U.S. Embassy Manila RFQ Compliance Review for Water Purification Quote

Document type

Vendor quotation / offer package (firm-fixed-price response)

U.S. Government RFQ on SF18 + continuation (not an order)

Primary purpose

Demonstrate compliance, price basis, submission adherence, and ability to deliver per specs

Define submission instructions, pricing/tax rules, payment terms, and incorporation of FAR clauses/specifications

Governing terms

States FAR clauses attached to solicitation will apply; accepts CO purchase order as confirmation

States attached FAR clauses form part of resultant order; CO purchase order confirms order

RFQ Schedule: “See the attached complete specifications”

Delivery of water purification systems meeting all attached technical specifications

States it will “meet or exceed” attached complete specifications; describes general QA, new/unused, documentation, labels

Not Verifiable from provided inputs

Provide the actual “attached complete specifications” and map each spec (capacity, filtration stages, performance, certifications, spares, installation, training, etc.) to the proposed model(s).

Attached FAR clauses (not included in provided text)

Compliance with all incorporated FAR clauses

Acknowledges FAR clauses will be incorporated and agrees to comply

Partially Covered

List included FAR clauses (by number/title) and explicitly confirm acceptance or note exceptions (ideally none).

Schedule line items/quantities (not shown in provided text)

Quote must match RFQ schedule quantities/units/pricing structure

States priced schedule is in an accompanying file structured to match RFQ schedule

Not Verifiable from provided inputs

Attach or summarize priced schedule line items (item no., description, qty, unit price, amount) and ensure alignment with SF18 schedule.

G-01

Reps & Certs

No explicit confirmation that all attached representations/certifications (if any) are completed and included

“Any representations and/or certifications attached ... must be completed by the quoter”

May be deemed unresponsive/incomplete

High

G-02

Product Origin

No statement of domestic origin vs otherwise; no country of origin disclosure

“Supplies are of domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter.”

Could create compliance ambiguity; may trigger clarification or rejection depending on agency rules

Medium

G-03

Delivery Commitment

States delivery lead time is in Section 6 but no actual lead time is provided

FOB Destination; deliver-by field exists; delivery requirements may be in schedule/specs

Schedule risk; could be scored poorly or treated as incomplete

High

G-04

SAM Registration Evidence

Preparedness to register vs proof of active registration (UEI/CAGE) if award > $30K

“All actions ... over USD $30K ... must be registered with SAM.”

Eligibility/award processing delay or disqualification

High

G-05

Tax Clarity

Potential conflict/ambiguity: include applicable taxes vs VAT-exempt; no explicit statement on other taxes/duties

SF18 Schedule tax note + VAT exempt instruction

Pricing evaluation ambiguity; risk of later price dispute

Medium

G-06

Signature/Completion of SF18

Proposal includes signature block but does not explicitly state SF18 blocks are completed/signed as required

SF18 includes signature/date fields for quotation

Administrative deficiency; may require cure/clarification

Medium

G-07

Priced Schedule Attachment

Priced schedule referenced but not included in the provided draft text; no summary of line items

RFQ schedule requires pricing by item/qty

Without pricing detail, quotation may be non-evaluable

High

G-08

Technical Specificity

No model numbers, performance specs, certifications, or compliance matrix against “attached complete specifications”

Schedule references attached complete specifications

Technical evaluation cannot be performed; risk of non-responsiveness

High

G-09

Point of Contact Alignment

RFQ lists an information contact (Abegail B. Lamban-Tubo); proposal does not reference coordination with that named contact

SF18 block 5b contact info

Minor; could slow coordination

Low

G-10

Discount Block Granularity

RFQ shows discount options (10/20/30 calendar days); proposal states “0% discount, Net 30 days” but not in the RFQ’s percent/number-of-days format

SF18 block 12 structure

Minor administrative mismatch; could require clarification

Low

Offer due by Feb 20, 2026 no later than 2:00 p.m. (Philippine local time); no late quotes accepted

Submission deadline (Mandatory)

“Firm fixed price offers are due by February 20, 2026, no later than 2:00 p.m. ... No quotes shall be accepted after this time.”

“...submitted prior to the deadline of February 20, 2026, no later than 2:00 p.m. Philippine local time...”

