Pre-Solicitation Conference Questions_3July2020.docx

Vendor Provided Questions in Response to Pre-Solicitation Conference Appliance Maintenance W564KV-20-R-0014

1. In case of handing in 1 solicitation for all 3 locations at once, will US-Army take the most favourable from all the bids for just 1 or 2 locations? Or do you consider this to be one bulk solicitation? For example contractor 1, who did a bid on Italy only would get Location Italy, and Contractor 2 who did a bid on all 3 locations would be awarded Germany and Benelux.

Answer: We will be looking at each location individually. It is possible for 1 contractor to get all locations assuming that all evaluation criteria is met and they are the lowest price.

2. If a solicitation is done for all 3 locations would it be considered as one solicitation for the whole contract?

Answer: Yes, it would be considered a single proposal.

3. Do we need to send in separate solicitations for each area as well since the overhead cost pro area are different if you have to manage three area’s or one area?

Answer: Yes, you would need to send in separate proposals.

4. Does a joint solicitation for all countries increase the chances for acceptance of this overall bid compared to single-country-bids?

Answer: A proposal for all locations that provides the lowest price technically acceptable for each location would receive award for all locations.

5. Phase-in/Phase out. We believe that some items, like setting up a parts program, will take longer than 30 days of phasing in. Though we would agree to a 60% completion rate of all repairs in the first 30 days. Would a 90 days phase in something to be considered?

Answer: RA Provide (90 days phase in would be o.k. but would require a step-out (i.e. 60 days 80%, 90 days 100%).

6. If solicitation is per location and replacement parts are included in the monthly FFP:

a. What happens with the current spare part stock of US Army in Sembach?

Answer: They will be transferred to the prime contractor or distributed based on workload to multiple vendors based on individual awards.

b. Will these replacement parts be divided per location?

Answer: See above

c. Does each location then need to set up a warehouse and system to manage these replacement parts?

Answer: Vendor digression

7. If in case appliances are broken due to transportation or willing full damage are these repairs also needed to be calculated in a FFP per month, or will these be invoiced separately?

Answer: Calculated in FFP per month

8. The attachments show the usage of parts. What are the currently cost per year on these parts?

Answer: See relevant attachments per historical costs

9. What do you expect the service provider to do with scrapped appliances, meaning used / cannibalised parts?

Answer: See PWS chapter 5

10. We understand from documentation, that (except for Italy) no refurbishment and cleaning activities are requested to be taken into the calculation. In the past it sometimes happened that we assisted in connections and cleaning dryers in the inside.

a. Is this contract a repair only contract?

Answer: Yes

b. So no other services than repairing on broken appliances are the possible requests from FMO’s?

Answer: Only Appliance Repair and cannibalization

11. In the past, there were safety tests required on individual call basis. Is this service still included in the FFP? To our understanding, this is not part of a repair and would not be included in this contract.

Answer: See PWS Chapter 5

12. Will US-Army buy appliances with warranties?

a. If yes who will manage repairs and replacement parts for these appliances?

Answer: PWS will be updated to include warranty information. The new contract, the awarded contracted will have to manage repair and replacement parts for appliances under warranty.

13. As low quality appliances have direct influence on repair quota; In how far does the contractor have influence on acquiring appliances?

Answer: None

14. What is the purchasing strategy of US-Army concerning brands and quality of appliances?

Answer: The U.S. Gov will decide on which appliances are purchased.

15. As expensive appliance parts for US-Army bought appliances have direct influence on repair cost: In how far does the contractor have influence on acquiring appliances?

Answer: See above

16. Work Order Reception Service-Stuttgart is new:

a. How many personal is needed for these tasks?

Answer: The gov has provided the estimated workload; each technical approach proposal will be evaluated individually to meet the required tasks.

b. Is it mandatory to be present on location? (As there are possibilities to do this remotely) Answer: Can be done remotely

c. Is this reception only repair related?

Answer: Yes

d. How do you want this Reception Service to handle non-repair requests (e.g. appliance exchange requests, technical advise, etc.?)

Answer: See above

17. Knowing that the current president of the US wants to decrease the Army troops in Germany from 35.000 to 25.000 soldiers, we wonder about adaptation possibilities of the contract and our monthly fee. We understand you want to outsource the risk of volume changes in troop sizes by agreeing on a flat fee. However, unlike military budgets, our cost and liability can – based on for us unforeseeable events - significantly increase or decrease up to a point of unacceptability.

a. Is it to be expected that repairs will decrease significantly if troops are withdrawn?

Answer: Unable to provide answer please provide proposal based on information provided

b. If there is a dramatic decrease of troop size (e.g. 50%), will there be a possibility for you to re-evaluate the contract?

Answer: It is possible, please see FAR Clause 52.212-4(c), (d), and (l) and also DFAR Clause 252.243-7002. Please note that extreme increases would need the contractor to request an equitable adjustment and extreme decreases would require the Government to conduct a partial termination for Government convenience.

c. If there is a dramatic increase of troop size (e.g. 150%) will there be a possibility for us to re-evaluate the contract?

Answer: See above

18. We saw it is not foreseen in the contract, but maybe we overlook it: is there any possibility to opt-out as contractor once we see the contract not to be reasonable any more?

