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V -- SHIPPING CHARGES FOR THE STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIALS PROGRAM SOL 53SBNB960017 DUE 022599 POC Marsha Rodgers,(301) 975-6398, or fax (301)963-7732 WEB: NIST Contracts Homepage, http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract.html. E-MAIL: NIST Contracts Office, Contract@nist.gov. The action originally publicized in the CBD dated January 28, 1999 is modified as follows: The following are questions and answers regarding this Request for Quotation: 1) Is this a Request for Quotation or Request for Proposal?, 1A. Request for Quotation. 2) NIST has requested rates for package shipping services for an initial year and two one-year option periods, yet has not described how the option years will be evaluated. 2A, NIST requires the vendor to describe the escalation rate for the option years. 3) NIST has requested rates for shipments described in mock task orders. However, NIST has not described how these rates will be evaluated in relationship to the complete table of rates. 3A, Because the original CBD states that prices shall be based on published catalog prices, NIST believes these shall be the same. If a discount is given on the Mock Task Order, then the same discount shall be applied to all following orders. 4) Will NIST sign a hazmat agreement? 4A, Yes. All other information publicized in the original synopsis is correct. Posted 02/17/99 (W-SN299389). (0048)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0139 19990219\V-0002.SOL)