Attachment_2-_SPE60017R0509_Q&A.pdf

SPE600-17-R-0509 Responses Amendment 3

Below are questions solicited before, during and after the pre-proposal conference conducted 16 February 2017.

1) Is there any chance that the due date will be extended?

Submission of proposals for solicitation SPE600-17-R-0509 has been extended to 03 March 2017, 3:00 p.m. local Fort Belvoir time. The solicitation and OSP have been revised to reflect the change.

2) Since we are an Iraqi company located in Baghdad, Iraq and only can perform any service in Iraq. Do you allow us to quote for the services that are required in Iraq only? We have the capabilities to perform at all the mentioned sites in Iraq.

Yes. Offerors may provide an offer for the Iraq requirement only.

3) Do the deliverables, required plans in volume 1 have a page limit? (Contract Compliance Plan, Contract Contingency Plan, Contract Training Plan, Testing Requirements, Safety Plan, Transportation Plan)

The deliverables or required plans would be considered as part of the Technical Capability, Volume II, which is limited to 75 pages.

4) Is the required time to hold pricing 30 days or 180 days?

The Government requires a minimum acceptance period of 180 calendar days. Refer to DLA Energy clause L-0001-L1.02 on page 153 of the solicitation.

5) In the RFP, the evaluation criteria on page 155 lists 8 sub-factors for technical capability but on page 150, under3. VOLUME II, TECHNICAL CAPABILITY PROPOSAL: item 1), it only references 3 sub-factors.

What sub-factors are we required to discuss in the technical proposal? What sub-factors will we be evaluated on? Do you want us to align SOW requirements from Section C, to the sub-factors; what Section C requirements should be discussed under each sub-factor? For example, should we discuss C-

1.2 Facilities under Subfactor 1 Locations?

This has been identified as a typographical error of Volume II, Section I-Technical Capability. The technical proposal consists of eight sub-factors, as stated in the Addendum FAR 52.212-1-Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (Oct 2015), page 150. This correction has been made to the solicitation.

6) In Section C-1.0 General Description, “products can be shipped to contractor’s laboratory for testing, however the contractor will not provide transportation unless requested by the DLA Energy separately.” Is this transportation negotiable, is it mandatory, can providing transportation from a specific location be refused, how will this be paid for?

In accordance with FAR 52.243-1 Changes-Fixed Price Alt I (pgs. 63-64), the Contracting Officer may at any time, by written order, and without notice to the sureties, make changes to the general scope of the contract in one or more of the following: Description of services to be performed, Time of performance, and Place of performance of the services. Additionally, work may be added to the resulting contract via mutual agreement of parties. In both cases, pricing for transportation will be requested of the contractor to serve as a starting point for negotiations.

Requests for testing of samples originating from outside of the service locations listed in section C-1.0.1 of the SOW, will likely be transported by the Government to the Contractor’s facility at no cost to the Contractor. In cases where contractor transportation of samples is required, the price for transportation will be incorporated into the contract via the aforementioned processes.

7) In Section C-1.0.1 Service Locations, “Accessibility constraints for Afghanistan and Iraq.” Can testing for these countries be carried out by a laboratory outside of those countries? (aka: a centrally located facility) Can outside country labs conduct testing for Afghanistan and Iraq?

Yes, centrally located laboratories outside of Afghanistan and Iraq may conduct laboratory testing for these countries as long as it meets the turn-around times in section C-5.5 to C-5.5.2 of the SOW.

8) In Section C-4.0 Information and Records Management, “On expiration of the contract, all records except……………deemed property of the govt. and turned over to the govt.” Can the DLA explain what information specifically would be turned over as we must retain records of our analysis etc. to maintain our certification/accreditation? All reports of analysis etc. will be provided to the DLA following testing completion. What additional records etc. would need to be provided?

All data, relative to the tests conducted, shall be turned over to the Government.

9) In Section C-5.1 Testing Capabilities, “Contractor must keep DLA Energy Contracting Officer apprised of any changes to services and proficiencies in regard to this contract.” Is there a timeframe by which this is to be communicated when changes occur?

The contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer of changes in writing within 48 hours. This has been defined and revised in the SOW, Section C-5.1.

10) In Section C-5.4 Product Testing, “Samples which fail initial testing shall be retested immediately……..” Can the contractor charge for this re-testing or are re-tests to be included within the pricing submittal? If the DLA requests a sample to be re-tested after receiving a passing test result is that be separately billed? What do you mean by immediately? 24 hours? 48 hours?

In accordance with ASTM’s and MIL-STD-3004, samples that fail initial testing will be tested immediately.

Re-testing of failed samples shall be invoiced accordingly. Any failed testing, due to the Contractor’s negligence, will not be accepted for invoicing.

11) In Section C-5.5.1 Transportation Turnaround Times, “……defined as when the Contractor take possession of the sample from locations…………to when they are received at the Contractor’s facility.”

What is the requirements for notification of when product sample is ready and timeframe allowed to arrange for pickup of said sample?

The transportation turnaround times in C-5.5.1 and C-5.5.2 have been defined and revised in the Statement of Work dated 23 Feb 17.