Answer: No

19. The Contractor shall provide Service Vehicles to all technicians answering to service calls and ensure that these vehicles are furnished with all necessary tools, parts, repair manuals and test equipment as stated in Attachment # 5 to support all locations in such way to ensure all orders for services can be executed satisfactorily within the given response time as per PWS section 5.2.c and to minimize repeat calls. The Vehicles shall bare viewable stickers which show the contract number (minimum letter size shall be 12 cm, black letters on white background), Company name and telephone number.

a. Is the sticker mandatory if the service vehicle is clearly a company car with telephone and company name?

Answer: Yes, it is mandatory

20. Training: The Government will provide the following training: AT Level 1 training, OPSEC training, iWATCH training, IA training, eMH training, PII training, etc.

a. Are these trainings conducted locally in a class-room setting?

Answer: most are conducted via computer based training with exception of eMH but due to current conditions a virtual forum is being considered.

b. How many hours of training is this per person? Is it one-time or annually?

Answer: RA Provide, see deliverables. Hours are arranged differently per course and individual receiving training.

21. For each Customer not at home, the Contractor shall complete a WO with the ELIN Customer Not at home/No Service/No Repair Action taken per visit, not per appliance. Solicitation is a FFP per month.

a. Are there going to be more CLIN than provided in this draft solicitation?

Answer: No, the CLIN structure will stay the same

b. Will these CLIN’s be the same as in the current contract?

Answer: Answered above

22. Within 15 days of Contract award, the Contractor shall submit a proposed Work Order form for the consideration of the GSE/G4 COR (Deliverable #A048). If approved by the GSE/G4 COR, it will be used as the Work Order Document. Attachment #19 shows a sample of the Work Order Form used in the previous contract. The Government will determine Work Order Number format and sequence to be used. Work Order numbers shall be preprinted from the Contractor’s computer system. Handwritten numbers and duplicate numbers are not acceptable.

5.4.2 The work order form will act as a supporting document to all service/maintenance records and will be distributed as follows:

5.4.2.1 Copy 1 shall be retained by the Contractor after forwarding it in sequential order to the Local COR

5.4.2.3 Copy 2 shall be put in an envelope and shall be attached to the rear of the serviced appliance.

5.4.2.4 Copy 3 shall be left with the customer.

To prevent paper waste and the environment with copies. If a digital solution is present would that be acceptable?

Answer: A Digital solution is acceptable but must capture physical signature

23. The Contractor shall have full responsibility for the management of Repair parts and shall maintain an adequate system to provide the Government with the parts necessary to perform the required services. It is the Contractor responsibility to maintain sufficient quantities of repair parts on hand to ensure that repairs are completed within the given response time specified in this PWS. At all time, the Contractor shall have the needed repair parts on his Service Vehicle, in order to be able to repair as many appliances as possible during the first visit, since there will be no Return visit at the customer’s home. In case the Contractor does not have the needed part on his Service vehicle and the appliance needs to be exchanged, the Government will track such deficiencies through the PRS checklist, but only when the SPOC provided the needed appliance data as defined in para. 5.3a. Repair parts used in the performance of repair services, shall be annotated on the Work Order, and shall be listed by part number and cost.

a. Do we understand this point correctly: you expect a 100% completion rate on first visit?

Answer: Yes

b. So in case the appliance can’t be repaired due to lack of parts the appliance will be automatically exchanged?

Answer: Yes, appliances not repaired will be counted against PRS.

c. Even if the contractor is able to order the parts and do the repair within 3-4 days?

Answer: Yes, see above

d. The exchange will be to the cost of US Army?

Answer: If the exchange is required, it will be completed by the Army via different contract

24. 5.13.5 New Repair parts shall be added and old or unsuitable Repair parts shall be inactivated from the system to preclude showing up in reports. An updated list of all spare parts shall be sent to the GSE/G4 COR weekly, each Friday (Deliverable #A53).

The following data points shall be included:

1. US part number

2. Description of part

3. Manufacturer

4. Year of installation of the appliance the part is used for

5. MLFB number of the appliance the part is used for

6. Model of the appliance the part is used for

7. Usage of the part

5.13.6 The Contractor shall provide the GSE/G4 COR on the 5th working day of the following month a list of Repair parts consumed and the cost thereof. Upon request by the GSE/G4 COR the Contractor shall provide a list of all Repair parts in the inventory with information as to consumption over several years, price, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), associated MLFB number(s) etc. (Deliverable #A052).

The above reports per PWS 5.13.5 are substantially increasing the FFPs, is there any consideration to make the reports leaner and easier to create?

Answer: All above information is required

25. 5.5. Close out of Service Request in eMh: The Contractor shall compare the finished Work Orders with the Service Request log and shall close out the open Service Requests in eMh. All completed WO’s shall be closed out in eMh and in the Contractor’s computer system, within 2 working days from the date the Service is completed.

a. Is the contractor granted access to eMh?

Answer: Yes

b. Shall there be trainings on eMh?

Answer: Yes

c. To avoid mistakes and to work more efficient, is there a possibility to investigate the option to have an interface between eMh and the contractors system?

Answer: No