W911WN19Q6991.pdf

W911WN19Q6991

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

The solicitation issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ) number W911WN19Q6991.

The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005- 101.

The NAICS Code for this acquisition is 333923 – Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing. The Small Business Size Standard for this NAICS Code is 1,250 employees. In accordance with FAR 52.219-6, this requirement is 100% Set-Aside for Small Business concerns. Any resultant contract shall be Firm-Fixed Price and one award is anticipated.

Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) in order to be awarded a contract. Registration is free and the process may be accessed at https://www.sam.gov.

This requirement is to provide Flat Wire Rope for Gate Hoisting Machinery in accordance with the attached specifications.

PRICE SCHEDULE

Line Item

Description of Item Qty. Unit Unit Price Amount

0001 Furnish materials for one flat wire rope, including rope sample for testing.

1 EA $ $

0002 Fabricate open sockets and rope anchors. (1 set for Testing; 1 set for delivery)

2 SET $ $

0003 Fabricate one flat wire rope including wire rope sample for testing and performing breaking strength test on new wire rope for Tionesta Lake

1 EA $ $

NOTE: Price to include all shipping costs.

GRAND TOTAL - - - $

Performance Period: 240 Calendar days from Contract Award date

Delivery Location: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh Engineering Warehouse and Repair Station 3500 Grand Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15225-1584 Attn: Mary Bamberg, Phone (412) 395-7628

Fob Pint: Destination

Inspection/Acceptance: Destination

The Government will issue a firm-fixed price purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the lowest price technically acceptable quote conforming to this request for quote.

Technical Specifications Flat Wire Rope

1. Scope of Work. The work to be performed under this contract includes the following:

1.1 Fabrication of one flat wire rope, including excess length to allow a coupon to be cut off the rope for destructive testing. All the flat wire rope strands shall be constructed from the same lot of wires

1.2 Performing destructive testing of coupon to determine breaking strength of assembled flat wire rope.

1.3 Fabrication of one open socket and one rope anchor for testing the wire rope test coupon and installation of the end fittings on test coupon. The end socket, rope anchor and test coupon shall become the property of the contractor once the tests are complete.

1.4 Fabricate one open socket and one rope anchor to be shipped loose with the completed flat wire rope.

1.5Preparation of wire rope for transport

1.6 Delivery of wire rope, open socket and rope anchor to Pittsburgh Engineering Warehouse and Repair Station.

2. Intended Use. The flat wire rope will be used for supporting and operating vertical lift type flood control gates at Tionesta Lake.

3. References. The publications listed below form a part of this specification to the extent referenced. The publications are referred to within the text by the basic designation only.

ASTM INTERNATIONAL (ASTM)

ASTM A148/A148M (2014) Standard Specification for Steel Castings, High Strength, for Structural Purposes

ASTM A351/A351M (2018) Standard Specification for Castings, Austenitic, Austenitic, for

Pressure-Containing Parts

ASTM A641/A641M (2009a; R 2014) Standard Specification for Zinc- Coated (galvanized) Carbon

Steel Wire ASTM A153/A153M (2016) Standard Specification for Zinc Coating (Hot Dip) on Iron and Steel

Hardware

ASTM E446 (2014) Radiographs for Steel Castings Up to 2 In. (51mm) in Thickness

ASTM E94/E94M (2017) Standard Guide for Radiographic Examination Using Industrial

Radiographic film

ASTM E709 (2015) Standard Guide for Magnetic Particle Examination

ASTM A903/A903M (2017) Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Surface Acceptance

Standards, Magnetic Particle and Liquid Penetrant Inspection

ASTM E125 (1963; R 2013) Photographs for Magnetic Particle Indications on Ferrous

Castings

U.S. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (GSA)

FS RR-W-410 (Rev 4) Wire Rope and Strand

WIRE ROPE TECHNICAL BOARD (WRTB)

WRTB (2005) Wire Rope User’s Manual

4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1 Wire Rope Manufacturers Qualifications. The flat wire rope shall be the standard product of a manufacturer regularly engaged in the manufacture of flat wire rope, and shall essentially duplicate products having been in satisfactory use for at least 5 years prior to bid opening. The round wire rope incorporated into the work shall be made in the United States by a member of the Wire Rope Technical Board.

4.2 Submittals. Three copies of the documentation shall be submitted in hard-copy for approval to Mr. James Lowe, USACE Pittsburgh District, 1000 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. One copy will be returned to the Contractor no later than two weeks after receipt.

