitation.

Page 69 of the SOW: The solicitation provides reimbursement equal to 50% of the applicable Distribution Price for the transfer of Prime Vendor-owned inventory to the successor contractor.

Q: Please clarify which logistics activities or cost elements DLA considers to be excluded from the remaining 50% of the Distribution Price.

DLA Troop Support Response: Please see SoW page 67, Section III. Contract Implementation Phase / Transition Plan, Subsection A. Contract Implementation Phase (Ramp Up).

Page 76 of the SOW Note: An individual manufacturer’s quoted price may expire before your offer expires. Your offer is valid 365 days from the date specified for receipt of offers (initial or revised, whichever is later). Furthermore, the first post award catalog will be established at the award price. Product prices will only be eligible for change 30 days after the start of the first month of ordering in accordance with the economic price adjustment clause. Therefore, the risk of not being able to make your first set of purchases for the Market Basket items at the exact quoted price must be factored into your Distribution Price.

Q: The solicitation requires offerors to maintain their proposals for 365 days. Please clarify the Government's expectations if contract award is delayed beyond this period. Specifically, if DLA requests offerors to extend the validity of their proposals, does DLA expect offerors to maintain their originally proposed pricing and supporting supplier quotations unchanged, even where such quotations have expired or are no longer commercially available?

DLA Troop Support Response: The PV bears all escalation risks during the 365-day proposal validity window. If the Government awards late in the period and manufacturer prices have risen, the PV must deliver at the proposed rates without adjustment.

Page 76 of the SOW: Distribution Price Category 13 is defined as “Restocking Price for Orders Over $10K,” while Section XIV.G states that this category applies to orders not cancelled in accordance with the cancellation policy.

Q: Please clarify the contractual treatment of late-cancelled orders valued below $10,000. Is there another Distribution Price category or approval process applicable to the restocking, handling, transportation, customs, disposal, or other costs associated with such orders? If not, please confirm that no separate compensation mechanism is available for late-cancelled orders below $10,000.

DLA Troop Support Response: DP Category 13 is for Restocking Price for orders over $10k.

Page 76 of the SOW At no time during the life of the contract will additional compensation be paid for transportation, customs, certificates, or other ancillary costs, regardless of delivery location.

Q: Please clarify how DLA expects offerors to price low-value orders (e.g., $250) destined for remote locations such as Western Sahara, where transportation, customs clearance, certifications, and other ancillary costs may substantially exceed the value of the order. Is DLA's intent that these costs be recovered through the overall Distribution Price structure applicable to all customers?

DLA Troop Support Response: The Distribution Prices offered must cover all costs associated with deliveries to any customer in this solicitation. It is the responsibility of the PV to factor in remote deliveries into their offered Distribution Price.

Page 76 of the SOW: Distribution price Categories

Q: Please clarify the intended scope of Distribution Price Category 12 (Disposal). Specifically, under what circumstances does DLA intend this Distribution Price Category to be utilized (e.g., product rendered unusable due to circumstances not attributable to the Prime Vendor)? What criteria will the Contracting Officer apply in determining whether Product Price reimbursement, in addition to Distribution Price Category 12, is appropriate? Please also identify the documentation required to support such requests.

DLA Troop Support Response: The usage of this category will be determined at the Contracting Officer’s discretion. Required documentation will also be determined by the Contraction Officer on a case-by-case basis.

Page 77 of the SOW: “33 Storage of Customer Owned Product, per pallet”

Q: The pricing schedule includes "Storage of Customer-Owned Product, per pallet." Please clarify the intended unit of measure. Is DLA requesting a recurring storage charge (e.g., monthly) per pallet, or a single fixed charge per pallet regardless of the storage duration?

DLA Troop Support Response: The unit of measure for distribution category 33 is Pallet. The unit of measure for distribution category 33 is pallet. Refer to Section XII. Palletization for more information on pallets. Distribution category is charged monthly. Refer to Section XIV. Delivery, Title, Orders, and Order Fill Rates. Pick up and Re-Delivery may be required in situations including but not limited to, customer storage limitations. The lead time is dependent on the customer request

Page 77-78 of the SOW: Distribution Category Number 38 to 45.

