Combined QUESTIONS and ANSWERS (Q&A) Version #6 25 ...

Request for Proposal for the provision to NATO of

CBRN Clothing CEM20009

Combined QUESTIONS and ANSWERS (Q&A)

Version #6 – 25 Novembre 2020

Latest Questions and Answers in green

Question and Answers:

# Date Questions (submitted by potential Bidder) Area Answer by NSPA

01 25 SEP

2020

Who is the end-user (final destination) of the suits?

Technical The lead nation is currently Lithuania.

02 25 SEP

2020

Can we hand in samples in the correct fabric (according to the specifications), but in a different color ?

Technical Yes, the samples can be in a different color.






03 28 SEP

2020

In the Bid Instruction, §9 BID SAMPLES you require 2 samples (middle sizes) for NSPA, and 1 sample per size (i.e. small, medium, large) for the customer's for visual/physical and laboratory (if needed)evaluation. However, in the Annex_A_Technical_Evaluation_Matrix, Req n° 15,1 the number of samples is described as follows :

1 sample of the smallest size

1 sample of each middle sizes

1 sample of the largest size Could you please indicate how many samples do you need to be provided together with the offer ?

Technical

The samples shall be submitted following the below logics:

In case the bidders is going to quote for 4 different sizes (for example - S,M,L,XL), so they need to submit 6 samples: 4 samples (1 sample /size) for the physical evaluation and 2 samples for NSPA (1 sample /per middle size – M and L)

In case the bidder is going to quote for 5 different sizes (for example - S,M,L,XL. XXL), they need to submit 7 samples: 5 samples (1 sample /size) for the physical evaluation and 2 samples for NSPA (the bidder is free to choose which 2 different middle sizes to submit)






04 01 OCT

2020

Please can you confirm that the suits can be made from materials that are manufactured in non-NATO countries

The answer to the question depends on the materials as well as which non-NATO nation it is:

Sub-contracting to a firm from a non-NATO country is acceptable provided that (1) the non-NATO country is not subject to the restrictions of Clause 7 of the General Provisions, and (2) the level of sub-contracting does not exceed 30%.

Consumables however, bought by the Contractor from a supplier (who remains responsible for their specifications and which are passed into stock, which then lose their identity/provenance and are handed out piecemeal in general manufacture), are not regarded as sub-contracted goods and are not restricted by the provisions of Clause 7.

05 01 OCT

2020

Seeing that the overall number of Armed Forces in Lithuania is much smaller than the required 200.000 CBRN Coveralls we would like to query if the amount is feasible and subject to being amended?

Technical

NSPA cannot guarantee a definite quantity of orders, as this depends on the requiring Nations. The awarded contract will be made available to all NATO Nations as well as Austria, Finland, Sweden and Ukraine. For this particular requirement, the amount of 200,000 coveralls, is based on a non-binding estimation of the requirements of not only Lithuania, but also other countries that have expressed their interest in the required products (i.c. Belgium, Norway, Latvia, Sweden, Slovakia and The Netherlands). It is re-emphasised though that there is no guaranteed quantity under this RFP and subsequent contract, as it depends on the decision of the countries to purchase the items.

06 01 OCT

2020

Regarding the 3th party laboratory report :

does the end-user require the reports to be from a specific laboratory or are all certified accredited laboratories from the NATO countries admitted ?”

Technical

No, user does not ask for particular/specific laboratory – ALL accredited laboratories, which can conduct required test i.a.w. with indicated standards are acceptable.






07 13 OCT

2020

Can the authority specify the challenge level for the HD laid droplets test.

Technical

The mandatory challenge level criteria for the HD laid droplets (liquid, neat) test are:

(1) drop size shall not be less than 1 µl;

(2) temperature shall not be less than 20℃ and shall not be more than 40℃;

(3) test duration shall not be less than 24 hrs (1440 min.).

Other challenge level as per AEP-38 Vol II (e.g. cont. density, wind, temperature, humidity) are optional.

08 13 OCT

2020

Advise which gas mask in particular should be considered for designing a hood to meet this requirement.

Technical

Namely Scott Safety M95 Full Face Gasmask and Avon FM50/FM50+ APR are intended to be used for compatibility verification, however, in accordance with the Technical specification the suit must be fully compatible with a wide range of gas masks, which means that the suit must have a technical solution to comply with the requirement.

The hood with a wide range of gasmasks should be airtight and protect against penetration of chemical warfare agents and other dangerous substances inside the gasmask and the hood.

As a solution example: a protective suit could have a smooth sealing frame to match the masks or elastic interfaces at the hood to ensure the fit with the masks.

09 13 OCT

2020

Can the authority tell us if the technical evaluation of the models will be performed by members of the lead nation?