Government approval is required for all submittals with a “G” designation; submittals not having a “G” designation are for information only. Government approval shall not be construed as relieving the Contractor from furnishing satisfactory material. The following shall be submitted.

Round Wire Rope Documentation; G; All round wire rope incorporated into the work shall have documentation from the manufacturer traceable to the material furnished and signed by a manufacturer’s authorized representative.

Documentation shall reference, at a minimum, the contract number, the diameter, number of strands, lay, lay length, grade, manufacturer’s lot/run number or master reel number, and nominal breaking strength.

End Terminations; G: Fabrication Drawings, Material property test for castings, Test results for Radiographic and Magnetic Particle testing for end terminations.

Pre-Stretching; G; Pre-Stretching Procedure.

Testing Equipment; G; Certification of calibration of testing equipment.

Flat Wire Break Test; G: Test results for break test on wire rope sample.

Work on any aspect of the work shall not proceed until any necessary Government –approved submittals dealing with that item of work have been approved. Each submittal shall be signed by an official authorized to certify on behalf of the Contractor and shall contain the name and address of the Contractor, project name, and date of signature. Copies of laboratory tests reports shall contain the name and address of the testing laboratory and the date or dates of the tests to which the report applies.

4.3 Load-bearing Capacity. The breaking strength of the flat wire rope shall be guaranteed not to be less than 325 short tons after deductions for galvanizing and double serving of stitching wire. Flat wire rope provided under this contract shall have the same capacity. The flat wire rope shall be constructed from 11 strands of 3/4” diameter 4 x 19 EIPS wire rope. The elastic limit shall be 50 to 55 percent of the breaking strength.

4.4 Type of Wire Rope. The round wire rope used to manufacture the flat wire rope shall be of the following type:

Strand configuration: 4x19, round compacted strand.

Lay: Alternating right-hand and left-hand regular lay. Adjacent round wire ropes shall be opposite hand to minimize breakage of stitching wires as the wire rope stretches under load. For flat wire ropes containing an odd number of round wire ropes, the outer wire ropes shall be right-hand lay.

Pitch: Strand pitch length shall not be less than 4½ times the nominal rope diameter, and shall be the same for all round wire ropes used regardless of right or left-hand lay.

Diameter: 3/4 inch, with a tolerance of -0% and +5% Finish: Drawn galvanized (ASTM A641, Class A)

Material: Extra improved plow steel.

All wire ropes of a particular lay shall be of one lot (i.e. one lot for right-hand lay and one lot for left-hand lay) to ensure the maximum consistency of materials within the wire rope.

4.5 Pre-Stretching. The Contractor shall pre-stretch the flat wire rope after assembly. This shall be done by subjecting them to three cycles at 40% of its nominal breaking strength. The 40% loads shall be held for 5 minutes each, relax to 5% loads for 5 minutes between cycles. The manufacturer may propose a method of dynamic pre-stretching.

4.6 Weld Distribution. Wire joints shall not be closer than 18 inches in any strand.

4.7 Lubrication. The wire ropes shall be provided unlubricated other than the amount of lubricant required for fabrication of the rope.

4.8 Fabrication. The individual wire ropes used to fabricate the flat wire rope shall be stitched together transversely by means of wires inserted and secured between the individual strands of the lay such that the completed transverse stitching is not exposed to wear or damage. Stitching shall ensure that adjacent round wire ropes do not move or twist relative to each other and all strands contribute equally to the load bearing capacity of the whole. The flat wire rope shall be provided with a double serving of one 3/16 inch diameter stitching wire constructed from 7 strands of soft galvanized iron wires within one lay length of the wire rope. The transverse stitching shall be performed in a manner that ensures that the stitching shall not break or loosen when the flat wire rope is wound onto the drum of the gate hoist.

4.9 Dimensions. All flat wire rope provided under this contract shall have identical dimensions. The finished length of the flat wire rope shall be 270 feet in the unloaded condition. The flat wire rope shall have a maximum thickness of 1 1/8 inches. The flat wire rope shall have a maximum width of 8 1/4 inches. The maximum width shall include any seizing wires and/or transverse stitching. However, additional length shall be fabricated on the flat wire rope, sufficient to allow the excess length to be cut off as sample for destructive testing.