Q: Distribution Price Categories 38 through 45 define pricing for various airlift movements, including shipments from the Prime Vendor platform to the final customer (DP38), from OCONUS locations to the final customer (DP39-42), and from CONUS locations to the Prime Vendor platform (DP44-45). Please clarify which Distribution Price Category applies when an airlift shipment is required directly from CONUS to the final customer, as this movement does not appear to be addressed by the current Distribution Price structure. For example, how should such shipments be classified when a customer orders a non-regularly catalogued item with insufficient lead time for the Prime Vendor to procure the product and receive it at the Prime Vendor platform before the required delivery date?

DLA Troop Support Response: If approved by the Contracting Officer, a CONUS to Prime Vendor platform (DP44-45). Distribution Price Categories 1 through 26, as applicable, will be paid at time of order/delivery of product.

Page 77 of the SOW: DP cat 38 UoM CS

Handling of Prime Vendor (PV) Owned Product for Cross Leveling between Prime Vendor Platforms via TRANSCOM Tender or Military Airlift (MILAIR) direct to the customer.

Distribution Price Categories 1-26 may be applied if the PV is required to move product from an airport or military flight line. Approved at the Contracting Officer’s Discretion.

Q1: Distribution Price Category 38 establishes CS (Case) as the unit of measure. Please clarify the rationale for using a per-case pricing methodology, given that the primary cost component of TRANSCOM Tender and MILAIR movements is generally based on shipment weight rather than the number of cases. How does DLA intend offerors to account for significant differences in case weights when developing this Distribution Price?

DLA Troop Support Response: This will remain as CS.

Q2: The current wording appears to address MILAIR movements direct to the customer but does not clearly address shipments made directly to the customer via TRANSCOM Tender. Please clarify whether Distribution Price Category 38 is also intended to apply to direct TRANSCOM Tender shipments to the customer. If so, should the wording be revised accordingly?

DLA Troop Support Response: TRANSCOM is addressed in Distribution Price Category 38.

Q. Please clarify the meaning of "cross levelling between Prime Vendor platforms." Specifically, does this refer only to transfers between OCONUS platforms operated by the same Prime Vendor, or does it also include transfers between platforms operated by different Prime Vendors?

DLA Troop Support Response: This is for the same PV.

Page 77 of the SOW: DP cat 39 UoM LB

Perishable Airlift Price per LB based on the Net Case Weight of the product only. Includes all costs associated with airlift and delivery direct to the end use customer locations including Ports. Costs include but not limited to Tri-Walls and Wet/Dry Ice, Transportation, Handling and Customs clearance. Intended for OCONUS airlift of perishable items, e.g. Local Market Ready (LMR) in accordance with the Contractual Leadtime. (No additional Distribution Price will be applied to items in this category). Approved at the Contracting Officer Discretion.

DP cat 40 UoM LB

Semi-Perishable Airlift Cost per LB based on the Net Case Weight of the product only. Includes all costs associated with airlift and delivery direct to the end use customer locations including

Ports. Costs include but not limited to Tri-Walls and Wet/Dry Ice, Transportation, Handling and Customs clearance. Intended for OCONUS airlift of semi-perishable items in accordance with the Contractual Leadtime. (No additional Distribution Price will be applied to items in this category). Approved at the Contracting Officer Discretion.

DP cat 44 UoM LB

Perishable Airlift Price per LB based on the Net Case Weight of the product only. This Distribution Price includes all costs associated with airlift to include but not limited to Tri-Walls, Wet/Dry Ice, Handling and Customs clearance. Intended for Prime Vendor funded CONUS to In- Theater airlifts of various perishable items as authorized by the Contracting Officer. Intended for CONUS airlifts to a PV warehouse. Distribution Price Categories 1 through 26, as applicable, will paid at time of order/delivery of product.

DP cat 45 UoM LB

Semi-Perishable Airlift Price per LB based on the Net Case Weight of the product only. This Distribution Price includes all costs associated with airlift to include but not limited to Handling and Customs Clearance. Intended for Prime Vendor funded CONUS to In-Theater airlifts of various semi-perishable items as authorized by the Contracting Officer. Intended for CONUS airlifts to a PV warehouse. Distribution Price Categories 1 through 26, as applicable, will be paid at time of order/delivery of product.

Q1: DP Categories 44 and 45 are described as applying to CONUS airlifts to a Prime Vendor warehouse, while Distribution Price Categories 1 through 26 apply to deliveries to customer locations. Please clarify under what circumstances Distribution Price Categories 1 through 26 would also apply to movements covered by DP Categories 44 and 45.