Technical

NSPA is ultimately in charge of performing technical evaluation and inspection of samples‘ compatibility with gas masks and other personal equipment that the Lead Nation has currently in use or intends to acquire.






10 13 OCT 2020

Could you please inform the last delivery date of Bid Samples to NSPA?

As per Par.9 of 01.CEM20009-Bidding Instructions:

“Samples must be provided together with the offer”.

The bidding closing date to receive the offers and the samples is the 16th November 2020

11 13 OCT 2020

Could you please inform, will we send and register our Bid to you just as online or your email address ? Or do you want us to send our Bid to you as original ?

Technical

As indicated in Par.21. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSAL FORWARDING of 01.CEM20009-Bidding Instructions:

“The means of transmitting your proposal are left to your discretion, by post, by private mail service, by email, by fax, or by a bid application using a secure protocol (https). Proposals submitted electronically (email or secure protocol) must conform to currently NSPA Microsoft-Office versions (preferably MS-Word, MS-Excel) or PDF. Email: Your offer must be sent to the following address: [email protected] and make reference to the RFP Collective Number. Please be aware that the maximum capacity for incoming mail at NSPA is 10 MB. In case that your offer is larger it must be compressed to fit the 10 MB limit or sent in several parts. Secure protocol: Your offer can also be submitted using a secure protocol (https) into the NSPA system. For this purpose select the button “Bid” when you display the details of the RFP in the Internet and follow the instructions. A proposal that is received "incomplete" when the closing date deadline is reached, cannot be accepted. In case the proposal is mailed it has to be submitted to the following address and should mention: NATO SUPPORT AND PROCUREMENT AGENCY (NSPA)






Procurement Division, Attn.: PP-A RFP Collective n°: CEM20009 L-8302 CAPELLEN (Luxembourg)”

12

13 OCT 2020

We would like to suggest that an extension of 4 weeks be both considered and granted for the submission of the accompanying products.

Commercial

After evaluating the information and the specified deadlines, we inform you that we do not support the postponement of the submission of tenders 4 weeks later.

13 13 OCT 2020

Would you be so kind to confirm that the correct delivery address for shipping the samples related to the RFP CEM20009 is the following:

NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA)

Rue de la Gare 11

L-8325 Capellen

G.-D. Luxembourg

Commercial

Yes, samples shall be sent to the following address: NSPA 11 rue de la Gare, L-8302 Capellen, Luxembourg Bld: 26 – Procurement Division Samples for RFP CEM20009 POC: procurement25

14 13 OCT 2020

May you please clarify if there is any applicable standard/protocol for the aging process which simulates the use of the suit?

Tecnical

LTU DMA under the MoD answer: the suit shall be suitable for use at least 30 days after removal from the original packing, when stored in accordance with the manufacturer's storage recommendations, instructions or user manual (officially released by manufacturer).






There are no other required standards, protocols for the aging process.

15 13 OCT 2020

Are the protection properties mentioned therein referred to mechanical properties such as Tear Strength and tensile Strength, without which there is no barrier against contamination? If not, may you please clarify the Testing Protocol and the applicable Standard?

Tecnical

LTU DMA under the MoD answer: the suit shall be suitable for use for military personnel while wearing it at least from -30°C to +50°C. After wearing it under this temperature range, the suit’s protection and physical properties will remain intact. In other words, the suit and it’s protection or physical properties shall not be affected by the specified temperature ranges. The outer and inner layers shall not be affected. The military personnel’s mobility in the suit shall not be affected. The testing conditions against HD agents are not changed and are as per AEP-38.

16 13 OCT 2020

Regarding RFP that is for Supply of CBRN suits, we want to ask the following:

manufacturer of CBRN suits is based in UK and informed us that for sending the samples, their government has strict policy and require END User certificate (from Lithuanian authority).

I attach you this for your reference.

They informed us that if not get EUC, they are unable to provide us for samples.

Tecnical NSPA will perform the inspection of samples and we will issue the EUC to the bidder in the course of next week.

17 13 OCT 2020

Will be the helmet used on or under the hood of the CBRN suit?

Tecnical The helmet will be used on the hood of the CBRN suit.






18 13 OCT 2020

Will be the CBRN suit used under the combat body armour (protective plates)?

Tecnical The CBRN suit will be used under the body armor.

19 13 OCT 2020

Are the values for the tear and tensile strength refered to the outer layer, to the sandwich or each of the layers separately?

Tecnical The values for the tear and tensile strength are referred to the outer layer.

20 13 OCT 2020

Is the AQAP required for main subcontractors? Commercial This requirement applies to the supplier of the CBRN suits; in case if the supplier of the CBRN suits and the OEM of the CBRN are not the same, then it applies to both.

21 21 October

Can we offer our CBRN One-Piece Suit as alternative item for the scope of supply of the present RFP?

