THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION. THE SUBMISSION OF PRICING, CAPABILITIES FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, AND OTHER MARKET INFORMATION IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED AND ALLOWED UNDER THIS RFI IN ACCORDANCE WITH (IAW) FAR 15.201(e). DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. IAW FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. SOURCES SOUGHT DESCRIPTION This is NOT a solicitation announcement. This is a sources sought/RFI only. The purpose of this sources sought/RFI is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 339115 (size standard of 750 employees). Responses to this sources sought will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this sources sought, a solicitation announcement may be published. Responses to this sources sought synopsis are not considered adequate responses for a solicitation announcement. ITEM DESCRIPTION The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veteran Integrated Services Network (VISN) 22, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 22, is seeking sources that can provide single vision, single lenses, bifocal, trifocal, oversized, tint, photochromatic and progressive eyeglasses (plastic, polycarbonate, and/or glass), and related accessories to the participating facilities: VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long beach CA VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA Southern Arizona Healthcare System, Tucson, AZ Northern Arizona Healthcare System, Prescott, AZ New Mexico Healthcare System, Albuquerque, NM Phoenix VA Healthcare System, Phoenix, AZ. The information identified above is intended to be descriptive, not restrictive and to indicate the description and quantities of the supplies that will be satisfactory. It is the responsibility of the interested source to demonstrate to the government that the interested parties can provide the supplies under an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (ID-IQ), firm fixed price contract that fulfills the required specifications. If you are interested, and can provide the sought-out supplies, please submit any questions and/or comments you may have and describe any innovative business practices and industry standards that we could implement to fulfill this requirement. Responses to this notice should include company name, address, DUNS number, point of contact, size of business pursuant to the following questions: (1) Please indicate the size status and representations of your business, such as but not limited to: Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Hubzone, Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), Large Business, etc. (2) Is your company considered small under the NAICS code identified under this RFI? (3) Are you the manufacturer or distributor of the items being referenced above (or equivalent product/solution)? What is the manufacturing country of origin of these items? (4) If you re a small business and you are an authorized distributor/reseller for the items identified above (or equivalent product/solution), do you alter; assemble; modify; the items requested in any way? If you do, state how and what is altered; assembled; modified? (5) Does your company have an FSS contract with GSA or the NAC or are you a contract holder with any other federal contract? If so, please provide the contract type and number. (6) If you are an FSS GSA/NAC contract holder or other federal contract holder, are the referenced items/solutions available on your schedule/contract? (7) Please provide general pricing for your products/solutions for market research purposes. (8) Please submit your capabilities in regards to the salient characteristics being provided and any information pertaining to equal to items to establish capabilities for planning purposes? (9) Given that each individual order will describe the supplies and delivery instructions, do you agree to receive individual eyeglass orders (one order per patient) via e-mail, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), FAX, or in hardcopy format and deliver each eyeglass order to each patient? (10) Is your firm capable to accept Government Credit Card transactions as a method of payment? (11) Is your firm capable to supply a licensed Dispensing Optician (DO) at one or more VA Medical Centers and provide measuring for frames, review of the prescription, and assistance in frame selection? (12) Is your firm able to deliver the required supplies at all participating facilities in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona? Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to Mr. Edgar Alvizar
contact@example.gov and Mr. Robert Regan
contact@example.gov. Telephone responses shall not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than Friday, December 29, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). If a solicitation is issued it shall be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this request for information. Responses to this notice are not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation.
