3990--Pallets

Quote submission requirements: Quotes must be received by the deadline listed on page one of the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Notice. Questions and Answers have been attached in this amendment. Any questions should be submitted to Brandy Hudson at brandy.hudson@va.gov by 1630 EST 27 June 2024.

In order to be considered responsive, the quote must include the following information:

Firm fixed priced quote for all items listed as detailed on the Statement of Work (SOW). The contractor must provide and clearly state the fixed price quote that will be evaluated for the government s order.

The completed provision at VAAR 852.219-75. Please complete the provision included in the solicitation below.

Acknowledgement of Amendment 0001.

852.219-75Â VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting - Certificate of Compliance for Services and Construction.

As prescribed in 819.7011(b), insert the following clause:

VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting - Certificate of Compliance for Services and Construction (NOV 2022)

(a) Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 8127(k)(2), the offeror certifies that -

(1) If awarded a contract (see FAR 2.101 definition), it will comply with the limitations on subcontracting requirement as provided in the solicitation and the resultant contract, as follows: [Contracting Officer check the appropriate box below based on the predominant NAICS code assigned to the instant acquisition as set forth in FAR 19.102.]

(i)  Services. In the case of a contract for services (except construction), the contractor will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs as set forth in 852.219-73 or VOSBs as set forth in 852.219-74. Any work that a similarly situated VIP-listed subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 50% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Other direct costs may be excluded to the extent they are not the principal purpose of the acquisition and small business concerns do not provide the service as set forth in 13 CFR 125.6.

(ii) General construction. In the case of a contract for general construction, the contractor will not pay more than 85% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs as set forth in 852.219-73or VOSBs as set forth in 852.219-74. Any work that a similarly situated VIP-listed subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 85% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Cost of materials are excluded and not considered to be subcontracted.

(iii) Special trade construction contractors. In the case of a contract for special trade contractors, the contractor will not pay more than 75% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs as set forth in 852.219-73 or VOSBs as set forth in 852.219-74. Any work that a similarly situated subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 75% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Cost of materials are excluded and not considered to be subcontracted.

(2) The offeror acknowledges that this certification concerns a matter within the jurisdiction of an Agency of the United States. The offeror further acknowledges that this certification is subject to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, and, as such, a false, fictitious, or fraudulent certification may render the offeror subject to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties, including prosecution.

(3) If VA determines that an SDVOSB/VOSB awarded a contract pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 8127 did not act in good faith, such SDVOSB/VOSB shall be subject to any or all of the following:

(i) Referral to the VA Suspension and Debarment Committee;

(ii) A fine under section 16(g)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 645(g)(1)); and

(iii) Prosecution for violating section 1001 of title 18.

(b) The offeror represents and understands that by submission of its offer and award of a contract it may be required to provide copies of documents or records to VA that VA may review to determine whether the offeror complied with the limitations on subcontracting requirement specified in the contract. Contracting officers may, at their discretion, require the contractor to demonstrate its compliance with the limitations on subcontracting at any time during performance and upon completion of a contract if the information regarding such compliance is not already available to the contracting officer. Evidence of compliance includes, but is not limited to, invoices, copies of subcontracts, or a list of the value of tasks performed.

(c) The offeror further agrees to cooperate fully and make available any documents or records as may be required to enable VA to determine compliance with the limitations on subcontracting requirement. The offeror understands that failure to provide documents as requested by VA may result in remedial action as the Government deems appropriate.

(d) Offeror completed certification/fill-in required. The formal certification must be completed, signed and returned with the offeror's bid, quotation, or proposal. The Government will not consider offers for award from offerors that do not provide the certification, and all such responses will be deemed ineligible for evaluation and award.

Certification

I hereby certify that if awarded the contract, [insert name of offeror] will comply with the limitations on subcontracting specified in this clause and in the resultant contract. I further certify that I am authorized to execute this certification on behalf of [insert name of offeror].

