ATTACHMENT 5 - Lubes RFP Questions and Answers.pdf

Bulk Lubricants

SPE602-26-R-0713

Attachment 5

1. Q: CLIN 0011: Can you please clarify the delivery narrative? Is the seavan government owned?

A: The Sea Van containers will NOT by provided by the Government for CLIN 0011.

2. Q: What is the benefit to large businesses to use a small business contractor? Is there any incentive to use a small/woman/disadvantaged business?

A: Large businesses may subcontract with small business concerns, including women-owned small businesses (WOSB) and small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), to support achievement of the small business subcontracting goals established in their subcontracting plans. Large businesses are required to submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9 and DFARs 252.219-7996.

This acquisition is a partial small business set-aside, the set-aside portion provides opportunities for eligible small business concerns to compete for award. There is no separate preference or incentive under this solicitation solely for a large business to utilize a WOSB or SDB.

3. Q: Please confirm, SAM.gov shows the solicitation as a 2.6% Total Small Business Set-

Aside. Could you please confirm whether this opportunity is open to all businesses? We are interested in participating if it is open to all eligible businesses.

A: Line item 0011 has been Set Aside for SDVOSB and/or Small Businesses, if you fall into one of those categories, you are eligible to offer.

4. Q: Could you please confirm whether equivalent or alternate products will be considered for this solicitation?

A: No alternate or equivalent products will be considered.

5. Q: Solicitation Note 5 identifies the Blount Island L40 SDVOSB set-aside as Item 0007.

However, in Section B, the Blount Island L40 requirement (NSN 9150-01-555-3598, 50,000 UG6, N69450531, Jacksonville FL) appears as Item 0011, while Item 0007 appears to be a 15,000-gallon LO6 requirement for Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, CT.

Attachment 5

Could you please confirm the correct item number against which an offer for the Blount Island L40 SDVOSB set-aside should be submitted?

A: Item 0011 is correct. Solicitation Note has been updated.

6. Q: Item 0011 reflects a total quantity of 50,000 USG with no unrestricted portion shown.

Note 5, however, appears to divide the Blount Island requirement into 25,000 USG reserved for small business concerns and 25,000 USG reserved for SDVOSB concerns.

Should an SDVOSB offeror submit only for the 25,000 USG SDVOSB portion, or may an SDVOSB concern also compete for the 25,000 USG small business portion?

A: I cannot advise an offeror on how to structure its offer. As a general matter, however, an offeror that qualifies as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) would also qualify as a small business concern and may submit an offer for the full requirement.

7. Q: The Blount Island delivery note states that an empty container will be available for pickup approximately 55 days after the initial delivery date and that offers must include 55 days of free time for sea van containers. However, it does not specify who furnishes the sea van containers for the initial delivery.

By comparison, the Puget LO6 requirement expressly states that the Government will furnish and ship bulk containers to the contractor for filling.

For the Blount Island requirement, is the contractor expected to furnish the sea van containers, or are Government-furnished containers provided?

A: The Sea Van containers for Item 0011 will NOT be provided by the Government.

8. Q: Could you please clarify the required Sea Van/container configuration for this item?

A: Any location specific Sea Van/container configurations are identified in the delivery notes for the specific Item # in the Schedule in Section B of the RFP. Questions related to Sea Van/container configurations on a specific line item may be addressed during negotiations.

Attachment 5

9. Q: Specifically, please confirm whether an ISO tank container, a flexi tank installed in an intermodal container, or another specific bulk-liquid Sea Van configuration is required or acceptable.

A: An ISO tank container is acceptable. A flexi tank installed on an intermodal container would NOT be acceptable.

10. Q: Is there a set aside for small business?

A: Line Item 0011 has been set aside for small business and SDOVSB.

11. Q: Can I bid only locations in Virginia?

A: I cannot advise an offeror on how to structure its offer. Locations an offeror chooses to bid is an individual business decision.

12. Q: Regarding ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTEMENT, has any other index besides ICIS been reviewed?

A: DLA Energy has not reviewed any other publications but offers can request additional escalators in Section B exception requests for review but approval is not guaranteed.

13. Q: Why does GROUP II 600/650 FOB Posted Price have a substantial evaluation factor vs GROUP I 600/650 FOB Posted Price?

A: The difference is based on how the different escalator’s base reference price varies relative to its respective 12-month average.

14. Q: Several points in the RFP in the DETERMINATION OF QUANTITY reference 15 degrees Celsius, we believe this should be 15.6 degrees Celsius to line up 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

A: This RFP supports both U.S. and international billing systems. By listing gallons with 60°F and liters with 15°C, the two different global standards are represented.

15. Q: Will an updated RFP be released without the duplicate volumes for LTL?

A: Amendment 0001 was released, which removed the duplicate volumes.

Attachment 5

16. Q: SHIPMENT AND ROUTING (c2) DAILY LOAD LIST, Does DLA have a format they would like this reported in or will a simple email suffice on shipment days?

A: A simple email is fine.

