16Q0103,_QUESTIONS_AND_ANSWERS.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

RFQ No. SRP380-16-Q-0103

Packing and Shipping Services for U.S. Embassy Manila, Philippines

Question No. 1: How and what are the requirements in order to register to SAM system?

Answer: Refer to the Minutes of the Meeting and Section 3 FAR provision 542.204-7, SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (JUL 2013) on page 86.

Question No. 2: Can you please list out all the “receipted” expenses allowed to bill back on inbound shipments? There are many so we would like to be clear.

A partial list we have is:

THC

CIC (container imbalance charge)

ECRC (Emergency Cost Recovery Charge)

NVOCC charges/Warehousing and other LCL charges for LCL shipments

Arrastre

Container stripping charges for POV’s

Answer: Refer to answer on question no. 20.

Question No. 3: On page 7, Item H. Delivery of Containerized Shipments and Return of Empty

Container and page 38 - it states that it does not require unpacking. Delivery of Containerized

Shipment DO NOT require offloading/unpacking services however, a year ago or so

(approximately) and up to date, we are supplying the labor services to offload the contents of the containers. Will labor services for offloading the container contents be required for this solicitation?

Answer: Under this service, no unpacking is required. Refer to Attachment 1, Section 3.8 on page 38; The requirements of the current contract have changed, and as such, it is the responsibility of the offerors to review the solicitation requirements and terms and conditions to arrive at their proposed firm fixed prices.

Question No. 4: On page 9, Item I. Pick-up and Delivery of Vehicles to Carriers, may we recommend the following:

Import – POV should be insured once stripped from container (is being practiced already)

Export – POV should still be insured until accepted by S/L

Answer: Yes. POVs are automatically insured by the U.S. Government.

Question No. 5: On page 38, Item 3.5 (a)(2) Storage of Cargo with pick-up and delivery, storage billing should be based on the outside dimensions of the lift van. It is a standard practice that warehousing storage is billed on the outside dimensions of the crate/lift van utilized not of the weight/volume of its contents.

Answer: Billing will be based on the outside dimension of the lift van provided that the lift van is full; otherwise it will be pro-rated.

Question No. 6: On page 38, Item 3.8 (b) Delivery of Containerized Shipment and return of

Empty Container and page 52, Removal of Debris and Return of Containers, under this category or section, Container Cleaning Fee (CCF) are being deducted in our (Contractor) invoices hence, we bill the Embassy for Shipping Line Charges net of CCF. Please note that

CCF is a standard shipping line charges and in fact, is being billed alongside local charges i.e.

THC, Docs Fee, Shipping Imbalance Fee, etc.... In any event that a container sustained damage and/or is found dirty or stained, we (Contractor) are being billed for it and we settle them accordingly. Therefore, CCF should not be deducted from our invoice to the Embassy.

Answer: Container Cleaning Fee (CCF) is considered a receipted expense.

Question No. 7: On page 39, Item 3.9 (a) Pick up and Delivery of Vehicles to Carriers, do we leave the driver’s window partially opened (4 inches)?

Answer: All windows should be totally closed upon loading of the vehicle to the container.

Refer to Amendment A-003.

Question No. 8: On page 39, item 3.10 Processing of Amendment, 5 working days is workable

IF the shipment has not arrived yet HOWEVER, if amendment will be done after arrival and has been manifested at the Port, minimum working days to process the entire procedure is 10 working days.

Answer: Please refer to amendment A-003 to change the number of working days from 5 working days to 10 working days.

Question No. 9: On page 45, Pre Shipment Survey, a copy of the signed pre move survey results was not provided to the employee or the COR prior to pack out (a fine/penalty of Php2,000.00).

Survey result is being finalized in the office after which, is being sent via email to both COR and Employee therefore, the signature of the employee is not affixed to the survey report.

Answer: The signature of the employee is not required in the survey report. It is the signature of the estimator/person who conducts the survey that is required. Refer to Attachment 1

Section 8 SCHEDULING AND PLANNING SHIPMENT PICKUPS on page 45.

Question No. 10: On page 83, Section 3 Solicitation Provisions, (1) A (c) Section 5

Representations and Certifications, just for clarification – IF offeror has completed paragraph b which is Representations and Certifications, we will only complete PARAGRAPH B?

Answer: Apart from SAM Registration, submission of Section 5 is required as part of the offer per Section 3, Solicitation Provisions.

Question No. 11: Village Entrance - so far, the only village that charges entrance fee is San

Lorenzo Village at a minimal cost. We would like to request that ALL parking and truck ban fees supported by Official Receipts by the proper Authorities be reimbursed as part of the

Receipted Expenses.

Answer: Village entrance fee and parking fee are part of the services and are not considered as receipted expenses. It is the responsibility of each offeror to incorporate these types of fees/costs into the firm fixed prices it proposes.