Printed Name of Signee:

Printed Title of Signee:

Signature:

Date:

Company Name and Address:

(End of clause)

Parent topic:Â Subpart 852.2 - Text of Provisions and Clauses

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

(ii) The solicitation number 36S79724Q0011 is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ).

(iii) A statement that the solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2024-03.

(iv)Â This solicitation is a 100% Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Set-aside. The NAICS code associated with this solicitation is: 3322211.

(v)Â Line Items are as follows:

ITEM NUMBER

DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

QUANTITY

UNIT

UNIT PRICE

AMOUNT

0001

Base Year

26.00

YR

__________________

__________________

0002

Option Year 1

26.00

YR

__________________

__________________

0003

Option Year 2

26.00

YR

__________________

__________________

0004

Option Year 3

26.00

YR

__________________

__________________

0005

Option Year 4

26.00

YR

__________________

__________________

Total Amount ____________

(vi)Â Description of requirements for the items to be acquired

Please see the following Statement of Work.

(vii)Â Date(s) and place(s) of delivery and acceptance and FOB point.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Service Distribution Center

1st Avenue, One Block North of Cermak

Bldg 37, Dock Door 16

Hines, IL 60141

Date of Delivery: 30 days.

(viii) The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition and a statement regarding any addenda to the provision.

ADDENDUM to 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Products and Commercial Services.

Provisions that are incorporated by reference (by Citation Number, Title, and Date), have 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 following provisions are incorporated into 52.212-1 as an addendum to this solicitation:

Quote submission requirements: Quotes must be received by the deadline listed on page one of the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Notice. Any questions should be submitted to Brandy Hudson at brandy.hudson@va.gov by 1630 EST 02 July 2024.

In order to be considered responsive, the quote must include the following information:

Firm fixed priced quote for all items listed as detailed on the Statement of Work (SOW). The contractor must provide and clearly state the fixed price quote that will be evaluated for the government s order.

2. The completed provision at VAAR 852.219-75.

(ix) The provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services applies to this acquisition.

The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

The government will award one contract to the quote that provides the best value and technically acceptable products to the government.

(x) Offerors must include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, with its offer.

(xi) The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition and a statement regarding any addenda to the clause.

(xii) The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition and a statement regarding which, if any, of the additional FAR clauses cited in the clause are applicable to the acquisition.

The following FAR clauses cited in FAR 52.212-5 are applicable to this acquisition:

52.219-27 Notice of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside (SEP 2021)

52.219-28 Post Award Small Business Program Representation (SEP 2021)

52.222 19 Child Labor Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (JAN 2022)

52.222 26 Equal Opportunity (SEP 2016)

52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (JUL 2014)

52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans (JUN 2020)

52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (NOV 2021)

52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products (MAY 2020)

52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer System for Award Management (OCT 2018)

(xiii)Â The following additional contract requirements and terms and conditions are applicable to this requirement:

VAAR 852.219-73 VA Notice of Total Set-Aside for Certified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (JAN 2023)(Deviation)

VAAR 852.219-75 VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting Certificate of Compliance For Services and Construction (JAN 2023)(Deviation)

VAAR 852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (NOV 2018)

VAAR 852.201-70 Contracting Officer s Representative DEC 2022

VAAR 852.203-70 Commercial Advertising May 2018

(xiv)Â A statement regarding the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) and assigned rating are not applicable to this solicitation.

(xv) The date, time and place offers are due:

Date quotes are due: 02 July 2024

Times Quotes are due: 1630 EST

Submit Quotes to: Brandy Hudson

brandy.hudson@va.gov

(xvi) The name and telephone number of the individual to contact for information regarding the solicitation.

Brandy Hudson

708-786-5220

brandy.hudson@va.gov

STATEMENT OF WORK

1.

The purpose of this Statement of Work (SOW) is to define VA s requirements for the purchase of standard 48 x 40 pallets.

