68 -- Request For Information

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ANNOUNCEMENTDefense Logistics Agency Defense Supply Center Richmond **DSCR intends to add four more additional FSCs to the privatization initiative: 6810-Reagent & Technical Grade Chemicals; 6820 - Dyes; 6840 - Pesticides, Disinfectants, Repellants, Deodants; 6850-Compounded Chemicals. The list of items are posted on the following website: http://www.dscr.dla.mil/userweb/faga/index.html, Under - Specialized Support, Click on - Privatization Efforts. Please advise of any changes to your response to the RFI by COB 3/24/06.** PROGRAM OVERVIEW Under the Base Realignment and Closure Act of 1990, 10 U.S.C. 2687 note, the BRAC Commission's recommendation to privatize the supply, storage and distribution for packaged petroleum, lubricants, oils, and compressed gases (Federal Supply Classes 6830 and 9150) became law on November 8, 2005. Cylinders and valves (FSC 8120) are implicitly included in this initiative, and all ozone depleting substances are excluded. The Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) will lead the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in this effort by transforming this portion of chemical supply chain through reductions in chemical use, waste, and lifecycle costs, for all of DLA's continental U.S. (CONUS) customers and potentially OCONUS (overseas) customers. Presently, DLA uses a multitude of sources, storage facilities, and delivery methods to satisfy its customers hazardous material needs. DLA's intention is to leverage the commercial industry and implement regional chemical management services programs across the U.S. This initiative is designed to assure readiness, safety, and efficiency. Ultimately, DLA's goal is to improve lead-times, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction while allowing the customers to focus on their core competencies. Anticipated Scope of Services: Forecasting collaboration with customers - Accurately predicting future customer requirements/demand patterns. Procurement/Purchasing - All actions related to acquisition planning, solicitation, evaluation, negotiations, contract award, contract administration, and contract management functions. Inventory Management/Storage/Warehousing - The direction and control of activities with the purpose of getting the right inventory in the right place at the right time in the right quantity in the right form at the right cost. Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health (ESOH) services (to include disposal) - To provide an effective, sound, environmentally safe and occupational health management system. It is intended to be used in conjunction with other pertinent procedures, regulations, manuals, and guidance documents that support environmentally sound management. Customer Direct - Ship directly to joint warfighter customers across a broad spectrum of locations both CONUS and potentially OCONUS. Deliver items using shipping methods defined by terms and conditions of the contract (i.e. required delivery date, packaging requirements, delivery address, special instructions for emergency or other needs). Track the delivery of items. Data Management - to include interoperability with industry and government systems. RFI Questions 1) Forecasting A) In your opinion, what is the best way to collaborate forecasting with the customers? B) Do you see a need for DLA involvement in this process? If so, how? 2) Inventory Management/Storage/Warehousing A) What is your concept for the Inventory Management/Storage/Warehousing requirements to support this effort? B) What is your view on how to best handle inventory management? (customer direct delivery vs. storage) C) How would you recommend the Bill Of Materials to be set up? (i.e. Do you envision multiple contracts per Federal Supply Class)? Should the Petroleums, Oils, & Lubricants (9150s) be combined with the Compressed Gases and Cylinders (6830s and 8120s) or should we solicit and award separate contracts for each of the FSCs? D) If Government packaging and/or marking requirements could be made more efficient by being more like commercial practices, what would those changes be and what efficiencies would potentially be gained? If possible, rank the changes in order of their potential benefit and/or provide some indication of the significance from a cost perspective. 3) Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health A) Describe your current protocols, systems, and procedures as well as reports, from material procurement through ultimate product disposal, that reflect and ensure compliance with Federal (i.e. OSHA, DOT, EPA), State, and Local regulations proper to materials defined to be hazardous by one or more regulatory bodies. B) ESOH, Transportation, Logistics as well as Contracting information proper to assets that are defined to be hazardous (FED STD 313) is maintained in a federal database identified as the Hazardous Materials Information Resource System (HMIRS). Government employees (civilian and military) utilize this database to obtain necessary ESOH and Transportation information on assets proper to the execution of their respective missions/tasks. DSCR is the functional manager of the HMIRS. Describe the procedures/methodologies, etc., of how you would obtain, identify and then provide the correct Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and other pertinent information to DLA Point of Contact/HMIRS so as to reflect vendor - manufacturer relationship, etc. for the asset(s) delivered to a customer/requisitioner. C) Describe your capabilities/resources to certify packages containing hazardous materials for transport via surface (highway & rail), water, and air subject to either domestic (DOT) or military (AF-JMAN 24-204) or international (IMDG or IATA) regulations. 4) Customer Direct Delivery A) Describe your concept for providing CONUS customer direct delivery support, i.e. regionally or state. In addition, and if required, could you support OCONUS (overseas) requirements? 5) Data Management A) What type of data systems do you currently use and do you see any concerns with integrating your IT systems with other industry partners and government agencies? 6) General Business Information A) Which services listed above do you envision being able to provide - all or a portion? Are there any other services that you think the Government should include in this effort that are not mentioned in the introduction? B) If your company is considered a Small Business under the proposed NAICS codes (324191, 325120), do you foresee any impediments in support of this initiative? i. Does your company qualify in any sub-category? (i.e. 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB) C) Do you consider an effort of this magnitude to be best suited for a cost-basis contract or firm-fixed contract and what is the maximum number of years you would recommend for the total life of the contract? D) What do you envision as the risk areas associated with this effort and how would you mitigate those risks? E) What would be your proposed solution to support this effort? (Contracts by region, by state, by customer)? If regional contracts, how many? What would be your vision of a back up plan if another prime contractor fails to perform? 7) Miscellaneous A) Please provide any additional feedback you feel is relevant to this initiative. SUMMARY Please send your responses to the RFI questions to the following P.O.C.s by 25 Jan 2006: Terri Gruber, Acquisition Specialist, Email: terri.gruber@dla.mil. cc: MAJ Broughton, Team Lead, Email: johnny.broughton@dla.mil. In addition to this RFI and in accordance with FAR 15.201(c)(4), please advise the P.O.C.s above if you would like to schedule an appointment for a one-on-one meeting with DSCR staff. This meeting will give industry an opportunity to provide ideas on possible solutions to support this important initiative. This meeting is not an invitation or request for proposal; please focus on possible solutions to help support this initiative. One hour sessions will be allocated per appointment between the dates of January 30 - February 3, 2006. Please send your name, company, phone number, email address, and date in which you wish to meet, to the P.O.C.s, who will in turn, confirm your appointment time. It is your responsibility to look at the following website for updates on this Privatization initiative: http://www.dscr.dla.mil/UserWeb/FAGA/index.html, Under - Specialized Support, Click on - Privatization Efforts. DISCLAIMER. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for information received in response to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Information provided in response to this RFI will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for determining how to proceed in the acquisition process. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.