RMW_Preproposal_Conference_QnAs.pdf

DLA Energy Rocky Mountain West (RMW) Pre-proposal Conference Questions and Answers:

Department of Navy Farm to Fleet and Department of Agriculture:

1. Question - Expand on the Green Fleet 2016 project, how much fuel is expected for operations?

Answer – For the Green Fleet West Coast use, the exact amount is unknown. However, the fuel is not just for the Green Fleet but also for use throughout the fleet.

Follow-on Question – What time period is expected?

Answer – The fuel will be purchased throughout the life of the contract.

2. Question - Is waste fryer grease an eligible feedstock?

Answer – It is not eligible for CCC.

Solicitation Overview:

3. Question – Different volumes were stated than what is in the Solicitation?

Answer – An Amendment will be released shortly.

4. For the JP5 quantities, under 2.2D there are two different quantities stated one under OS and the other under WC… what is the significance of OS?

Answer – OS stands for Offshore. WC stands for West Coast. This is reflective of regional indicators for the Rocky Mountain/West Coast/Offshore program.

5. Question - When are offers due?

Answer – May 8, 2015

Follow-on Question – will there be an extension due to the Amendment that is expected to be released?

Answer – There may, it depends.

Follow-on Question - Until when will you extend? Significant changes impacts our offer, if possible can we be notified if you expect to extend the closing deadline preferably by this week.

Answer – We will let you know as soon as we can.

6. Question - Is the technical evaluation criteria weighted and/or prioritized?

Answer – Each technical subfactor is weighted equally. However, an unacceptable rating for any single subfactor would result in the entire technical proposal being found unacceptable.

7. Question - Referenced Line Item 0042 and Nellis but the question was in regards to Additives and why the Additives stated were different from the additives stated per mode.

Answer - Additives will be addressed in detail during the supply and BEM sections.

8. Question – For OET, if an offer is submitted manually can it be converted into OET during the negotiation period or during request for interim offers?

Answer – Yes, it can be converted during negotiations and/or when interim offers are due into OET, but extra time will not be granted if the offeror chooses to use OET.

9. Question - What platform will be used for Reverse Auction?

Answer – Procurex will still be used for this Solicitation but OET will be used in the future for Reverse Auction.

10. Question - Are discussions for clarification and/or negotiations expected to be done on-site, orally?

Answer – No, negotiations are not expected to be done in person and can be completed via phone, phone conference, teleconference, and email.

Technical Evaluation:

11. Question - Continuation of question 7, Additives?

Answer – If the requirement location does not require additives, you must pay attention to the additives identified per mode.

Further clarification – Legacy systems only had additive requirements by mode. If for example in Nellis under that location we require additives (YYY) and via PL mode we do not require additives (NNN) then what that means is that we are injecting the additives in-bound at the base. If for truck mode the additives are required (YYY) then we are requiring the additives to be injected at the truck rack. There’s consideration in changing the schedule to only show the additives per mode but currently on this Solicitation we are showing both.

Follow-on Question – In this case the location requirement for additives is NNN and the mode is showing YYY?

Answer – Then that may be a mistake. Please bring that up to the Contracting Officer’s attention.

Quality Requirements/CCC/Section 526:

Question - Previous Inland East Coast Solicitation, the bio-fuel/synthetic product had to be on-spec in tank and in vessel? Can you consider taking the product just on-spec in the vessel? [Question relates to verifying quality prior to government acceptance via tanker loading]

Answer – The neat synthetic fuel needs to have a full CoA showing conformance to the spec requirements prior to blending with petroleum and then the final finished blend must show conformance with an additional CoA. Ideally, the fuel would be blended in a stationary storage facility, then the fuel would be sampled and tested, and once quality has been verified would be loaded onto the mode of transportation. Typically, practices such as “splash blending” are not allowed, however specific situations may warrant a more tailored approach to traditional practices which DLA Energy may be willing to consider given sufficient information.

12. Question – In regards to (the F-76 traceability requirements in C16.23), please provide clarification on specific molecules… if the molecule is available closer, than isn’t that more attractive? Molecules had to be identified so the molecules have to come from the refiner?

As a trader, it is difficult to trace molecules? This is in regards to the traceability requirement?

Answer – The traceability requirement in C16.23 for F-76 is intended to provide assurance that no unapproved materials as described in Sec 3.2 of MIL-DTL-16884N have been intentionally blended into the product either at the refinery or downstream at an intermediate location. These would include blend components such as residual fuels, un-hydrotreated light cycle oils, or oxygenated compounds (i.e. FAME) or any unapproved additives, such as stabilizer additives, not specifically allowed in the specification. The intent was not to try to control contaminants that may be picked up through normal distribution and transportation systems, but rather the intentional blending of the aforementioned materials.

13. Question – Antioxidant where is it injected?

Answer – As soon as it has been hydro-treated and before tankage. Antioxidant shall be added as soon as practicable after hydroprocessing or fractionation synthesizing and prior to the product being passed into storage to prevent peroxide and gum formation after manufacture.

Bid Evaluation and OET:

14. Question – For OET do you require separate registrations, one for Bulk and one for Direct

Delivery?

Answer – Yes, they are separate roles so we require separate accounts. Also, if you offer using more than one Cage Code then you have to create a separate account for each cage code.

15. Question - How do you award if you receive two offers, an alt fuel company after CCC offer and a petroleum offer, both at the same exact price, $3.50?

Answer: For that to occur, both offers will have to be exactly the same. The BEM will usually give the award result to one or the other but if there is a true tie then the Contracting Officer can award the highest biofuel percentage offer. It is rare that there is a tie.

16. Continuation Question 7 and 11 – Additives?

Answer – If there is a mistake, let contracting know because you cannot have no additives

(N) at the requiring location and then have (Y) additives by mode. You can have additives

(Y) at the location and then by mode it can be different (either Y or N).

17. You mentioned a "doomsday clock" on OET; does this show on a per instance case?

Answer - Yes. It is set specifically for the particular instance in OET.

18. Can I change my offer once I submit in OET?

Answer - Yes. Up to the closing time for offers for that particular round. Once you have submitted your offer, when you select that offer again, you will be asked if you want to remain in 'read only' mode or if you want to 'unsubmit' your offer to make changes and resubmit. NOTE. If you do 'unsubmit' to make changes and fail to resubmit by the closing time set for offers, you will NOT have a timely offer in place.

19. If I don't bid on one product (in OET), can I then add a product to my offer the next round

(i.e. initial then interim offer, interim then FPR, etc)?

Answer - The current configuration of OET does not restrict you from adding products, shipping points, method of delivery, etc. during any round of the solicitation up to the final offers. During a Reverse Auction round, you can only change price. It will be up to the Contracting Officer if the new product/location will be considered for award.

20. When will the BEM run (be provided)?

Answer - A typical distribution would be; first Minimum Cost Bid Evaluation Worksheet (MCBEW) and Laid Down Cost Report (LDCR) issued approximately 1 week before Final Proposals, the next set of reports issued before each subsequent Reverse Auction round. The actual sequence and timing of distribution of the MCBEW and LDCR will be determined by the Contracting Officer.