AVIATION TOOL KITS

7 Aug 2016 ----------------------- After receipt of information requested in the announcement it has been determined to announce and award this requirement through GSA advantage as a total small business set aside. ___________________ Provide a complete aviation tool kit and warranty service that meets or exceeds the Alabama National Guard's current aviation requirement for fully functional and compliant aviation tool kits to support accomplishment of aviation maintenance mission. Tools and equipment must be TAA compliant and meet aviation grade specifications. Warranty is to be accomplished through on-site weekly visits. PURPOSE FOR SOURCES SOUGHT This Sources Sought Notice/Request for Information is to identify technically qualified business concerns that are interested in and capable of fielding and performing services to provide a fully functional aviation tool kit. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the United States Property and Fiscal Office for Alabama (USPFO-AL) or the Alabama National Guard to award a contract or otherwise pay for the preparation of any information provided in the response. However, as a result of this notice, the USPFO-AL may issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ). This notice is unrestricted and response from all qualified business concerns is invited. All eligible business concerns responding to this notice shall provide specific and relevant experience and expertise which show ability and capability to perform and provide the required requirements at an acceptable level of quality within cost, schedule, and performance metrics and demonstrate an understanding of the problems and challenges involved in providing a mobile, Aviation Tool Kit and supporting on-site warranty service. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and/or solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against USPFO-AL shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought notice or the United States Property and Fiscal Office's use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. Based on the responses received from this SOURCES SOUGHT announcement, the proposed acquisition may be solicited as a Total Small Business Set-Aside. The Government appreciates the time and effort taken to respond to this survey. The Government acknowledges its obligations under 18 U.S.C. - 1905 to protect information qualifying as "confidential" under this statute. [To avoid possible confusion with the meaning of the term "confidential" in the context of Classified Information," we will use the term "PROPRIETARY."] Pursuant to this statute, the Government is not soliciting but is willing to accept any PROPRIETARY (e.g., trade secret) restrictions placed on qualifying data forwarded in response to the survey questions and to protect it from unauthorized disclosure subject to the following: 1. Clearly and conspicuously mark qualifying data with the restrictive legend (all caps) "PROPRIETARY" with any explanatory text, so that the Government is clearly notified of what data needs to be appropriately protected. 2. In marking such data, please take care to mark only those portions of the data or materials that are truly proprietary (over breadth in marking inappropriate data as "PROPRIETARY" may diminish or eliminate the usefulness of your response. Use circling, underscoring, highlighting or any other appropriate means to indicate those portions of a single page which are to be protected. 3. The Government is not obligated to protect unmarked data. Additionally, marked data that is already in the public domain or in the possession of the Government or third parties, or is afterward placed into the public domain by the owner or another party through no fault of the Government will not be protected once in the public domain. Data already in the possession of the Government will be protected in accordance with the Government's rights in the data. 4. Proprietary data transmitted electronically, whether by physical media or not, whether by the respondent or by the government, shall contain the "PROPRIETARY" legend, with any explanatory text, on both the cover of the transmittal e-mail and at the beginning of the file itself. Where appropriate for only portions of an electronic file, use the restrictive legends - PROPRIETARY PORTION BEGINS:" and "PROPRIETARY PORTION ENDS." 5. In any reproductions of technical data or any portions thereof subject to asserted restrictions, the government shall also reproduce the asserted restriction legend and any explanatory text. 6. Responses will be reviewed only by Alabama National Guard personnel and will be held in a confidential manner. BACKGROUND The Alabama National Guard Aviation is charged with ensuring an aviation mission-ready force. This is accomplished by the performance of required and periodic assessments and maintenance of aviation equipment to determine and ensure readiness of fully functional assets and airframes. To assist in accomplishment of this requirement fully-functional, mobile, aviation tool kits are required. Current on hand tool boxes are worn and many replacement tools and parts are no longer available nor are they suitable for repair. The current on-hand tools are from a mixture of manufacturers. Recent market research shows that of the mixture of manufacturers many no longer manufacture tools in America or they can no longer provide tools that meet the Aviation Grade tooling requirements. Many of the more commonly used tools are heavily worn and have been replaced many times. As tools are worn out or broken it has become difficult to procure a suitable replacement that meet Aviation Grade tooling restrictions. Additionally historical and empirical data reveal that tools used for this purpose typically break and require replacement and repair. When the tools are in for repair or broken the entire tool box is quarantined from use due to strict aviation maintenance safety and tool inventory policies. The Alabama National Guard, in order to enable and ensure unit readiness and mission accomplishment requires an on-site warranty replacement of acquired tools on a minimum weekly basis. In order to solve the maintenance readiness issue, a catalog of tools and equipment has been developed that identifies all tools required to meet current Army Regulations, and Manuals, supports current Army Air Frames and meet the requirements of the Alabama Army National Guard. Each tool kit will be turnkey - etched, assembled