Cost Effective On-Base Parcel Delivery Solutions (RAFL, RAFM, RAFF, United Kingdom)

The 48th Contracting Squadron at Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath, United Kingdom, seeks to identify qualified sources and cost-effective commercially practical solutions capable of providing reliable on-base parcel delivery services for RAF Lakenheath (RAFL), RAF Mildenhall (RAFM), and RAF Feltwell (RAFF) in the United Kingdom. 

Purpose of Market Research: Our primary objective is to gain an understanding of how the Government's required delivery outcome can be achieved at a reasonable/sustainable cost while also being reliable. The Government is not seeking an unnecessarily complex or premium delivery model where a simpler commercial solution could reliably satisfy the requirement.

*This RFI is issued solely for market research and acquisition planning purposes. It does not constitute a solicitation, Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or promise to issue a future solicitation. Responses are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government will not reimburse respondents for costs associated with preparation or submission of information in response to this RFI. *

Background: Personnel who live or work on RAFL, RAFM, and RAF Feltwell receive both personal and official parcels from commercial delivery companies. The most common carriers, presently, have been DPD, DHL, Evri, FedEx, Parcelforce, UPS, Amazon, and Royal Mail. Royal Mail/Parcelforce are the only delivery entities that presently have installation access and deliver directly to the on-base addresses. Other commercial parcel delivery companies do not have installation access, creating challenges in completing delivery to the intended on-base residence or agency.  The Government is exploring a recurring parcel delivery service capable of receiving or otherwise obtaining parcels from commercial carriers that do not have installation access and completing final delivery to the intended residence or agency on RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, or RAF Feltwell. The Government seeks industry’s recommendations regarding the most efficient and economical means of accomplishing this outcome. Packages, after they are picked up by a neighbor, have an average dwell time of 2 weeks before the intended recipients of the packages become aware that a neighbor had received their package on their behalf.  The Government is particularly interested in solutions that make use of existing commercial capabilities and minimize unnecessary Government-specific processes, facilities, equipment, or infrastructure. 

Primary Constraints: Installation access and funding will be the primary constraints and will be the biggest factors considered in developing the desired solution. Presently installation access for local nationals can take upwards of 7 months due to the MOD clearance/background check process. The government is not aware of any route to expedite the processing of packages. It has been observed that the delivery driver experiences a high level of turnover, unpredictable routes for drivers, and criminal records that prohibit access to the installation which affects the parcel delivery companies’ ability to obtain installation access for their drivers.  Drones are not permitted on or near these installations and should not be included in identified solutions. 

Government-provided escorts will not be available as an interim staffing or access solution.

Respondents should consider these conditions when describing their proposed solution and should identify how they could achieve the required staffing and access capability within the anticipated transition period.

Respondents should also identify cost-effective approaches for maintaining sufficient access-qualified staffing without unnecessarily increasing the number of personnel requiring installation access.

Estimated Parcel Volume: Available information indicates that approximately 1,000 parcels per week are associated with RAF Lakenheath that are being coordinated for pick-up at businesses near the installation. Should a reliable delivery service be established, the volume of parcels is expected to at least triple. Comparable parcel-volume information is not currently available for RAFM or RAFF.  The bases in order of highest estimated volume to lowest are as follows: RAFL, RAFF, RAFM. 

All quantities provided in this RFI are estimates for market research and planning purposes and should not be interpreted as guaranteed quantities or maximum quantities. Suggested solutions will need to be scalable to fluctuate as personnel to the bases fluctuate and parcel volume fluctuates. 

Respondents should identify how uncertainty and fluctuations in parcel volume would affect their recommended solution and pricing.  Respondents are also encouraged to suggest a Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) structure best suited to their recommendation. 

Respondents are specifically encouraged to identify approaches that allow the service to scale efficiently as parcel volume changes without requiring the Government to pay for unnecessary excess capacity during lower-volume periods.

Desired Outcome: The desired outcome is a reliable and cost-effective service capable of delivering eligible parcels from commercial delivery companies that do not have installation access to the residence or agency on the installation that ordered the item. 

The service would be expected to support RAFL, RAFM, and RAFF. All three installations are anticipated to be included from the very beginning of performance. The service would handle both personal and official parcels. Delivery service is expected seven days per week. For residential deliveries, parcels that do not require a recipient signature may be left at the recipient's door (or in a safe place designated by their delivery notes).  

