SolicitationQuestions_1-15_16R0002.pdf

Solicitation: W91CRB-16-R-0002

Questions 1-15

Questions:

1. With the information that is available, it is unclear when the proposal sample is due. Please clarify when the single sample is due.

Answer 1 - See the answer to question 4 below. Based on the approved extension, proposal submission sample end items will be due within fifty-five (55) calendar days or 22 FEB 2016. This date will be considered the solicitation response date.

2. When are the delivery times for the products within CLINs 0002 and 0003? - For both deliveries, there are instances that state either 50 or 60 days. Please clarify the number of days to deliver.

Answer 2: Please note, CLIN 0001 and CLIN 0002 are part of the Phase 1 contract award, not the solicitation response. Therefore, any submission requirements for these items will be due if, and after, an offeror receives an award.

3. For CLIN 1, the solicitation states that the TDP and Use and Care Manual are due within 15 days. It goes on to state that offerors shall reference the TSN for the complete TDP requirement list. In addition to the TDP and Use and Care Manual, when are the 2 representative samples pre-FAT and dry layups due?

Answer 3: Please note, CLIN 0001 is part of the Phase 1 contract award, not the solicitation response. All

TDP items are due within 15 days after contract award.

4. We would like to ask for an extension to the response date of 2 February 2016. We are requesting the response date extended by 30 days at a minimum. From pre-proposal meetings and communications, the expectation was that we would at least have 60 days (we would prefer 90 days) to meet several the proposal requirements. The TSN changed from the draft, so no tests were conducted and no material was ordered prior to the release. As it stands, we would need to order material, build the production sample and have the 3rd Party weight verification done, by Feb 2nd. At this time, that is not likely. This is in addition to building all the ballistic testing samples and getting the flame test done as well. We humbly request an extension to 1 March 2016.

Answer 4: The Government will allow for an extension of the solicitation response date to 22 Feb 2016.

5. We would like to request a waiver [for the] color [of] the initial suit due at proposal submission. Can we produce the suit in black, instead of subdued green? We are not sure which acceptable black we will be able to deliver in, per the TSN, section 3.18, but will communicate that information when we have it.

We understand that follow on suit colors will follow the TSN exactly.

Answer 5: The Government will allow the solicitation GEN II ABS system submission items to be provided in the acceptable black color in accordance with TSN section 3.18. However, subsequent deliveries of the GEN II ABS System shall be in the subdued green color per same section in TSN.

6. Section 3.24 Shelf Life: The TSN document specifies minimum shelf life as 10 years. Section 3.4.2 the RFP document specifies a minimum shelf life of 7 years.

Should the shelf life be 7 or 10 years? Current ABS suit is rated at 7 years.

Answer 6: Use seven (7) years for shelf life.

7. Phase 2 Delivery: Page 12 Section 2.4.1 states: Production CLIN 0001: The FAT approved SRO shall begin delivery of the production quantity of ninety (90) GEN II ABS end items and all associated components of the end item, as well as Use & Care Manuals, not later than (NLT) sixty (60) days after contract/delivery order award in accordance with the following delivery schedule.

Page 43 Phase 2 delivery:

Offerors shall provide a proposal which states their ability to deliver the Phase 2, Delivery Order 0001 quantity, of ninety (90) GEN II ABS systems with Use & Care Manuals, within sixty (60) days of Phase 2 contract award.

Page 45 Factor 2 Delivery Evaluation:

The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s ability to deliver the Phase 2 deliverable quantities, of one hundred fifty-three (153) Gen II ABS systems and Use & Care Manuals, within sixty (60) days after the Phase 2 contract award.

For Phase 2 delivery is it 90 or 153 GEN II ABS Systems? Please clarify the relevance of each quantity?

Does the delivery start in 60 days, or does it have to be complete within 60 days?

Answer 7: The information provided on page 45 Submission/Evaluation has been updated to reflect a quantity of ninety (90) Gen II ABS systems. Sixty (60) days after the Phase 2 contract award is when deliveries commence. The remaining quantity of sixty three (63) Gen II ABS systems will be produced across the period of performance for the requirements contract to keep the FAT current.