Question No. 12: On page 4, Packing, Crating and Shipping of Outgoing HHE within the

Manila area, 100kgs/1cbm. The estimated quantity is 100,000 x 100kgs/1cbm and the maximum value of the contract is USD319,770. Our cost for this service would be more than usd3 per unit so already the maximum spend of the entire contract has been reached. Please clarify. Also

100,000kgs would be over 1,600 40’ containers which seems incorrect. For imports it is estimated at 90,000 units. Do you mean usd100,000 and usd90,000?

Answer: Unit of Measure is per 100kgs. Estimated quantity is 1,000 units (100,000 kgs). Rate per unit should be for every 100kgs. Please refer to Amendment A-003.

Question No. 13: On page 4, Packing, Crating and Shipping of outgoing HHE within the

Manila area. Where is the shipping to? I am thinking you mean transport to the port for export.

Answer: The contractor will deliver the shipment to the shipping line at the port. Refer to

Attachment 1, Paragraph 3.1 on page 35.

Question No. 14: Can you confirm that 100kgs = 1cbm/220lbs? I ask this as we don’t normally work in kilos for non-air shipments and also to be sure that there is no alternative conversion rate that you are using.

Answer: The unit of measure to be used in the contract is per100 kgs.

Question No. 15: On page 7, G.1 Packing and Delivery, where is it being delivered to? I am thinking you mean transport to the port for export.

Answer: The contractor will deliver the shipment to the shipping line at the port. Refer to

Attachment 1, Paragraph 3.7 on page 38.

Question No. 16: On page 7, Item H. Delivery of containers from the port to Manila, is the

Customs clearance cost included here? If not where do we include the clearance cost for imports?

Answer: Yes. Refer to Attachment 1, Section 3.8 on page 38

Question No. 17: On page 32, Comprehensive General Liability. Bodily Injury, we provide our employee’s with health insurance so in the case of any accident they are covered for medical expenses. Would this suffice?

Answer: Contractor shall provide the required bodily insurance on page 32. Also, refer to FAR

52.247-21 in Section 2 on page 75.

Question No. 18: On page 32, Bonding of Employees, is this applicable? If yes, then please elaborate.

Answer: Yes, if legally required by local government or local practice. Refer to Section 1.12

BONDING OF EMPLOYEES on page 32.

Question No. 19: It is the thrust of our company to minimize loans to financial institutions.

Thus, we do not maintain a credit line. We operate in CASH or through advances by stockholders (if required). In previous bid submissions to the U.S. Embassy, we simply presented bank certifications as proof that we are highly liquid and in good financial standing.

Will bank certifications showing that we have in our accounts 110% of the contract price suffice? We are also maintaining ongoing contracts in the amounts of Php47.13M and

Php40.038M, which we are able to service without the need for a credit line.

If a credit line is indeed required, since the application process will take more than 2 weeks, may we request for an extension for this particular requirement? We will ensure to submit prior to contract signing (in the event that the contract is awarded to us).

Answer: Refer to Section 3.A.2.(4) on page 84

Question No. 20: Kindly enumerate which of the below are charges we can bill as per receipt:

Arrastre

Wharfage

LCL charges

Consolidator’s off-dock warehousing

Terminal Handling (THC)

Storage/demurrage

Collect ocean/air freight charges

Road usage fee

Elevator fee

Container imbalance fee

Port congestion fee

Breakbulk/Heavylift/Oversized fee

Kindly add other charges not in this list, which we may bill as per receipt.

Answer: Refer to Amendment A-003. Receipted expenses shall only include the prices which would be paid to the shipping line (excluding air or sea transportation which will be done through GBL) and to the port. It will not include other charges such as elevator fee, village entrance fee, road user’s fee, parking fee and similar fees.

Question No. 21: In the last 3 years, may we know the number of containerized shipments packed or delivered to the following areas:

BGC

Pacific Plaza Towers

Essensa East Forbes

Answer: Approximately 85 shipments for the last 3 years. Note that the requirements have changed, and as such, it is the responsibility of the offerors to review the solicitation requirements and terms and conditions to arrive at their proposed firm fixed prices

Question No. 22: Does packing of an upright piano require closed crating or will slotted crating suffice? Also, do you allow separate charging for packing of baby grand and grand pianos (out of contract) since these are only occasionally included in shipments?

Answer: Closed crating is required. Refer to Amendment A-003.

Separate charging for packing of pianos is not allowed. Also, refer to Attachment 2, Paragraphs 1(g) on page 56 and 6(e) on page 59

Question No. 23: We wished to clarify what "Estimated Quantity" is on page 4, Part 4: Base

Period Prices? Is the Estimated Quantity treated as the total weight of 100kgs x 1,000 uab's

(unspecified)?

Answer: Page 4 Part 4 is Packing, Crating and Shipping of Household Effects and not UAB.

Estimated quantity is 1,000 units (100,000 kgs). Refer to Amendment A-003.

Unit of measure which is per 100 kgs is the basis of pricing.