91 -- E85 Fueling Stations

***********MARKET SURVEY************* THIS IS A MARKET SURVEY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. RESPONSES TO THIS MARKET SURVEY SHALL BE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY (RFI) for ETHANOL E85 FUELING SITE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENT EXISTS AND NO CONTRACT AWARD WILL RESULT FROM THIS INFORMATION REQUEST. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 447190 Gasoline Stations; the NAICS size standard is $8 million. Market Request for Information. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is conducting a survey of existing and /or potential retail sources capable of providing E85 ethanol fueling to federal fleets in the Washington DC area. E85 is defined as an ethanol/gasoline mixture that contains 85% denatured ethanol and 15% gasoline, by volume. For retail sources capable of providing this E85 fueling, USDA is also seeking information concerning retail interest in possibly also providing bio-diesel fueling, at a B5 bio-diesel blend or higher, to the same market. Bio-diesel is defined as a domestic, renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from natural oils such as soybean oil, and which meets the specifications of ASTM D 6751. Bio-diesel blend is a blend of bio-diesel (defined above) fuel with petroleum ?based diesel fuel, designated BXX where XX represents the volume percentage of bio-diesel fuel in the blend. For example, B5 bio-diesel is a blend that contains 5% bio-diesel and 95% petroleum-based diesel fuel, by volume. This request is for information on an existing or potential retail fueling locations that can provide E85 ethanol that meets the ASTM D5798-99 Standard Specification for Fuel Ethanol for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engines. The Government is interest in fueling site(s) located inside the District of Columbia (DC) boundaries and those that meet all applicable DC codes and standards. Source must be in compliance with all required licenses and permits. Further, the Government is interested in sources that accept the federal fleet card for E85 fuel purchases and who have a daily minimum of twelve hours of operation and accessibility to federal fleets. Based on U.S. Department of Energy data, there are approximately 822 Flex Fuel vehicles in the Federal fleet assigned to Washington, D.C. area. Interested business concerns should submit a capabilities summary that includes, at a minimum, information on past experience providing E85 and/or gasoline fuel in the District of Columbia retail market, established relationships with E85 and/or gasoline suppliers, lease or ownership of a retail fueling site or acquisition plan to obtain a suitable fueling site, experience with private industry or Government fleet fueling contracts, applicable business literature, and other information directly addressing the ability to meet the aforementioned requirements. Interested parties should also provide specifications to indicate how data pertaining to E85 purchases is recorded and reported from the point of sale (fueling station). Specific product code mapping details are also desired in the submitted response. For retail sources meeting the above requirements that are also interested in providing bio-diesel fueling at a B5 or higher bio-diesel blend these same requirements apply, substituting ?B5 bio-diesel blend that meets ASTM D 6751?for ?E85 ethanol that meets the ASTM D5798-99 Standard Specification for Fuel Ethanol for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engines? in the first sentence of the requirements and ?B5? for ?E85? elsewhere in the requirements. Additional Information: There exists the potential for tax credits or other forms of financial assistance for the establishment of an alternative fueling property. Section 1342 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, ?Credit for Installation of Alternative Fueling Stations,? provides for a tax credit of up to $30,000 to qualified alternative fueling properties that provide E85 ethanol and/or B20 bio-diesel. Financial assistance grants may also be available from federal or non-governmental organizations. This is provided as additional information only, and does not constitute a commitment to provide or offer financial assistance. Please forward your capability statements to: Ms. Jodey Barnes-Edwards, Contracting Officer 202-720-3009/4389 at 300 7th Street SW, Suite 377, Washington, DC 20024 no later than 4:00 p.m. DST on February 3, 2007.