Covered

Consider adding an explicit statement that submission date/time of email will comply (and list intended send time) to reduce responsiveness risk.

Offers must be submitted in English

Submission format (Mandatory)

“Offers must be submitted in English.”

“...offer is submitted in English...”

Covered

None.

Electronic submissions acceptable; submit via email to ManilaPurchasing@state.gov

Submission method (Mandatory)

“Please submit your offer via email to ManilaPurchasing@state.gov ...”

“...submitted electronically to ManilaPurchasing@state.gov...”

Covered

None.

File format must be MS-Word 2007/2010, MS-Excel 2007/2010, or PDF

Submission technicality (Mandatory)

“...MS-Word 2007/2010 or MS-Excel 2007/2010 or Adobe Acrobat (pdf) file format.”

“...acceptable format (PDF and/or MS Office formats as required).”

Covered

If submitting .docx/.xlsx, consider stating compatibility (Word/Excel 2007/2010).

Email attachment size must not exceed 10MB; if exceeds, split into separate emails/files <10MB

Submission technicality (Mandatory)

“The file size must not exceed 10MB... separate files... separate emails...”

“...comply with ... 10MB per email ... transmitted in separate emails...”

Covered

None.

Price offer shall be firm-fixed price, VAT exempt

Pricing (Mandatory)

“Price offer shall be firm-fixed price, VAT exempt.”

Section 2: “firm-fixed-price basis ... VAT-exempt ...”; reiterated in Section 6

Covered

Ensure priced schedule explicitly labels VAT as exempt/0 and aligns with Embassy invoicing expectations.

Include applicable Federal, State and local taxes (Schedule note) while VAT exempt is required

Tax representation (Mandatory/Conditional)

SF18 Schedule: “Include applicable Federal, State and local taxes” + “VAT exempt.”

Section 2: includes statement acknowledging applicable taxes but offers VAT-exempt structure

Partially Covered

Potential ambiguity: confirm whether any other taxes/duties/fees apply and whether they are included in unit prices; clarify “all taxes included except VAT (exempt)” or “no taxes applicable beyond VAT exemption.”

Attached FAR Clauses will form part of resultant order

Contract terms (Mandatory)

“The attached FAR Clauses will form part of the resultant order.”

Section 1 and 7 acknowledge and agree FAR clauses will form part of order

Covered

Cannot verify clause-by-clause acceptance because the clause set is not provided in inputs.

Payment via EFT within 30 days from receipt of original and correct statement of account; Direct Deposit Sign Up Form provided upon award

Payment terms (Mandatory)

“Payment shall be made via EFT within 30 days...” and “Direct Deposit Sign Up Form ... upon award.”

Section 6 mirrors EFT/30 days and agrees to complete Direct Deposit Sign Up Form upon award

Covered

Consider stating banking/beneficiary readiness upon request.

Discount for prompt payment (SF18 block 12) to be filled if offered

Pricing term (Optional)

SF18 block 12 prompt payment discount

Section 6: “0% discount, Net 30 days.”

Covered

Ensure this is also reflected in any SF18 completion or priced schedule cover sheet if required.

Confirmation of Order: issuance of fully approved and signed purchase order by the Contracting Officer serves as confirmation

Order formation (Mandatory)

“The issuance of fully approved and signed purchase order by the Contracting Officer will serve as confirmation...”

Section 1 acknowledges this exactly

Covered

None.

All actions over USD $30K: prospective vendor must be registered with SAM

Eligibility (Conditional Mandatory)

“Note: All actions which are over USD $30K prospective vendor must be registered with SAM.”

Section 7: prepared to provide/complete SAM if threshold met

Partially Covered

RFQ indicates SAM registration is required (not merely preparedness). Provide current SAM UEI/CAGE (if any) or explicit commitment that registration is active/maintained at time of award.

Any representations and/or certifications attached to the RFQ must be completed by the quoter

Compliance documentation (Mandatory if attachments exist)

“Any representations and/or certifications attached ... must be completed by the quoter”

General statement of completeness/responsiveness; no explicit mention that reps/certs are completed/attached

Gap

High responsiveness risk if the RFQ included reps/certs. Quotation should explicitly list and confirm completion/attachment (or state ‘none were attached’ if applicable).