The Government recognizes that commercial carriers may transfer parcels at different times throughout the day. Respondents should identify any operational assumptions, carrier coordination, cutoff times, or other conditions necessary to accomplish daily delivery.  

Solutions should not be disruptive, so the preference is to find a solution to deliver packages by 1700 each day ensuring no nighttime disruptions. 

If a requirement or assumption described in this RFI would have a significant impact on the cost, please identify the cost driver and recommend a less expensive alternative that would still provide reliable on-base parcel delivery. 

Commercial Carrier Coordination

The Government has not established the required method for obtaining parcels from commercial carriers that lack installation access. Respondents should recommend solutions. If multiple solutions are available, you are encouraged to make multiple recommendations.   The Government is interested in understanding how industry could establish effective and economical means of accepting, collecting, transferring, consolidating, or otherwise obtaining custody of eligible parcels from commercial delivery companies and subsequently completing final delivery to the appropriate on-base residence or agency. 

The Government has not determined whether an on-base facility, off-base facility, consolidation point, direct carrier transfer, existing commercial facility, existing delivery network, or another method represents the most effective solution. 

Respondents should identify the approach they recommend and any Government support, facilities, infrastructure, or coordination that would be necessary for that approach. 

*There is a preference for practical solutions leveraging existing commercial operations, avoiding the creation of dedicated infrastructure where it is not necessary to achieve the required outcome. *

Package Manifest/Security Information Packages entering the installations must be supported by appropriate manifest information or a form of documentation of items being transported/number of packages being delivered. 

Ideally, security forces would have visibility of the items contained within individual packages when information regarding package contents is unknown or otherwise available.

The solutions should address a form of security/inspection (without opening packages) to ensure that hazardous or illegal materials are not carried on to the installations. 

Illegal items shall not be transported onto or delivered within the installations.

Respondents should identify any additional categories of parcels that their company could not transport or that would require specialized handling, licensing, equipment, procedures, or pricing.

Respondents should identify what package-level information is typically available within their commercial operations and what could be reasonably obtained from originating carriers/shippers. 

There is a preference for use of existing electronic systems and commercially available information versus developing an entirely new system that may unnecessarily increase costs. 

Time-Sensitive and Temperature Sensitive Parcels

Some parcels may be time sensitive or temperature sensitive and are delivered at varying times by varying carriers throughout the day/week. Some of the packages are cold-chain items (medical supplies or perishable food items/meal kits). 

The Government has not prescribed a specific method for transporting or maintaining these parcels.

Respondents should describe the most cost-effective commercially reasonable approach for identifying, prioritizing, transporting, storing if necessary, and delivering these parcels while maintaining required shipment conditions.

The Government is not prescribing refrigerated vehicles, dedicated refrigeration facilities, or another technical solution.

Industry is encouraged to identify approaches that satisfy the required outcome while avoiding unnecessary equipment or infrastructure.

Respondents should identify any significant additional costs associated with these shipments and whether alternative handling methods could reduce those costs.

RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

Responses should focus on information useful to Government market research and acquisition planning. Responses should include the following company information: 

1. Company name and address.
2. Primary point of contact, telephone number, and email address.
3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and CAGE/NCAGE Code, if applicable.
4. Confirmation of active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM).
5. Description of the company’s experience providing parcel delivery or similar services.
6. Description of experience performing parcel delivery services of a similar size or complexity.

The Government particularly encourages respondents to provide practical recommendations for reducing costs, eliminating unnecessary requirements, leveraging existing commercial practices, and achieving the required outcome through the simplest reliable solution. Provision of rough pricing estimates associated with the recommended solutions should be provided.

Respondents should not assume that a more technically sophisticated or resource-intensive solution will be preferred over a simpler solution capable of reliably satisfying the Government’s need.

Respondents are encouraged to provide concise answers and are not required to restate the Government’s requirements.

Respondents should clearly identify assumptions associated with proposed solutions and Rough Order of Magnitude pricing.

Proprietary or commercially sensitive information should be clearly marked.

Responses shall be submitted electronically to the POC in this notice. 

Questions concerning this RFI should be submitted to the Government point of contact identified in this posting within 2 weeks of the posting submission date.

Information received may be used by the Government to develop the acquisition strategy, requirement, pricing methodology, and future solicitation.

Participation in this RFI is voluntary and is not a prerequisite for participation in any future acquisition.