17. Q: If a shipment of oil passes all the conformance testing at the shipper site and is then transported to the DLA depot via Sea Van, and then subsequently fails to conform. For example, ASTM D892 – Foam Test.

Who maintains chain of custody?

A: FOB Destination: Vendor is responsible for maintaining custody until delivered to destination.

FOB Origin: DLA assumes custody at point of loading. In the event of conformance testing failure, DLA Energy would conduct an investigation to determine the root cause of the nonconformance and identify where the issue occurred.

Problem resolution procedures?

A: When a POL shipment fails quality conformance testing, DLA Energy will immediately segregate the affected container (e.g., Sea Van, ISO Container) and place the product on a QUALITY HOLD. Initiate the original testing laboratory to retest the exact same sample to rule out initial equipment calibration, procedural, or laboratory errors. Draw a fresh, representative "all-level" sample from the container and submit it to an independent third-party laboratory for verification testing to confirm the physical property failure. Submit the original sample containers concurrently to an authorized research laboratory for advanced physical and chemical forensic analysis. In support of this analysis, DLA Energy may formally request specific raw material compositions and ingredient-level information from the manufacturer, to help isolate the failure. Convene and collaborate with all key stakeholders—including the product supplier, transportation contractor, receiving customer, and testing laboratories—to synthesize data and establish the definitive root cause. Lastly, execute the final disposition decision (e.g., reconditioning the product, downgrading/regrading it, or disposing of it).

18. Q: Do you provide a list of preferred bulk carriers? List of approved carriers?

A: A list of carriers is not provided. For FOB Destination: Vendor arranges transportation with a carrier of their choosing. FOB Origin: DLA arranges transportation.

19. Q: Do the SNLubes calculations take into consideration not only oil prices but transportation costs?(Increases in fuel and surcharges)

Attachment 5 A: Transportation costs are not incorporated into the escalator.

20. Q: What is the average time from PO to expected delivery?

A: Please refer to the “ORDERS/DELIVERY TIME (LUBES/FSII)” section for order notification timelines.

21. Q: Can you please clarify whether the Commodity Price index is based on the Independent Chemical Intelligence Service Base Oils Americas?

A: DLA’s price index is based on the Independent Commodity Intelligence Services ICIS Chemical Prices.

22. Q: Are offerors offering a differential over the base commodity price or are we offering a price per unit?

A: DLA wants the all in award price per gallon. Please reference the ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT – PUBLISHED MARKET PRICE – DLA ENERGY DOMESTIC BULK for how prices are calculated.

23. Q: Can you please clarify the formula for pricing? The way it is written out on page 37 makes it look like you subtract the base commodity price from the base award unit price, which gives you your differential. You take that differential and add it to the adjusted commodity price on the date of delivery, and that sum is what DLA will pay. Is that right?

A: Yes, that is correct.

24. Q: Is the “base market price” referenced under Note #1 on p. 39 the same thing as the “base commodity price”?

A: Yes

25. Q: Are there any groups of CLINs that must be bid on together, or can each CLIN be bid upon separately?

A: No, all CLINs must be bid separately.

26. Q: Re “Orders/Delivery Time”: how much time are contractors given to make a delivery?

A: Please refer to the “ORDERS/DELIVERY TIME (LUBES/FSII)” section for order notification timelines.

27. Q: What is the required amount of notice that each activity is required to provide to contractors when placing an order? For example, are ordering officers required to allow a minimum of 48 hours to deliver?

Attachment 5 A: Please refer to the “ORDERS/DELIVERY TIME (LUBES/FSII)” section for order notification timelines.

28. Q: How can we check whether the products we offer are approved by the DLA? In other words, are there specific brands that are approved or can we bid any brand?

A: Please refer to Section M, Factor 1: Technical Acceptability, Subfactor 2, each product has different instructions.

29. Q: What is an example of a minimum order for a bulk delivery?

A: The minimum parcel size is identified in each Item # in the Schedule under Section B.

30. Q: How can we know what an average delivery size is for each CLIN?

A: The delivery size will fall between the Minimum and Maximum Parcel size listed in each Item # in the Schedule under Section B.

31. Q: Is there a list of required documents to be submitted in OET?

A: There is no comprehensive list, I suggest reviewing the required documents in Section M, Factor 1: Technical Acceptability and attachments to the RFP.

39. Q: Does the SBA Nonmanufacturer Rule, 13 CFR 121.406, apply to this SDVOSB set-aside requirement?

A: The SBA Nonmanufacturer Rule applies to the SB set aside.

40. Q: If so, must the product be manufactured by a small business concern, or is there an SBA class waiver applicable to this item?

A: There is no SBA Class waiver applicable to this item. To qualify for the Set Aside Quantity an offeror must adhere to FAR 52.219-33.

41. Q: If no class waiver exists, and the proposed manufacturer is other than small, would an individual waiver be required before award?

A: Yes

42. Q: If an individual waiver would be required, is DLA Energy considering or able to request such a waiver for this requirement?

A: DLA Energy is not currently considering pursuing an individual waiver for this requirement.