If unable to quote, indicate and return (informational)

Administrative

Instruction in SF18

Not addressed (they are quoting)

Not Applicable

No action needed.

Domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter

Product origin disclosure (Conditional)

“Supplies are of domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter.”

States systems sourced from established OEM supply chains; does not indicate country of origin

Gap

If products are not of U.S. domestic origin, RFQ expects the quoter to indicate otherwise. Provide country of origin for each major component/system.

Deliver by date (shown on SF18 header) / Delivery terms FOB Destination (See Schedule)

Delivery (Mandatory)

Header includes “DELIVER BY (Date)” (not populated in provided text) and “FOB DESTINATION (See Schedule)”

Confirms FOB Destination; states delivery lead time is in Section 6 but Section 6 does not specify an actual lead time value

Partially Covered

Missing specific delivery lead time/commitment (days/weeks ARO) and any required deliver-by date alignment.

Non-responsiveness determination

Missing reps/certs confirmation; missing priced schedule detail in narrative; missing delivery lead time

Medium

High

High

Add a compliance checklist and explicitly enumerate included attachments: completed reps/certs, signed SF18 (if required), priced schedule, technical literature, delivery lead time.

Award processing delay / ineligibility

SAM registration not evidenced (only ‘prepared to provide/complete’)

Medium

High

High

Provide active SAM registration proof (UEI; entity name match) or a definitive statement that SAM is active/valid at time of submission/award if over $30K.

Technical evaluation failure

No spec-by-spec mapping to “attached complete specifications”; no models/certifications listed

High

High

Critical

Include product datasheets, compliance matrix, and explicit confirmation for each specification requirement.

Delivery schedule dispute

No explicit lead time/deliver-by commitment stated; deliver-by field not visible in provided RFQ excerpt

Medium

Medium

Medium

State a clear lead time (e.g., X calendar days ARO) and confirm ability to meet any schedule/spec deliver-by requirements.

Pricing/tax misunderstanding

Ambiguity about included taxes vs VAT-exempt treatment; potential duties/fees not addressed

Low

Medium

Low-Medium

Add a tax/included-cost statement: all applicable taxes/fees included in prices; VAT excluded as exempt; no additional charges.

Add an attachments index + compliance checklist

Front-matter list of all included files (priced schedule, technical specs response, product literature, completed reps/certs, signed SF18 if required, SAM proof)

Completeness/unresponsive warning; reps/certs completion requirement

Reduces non-responsiveness risk; improves evaluator traceability

Provide explicit delivery lead time and/or deliver-by commitment

State: “Delivery lead time: __ calendar days after receipt of PO” and confirm ability to meet any deliver-by date in schedule/specs

FOB Destination; deliver-by/schedule requirements

Enables schedule evaluation; avoids clarification delays

Include country of origin statement

For each proposed system/model: country of manufacture and major component origin; state whether domestic origin applies

“Supplies are of domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter.”

Closes an administrative/compliance gap

Add SAM registration evidence or definitive status

Include UEI (and CAGE/NCAGE if applicable), registration active date/expiration, entity legal name match

SAM registration note for actions over $30K

Avoids eligibility delays/disqualification

Insert a spec-by-spec compliance matrix

Create table mapping each requirement in the “attached complete specifications” to: proposed model, compliance, and evidence reference (datasheet page/section)

“See attached complete specifications”

Enables technical acceptability determination

Clarify tax inclusion vs VAT exemption

Add a single statement: “All applicable taxes/fees/duties (if any) are included in the quoted prices; VAT is exempt per RFQ; no additional charges will be billed.”

SF18 Schedule tax note + VAT exempt instruction

Eliminates ambiguity and reduces price dispute risk

Confirm completion/signature requirements

State whether SF18 is completed/signed and included; identify signatory name/title and date (not blank lines) in the submitted version

SF18 signature/date blocks

Improves administrative acceptability

Mirror the RFQ discount block format

Restate: “Prompt payment discount: 0% - Net 30 (no discount offered)” and, if needed, fill the SF18 block values

SF18 block 12 prompt payment discount

Reduces minor admin mismatches