8415--VA Staff Uniform Clothing with Embroidered Logo Salt Lake City, UT

Amendment 001 to Solicitation #36C25926Q0756 (VA Employee Uniforms) This amendment s purpose is to list and answer the questions submitted by the questions deadline as specified in the solicitation. **In the interest of getting information out to vendors as quickly as possible, the following information has been provided. However, several questions are still pending a full response from the Government team. A follow up amendment will be posted on SAM.gov once that information is available. Those pending questions are included at the end for full transparency. Questions and Answers: When do the items need to be delivered? We did not specify a delivery date since we understand different offerors may have different obstacles that will impact when they are able to deliver the items. Offerors are encouraged to provide the most accurate estimate of delivery/lead times based on the communication with the manufacturers they would work with. This is one of the evaluation factors that all offerors will be compared against. Can the items be delivered in phases? Or does it need to be one full delivery? The intent is to receive all items at the same time. However, scheduling/timelines may be discussed during the post-award meeting with the final selected offeror. Overall, offerors should plan to provide all items within a reasonable window of time if all items cannot be provided on the same day. Delays between multiple deliveries across several months should not occur. If that is not possible, the offeror should note in the delivery/lead time information what they anticipate happening and/or anticipated delays, etc. Is there a certain percentage of non-domestic products we can submit? Or must all products be manufactured within the U.S.? Vendors are encouraged to provide 100% U.S. products. Given the specifics of this solicitation Buy American Act (BAA) applies. Trade Agreement Act (TAA) is not applicable. However, foreign items may still be considered but limitations may impact the offeror selected. Offerors are STRONGLY encouraged to provide ALL U.S./domestic products. **See FAR 25.5 for more information on evaluating foreign offers supply contracts. VA Logo and Embroidery Artwork: The Salient Characteristics document references a "VA Logo and E.V.S. Script for Embroidery Work" section, but no logo artwork, file, or design specification was included in the attachments we received. Could you provide the official VA logo file(s) (vector/EPS or similar) and the exact E.V.S. script text/format required, along with any placement, size, or thread color specifications for the embroidery? The logo and EVS information and visual was provided at the bottom of the salient characteristics page as well as the line items spreadsheet. Please be sure to fully review each document for all relevant information. Fire-Retardant Certification Requirements: For Line Items #0009 and #0020 (fire-retardant shirts and work dungarees), the salient characteristics specify compliance with NFPA 70E (Arc Flash), CAT 2, minimum ATPV 8.6 cal/cm². Will the Government require submission of third-party test certification (e.g., UL, ASTM F1506) documentation with the quote, or is self-certification by the manufacturer/vendor sufficient at the time of quote? If certification is required, please confirm the acceptable form(s) of documentation. The self-certification by the manufacturer/vendor sufficient. Embroidery Placement and Logo Count: For polo shirts under Line Items #0011 and #0012, which are marked "Both" for Embroidered Logo/EVS, could you clarify whether this means two separate embroidered elements (VA logo plus E.V.S. script) are required on the same garment, and if so, the intended placement for each (e.g., left chest vs. right chest)? Yes, both the VA logo and EVS will need to be embroidered on those items listed as both . Per the information provided on the line items spreadsheet and the salient characteristics document, the VA logo should be placed on the upper left chest and the EVS on the upper right chest. Size Range Confirmation: Several line items list a size range (e.g., XS-4XL) alongside a specific per-size quantity breakdown. Please confirm that vendors must be able to fulfill the exact per-size quantities listed in the "Uniforms Line Items" spreadsheet, and that substitutions in the overall size range distribution (while maintaining the same total quantity) are not permitted without prior approval. Offerors must be able to fill the exact quantities of each size for each line item as these quantities are based on the station s needs for their existing VA staff. No changes to the quantities should be made. Buy American Certificate Partial Compliance: If our quoted line items include a mix of domestic and foreign-manufactured products, is partial compliance (i.e., some line items domestic, others foreign) acceptable under this all or nothing award structure, provided the Buy American Certificate is completed accurately for each line item? Offerors are able to participate in the solicitation with foreign items. However, the offeror must accurately list out the Country of Origin for each line item regardless of whether the item is foreign-made or domestic. It is strongly recommended that offerors provide ALL domestic/American-made items to comply with the Buy American Act but vendors will not be disqualified if they do offer some foreign items. Authorized Distributor Letter Format: Is there a required or preferred format/template for the Authorized Distributor Letter referenced in VAAR 852.212-71(c), or may we submit a standard letter from our manufacturer/distributor that addresses the required elements? Generally, authorized distributors of a manufacturer will just provide something from the manufacturer (usually on manufacturer letterhead) that states the offeror is authorized to distribute their products. There is no standard template, just the information is important in whatever variation the offeror and manufacturer deems appropriate to address this evaluation factor in accordance with what is stated in the solicitation. Manufacturer status / nonmanufacturer rule. Our firm performs the logo embroidery and decoration in-house and would furnish blank garments produced by U.S. apparel manufacturers. For this small-business set-aside under NAICS 315210, does the Government consider an offeror performing in-house embroidery/decoration to be the manufacturer of the end item, or does the nonmanufacturer rule (13 CFR 121.406) apply requiring the blank-garment manufacturers themselves to be small business concerns? Is any SBA class waiver in effect for any line items on this solicitation? Since we anticipate this requirement will be under SAT ($350K) and it s been set-aside for small businesses, the Limitations on Subcontracting and NMR should not apply. However, please keep in mind for specifying Country of Origin/manufacture the services completed on an item does not negate needing to provide the Country of Origin for where the actual item was manufactured. Although embroidery services will be needed for numerous items, offerors will be expected to provide the country in which the items are made. It is strongly encouraged to provide ALL U.S. made items but foreign items may still be considered. Brand-name-or-equal. The line items are described generically (e.g., "polo shirts," "tactical pants," "work dungarees"). Are specific brands, fabric certifications, or part numbers required, or may offerors propose "or-equal" domestic products that meet the stated salient characteristics (industrial-wash capable, fade-resistant, embroidered-logo capable, specified fabric blends)? No brands were specified so offerors will be expected to provide items that meet all salient characteristics for that line item. If the item complies with all salient characteristics, it should be considered technically acceptable. Robe specification (Line 0024). Please confirm: 48 each, white, "one size fits most," diamond-waffle weave with piping, industrial-wash capable, fade-resistant, accepting the embroidered VA logo is this correct and complete? Yes, this is correct Fire-retardant items (Lines 0009 and 0020). Please confirm the required FR standard/certification (e.g., NFPA 2112 / ASTM) the garments must meet. The garments should meet the following standards: UL Certification, NFPA 2112, NFPA 70E, and ASTM F1506. Submission format and samples. Please confirm the required submission package (completed SF-1449, reps & certifications FAR 52.212-3, pricing schedule, Buy American Certificate, Letter of Authorized Distributor) and whether pre-award samples are required, and by when. The evaluation factors section fully describes what must be included in the quote package in order to be complete. These factors are what each offeror will be evaluated on in order to determine if they are eligible for award and should be read closely to ensure compliance. Missing documents/information will…