Generators for Y2K shelters: US government procurements

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This was posted at michaelhyatt.com by "charlie".

Any comments? Is all this legit? Hard evedence of the governments "plans"?

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Here it is:[Commerce Business Daily: Posted in CBDNet on July 29, 1999] [Printed Issue Date: August 2, 1999] From the Commerce Business Daily Online via GPO Access [cbdnet.access.gpo.gov] PART: U.S. GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENTS SUBPART: SERVICES CLASSCOD: W--Lease or Rental of Equipment OFFADD: ESC/PKOP, Services Branch, Operational Contracting Division, 104 Barksdale St., Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-1806 SUBJECT: W--GENERATOR RENTAL SOL F19650-99-T-0934 DUE 081699 POC Tatia Evelyn-Feggans, Contract Specialist, 781-377-3251 DESC: This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for the commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional comments included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation F19650-99-T-0934 is being used as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). This document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through FAC 97-11 dated 03MAY03. This acquisition is 100% set-aside for small business. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code is 3599, and the small business size standard is less than 500 employees. The supplies to be leased are as follows: The contractor shall provide eight mobile (trailer-mounted) generators for designated Y2K shelters. Three (3) @ 350KW, one (1) @ 200KW, three (3) @ 100KW, and one (1) @ 60KW. Generators should have a minimum 12 hour capacity internal fuel tank. Rental period will be from 1 DEC 99 through 31 JAN 00, with an option to extend until 28 FEB 00. Quotes should be calculated for three (3) month rate and include delivery and pick-up at Hanscom AFB, Bedford, MA. The quote should not include cable for tie-ins, fuel, oil, or any accessories. Contractors responding to this solicitation must bid on all line items. Award shall be made based on the lowest priced, technically accepted. The following provisions and clauses apply to this procurement: FAR 212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial, FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation--Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-3, Offeror representations and certifications--commercial items (all offers shall include a completed copy of this provision with their quotation), FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions (Commercial Items), FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes of Executive Orders--Commercial Items (in paragraph (b) the following clauses apply: FAR 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.222-41, 52.222-42), FAR 52.204-5, Contractor Identification Number--Date Universal Numbering Systems (DUNS) Number, 52.232-33, Payment By Electronic Funds Transfer--Central Contractor Registration, and DFARS 252.212-7001, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Applicable to Defense Acquisitions of Commercial Items (in paragraph (b) the following clauses apply: DFARS 252.212-7001, Buy American Act and Balance of Payment Program and 252.227-7015 Technical Data--Commercial Items). Clauses and Provisions may be accessed full text at http://farsite.hill.af.mil. All offers are due no later than 3:00PM (local time) 16 August 1999. Offers may be mailed to ESC/PKOP, Attention: Tatia Evelyn-Faggans, 104 Barksdale Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-1806 or faxed to 781-377-9217. Any questions may be directed to Tatia Evelyn-Feggans at 781-377-3251. Be advised that all interested parties must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) Database in order to receive an award. If you are not registered, you may request an application via 888-227-2423 or go to website http://www.ccr.disc.dla.mil. DPAR rating is DO-C9E. See numbered note 1.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), August 10, 1999

Answers

I wouldnt doubt it. Seeing a ton of Y2k requests for help in remediation at this late date in that newsgroup. Kind of ridiculous thinking how long the process takes to get something like this done. gov.us.fed.doc.cbd.solicitations

is the newsgroup, not everyone carries it.

-- Fat Tony (FatTony@youmammashouse.com), August 10, 1999.


Thanks, Jon, that's my backyard! I wonder what the story is on the "designated Y2K shelters"?! And does anyone have a clue whether large generators are even available at this late date, especially for such a relatively short rental period?

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), August 10, 1999.

Jon

It's legit. I did a search on the government procurement site, and that was posted. I like the part about extending the rental date until the end of February.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), August 10, 1999.


"FEMA recently asked each of the states what their greatest needs were in preparing for Y2K problems. Requests came in for generators, communications equipment, and mass care. 'So we went out and we purchased about 1,000 generators, and these were all different sizes.'"

FEMA Preps

Red Cross Shelters

-- mabel (mabel_louise@yahoo.com), August 10, 1999.


"Because the greatest threat of the Y2K bug is the potential loss of electric power, the Red Cross is now looking for shelter locations that are already equipped with emergency power generators. Such locations are hard to find, and FEMA has ordered 1,000 generators to be sent to locations all over the country in advance of the new year -- just in case."

-- mabel (mabel_louise@yahoo.com), August 10, 1999.


Couple of very definite problems with this:

<< Generators should have a minimum 12 hour capacity internal fuel tank. Rental period will be from 1 DEC 99 through 31 JAN 00, with an option to extend until 28 FEB 00. Quotes should be calculated for three (3) month rate and include delivery and pick-up at Hanscom AFB, Bedford, MA. The quote should not include cable for tie-ins, fuel, oil, or any accessories. >>

1) It's very hard to make any profit (remember? That's why businesses are in business!) on a three month standard rate to the federal government for a piece of eqpt in strong demand from the private sector - who will pay as much as needed to get it, and install it, and hook it up. These things are VERY expensive, and you simply can't build them at this late date - even if you wanted to.