8. Factor 5 Small Business Participation: Page 83-87, page 40-43 - Please confirm if the Small Business Participation Plan (including all sub-factors) is required for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the RFP or only Phase 2?

Answer 8: Yes, a Small Business Participation Plan is required for both the Phase 1 and Phase 2 submissions. Please note, Phase 2 submission items are not submitted with the proposal submission items.

9. Schedule: Several Sections

There appear to be contradictions in the timing within different sections of the document in several key instances and we would like clarification to remove any ambiguity.

CLIN0001: RFP page 8 -10 and page 35 state TDP submission is 15 days after award. RFP page 87-88 state TDP submission is due 15 days prior to HFE.

CLIN0002: RFP page 8 -10 state HFE samples shall be delivered within 50 days of CLIN0001 approval. RFP Page 35 states 50 days ADC and page 88 states 50 days after Contract Award.

CLIN0003: Page 4 states 50 days after CLIN0003 is exercised. RFP Page 10 states within 60 days after exercise of option. RFP Page 88 states 60 days after exercise of option.

CLIN0004: RFP page 4 states 10 days after FAT submission RFP Page 10 states the PPP submission is required 10 days before FAT submission RFP Page 88 states 10 days after FAT submission Can the Government provide guidance as to which deliverable dates should be followed?

Answer 9: The Government has corrected this language. A summary outline of delivery dates is below.

This is a summary table. Offerors are to follow the RFP information.

Proposal Submission items / samples are due by the proposal suspense date/time.

Phase 1 CLIN 0001: TDP (all associated items and samples) is due fifteen (15) days after initial contract award CLIN 0002: HFE (all associated items and samples) is due fifty (50) days after initial contract award Option CLIN 0003: FAT (all associated items/samples) is due sixty (60) days after exercise of CLIN 0003, if it is exercised.

Option CLIN 0004: PPP items are due ten working days after FAT submission.

Phase 2:

DO 0001- ninety (90) Gen II ABSs, deliveries shall commence sixty (60) days after contract award is made.

The rest of the production requirements will be issued as needed.

10. On page 80 of the RFP, offerors are required to submit all product samples without vendor identification markings or logos. As our product has markings and logos embedded in some parts, and as removing them requires changes in tooling, would it be acceptable to cover the markings or logos for the product sample delivered with our Technical Proposal?

Answer 10: Yes, however the logos must absolutely not have any trace nor visibility. If found to be visible on the product sample, it will be unacceptable.

11. The RFP states that third party test reports must originate from NIJ approved laboratories (“Offerors shall only submit complete ballistic and non-ballistic test data and documentation as stated in Table 1 and listed below, from an NIJ certified laboratory, which has been conducted after 1 January 2015 and has been tested in accordance with the TSN except where otherwise noted.” – page 80). However, Table 1 (starting on page 95) only specifies the need for NIJ approved laboratories for ballistic tests which is consistent with clarifications provided at Industry Day.

As such, would it be acceptable to provide reports for non-ballistic suit and helmet flame/heat protection as well as helmet and suit weight from third party test laboratory that would not be NIJ approved, since NIJ has no relevance for these types of tests?

Answer 11: Yes, this is acceptable provided you demonstrate that the lab is independent from your company and is certified by a national standard to conduct this experiment.

12. Can the government confirm hours of operation for the location where the product sample will be shipped so that delivery arrangements can be made at an appropriate time of day?

Answer 12: Offerors shall send their items to the address at 2.1.2 in the SOW. Hours of operation for delivery are 0800-1600, Monday – Friday.

13. Is there a requirement to provide certification that the sample provided with our submission is compliant with the Berry Amendment provisions?

Answer 13: Yes, Offerors shall provide evidence to support their Buy American and Berry Amendment compliance within the Technical Narrative submission as stated in the RFP.

14. Does the 3rd party, verified, full system weight requirement from page 81 of the solicitation include the cooling vest and cooling unit?

Answer 14: Full system weight is defined in TSN 3.6, and does not include the cooling system. Reference to TSN 3.6 has been added to the Technical Table 1 within the Evaluation Factors.

15. For Phase 1, CLIN 3 FAT, is the full cooling system part of the required delivery for both the 5 complete suits required for destructive testing and the 1 suit required for non-destructive testing.

Answer 15: Yes.