W911SG-19-R-0015_Questions_w_replies_14Mar19.docx

W911SG-19-R-0015

QUESTIONS

The prime question I have is WHY did the government buy their own machines as opposed to leasing with maintenance from a contractor. There are several highly qualified companies providing this service to the government. This secondary procurement would not have been necessary. You put out a procurement to buy the machines. That would have been enough to do the whole thing. Response: this decision has no merit in this solicitation.

Also, you have so many questionable needs you are asking a contractor to provide without providing proper information. If we buy and install machines, we have experience in what services will be needed for the life of the contract and can propose accordingly.

How would the government like to sell the new machines to a contractor and then lease back with full maintenance? Response: this is not an option.

To justify this thought, here are some questions that come to mind after 19 years in the industry and some 65 contracts leasing 90 to 4,000 machines.

By the way, will there be a site visit? Response: Yes to be scheduled by Contracting

1.1. Description of Services/Introduction

The contractor shall provide, among other things, materials, parts and facilities. The synopsis says that the machines are under a 5 year limited warranty. That normally means parts only – not labor.

How does the government expect a valid proposal based on parts since there is no solid information for the contractor to propose a cost. Response: the contractor is provided the brand and types of units and should bid on their experiences for the parts that are typically needed.

All materials, parts, etc. should be supplied by the government.

In para. 1.2. Background it states that the machines are washers and dryers used by government personnel entitled to the use of the machines for laundry purposes. When these personnel damage machine parts, warranty will not cover them. Does the government buy the parts needed for the repair or does the contractor buy them and then be compensated by the government for parts and labor? Response: the contractor will buy them and charge the government via a parts CLIN. It is the contractors responsibility to show that the part or damage is not covered under warranty.

In the synopsis it states shipping, transportation or custom duties for covered parts. Are you serious? These parts are under warranty. The government should provide them to the contractor for the repair of the government owned machines. The contractor is there to provide labor to repair machines. In the FBO, it was not mentioned that only warrantied machines would be maintained. It should be the government’s responsibility to have the parts available for use warrantied and non-warrantied machines. Response: The contractor is responsible for managing the warranty for the government, including coordinating with the manufacturer and obtaining warranty parts from the manufacturer.

1.14c The contractor shall in good faith work with the successor in transitions and clarification of phase out services. Are you talking about the end of this contract? Since the incumbent contractor is removing machines and a third party contractor is delivering and installing machines, the contractor that is awarded this contract should only be available to check and/or repair new machines, not the installation or deinstallation. The contractor should not be responsible for a three month back-log of repairs. Response: the contractor will not be involved in the removal or initial installation of the new units. The contractor will begin maintenance and repairs on the units as they are upon the award of the contract. A thorough inspection by the contractor of each unit is required to establish the repair and maintenance required.

Can you advise the time it takes to complete trainings such as OPSEC Training, iWatch training or AT Level 1 training. Will successive training sessions take similar amount of time, less time or more time? Response: training is available on-line and does not take more than one hour per requirement.

The Solid Waste Diversion Plan – Since the machines will be delivered and installed by others, we will have minimal solid waste. If packaging for any repair parts are recyclable, it will be taken to a recycle center. All other waste will be totally trash and will be disposed of as such. Is this basically all we need to put in our proposal or is it necessary to print up a formal plan? Response: I cannot tell you what to put in your proposal.

VARIOUS FORMS TO BE COMPLETED BY CONTRACTOR.

The government will need to supply, in triplicate as needed, the following forms for the reports completed upon completion of work or at a minimum of monthly:

Response: It is the contractors responsibility to establish these forms and report formats.

INVOICING - The requirement for a draft invoice to be submitted to the COR prior to entering it into WAWF double work. When we submit a receiving report/invoice in WAWF, the government representative gets notified. It is then that the invoice can be verified by the appropriate person. If it is rejected, we can correct and resubmit.

If we submit a draft invoice to the COR on the 2d day of the following month and the COR has five days to accept, it is possible that we could not invoice WAWF until the 8th day of the following month. Throwing week-ends in the mix, it is possible that our invoice could not be submitted until the 10th day of that month. I attended one of the first WAWF seminars and we were told that our invoice should be in no later than the 5th day of the following month. How do you justify your wants on invoicing? Response: submitting a pre-invoice is a benefit to the contractor as the COR assures it is properly structured and reflects what will be accepted. If the invoice is submitted prior to a pre approval and the COR has to reject it in WAWF this will cause a further delay for the payment of the month. This is an option to the contractor.