2) The federal government is getting these diesel gen sets with a 12 hour fuel tank - for up to two months use - but (if they are contracting for fuel and fuel tank at all) they are doing that separately. Bad practice - it means delays and headaches getting the fuel system working. Extra contracts, extra contractors and workers not under the "prime" contrator's control = much more extra hassle for the "winning" contractor on the generator bid.

3) Same for the hook-ups and tie-ins - these MUST be done properly or you have either an electrical fire, no power to the building, or cross-fed power to the building. Again, extra contracts mean more delays and hassles to the "winning" bidder.

4) What if "small business" doesn't respond? Do they re-issue the bid? (More delays.) Worse delays if the small business winner turns out to be incompitent or a fraud, common in inner city contracts. (See Atlanta, DC, Philly, etc....)

5) What if the only generators available are of slightly larger (or smaller) sizes? This bid requires a time-consuming delay and re-issue on "technical grounds" then to be awarded. If they were more flexible in writing the bid, they'd get a better response.

As-is - they'll be very lucky to get any valid power to the building(s) at all.

Guess who gets to call the National Guard on this one......

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), August 10, 1999.


Oh I'm sorry - these is the National Guard asking for bids....

(Well actually, it's the Air Force base asking for bids, but who cares about little things like that....8<))

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), August 10, 1999.


Robert:

All very good reasons why the government usually ends up with garbage. I've dealt with them as a small business and I'd rather be beaten with sticks, given the choice.

I agree, they probably aren't going to get any generators from that RFP.

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), August 10, 1999.


Robert - Thanks for your analysis. I don't see the fuel type mentioned in the bidding specs - are you assuming diesel based on the size? This is an Air Force Base (not especially active these days), at which I would expect substantial existing underground fuel storage, but perhaps not the kind of fuel that would operate the generators. Good news, the Guard is just a couple miles down the road!

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), August 10, 1999.

"Trailer-sized" gensets this big are realistically only diesel.

Technically, they could be gas-turbine drivers - but the usual gas turbine drivers this large are aircraft-engine derived models that only come in a few fixed sizes and capacities. GT's use a LOT more fuel too than diesels, and are much more noisy for ground installations. (Consider, ever hear a jet take off up close? Those are 4 aircraft turbines....now, think of one of those next to a building running like that all day, all night, all the next day....Frankly, it would be a relief to all when it runs out of fuel.) Silencing requires an building installtion and special sound-isolation insulation and exhausts....

Fuel? Diesels are well known for buring treated fuel - the gas turbine is more "fault tolerant" - even though I doubt the Air Force would burn mission fuel to make electricity for a shelter. You need treated and purified diesel/fuel grade oil. The Navy diesel gen-sets either burn JP-5 (an aircraft-quality fuel) or the commercial ones in merchant ships burn very heavy residual oil.

Again, same thing - you can't just arbitraily swap fuels in any given gen-set and expect it to run correctly or efficiently.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), August 10, 1999.



once you deliver them to an air force base, they could be moved anywhere in the world in 24 hrs. thes things are mounted on a short semi-trailer/conex container. my company had one onsite for about two weeks, 250KW. they could take them anywhere on a transport.

-- mobilpower (flyme@world.com), August 10, 1999.

Granted - but without the fuel prification and tranfer system, the eletrical control and tie-in's, and without the raw fuel supply itself - this bid would give you only 12 hours of a running generator (at full oad) - and still no lights - because you couldn't hook up the full load.

Air transportation could be part of the 72 hours response time for FEMA, but this is only 8 generators - much more likely (given the specific sizes required - that these are for local (base only) backup power to specific buildings on base: commander's office, telephone, radar, aircraft control tower, radio, security, fire dept, ready room, hanger/repair center most likely.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), August 10, 1999.


Thank you so very much Jon and Mabel!!!

Perhaps there is still time for some loved ones to GI and prepare. It will ease my mind to know they won't starve, freeze, or find the unthinkable an option for crisis survival.

I'm soooo PO'd it has come to this!!! Shame on you ********** you know who you are!!

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), August 10, 1999.


I went to the web sights mentioned in this letter,2 are mentioned,they dont exist,if bidding is over Aug 16th and they are told to see those sights for info,why are they not there?

-- y2kme1 (y2kme1@hotmail.com), August 11, 1999.

y2kme1,

The three websites mentioned DO exist---had no trouble accessing them. The first one, Commerce Business Daily, is where the full text of the RFP can be found, just as it is posted here. The URL is CBDnet

The other two sites mentioned, farsite and CCR, are not directly related to this particular RFP, but to doing business with the government in general.

-- RUOK (RUOK@yesiam.com), August 11, 1999.



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