DLA Troop Support Response: All requirements are listed in the Statement of Work.

Q2: The Prime Vendor is required to propose fixed Distribution Prices for CONUS airlifts that may occur several years after contract award. Unlike U.S. Government-managed TRANSCOM Tender movements, the Prime Vendor cannot determine at the time of proposal the future availability of air assets, transportation rates, fuel costs, routing, or market conditions applicable at the time an airlift is actually required. Please clarify how DLA expects offerors to reasonably price these future CONUS airlift requirements within a firm-fixed-price Distribution Price structure.

DLA Troop Support Response: It is the responsibility of the offeror to factor in all future conditions into their offered Distribution Price.

Q3: Please clarify the decision process used to determine whether a CONUS airlift requirement will be executed by the Prime Vendor or through a U.S. TRANSCOM Tender. Specifically, what criteria will be applied, and which party will be approached first to execute the movement?

DLA Troop Support Response: Please see section V. Transportation, Subsection I. Airlifts on pages 101-102 of the SoW.

Q4: Please clarify whether any contractual mechanism exists to address significant changes in CONUS airlift market conditions occurring after contract award that materially affect the fixed Distribution Prices applicable to DP Categories 44 and 45.

DLA Troop Support Response: All language in the SoW relating to flights/airlifts are final.

Q5: Please provide the anticipated annual volume, average shipment size, and expected frequency of movements under Distribution Price Categories 44 and 45, to assist offerors in developing realistic pricing assumptions.

DLA Troop Support Response: Frequency of airlifts will be determined by the customers’ requirements.

Page 78 of the SOW For Distribution Price Categories 39, 40, 44, and 45.

Q: Please confirm whether the net case weight used for payment purposes will be determined solely using the fluid-ounce conversion methodology described in the solicitation, irrespective of the actual product weight, the manufacturer's published weight, or the weight transmitted on the 832 transaction.

DLA Troop Support Response: The distribution fee is based on net case weight as stated in the category description. Fluid ounces and dry ounces are equal.

Page 79 of the SOW: The SOW requires the Prime Vendor to procure Local Market Ready (LMR) items from local approved sources.

Q: Please clarify the process to be followed when no approved local source exists for a required LMR item. Specifically, may the Prime Vendor procure the product from an approved source in a third country? If so, please identify the applicable Distribution Price Category for such movements.

DLA Troop Support Response: As stated in Section IV. Product Sourcing and Pricing, Subsection D. Local Market Ready Items on pages 79-80 of the SoW, “If no LMR vendor is identified for a particular requirement, the Prime Vendor shall identify and request Army Veterinary Service inspection for its designated local source.”

Page 87 of the SOW requires holiday items to be stocked in the OCONUS warehouse(s) no later than sixty (60) days prior to the applicable holiday and states that holiday requirements will be provided by customers each year.

Q1: Please clarify the process and timeline by which holiday item requirements will be communicated and finalized. Specifically, by what date prior to the applicable holiday will customer requirements be confirmed to allow sufficient time for product procurement, supplier lead times, transportation through the Defense Transportation System (DTS), customs clearance (where applicable), and positioning of inventory in the OCONUS warehouse(s) in compliance with the sixty (60) day stocking requirement?

DLA Troop Support Response: Holiday item requirements will be determined to allow enough time to meet SoW requirements.

Q2: Please clarify the contractual treatment of holiday or seasonal inventory procured and positioned in accordance with customer-provided requirements that is subsequently not ordered by the customer. Specifically, does the solicitation contain a Distribution Price Category or other contractual mechanism intended to address product acquisition, transportation, inventory holding, warehousing, or disposal costs associated with such inventory?

DLA Troop Support Response: As stated on page 106, “The Government will not reimburse the Prime Vendor for expired or excess inventory during the life of the contract or after the contract has expired.”

Page 88 of the SOW: DLA defines surge as the ability to ramp up quickly to meet increased requirements and support increased demands for a period lasting up to 30 days. There may be occasions, due to military operations or otherwise, where large increases in quantity will be necessary for short periods of time and on short notice. There is rarely sufficient advance notice as to when surges will occur. For this type of scenario, the capability to ramp-up quickly to meet increased requirements is essential. Upon notification of a surge situation, the contractor must be able to support 300% of pre-surge average weekly demand (based on an average of the most recent 52-week period) within 96 hours. If, for example, an item has a pre-surge demand of 100 cases per week, after 96 hours the contractor is expected to be able to support 300 cases per week for 30 days during the surge period.