The pallets are to be delivered at dock door #16 of the Service and Distribution Center located in Bldg. 37, Hines, IL where they can be easily stored in their designated location.

SPECIFICATIONS

2.

Provide 1500 pallets monthly in biweekly deliveries with the following minimum capabilities and characteristics:

Standard pallet dimensions of 48 L X 40 W X 4 ½ H

Stringer, four-way pallet design to allow forklifts to enter the pallet from any side

Must be double-faced to strengthen the pallet and more evenly distributes the weight of the load

Must have a weighted capacity of no less than 1000lbs storage, and up to 3000lbs shipping capacity

Can be composed of new wood, recycled wood, or recyclable cardboard, which is preferred due to ease of warehouse cleanup, recycling, and lack of rate of return on number pallets shipped out monthly

DELIVERY AND RECEIPT

3.

The contractor must ensure deliveries arrive Monday-Friday, between the hours of 7:00 am to 3:00 pm CST at:

Department of Veteran Affairs

Service and Distribution Center

1st Avenue, Bldg. 37, Dock Door 16

Hines, IL 60141

Contractor shall not attempt to deliver on the following observed federal holidays:

New Year s Day Labor Day

Martin Luther King Jr. s Birthday Columbus Day

President s Day Veteran s Day

Memorial Day Juneteenth

Thanksgiving Day Independence Day

Christmas Day

Department of Veterans Affairs Inventory Management and Quality Assurance personnel will conduct all verification of accuracy of shipments to include:

Bill of Lading (BOL) matches truck/seal/driver

Product was not damaged during loading/transport and report any discrepancies

Quantity received is equal to quantity stated shipped on packing list

Once all has been confirmed as accurate, a purchase order and receiving report will be created to account for every shipment, and ensure payment is disbursed to vendor in a timely fashion.

ELECTRONIC INVOICE SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Introduction

In 2007 the Department of Veterans Affairs entered into a relationship with Tungsten Network, a

global provider of electronic invoicing. With Tungsten Network, all Department of Veterans Affairs

suppliers are able to securely submit invoices directly from their existing billing systems. All

suppliers can easily participate without changing their existing invoicing formats. In addition, by

submitting invoices electronically through Tungsten Network, Department of Veterans Affairs

suppliers will experience prompt payment with reduced exceptions.

Your participation is required by this contract, ensuring that the Department of Veteran Affairs can

offer the most efficient and highest quality invoice processing possible

Your participation in this existing process is required in order to provide products or services to the

Department of Veteran Affairs in compliance with the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery

Act of 2010 (IPERA) and Mandate AN97. The rule mandating electronic invoice submission was

published on November 27th, 2012, and has an effective date of December 27th, 2012.

Mandate AN97 can be located on the Federal Registry.

Tungsten Network will pick up any flat text invoice format, any invoice data layout, and through any

communication method of your choice. What this means is that you can send electronic invoices

from your existing billing systems.

Benefits Of Using The Tungsten Network E-invoicing Solution:

Guaranteed invoice delivery Delivery of invoices directly into the Financial Service Center

(FSC) payment system and routed nationally for approval, reduction of invoice receipt

inquiries

More predictable payment we can process electronic invoices much faster than paper

More streamlined, fewer exceptions Elimination of mail processing time, postage, data

errors and lost or misplaced invoices

Improved cash-flow management our process is more transparent; you can check the

status of your invoice and when you will be paid

The ability to store and retrieve invoices through Tungsten Network s online archive

No installation of hardware or software required not cost-prohibitive

Payments will be made using an Automated Clearing House (ACH). AN ACH enrollment form can

be found at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service following a search for 3881 or within the FAQ guide.

Enrolling in the ACH is required for payments made under this contract and any orders placed

thereunder.

ACH Offers significant advantages:

Reduced deliver time for payment funds, eliminating unpredictable postal system delays

Automated payment generation through our accounting systems, reducing the likelihood of

improper payments.