4.10 Seizing. Wire rope ends shall be seized to prevent fraying or un-laying. Each end shall be seized in at least two locations, one location within one wire rope thickness of the finished ends and one location 10 inches away from the end, NOT including the excess lengths fabricated for destructive testing (i.e. the seizing shall be 10 inches from the cut ends after the sample coupon has been cut off). Seizing of adjacent round wire ropes shall be offset to ensure that only one thickness of seizing wire separates adjacent round wire ropes. When the end fittings are installed for testing (See “End Fittings” below), the seizing at the finished end of the flat wire rope shall be removed to allow the wire rope and zinc to be placed into the end fittings that will be used, and the seizing 10 inches from the finished end will be used to prevent unraveling the wire rope beyond that point when the wire rope is swaged to the fittings. The number of complete wraps on each seizing shall be at least equal to the wire rope thickness in eighths of an inch (for example, a three-quarter-inch wire rope shall have at least six wraps of seizing). Ends of the seizing wires shall be twisted together and arranged parallel to the lay of the wire rope around which it is wrapped such that the twisted ends do not protrude above the seizing. Finishing the ends of the flat wire rope by brazing may be substituted for wire seizing providing the length of flat wire rope is 270 feet after the heat damaged ends are cut off. The length shall be measured while the flat wire rope is in the unloaded condition.

4.11 Socket Fittings (See Plate1, Rope Anchor and Open Socket Details). The wire rope end terminations (sockets/anchors) shall be fabricated as indicated on the enclosed drawings, and shall be cast from steel conforming to ASTM A148/A148M, Grade 135-125. The socket fittings shall be free of cracks, honeycombing and other defects, and be capable of withstanding an estimated maximum force of 400 tons required to break the flat wire rope test coupon. End fittings shall be installed on the wire rope test coupon for the break test. Installation shall be performed with the end fittings and wire rope held in a vertical and plumb position to ensure optimum placement of the zinc used to fill the void spaces. End fittings shall be installed such that a pin inserted through the holes opposite the throat of the fitting will be perpendicular to the centerline of the flat wire rope and loads applied will be distributed equally to all strands. Failure to orient the end fitting properly relative to the wire rope may cause some strands of wire to bear a greater proportion of the load than others, leading to failure of the stitching wires due to uneven stretching, and/or failure of the wire rope due to deformation or breakage of overloaded strands.

4.12 Castings. Deviations from the dimensions of castings shown shall not exceed amounts that will impair the strength of castings by more than 10 percent as computed from the dimensions shown, nor below the ultimate strength of the wire rope.

Dimensions of castings shown on detail drawings provided are finished dimensions. Castings that are warped or otherwise distorted will be rejected. The structure of metal in castings shall be homogeneous and free from excessive nonmetallic inclusions.

Excessive segregation of impurities or alloys at critical points in castings will be cause for rejection. Minor surface imperfections not affecting the strength of casting may be welded in the "green". Surface imperfections will be considered minor when the depth of the cavity prepared for welding is less than 20 percent of the actual thickness.

4.13 Pin Holes. Pin holes are to be bored true to gauges, smooth, straight and at right angles to the axis of the member. The boring shall be done after the member is securely fastened in position.

4.14 Tests, Inspections, and Verifications. Perform material tests and analyses certified by an approved laboratory to demonstrate that materials are in conformity with the specifications. These tests and analyses shall be performed and certified at the Contractor's expense. Perform tests, inspections, and verifications conforming to the requirements of the particular sections of these specifications for the respective items of work unless otherwise specified or authorized.

4.15 Inspection of Steel Castings. Perform radiographic and magnetic particle inspection of steel castings. The procedure for making, evaluating and reporting the radiographic inspection shall conform to the requirements of ASTM E94. The castings will be unacceptable if shown to have defects of greater severity than the applicable reference standard as illustrated in ASTM E446, level 3. The procedure for making, evaluating and reporting the magnetic particle inspection shall conform to the requirements of ASTM E709. The castings will be unacceptable if shown to have defects of greater severity than the applicable reference standard as illustrated in ASTM E125, Level 2. The evaluation of the radiographs and magnetic particle testing will be subject to approval and all records will become the property of the Government.

4.16 Material Substitution. In the event of non-availability of the materials specified, material substitutions are allowable with Government approval, provided all material properties equal or exceed those of the specified material. A request for material substitution shall include complete description of the material properties of the original and substitute materials, with all differences highlighted.

4.17 Attaching Sockets. The Contractor shall attach the end terminations to the wire rope test coupon in accordance with the recommendations of FS RR-W-410 Wire Rope and Strand, and the WRTB Wire Rope User’s Manual.

4.18 Replacement of Defective Wire Rope. Any wire rope which has been returned for replacement, whether due to defective materials or manufacture or damage during delivery, shall be replaced at no cost to the Government with wire ropes meeting all requirements of these specifications.

