working with the government (?) a joke

AN EMAIL CONVERSATION WITH AN INCOMPETENT

On the 16 January 2019 THE Army Corp of Engineers came out with a sole source solicitation for 30 parkas for extreme cold weather; -61 degrees F. The solicitation was published as a sole source. As you can see they did encourage interested parties to submit product.

From the solicitation: This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive quotations. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. Any interested party that believes they can fulfill this requirement should submit a capability statement to be reviewed. All submissions will be considered, however there is no guarantee that submissions in response to this notice will in any way alter the Government's acquisition strategy.

Which we did! They actually requested a second garment from us that has less insulation. We sent one to them.

From the solicitation: While the market has many options for cold weather parkas, only one vendor was found to fulfill the Governments requirement specifications. Apocalypse Design, Inc. was identified as the only source reasonably available to meet all requirements of the Government.

The above statement in the solicitation is an insult to my intelligence. I know the guy who owns the company because in the 1990’s he was a customer using Lamilite until I found out he was buying quilted chopped staple polyester fiberfills and calling it Lamilite. I call him unethical, immoral and otherwise a thief. What he makes does not come close to what I make.That is why most of the oil field workers in Alaska wear Wiggy parkas as well as numerous dog mushers and people who do not engage in either activity but just want to stay warm. I make the warmest clothing in the world!!!!!

When I read that they gave this company the contract valued at $32604.00 I was dismayed. When I divided the value of the award by 30 it came out to be $1086.80 per parka. Having read that I wrote the following e mail to the contracting officer.

Kim,

I just read that you gave the contract for the 30 parkas to apocalypse designs at a cost of $1086.80 each.

YOU JUST WASTED MY TAXPAYER DOLLARS BECAUSE WHAT YOU HAVE ORDERED WILL NOT PERFORM IN THE ENVIRONMENT INTENDED.

I WILL NEVER AGAIN MAKE MY PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.

Jerry Wigutow

Her response!

Jerry,

False. You do not know the evaluation process nor how many parkas were tested in our frost room. The posting was out there for an allotted period of time. Those companies who originally may have felt like you submitted their capability statements and sample parkas for testing, hence the delay from the original posting and the actual award. Your company, your choice but your reasoning is incorrect. The acquisition was procured in accordance with the FAR, DFARS and other regulated polices along with hands on evaluation in simulated environments by our technical experts.

They have no technical experts and having dealt with the so called technical experts employed by us, they are civil servants do not know what they are doing. My response follows.

Kim

I know the company quite well.

For several years they used my Lamilite until I found out they were buying quilted chopped polyester fiberfill and calling it Lamilite because it is CHEAP. They are in my opinion are dishonest.

Lamilite is the most efficient insulating material on planet earth.

You insult my intelligence when you tell me of your testing.

Wiggy's parkas are worn by almost every oil field worker in the state of Alaska.

Your reasoning is incorrect. When you have cold personnel you will find out. Your technical experts have never made garments that are suitable for the Alaskan environment where I have been at it for 50 years.

My statement of never offering my products to you stands.

Jerry Wigutow

Her response.

Then why didn't you respond to the original posting? But like I said, your company, your choice.

Best Regards,

Kim

I did through BOTTOMLINE OF PICKEN S.C. My GSA contract holder.

Jerry Wigutow

Her response.

Ok then that was one of the parkas tested and the customers at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL)who reside and work in Alaska as well, chose the parkas they wanted. I also sent Bill the evaluators responses as to their reasoning. It was a pleasure working with Bill. I then also explained to Bill there would be future opportunities which per your request, I will disregard ensuring you receive an email in addition to any future postings on FBO.Attached is when we first received Bottomline's parka.

Kim

TOO LATE.

MY PARKAS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO YOU UNLESS YOU CHOSE TO PURCHASE THEM OFF OF MY WEB SITE.

I AM TIRED OF HAVING TO DEAL WITH INCOMPETENT INDIVIDUALS WHO "THINK" THEY KNOW ABOUT THE TYPE OF PRODUCTS I MANUFACTURE.

JERRY WIGUTOW

Her response.

Too late? I wasn't asking you to change your mind. Have a great day!

KIM

I WILL, BUT YOU WILL NOT BECAUSE YOU WILL NOW HAVE THE THOUGHTS THAT YOU DID THE WRONG THING WHICH IS WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.

ALSO YOU ASKED FOR A PARKA THAT WAS LESS INSULATED THAN MY ANTARCTIC PARKA WHICH WAS A MISTAKE.

Jerry Wigutow

Her response.

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED

The parkas weren't for me. The customer buying the parkas requested what they wanted. This contract was awarded back in May and at that time, for the research they were performing, they asked for what they wanted. I'm not sure what else to say. Our apologies if you felt slighted in the process but it was a blind evaluation performed on the parka samples received. We kept Bill informed during the period of January - May as to the process and what was being requested. We spent 5 months testing parkas and even waited while your sample was being created even though other parkas were already received. The customers have informed me they are extremely satisfied with their purchase. My thoughts are nowhere near me thinking I did the wrong thing. The evaluators explained why they needed less insulation and again, that is what they wanted.

Blind evaluation is an accurate statement.

IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN OUT FOR BID IF THEY ALREADY KNEW WHAT THEY WANTED.

SOUNDS FISHY TO ME.

JERRY WIGUTOW

It wasn't out for bid. Pull up the original posting, it was sole sourced. Talk to Bill, he inquired to the sole source posting.

If it was not out for bid they should have not put in the solicitations other garments would be considered. The government of the USA waste more money than I can ever imagine so what is $32604.00? I no longer give a damn whether or not any government agency buys my products if this is the way they work. I have started an investigation by the GSA with respect to sleeping bags that have no chance of working at the temperatures applied to them by the companies making them or getting them made for them and because these companies are using the polyester fiber fabrics which are flammable. After all is said and done will the GSA pull these “no sleep sleeping bags” that are also dangerous out of the GSA so they can no longer be purchased with our tax dollars? Will they recognize these so called sleeping bags are a danger to the men they are issued too? Or will they just sit on the investigation until hell freezes over?

The problem many business owners have is simple; like me they like the USA and want to do their best to provide the best products they can specifically for our soldiers but as you can see the government employees otherwise known as civil servants have their own agenda and that does not include doing the best for the soldier(s).

Last year I received a call or email from a Natick employee wanting to know about my mukluks. He bought a pair and several months later he sent out a solicitation sole sourcing 3 companies supplying 150 pair each. My 150 were delivered in less than one month and shortly after that they ordered an additional 150 pair. One of the other companies did not deliver I guess. After the winter season I was called by an Air Force or Navy guy who ordered 4 pair because he was told by Army guys who were using them how toasty their feet were all winter in Alaska. The guy at Natick told us he wanted to discuss some modifications. We set up a conference call which he cancelled and would reschedule. That started sometime in April as of this writing no conference calls have taken place am I surprised by his lack of actions; NO!!!

I get up each morning to find many orders each day from civilians and I am sure soldiers as well. If a unit wants Wiggy’s products they can order from the internet!!!!!

Bogs never did answer me and then I was told they have all of their production in China so I guess I'll just have to be satisfied if people who own bogs boots buy my socks as muck boot owners do.