Neodymium Oxide and Praseodymium Oxide

DESCRIPTION 1.1 The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Strategic Materials Contracting Directorate is seeking information to establish a supply contract to provide Neodymium oxide and Praseodymium oxide powder, or a combined 75-25 didymium oxide powder. 1.2 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR SOURCES SOUGHT (SS) ONLY . This SS is issued solely for information and planning purposes, and it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. This SS does not commit the Government to contract for any supply whatsoever. Further, DLA Strategic Materials is not at this time seeking quotes and will not accept unsolicited quotes. Responders are advised that DLA Strategic Materials will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this SS, and all costs associated with response to this SS will be the sole responsibility of the interested party. Not responding to this SS does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, the contract opportunity will be posted on SAM.gov website. The potential offeror is responsible for monitoring this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement. 1.3 NAISC: 325180 - Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing 2.0 BACKGROUND 2.1 The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Strategic Materials received authority to procure Nd2O3 and Pr6O11 in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The Government intends to store this material for an extended period thus, the material shall have a form and packaging conducive to long term storage in an enclosed Government warehouse. 2.2 Proposed Requirement: 64.5 metric tons Nd2O3 and 21.5 metric tons Pr6O11 or 86 MT of 75%-25% Nd-Pr Oxide. 2.3 Proposed Period of Performance: The proposed Period of Performance shall be for one (1) base period of 12 months performance. 2.4 Security Requirements: None 3.0 REQUESTED INFORMATION 3.1 Neodymium Oxide and Praseodymium Oxide 3.1 The scope of this requirement is to seek offers from contractors who are currently certified under NAICS code 325180, to provide, package, and transport, either 64.5 metric tons Nd2O3 and 21.5 metric tons Pr6O11 or 86 MT of 75%-25% Nd-Pr Oxide to an enclosed Government Warehouse for long term storage, within a one (1) year period. Reference Attachment A - STATEMENT OF WORK for additional information and specifications. Award will be a firm fixed-price, single contract award. 3.2 Product Quality Information 3.3 Please provide material specifications 3.4 General Information 4.0 GOVERNMENT REQUESTED INFORMATION a. Performance Requirements Can your company obtain sufficient quantities of material to meet the maximum monthly requirement illustrated in the attached Statement-of-Work (SOW) for each material grade and specification? b. Supplier Requirements Will your company purchase the material from a domestic source or a qualifying country? c. Scheduling Requirements This acquisition should follow the normal acquisition timeline. Can your company submit documentation that identifies your intensions regarding the following at a minimum: a) total net weight of each lot, b) total net weight per drum. c) total number of sub-packaging bags per drum (e.g. bags inside containers if applicable), d) total number of drums, e) quantity of drums on each pallet, f) total truck loads per month, g) total lots per truckload (T/L) (e.g., one lot per T/L, - lot per T/L etc.) and h) type of truck planned for transport (e.g., enclosed van truck, overseas container etc.) within ninety days if a contract is awarded. d. Can your company provide an example of a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the proposed material? The example COA can be from a previous contract with the Government or Industry. The example is not required to meet the requirements listed in the attached SOW. If you have not sold the material, so that it has no example COA from the previous sales, the offeror can submit a COA, for the proposed material, from a qualified independent analytical company within ninety days if a contract is awarded. e. Can your company satisfy the packaging requirements listed in paragraph 8 of the attached SOW? Based on those packaging requirements, would you be repackaging the material before you ship to us? If so, would those repackaging operations take place in the Continental United States? Would you be willing to allow the government access to your repackaging operations so that the government can obtain samples which are representative of each lot during your repackaging operations? f. Distribution Requirements Do you have the capability to manage all transactions for the required materials referenced in the attached Statement-of-Work (SOW) g. Is your company registered in the System for Award Management (SAM)? (https://www.sam.gov/) h. Does your company have a cage code? If so, what is it? i. Does your company have a NAICS code? If so, what is it/are they? j. Please submit lessons learned from current or previous contract awards. 4.1 Respond to the above questions by email, with an attached capabilities statement in Word Document, no later than Friday, January 13, 2023, 9:00 AM EST. Responses shall be submitted the Contract Specialist Christopher Williams at Christopher.1.williams@dla.mil and to DSCO-F2Contracting@dla.mil. Responses to the questions must NOT contain proprietary or classified information. Be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. 4.2 Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and email of designated point of contact. 4.3 Recommended contract strategy. 4.4 Business type (large business, small business, small, disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small, disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, very small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 325180 - Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing. - Small business concern means a concern, including its affiliates that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. A small business concern for the purposes of this procurement is generally defined as a business, including its affiliates, averaging no more than three million dollars in annual receipts. Annual receipts of a concern that has been in business for 3 or more complete fiscal years means the annual average gross revenue of the concern taken for the last 3 fiscal years. Annual receipts of a concern that has been in business for less than 3 complete fiscal years means its total receipts for the period it has been in business, divided by the number of weeks including fractions of a week that it has been in business and multiplied by 52. Responders are cautioned, however, that this is a general description only. Additional standards and conditions apply. Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 19 for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. The FAR is available at: https://www.acquisition.gov/ 5.0 INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS 5.1 DLA Strategic Materials representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential offerors. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risks. 6.0 SUMMARY 6.1 THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ONLY to identify vendors who can provide information for potential future acquisition. The information provided in the SS is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. DLA Strategic Materials has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this SS should NOT be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Attachments: 1. Statement of Work - Attachment A