4.19 Handling. The flat wire rope shall be wound onto disk-layered spools with the same general dimensions. Each rope shall be crated, boxed or otherwise packaged to the extent necessary to prevent damage during shipment.

4.20 Destructive Testing. The Contractor shall fabricate one flat wire rope to an excess length that provides sufficient additional material to allow a coupon to be cut off one end and used for destructive load testing (pull-testing to failure). The rope sample shall be cut to no less than 3 feet in length, and shall not reduce the remaining length of flat wire rope to less than the required finished length as per the paragraph above entitled “Dimensions”. The test shall be performed using suitable tension testing equipment and by qualified personnel, both furnished by the Contractor. The test will not be considered valid if the failure occurs less than 2 inches from either socket or holding mechanism. Relative speed between the machine heads shall not exceed 1 inch per minute. Prior to delivery, the results shall be recorded for each test, and keyed to the numbers of the wire ropes (“X” of “Y”) marked on the reels. Test results shall be provided with the Certification of Conformance to the Contracting Officer. If any tested sample fails to show an ultimate strength at least equal to 325 short tons, the entire length of the wire rope from which the sample was taken shall be discarded and shall be replaced at no cost to the Government. Replacements shall meet all the requirements of these specifications.

5. DELIVERY. Delivery shall be made to the US Army Engineer District, Pittsburgh, Corps of Engineers, and F.O.B. as specified below, transportation charges prepaid. Delivery shall be made within the time stated in the offer. Offers submitted on other than F.O.B. destination basis will be rejected as non-responsive.

The price indicated shall include the cost of transportation from the point of origin to the destination specified below, and all shipments hereunder shall be prepaid and made at the contractor’s expense. Title will pass to the Government after inspection and acceptance by the Government at the destination specified.

Deliver:

a) Open socket - Quantity: 1 (one) – CLIN 0002

b) Rope anchor - Quantity: 1 (one) – CLIN 0002

c) 3/4” x 8” (nominal dimensions) x 270’ Hoisting Rope - Quantity: 1 (one) – CLIN 0003

Flat wire rope, open socket and rope anchor shall be delivered to:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh Engineering Warehouse and Repair Station (PEWARS) 3500 Grand Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15225-1584 Attn: Mary Bamberg, Phone (412) 395-7628

PACKAGING AND MARKING

1. PACKING AND SHIPMENT. The flat wire rope shall be furnished on nonreturnable reels. The material shall be crated, boxed or otherwise packaged to the extent necessary to prevent damage during shipment. All damage incurred due to inadequate protection shall be repaired by the Contractor at his expense. The Contractor shall provide all materials required for protection during shipment. The wire ropes shall be shipped on an open flatbed truck to enable the wire ropes and spools to be off loaded with equipment available at the F.O.B. destination.

<End of Technical Specifications>

PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES

The provisions and clauses incorporated herein may be accessed at the following link: http://farsite.hill.af.mil

FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

Addendum to 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items

52.204-9 Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance 52.204-18 Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance 52.204-19 Incorporation by Reference of Representations and Certifications 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside 52.223-4 Recovered Material Certification 52.223-5 Pollution Prevention and Right-to-Know Information.

52.223-10 Waste Reduction Program.

52.223-22 Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Reduction Goals--Representation.

52.232-39 Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors 52.233-3 Protest After Award 52.233-4 Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim 52.246-15 Certificate of Conformance.

252.203-7000 Requirements Relating to Compensation of Former DOD Officials 252.203-7002 Requirements to Inform Employees of Whistleblower Rights 252.204-7003 Control of Government Personnel Work Product 252.204-7006 Billing Instructions 252.204-7012 Safeguarding of unclassified controlled technical information 252.204-7015 Disclosure of Information to Litigation Support Contractors 252.223-7006 Prohibition on Storage, Treatment, and Disposal of Toxic or Hazardous Materials 252.223-7008 Prohibition of Hexavalent Chromium 252.225-7036, ALT I Buy American – Free Trade Agreements – Balance of Payments 252.225-7048 Export-Controlled Items 252.232-7003 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests and Receiving Reports 252.232-7010 Levies on Contract Payments 252.237-7010 Prohibition on Interrogation of Detainees by Contractor Personnel 252.243-7001 Pricing of Contract Modifications 252.244-7000 Subcontracts for Commercial Items

CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY FULL TEXT

52.246-15 Certificate of Conformance (Apr 1984)

(a) When authorized in writing by the cognizant Contract Administration Office (CAO), the Contractor shall ship with a Certificate of Conformance any supplies for which the contract would otherwise require inspection at source. In no case shall the Government’s right to inspect supplies under the inspection provisions of this contract be prejudiced. Shipments of such supplies will not be made under this contract until use of the Certificate of Conformance has been authorized in writing by the CAO, or inspection and acceptance have occurred.