and ready to issue upon delivery. This list includes the tool box and the easy visual inventory "Shadowbox" foam cutout placement mats, which hold and visually indicates the location and presence of the specified tools in drawers. Tools shall be shadowed in chemical resistant tool control foam. The tool control foam shall meets Alabama National Guard specification for Class, Grade, and Type category criteria. The Army National Guard has three location in Alabama in which 15 complete aviation tool kits will be delivered and provided warranty service throughout their lifecycle. These locations are Army Aviation Support Facilities (AASF) in Alabama - AASF#1 in Montgomery, AASF#2 in Birmingham, and AASF#3 in Mobile. Each tool kit shall be etched in a specified manner that identifies every specific tool to one specific tool box. All warranty replacement tools will conform to this specification. Laser Etching is accomplished without Use of Chemicals and does not wear off or accelerate corrosion. Example;15 tool boxes at AASF#1 All tools in tool box 1 shall be etched AASF#1BX1 and sequencing will continue through AASF#1BX15. Each box at each AASF location AASF#1, AASF#2 and AASF#3 will conform to this criteria. --- AASF#2BX1 through AASF#2BX15; and AASF#3BX1 through AASF#3BX15 ADDITIONAL INFO TAA refers to the Trade Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. & 2501-2581), which is intended to foster fair and open international trade. TAA requires that the U.S. Government may acquire only "U.S. - made or designated country end products. TM 1-1500-204-23-1 Aviation Grade PROPER USE OF PLATED TOOLS Use only chrome plated steel or un-plated steel tools for dis-assembly or reassembly procedures described in this manual. Use of cadmium or zinc plated tools is not permitted since these platings are prone to chipping and flaking. Should these chips or flakes become embedded in aircraft parts, galvanic corrosion will result. Should these chips or flakes enter fuel or oil wetted components, they may eventually clog the filter or produce inter-granular attack of nickel or titanium base alloys at elevated temperature. All tools regardless of type plating should be serviceable and free of chipping. TC 3-04.7 CAUTION The use of cadmium- and zinc-plated tools on Army aircraft is prohibited. Use only chrome-plated steel or un-plated steel tools during dis-assembly or reassembly of aircraft components FAA, AC NO. 150/5380-5B Shadowbox. A tool box with specific, marked locations for each tool so that a missing tool will be readily noticeable. CAPABILITY ITEMS OF INTEREST: 1. Minimum of weekly on-site servicing at three disparate locations 2. One point of contact for unresolved warranty issues 3. Type of warranties offered for tools, tool boxes and torque wrenches 4. Delivery of etched to specification replacement tools 5. Delivery schedule for both new and warranty repair/replacement tools 6. Example of meeting aviation quality tools QUESTIONS Company Name: Company Address as entered in SAM.gov: Socio-economic Status for the NAICS Code 332216 SAW BLADE AND HANDTOOL MANUFACTURING: The firm must be registered in System for Awards Management www.sam.gov with the socio-economic status identified above and the specified NAICS Code. If the firm's SAM Record does not include the NAICS Code the firm will not be considered. What is your company's experience in regard to providing extensive on-site warranty service for aviation and military tools and equipment to a military enterprise utilizing established aviation procedures and directives? How does your company normally price such efforts? Is this a core business capability? How many years of experience does your company have in providing these types of equipment and service to one or more clients? What organizations (military and civilian) have you provided on-site tool delivery, warranty services? What are the tools and technologies used at your company for records update, management, and security, of customer records? What is the standard warranty for tools, torque wrenches and tool boxes? What is your typical turnaround for replacing an etched and compliant warranty item? Do you have customer on-line ordering capability to report and request out-of-cycle-visit ordering? What are the business practices your company utilizes for quality management for both tool quality control and professional service? Does your company employ service level measurements and metrics for evaluation of services provided to your clients? Is your company familiar with the military and aviation guidelines and requirements related to the "Shadowboxing" of tools in tool box drawers to accomplish visual inventory and ensure aviation safety? Do you have ability to diagram, document and produce foam shadowbox type visual tool inventory to customer standard? Where do you perceive difficulties in developing your ability to meet the requirement? Please include examples, your experience and assessment of difficulty. Please estimate delivery schedule to accomplish the complete delivery of 15 complete kits each to all three separate locations? Please provide plans and options available. In addition to the above, all eligible business concerns must document the ability of their staff (at all levels) to interact with military customers; and to provide the status of tasks and resolve contract related issues with USPFO-AL and Aviation Facility management personnel (by phone or in person). Interested, qualified business organizations should submit a tailored response statement for this requirement presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum that clearly details their capability to perform the aspects of the notice described above in addressing questions. All proprietary information should be marked as such. Capability statements must specify the l business type and size under the eligible small business concern's name and address on the first page of the document, if applicable. All response questionnaire responses sent in response to this SOURCES SOUGHT notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to CW4 Ronald Danford, Contract Officer, at ronald.w.danford.mil@mail.milin MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by 5 August 2016. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. Because of the interest anticipated in this acquisition, inquiries by phone will not be entertained. Updates and/or changes to the posted information will be available at http://www.fedbizopps.gov.