Q1: The solicitation requires the Prime Vendor to support surge requirements of up to 300% of average weekly demand within 96 hours and sustain such demand for up to 30 days. Please confirm that DLA expects offerors to maintain the inventory, warehouse capacity, transportation capability, supplier capacity, and other resources necessary to meet these surge requirements on a continuous basis throughout the contract period, irrespective of whether a surge event actually occurs.

DLA Troop Support Response: The PV must recover all surge-maintenance costs through standard DPs.

Q2: The solicitation requires support of remote locations, customer additions, emergency orders, contingency operations, private security requirements, and a 300% surge capability within 96 hours. Please clarify whether DLA has established any contractual limitation on the Prime Vendor's financial exposure associated with these requirements, or whether offerors are expected to maintain these capabilities throughout the contract period with no contractual limitation on the associated financial risk.

DLA Troop Support Response: The PV must recover all surge-maintenance costs through standard DPs.

Page 91 of the SOW: Q. Holiday items. Items that a Prime Vendor procures to support customer requirements during the holidays, to include, but not limited to, the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, are referred to as holiday items. (…) This requirement applies to all holidays celebrated by the OCONUS customers to include Service Birthdays.

Q1: Other than Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Service Birthdays identified in the SOW, can DLA provide a complete list of holidays for which the Prime Vendor is expected to procure and stock holiday items under this contract?

DLA Troop Support Response: A list can not be provided as the requirement is driven by the customers.

Q2: Can DLA provide the list of products or product categories expected to be offered in support of each Service Birthday celebration?

DLA Troop Support Response: The requirements are given by the customer.

Q3: If holiday products are required to be available at the Prime Vendor's warehouse no later than sixty (60) days prior to the applicable holiday, what is the latest date by which customers are required to submit their holiday requirements to the Prime Vendor to allow sufficient time for procurement, supplier lead times, transportation, customs clearance (where applicable), and compliance with this stocking requirement?

DLA Troop Support Response: Holiday item requirements will be determined to allow enough time to meet SoW requirements.

Page 93 of the SOW: DLA Troop Support has been advised by USTRANSCOM of the following “Point to Point” delivery times in days depending upon the point of embarkation:

CONUS Origin to Southern Europe - 65 days CONUS Origin to Northern Africa - 60 days CONUS Origin to Western Africa - 60 days

These timeframes are estimates and only account for the time the container is picked up at a CONUS Facility and arrives at the Prime Vendors OCONUS warehouse; overall transit time including booking, consolidation, customs clearance and delivery to any OCONUS warehouse is approximately 90-120 days for all areas covered by this solicitation. The Prime Vendor must be aware that delays in excess of these timeframes may occur. The Prime Vendor is solely responsible for maintaining sufficient stock levels in its OCONUS facility(s) to cover any such delays in transport. This may include Airlifts of Not in Stock (“NIS”) items to be at the Prime Vendor’s expense.

Q: Given the requirement to maintain a minimum of 60 days of inventory at the Prime Vendor's OCONUS warehouse(s) for products with less than 180 days of shelf life, combined with the estimated CONUS-to-warehouse lead time of 90-120 days, please confirm that DLA expects the Prime Vendor to simultaneously: maintain the required operational inventory levels;

comply with all shelf-life requirements; maintain surge readiness; absorb transportation delays of any duration; and, where necessary, utilize Prime Vendor-funded emergency airlifts to prevent stock-outs. Please confirm that these planning assumptions form the basis upon which offerors are expected to develop their Distribution Prices.

DLA Troop Support Response: All requirements are listed in the Statement of Work and offerors shall utilize the requirements to develop their Distribution Prices accordingly.

Page 93 of the SOW

Q: Please confirm whether the Government intends the Prime Vendor to bear the full financial risk associated with cargo loss or damage occurring during Government-arranged transportation, including situations where the applicable carrier liability is contractually or legally limited below the Prime Vendor's actual replacement cost. If so, please confirm that no contractual mechanism exists to compensate the Prime Vendor for the unrecovered portion of such losses.

DLA Troop Support Response: See pages 91-97 of the SoW, Section V. Transportation, Subsection C. INSURANCE/LIABILITY AND CLAIMS.