(b) The Contractor’s signed certificate shall be attached to or included on the top copy of the inspection or receiving report distributed to the payment office or attached to the CAO copy when contract administration (Block 10 of the DD Form 250) is performed by the Defense Contract Administration Services. In addition, a copy of the signed certificate shall also be attached to or entered on copies of the inspection or receiving report accompanying the shipment.

(c) The Government has the right to reject defective supplies or services within a reasonable time after delivery by written notification to the Contractor. The Contractor shall in such event promptly replace, correct, or repair the rejected supplies or services at the Contractor’s expense.

(d) The certificate shall read as follows:

I certify that on ______ [insert date], the ____ [insert Contractor’s name] furnished the supplies or services called for by Contract No._____ via ____ [Carrier] on ________ [identify the bill of lading or shipping document] in accordance with all applicable requirements. I further certify that the supplies or services are of the quality specified and conform in all respects with the contract requirements, including specifications, drawings, preservation, packaging, packing, marking requirements, and physical item identification (part number), and are in the quantity shown on this or on the attached acceptance document.

Date of Execution: _____________________________

Signature: _____________________________________

Title: _________________________________________

(End of Clause)

52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text.

Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

http://farsite.hill.af.mil/

(End of Clause)

The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and the additional FAR clauses cited in the clause are applicable as follows:

52.203-19 Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements 52.209-6 Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting With Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or

Proposed for Debarment 52.209-10 Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations 52.222-3 Convict Labor 52.222-19 Child Labor—Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies.

52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities 52.222-50 Combatting Trafficking In Persons 52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving 52.225, ALT II Buy American – Free Trade Agreements – Israeli Trade Act 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer--System for Award Management

FAR Provision 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial, applies to this acquisition.

Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial

52.203-18 Prohibition on Contracting With Entities That Require Certain Internal

Confidentiality Agreements or Statements—Representation 52.204-7 System for Award Management.

52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting 52.204-21 Basic Safeguarding of Covered Contractor Information Systems 52.219-1 ALT I Small Business Program Representation 52.222-22 Previous Contracts and Compliance Reports 252.203-7005 Representation Relating to Compensation of Former DoD Officials.

252.204-7008 Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls 252.213-7000 Notice to Prospective Suppliers on Use of Past Performance Information Retrieval System—

Statistical Reporting in Past Performance Evaluations

52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference

This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provisions may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

http://farsite.hill.af.mil/

(End of Provision)

Additional Information:

Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to receiving any federal contract award. In the event that you provide the lowest price technically acceptable, please be advised your registration in SAM must be current/active. If it has expired, or will expire soon, PLEASE START THE RENEWAL PROCESS TODAY if you intend to submit a quote.

Offerors are expected to complete provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items Alternate I as part of the SAM registration process. If you have completed your annual representations and certifications electronically, but need to amend or update any of them for this acquisition; you must print the provision, complete it manually, and submit with your offer.

Discount terms: __________ (The government’s terms are Net 30 days if left blank.)

Award Determination:

Price evaluation: The government shall review acceptable quotes by lowest price. Price reasonableness and fairness will be evaluated. The government reserves the right to reject any quote determined to be unrealistically low for successful contract completion and that would not be in the best interest of the government.

Award will be made to the lowest-priced, responsible* offeror, whose quote conforms to the requirement of the solicitation and whose price is determined fair and reasonable. [*Responsible means a contractor that meets the standards in FAR 9.104-1 – available at www.farsite.hill@af.mil]

END OF ADDENDUM TO 52.212-1

Offers are due by 11:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, 4 April 2019. Quotes shall be submitted via email to lrp.contracting@usace.army.mil;

Offerors must reference the solicitation number (W911WN19Q6991) in the subject line of the email.

Please provide the following information for your company:

Company Name (Same as in SAM): _______________________________________

Address (Same as in SAM): ______________________________________________

CAGE: ________________________________________

Point of Contact: __________________________________

POC Phone Number: _______________________________

POC Email: ______________________________________

Our company (does or does not) ___________ fit the Small Business Size Standard listed above.

Company Representative Authorized to Submit Quote: ________________________________

Signature: _________________________________ Date: ________________