Attachment_0015_-_Solicitation_Q_and_A__1_to_5.docx

Solicitation W15QKN-16-R-0057, Attachment 0015 Questions and Answers (A&A) 1-5

1. Reference Page 2, Acquisition Strategy Paragraph 2. The last sentence in the third paragraph states that “The Source Selection Authority has discretion regarding the value of a price premium to a small business when making the source selection decision.” Clarification is requested of what is meant by this clause. Under what circumstances and to what degree can the Source Selection Authority apply “discretion” regarding pricing provided by the Offerors?

ANSWER: The price premium applies to small businesses and if their proposal is technically acceptable and their pricing is within reason, the Government is willing to pay a price premium in order for small business to receive an award.

2. Reference Page 4, Paragraph A-1, subparagraph 4. The solicitation states that “This Procurement is RESERVED for SMALL BUSINESS, for the M2 Flexible and M2 Fixed Machine Gun Requirement.” Further clarification is requested regarding whether we, as an other than small business, will be allowed to bid on all 3 configurations of the M2 Machine gun. This paragraph appears to be in conflict with Para M.1.2 which requires all Offerors to include all three weapon variants in their proposals.

ANSWER: This was addressed in Amendment 0001, which clarified that “all responsible Offerors may compete for all three (3) M2 Flexed, M2 Fixed, and M2A1 Machine Gun requirements. However, one (1) of the two (2) awards will be reserved for small business.”

3. Reference Page 7, Section B. This section states that “First Production Lot shall be delivered within 270 days after Delivery order award. This is consistent with solicitation paragraph F.4 (page 51), but appears to be in conflict with Section F (a) (Page 44) which states that “Delivery schedule will be determined with each delivery order with deliveries to begin 180 days after date of delivery order contract.”

ANSWER: Deliveries are to begin within 270 days after delivery order award. Accordingly, the following will be corrected within Amendment 0002:

(1) Section F: Clause F-11, 52.211-8 Time of Delivery, paragraph (a), and

(2) Section L: Paragraph L.3.1.1 Factor 1 Production Capability, last sentence.

4. Reference Page 29, Paragraph C.4.4.4. The second sentence describes IPI as verification of “phosphate coating, supplementary oil treatment, salt spray and coating weight tests”, however the fourth sentence further states that: “the Contractor shall inspect and document all dimensions with actual measurements”. Clarification is requested on whether all dimensions in the TDP need to be verified with actual measurements, or do we simply have to provide actual measurements for the “phosphate coating, supplementary oil treatment, salt spray and coating weight tests”?

ANSWER: The dimensions of the TDP need to be verified.

5. With regard to Solicitation W15QKN-16-R-0057, clarification is requested of the following: Upon review of clauses C.6.5, M.3.6.6 and M.3.6.9 of the solicitation, we conclude that the 10% evaluation factor advantage specified in Section I-123 is limited to HUBZone Small Businesses, and does not extend to other non-HUBZone small businesses.

ANSWER: This conclusion is correct. The HUBZone price preference applies only to certified HUBZone Small Business (SB) concerns that agree to comply with the HUBZone SB limitations on subcontracting requirement. There is no price preference for SB or any other SB subcategory (such as Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) or Small Disabled Business (SDB) including 8(a)).