12) In Section C-6.1 Sampling Performance Requirements, “capable of petroleum product sampling…….when requested…..” What is the timeframe under which the Contractor is to make personnel available for this service?

Testing of US Government-owned fuel product may be required at any time. A timeframe cannot be defined due to the fact that requirements surface unexpectedly.

13) In Section C-6.2 Witnessing Performance Requirements, “act as a “third party witness” What is the timeframe under which the Contractor is to make personnel available for this service? How many Days?

Testing of US Government-owned fuel product may be required at any time. A timeframe cannot be defined due to the fact that requirements surface unexpectedly.

14) In Section C-9.0 Special Fuels Performance Requirements, “…..Laboratory testing must be within local area.” Can you please define what a local area is? If Contractor is not within said local area what impact does this have on the contract award evaluation?

If special fuels sampling, handling and testing is required, the nearest Contractor laboratory facility, will be utilized. Contractor will be held to the turn-around times in Sections, C-5.5.1 and C-5.5.2 of the SOW.

15) As MIL, ASTM and other standards change within the marketplace, what is the timeframe for implementation of new methodologies?

Refer to Section C-1.1 of the SOW. Any new methodologies that may develop during the performance period, shall be implemented immediately.

16) What locations would have a requirement for testing FAME as part of the primary test slates? (ie.

JET A1, JP8, JP5 B-1, B-2, B-3 series)

All of the locations could possibly have a requirement for testing FAME.

17) Does award of the Fuel Lab Testing contract inhibit a fuel provider from simultaneously providing or competing for fuel purchase or fuel delivery contracts?

Perhaps yes. In the event the award of a fuel laboratory testing contract is to a fuel provider, organizational conflict of interest (OCI) is likely. Each contracting situation will have to be examined on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed contract to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Offerors that have or intend to compete for fuel contracts in locations covered by this solicitation should provide a proposed plan to mitigate any conflicts of interest for review by the Government.

18) Regarding to the fuel laboratory testing project Solicitation Number: SPE600-17-R-0509 would you please inform us about the availability of testing equipment/lab facilities in the location mentioned in the bidding documents in Afghanistan? Please clarify that is there any facilities available in those locations (Afghanistan) or should be provided by contractor?

Solicitation SPE600-17-R-0509 is for the acquisition of contractor-owned, contractor operated (COCO) laboratory testing services. The facilities, equipment, and labor (to include sampling and witnessing), shall be provided by the offeror or potential contractor. The location of facilities is determined by the resulting contractor.

19) Do I need to have a laboratory in each location listed under the Afghanistan location?

A laboratory in each location in Afghanistan is not required. A laboratory facility located within Afghanistan can only provide in-country laboratory service and cannot be a centrally located laboratory for locations outside of Afghanistan.

20) What is the expected timeframe from flyer to DoD location of pickup? Can the turn-around time be extended or testing methods be changed?

Refer to the transportation and testing turn-around times in Sections C-5.5.1 to C-5.5.2 of the SOW.

Exceptions/deviations/waivers (EDW) may be submitted for turn-around times, but not for testing methods. Testing specifications are listed for each product on Attachment 2 of the SOW.

21) Any other test method acceptable as a substitute for the referee method?

The referee method is the only approved method for a dispute resolution of laboratory testing per specifications in Attachment 1 of the SOW.

22) Can we submit exceptions for one location or does it have to be for all three locations?

Exceptions/deviations/waivers (EDW) are submitted for services the Contractor has identified as unable to perform. They may be submitted for any location the Offeror wishes to compete for.

23) Does the Contractor have to provide the third-party witness?

Yes to ensure that sampling and testing is conducted in compliance with the specified test standards outlined in the SOW and avoid any conflicts of interest. Pricing for witnessing shall be offered on the Price Sheet.

24) Is FAME a testing requirement of Primary A Series Testing for the products listed within Attachment 2?

Yes, when the fuel travels through a multi-product system.

25) Are any products requested to be tested currently "transported through multi-product systems"?

Yes, Jet fuels and Diesel fuels, located in Fujairah, UAE and Jebel Ali, UAE, have multi-product pipelines.

26) What products need to be tested for the Afghan proposal as some of the fuels listed do not exist in this theater? (F-35, F-34, F-44, Aviation Gas, Gasoline, Diesel fuel, FSII additive).

Product types can change based on mission needs in the region. All products are listed in Attachment 1 of the SOW and can be addressed in the Offeror’s Submission Package.

27) Testing will be required in accordance to which standard specification? (We are already conforming to MIL-DTL-83133 for F-34, ASTM D-975 for Diesel & ASTM D-4814 for Gasoline).

Testing for each product will be in accordance with the latest revision of the appropriate standard as listed on page 6 of the Statement of Work.

28) If we perform Doctor Test instead of Marcaptan sulfur, it is relaxed in standards (ASTM D1655, DEF 91-91 and MIL-DTL-83133) that marcaptan sulfur is only need to perform when doctor test is failed.

The Marcaptan test is not required as long as the doctor test is negative. If the doctor test is positive, marcaptan shall be tested.