Page 97 of the SOW: The SOW refers to the liability provisions of the USTRANSCOM carrier contract. As transportation under this solicitation includes multimodal movements (e.g., truck and/or rail transportation before ocean carriage and inland transportation after discharge), please clarify the liability regime applicable to loss or damage occurring during these inland transportation segments. Specifically, do the liability provisions applicable to the ocean carriage extend to these inland movements, or are different contractual terms or liability regimes applicable?

DLA Troop Support Response: See pages 91-97 of the SoW, Section V. Transportation, Subsection C. INSURANCE/LIABILITY AND CLAIMS.

Page 100 of the SOW states that the primary mode of transportation should be via Ground Line of Communication (GLOC), but that the Prime Vendor may be required to utilize Sea Line of Communication (SLOC) and switch between GLOC and SLOC at no additional cost to the Government. Please clarify the intended planning assumptions for proposal pricing. Specifically, should offerors assume that their Distribution Prices must include the capability to support both GLOC and SLOC transportation for all customers and delivery locations where either transportation mode may be directed, or will DLA identify the anticipated transportation mode(s) applicable to each customer or delivery location for pricing purposes?

Additionally, please clarify under what operational circumstances the Prime Vendor may be directed to switch from GLOC to SLOC during contract performance.

DLA Troop Support Response: The PV will determine and utilize the appropriate method to deliver to customers listed under section “XIII. Customers” on page pg. 138 of the SoW.

Page 103 of the SOW: Page 103 of the SOW states that the Prime Vendor may be required to provide overland transportation to or from APOD/SPOD locations, including handling activities such as pallet preparation, tarping, strapping, restocking, re-icing, and repacking in the event of delayed or cancelled flights. Please clarify the operational scope of this requirement:

• How does DLA define a single "request" under this provision (e.g., one shipment, one vehicle, one aircraft/vessel movement, or one mission)?

DLA Troop Support Response: One mission.

• Are there any limitations regarding shipment size, number of pallets, duration of support, frequency of handling activities, or repeated handling activities resulting from delayed or cancelled departures?

DLA Troop Support Response: No known limitations currently.

• How will the applicable APOD/SPOD locations be determined, and will the Prime Vendor be advised of the applicable locations prior to contract award?

DLA Troop Support Response: Locations will be given upon direction from the Contracting Officer.

• What is meant by "port-to-port shipments" under this requirement?

DLA Troop Support Response: Port to port is Aerial Ports of Embarkation (APOD) to Seaports of Debarkation (SPOD.) All Prime Vendor costs, including but not limited to the tasks described above shall be included in the Distribution Price.

Page 110 of the SOW states that "The Prime Vendor will ensure that employee background checks are up to date." As contract performance will occur in multiple countries with differing employment, privacy, and data protection laws, including jurisdictions where the scope, frequency, or availability of employee background checks may be restricted by law, please confirm that compliance with this requirement is limited to the background screening and verification activities that are legally permissible within the applicable country of employment and/or country of performance.

DLA Troop Support Response: The PV must comply with the requirements of the Statement of Work, and must comply with all local laws and regulations, as applicable.

Page 112 of the SOW Section VIII.A requires the Prime Vendor to provide documentation demonstrating that personnel have not been convicted of a felony, have not been declared mentally incompetent, and are not suffering from habitual drunkenness or narcotics addiction or dependence.

Q1: As this contract will be performed in multiple countries with differing employment, privacy, and data protection laws, where employers may be restricted from obtaining, verifying, or retaining such information, please clarify DLA's expectations regarding compliance with these requirements.

Specifically, will DLA accept compliance with applicable local laws and regulations where such information cannot legally be requested, verified, or documented by the Prime Vendor?

DLA Troop Support Response: The PV must comply with the requirements of the Statement of Work, and must comply with all local laws and regulations, as applicable.

Q2: If documentation is required, please clarify what forms of evidence are acceptable.

Specifically, will contractor self-certification or other documentation permitted under applicable local laws satisfy this requirement?

DLA Troop Support Response: The PV must comply with the requirements of the Statement of Work, and must comply with all local laws and regulations, as applicable.

Q3: Additionally, please clarify the applicability of General Order Number 1B. Does compliance with General Order Number 1B apply to all Prime Vendor and subcontractor personnel supporting the contract, regardless of their work location, or only to personnel deployed to, or performing duties within, the applicable Area of Responsibility (AOR) or on U.S.

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