What Happens Next?

The below communication details the steps and key requirements needed to allow us to process the

data efficiently and to terms.

Two Service Options Available:

There are two primary methods for sending Invoice and Credit transactions via the Tungsten

network:

Integrated Solution: A supplier can send a data file directly to Tungsten Network via automatic

upload.

Web Form: A supplier can create invoices on-line via the Tungsten Network portal.

If your company elects for a Web Form Account (Quicker access time and Portal based):

o Step 1: Select Register at the top of this page.

Most general questions are answered in our 2-minute video about registering.

Your Taxpayer ID Number Must be provided and registered with the System for Award

Management prior to receiving a Ready to Transact notification with VA.

SAM is not affiliated with Tungsten Network.

Accept the terms and conditions to using the Tungsten Network.

o Step 2: Tungsten Portal Home Page.

Follow directions to complete your company details

An orange box requesting your company details is present on the right-hand side of the

screen.

Ensure that Addresses and information match your SAM registration.

Remittance Address is required.

Ensure you left click SAVE , if successful a green box will appear at the top of the form

stating; Company information updated successfully.

o Step 3: Request a connection to the Department of Veterans Affairs

Select [Customers]

Select [Connect with a Customer]

Type Veterans

Select AAA544240062 Department of Veterans Affairs

Select [Connect]

A confirmation will appear with a Tungsten Support Ticket Number. The time Tungsten

strives to respond to your ticket will be stated.

Please be advised the VA FSC Vendorizing Team in Austin must confirm your registration

against SAM records. This process can take up to 5 business days.

Once confirmed, you will receive a Ready to Transact email from Tungsten granting

access to invoice the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Please be advised if you select [Invoicing] -> [Create an Invoice] you currently have access

to the Tungsten Test Buyer account. This account is to view your invoice format and

submissions and is not transmitted to the VA.

The current account and transaction fees associated with the Tungsten services are paid by the VA-

FSC. Free transaction code (s) are not required.

During Implementation (Technical Set-up) Tungsten will confirm your Tax Payer ID Number with the

VA-FSC. This process can take up to 5 business days to complete to ensure your invoice is

automatically routed to your Certifying Official for approval and payment.

In order to successfully submit an invoice to VA-FSC please review How to Create an Invoice

within the how to guides below.

All invoices submitted through Tungsten to the VA-FSC should mirror your current submission of

Invoice, with the following items required.

***Clarification of additional requirements should be confirmed with your Certifying Official***

The VA-FSC require specific information in compliance with the Prompt Pay Act and Business

Requirements.

1. Your company s Tax Payer ID Number (TIN).

2. Your company s Remit Address information.

3. A valid in scope Purchase Order (PO) provided by your contracting officer.

4. Your company s contact information: (Personal Name, Email, and Phone).

5. Your VA point of contact information: (Personal Name, Email, and Phone).

6. If providing services; The period of performance dates (Begin and End).

7. If providing goods; The Ship To information of the VA facility.

8. All discount information if applicable (Percent and Date Terms).

For Further Help

FSC FAQs

Comparison Chart

Watch our short video tutorials to tour the Tungsten Network Portal and learn how to use its key

features:

Learn how to use the home page on the Tungsten Network Portal

Create invoices or credit notes on the Tungsten Network Portal

Upload invoice files to the portal (only for integrated solution suppliers)

View the status of your invoices on the Tungsten Network Portal

Set up and run reports on your invoices

Manage you company and user settings

Find help and support on the Tungsten Network Portal

Raise and track your support tickets

Contacts

Please contact the Tungsten Network team at:

Tungsten Network Client Services

Phone: 1-866-340-4980

E-mail: va.registration@tungsten-network.com

Tungsten Support

Phone: 1-877-752-0900

Website: Tungsten Network Support

Please contact the Department of Veteran Affairs at:

Financial Service Center

Phone: 1-877-353-9791

Email: vafsccshd@va.gov