29) If we perform Smoke point only not Naphthalene, it is relaxed in standards (ASTM D1655, DEF 91- 91 and MIL-DTL-83133) that when smoke point is below 25mm, then Naphthalene is needed to perform.

Performing the smoke point test without naphthalene is acceptable, as long as the smoke point is above the minimum of 25mm. If the smoke point is below 25 mm, the new limit is a minimum of 18 mm with a naphthalene content of 3.0% maximum.

30) If we don’t have capability for FAME and Lubricity of Aviation fuel, can we outsource the testing?

Yes. Be mindful that prospective prime contractors are responsible for determining the responsibility of their prospective subcontractors. Determination of prospective subcontractor responsibility may affect the Government’s determination of the prospective prime contractor’s responsibility. The prospective prime contractor may be required to provide written evidence of a proposed subcontractor’s responsibility. The prime would also have to make sure the turn-around times are met in accordance to the SOW.

31) There are also some in-capabilities for some other products (Avgas, FSII additive etc.) highlighted in the capability sheet already communicated to you.

Provide specific details in Offers Submission Package to include how you will meet this requirement or submit any exceptions/deviations/ waivers (EDW) per the instructions within the solicitation, page 148.

These EDW will be evaluated in accordance with DLA Energy clause M72, Evaluation of Offers (Exceptions/Deviations).

32) If we will be drawing samples from the sources (tanks, lorries and bowsers) at all locations then we need to upgrade/check our sampling equipment needed to draw samples.

Not a question. Provide specific details in Offers Submission Package to include how you will meet this requirement.

33) Just want to make sure I understand the below pasted statement from Page 6 Note… If our contract as the supplier is for the ASTM standards then we should only have to meet ASTM standards on the SPE600-17-R-0509 solicitation. Is this correct?

Note from page 6 (SOW): Some locations provide the above products which meet locally established specifications. If the U.S. Government is in receipt of any of the above fuel grades with local specification(s), DLA Energy will provide the contractor(s) the local specification and the test method(s) required if requested.

There may be instances where, for example, diesel fuel will not be tested to either ASTM D975 or EN 590, but instead to a local specification from which the product originates from. In those cases, DLA Energy will provide the specification for the testing.

34) Could you please provide the local specification and the test method(s) required by DLA-E for fuel products received in Afghanistan? (As in note on page 6 of the SOW)

Note from page 6 (SOW): Note: Some locations provide the above products which meet locally established specifications. If the U.S. Government is in receipt of any of the above fuel grades with local specification(s), DLA Energy will provide the contractor(s) the local specification and the test method(s) required if requested.

DLA Energy will provide local specification and test methods for testing in Afghanistan when testing is required. Local specification and test methods will not be provided prior to contract award.

35) Do we have to take exception to the lab locations we do not want to bid?

To provide a clear explanation, if an offeror chooses not to submit a proposal for all three locations (e.g.

submit proposal for Iraq only), no exception is required. If an offeror chooses to bid for a location but chooses not to service one or more of its sub-locations (e.g. Bids for Iraq but choose not to provide service in Baghdad and Qwest), an exception must be submitted. Submit any exceptions/deviations/ waivers (EDW) per the instructions within the solicitation, page 148. These EDW will be evaluated in accordance with DLA Energy clause M72, Evaluation of Offers (Exceptions/Deviations).

36) Can we bid on Afghanistan and Iraq work from lab capability in Sharjah?

Yes. The turn-around times in section C-5.5.1 of the SOW must be met.

37) Can we subcontract test for Oxygen and Helium gases to the Manufactures laboratory and test witness the same?

Yes, testing may be subcontracted. Be mindful that prospective prime contractors are responsible for determining the responsibility of their prospective subcontractors. Determination of prospective subcontractor responsibility may affect the Government’s determination of the prospective prime contractor’s responsibility. The prospective prime contractor may be required to provide written evidence of a proposed subcontractor’s responsibility. The prime contractor would have to make sure the turn-around times are met in accordance with the SOW.

38) Can testing for samples originating from Afghanistan and Iraq be tested by a laboratory that is located outside of Afghanistan and Iraq?

Yes. The turn-around times in section C-5.5.1 of the SOW must be met.

39) Can we use internet links within the technical proposal for the deliverable plans required in C-2 of the SOW. The 75 page limit only allows us to include an excerpt of our plans.

Internet links are not acceptable for submission with the technical proposal. Restrict the technical proposal to the 75 page limit, per instructions in Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Volume II-Technical Capability Proposal.

40) In the Solicitation document, under Volume III, Past Performance, on page 151 of 160, it “Note:

Offerors who have submitted a proposal for similar services within the last 12 months do not have to submit a questionnaire, but must provide the solicitation number and location of their offer.” Do we need to provide questionnaires if we have past performance within the last 2 months? Or is this a one to one requirement? For example, if we have 1 project, we only need to provide 2 questionnaires? Or if we have 1 project, we don’t need to provide any questionnaires?

Proposals submitted to DLA-Energy for similar services within the last 12 months does not require submission of a questionnaire; however, offerors must provide the solicitation number and location of the offer.