Technical

IAW the Technical Requirements, protective clothing shall be a set of two-piece suit consisting of separate trousers and a hooded jacket. One-piece suit would not comply with the TS document and hereby would not be a point of interest.

22 21 October

Can we supply the One-Piece suit as sample for the evaluation/testing purposes of the present RFP?

Technical IAW the Technical Requirements, protective clothing shall be a set of two-piece suit consisting of separate trousers and a hooded jacket.

23 21 October

Is it possible, due to the limited timing with respect to the closing date (16 NOV 2020), to deliver the CBRN suit samples and the bag samples with the camouflage supplied to another Armed Force, for which we are currently manufacturing the CBRN suits?

Commercial

Keeping in mind current situation, as long as the technical properties of the textile meet the Technical specification, the samples can be submitted in any available color. However, in such case, the bidder shall confirm that in case of contract award, the suits will meet requirements for color IAW the Technical specification, i. e. the outer layer of protective clothing will be riffle green RAL 6007 or equivalent.






24 21 October

Therefore we presume that the “fabric” sample shall be composed by Outer fabric + Inner Fabric, that means the sandwich which the suit is composed by. Is this assumption correct?

Technical Layers shall not be separated. IAW the Technical Spcification, protective clothing shall be made of at least two air permeable layers: an outer layer and a filtering layer.

25 21 October

Is our understanding correct that a fitting interface between the mask and the hood is meant, which prevents penetration of Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA)? Furthermore, is our understanding correct that the hood can be made of the same material as the suit maintaining the same level of protection?

Technical Correct, a fitting interface between the mask and the hood shall prevent the penetration of Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA)

26 21 October

Is it acceptable that technical staff of our company accompany the evaluation of our own samples in order to support, applying the correct procedure while donning and doffing on request?

Commercial

Bearing in mind the current situation with COVID19 second wave outbreak no live demonstrations/training would be available. In case a special training would be recommended, we advise to prepare an alternative way of presenting such training, for example videos, etc.

27 21 October

Can you please clarify if ISO 19001 “In vitro diagnostic medical devices - Information supplied by the manufacturer with in vitro diagnostic reagents for staining in biology (ISO 19001:2013)” is meant, or if ISO 9001 is the requested one?

Technical ISO 9001 is the requested one.






28 21 October

Excel table „02. CEM20009 - Annex A Technical Evaluation Matrix.xlsx” offers a “statement letter template” with a wording, which differs from the equivalent technical requirements. Can you confirm that the template prescribes just the format of the letter, and that the statements listed in the template are to be understood as formulation proposals?

Commercial We confirm that template prescribes just a recommended format – wording shall comply with the technical requirements

29 21 October

Kindly ask to the customer to give extension time for at least 1 month for having the opportunity to participate in tender and you to get more participants.

Commercial Submission deadline has been extended until 10 December 2020

30 21 October

Country where CBRN suits are being manufactured has strict rules when sending samples and require the End User certificate (from Lithuanian authority).They informed us that if not get EUC, they are unable to provide us for samples.

Commercial Samples shall be submitted to NSPA, the EUC (End User Certificate) or End Use Undertaking (EUU) will be signed by NSPA.

31 21 October

Paragraph 15.2. , we have to submit 1x1 m piece of fabric. Should it be only outer layer or also 1x1 m filter?

Technical It shall be submitted both: outer layer and filter

32 21 October

Paragraph 11.7 and 11.8, should be do this test only on the outer layer or also on the filter?

Technical The outer layer shall be tested for the resistance to flame exposure






33 21 October

Paragraph 11.4, should this test be done on the outer layer or together outer layer + filter?

Technical The outer layer shall be tested for the tear strength and tensile strength

34 21 October

In the tender documents 01. CEM2009-Bid Instructions item 9. BID SAMPLES , you determined that “Samples must be provided together with the offer and shall not show any brand or company’s name. These have to stay strictly anonymous. “ Based on that, we have following questions:

a) There will not be any company name and brand inside of the Labels of Jackets and Trouser samples.

b) There will not be any company name and brand on the of the Labels of arrying bag.

c) There will not be any company name and brand on the 1 meter fabric sample

d) There will not be any company name and brand on the labels of package which will be jacket and trouser

e) There will not be any company name and brand on the labels of package cartoon box which will be jacket , trouser carrying bag.

Technical

a) We confirm that company name and brand cannot be on the label - just size and care instructions

b) We confirm that company name and brand cannot be on the label

c) We confirm that company name and brand cannot be on the fabric sample

d) We confirm that company name and brand cannot be on the package

e) On the cartoon box shall be information indicating the RFP number, the bidders name and the list of samples with quantities

Combined QUESTIONS and ANSWERS (Q&A) Version #6 25 ...

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