REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: MARKET OPPORTUNITIES ANALYSIS - FIRST STEP ACT

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: MARKET OPPORTUNITIES ANALYSIS - FIRST STEP ACT RFI DISCLAIMER This Request for Information (RFI) does not create any representation, either express or implied, that if a tender or procurement process does proceed, that the participant's tender or other form of application (if any) will be given any preference or special consideration. Participants are still required to follow any tender or procurement process that may take place in the future. If a solicitation is released, it will be advertised in under - Contracting Opportunities in SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of potential offerors/bidders to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation. This RFI does not indicate a commitment to any particular course of action. Respondees are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense OVERVIEW: RFI Federal Prison Industries (FPI) would like to partner with an organization who has deep knowledge and expertise in conducting market research. Specifically, we are looking to obtain Market Opportunity Analysis granted by the recently enacted First Step Act (more fully defined in Attachment 1). As this is the first time in recent years that FPI is taking on this type of endeavor, we would like to collaborate with Industry on how best to structure the Request for Proposal (RFP) to ensure: greater participation by relevant and capable vendors of accomplishing the FSA market research proposals that better meet our defined business needs streamline process and minimize - friction of information through proactive engagement To enable this, we are launching this RFI as catalyst to this collaborative process. BACKGROUND Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), operating under the trade name UNICOR, was established by statute and Executive Order 6917 in 1934 with a mission to rebuild the lives of individuals who have taken wrong turns in life. FPI's program provides federal inmates with valuable job and life skills, which, upon release from prison, will enhance their prospects for employment and success within their communities, and it does so without spending American tax dollars. FPI is unique in that it is a manufacturing organization operating within the U.S. Federal Government. Currently, FPI is comprised of seven (7) business sectors: Agribusiness, Electronics, Clothing and Textiles, Fleet Services, Recycling, Office Furniture, and Services. Throughout the 87-year history of FPI, these business groups have changed based on market opportunity and demand patterns. Combined, these business groups provide hundreds of products and services to multiple departments and agencies of the Federal Government such as the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, and Defense Logistics Agency. While FPI has a private sector customer base, the majority of its customers are Federal Government agencies. Aside from producing products and performing services, FPI seeks to prepare inmates to return to society as law-abiding taxpayers with quality job skills, training, and work experience. Enactment of the - Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act (First Step Act or - FSA) of 2018, positioned FPI to further its efforts to expand inmate employment. The Act provides FPI with authorization to enter new markets and acquire new customers. Specifically, the new FPI market authorizations are: (1) Public entities for use in penal or correctional institutions Permits FPI to sell to State, County, Local and Tribal prisons, jails, correctional facilities, or other detention centers everything listed in the UNICOR publication - Outfitting Your Institution. (Attachment 2) (2) Public entities for use in disaster relief or emergency response Disaster Relief: Permits FPI to sell to State, County, Local, and Tribal government entities products they need in the aftermath of a disaster and products that public entities purchase to prepare for a disaster. Emergency Response: Permits FPI to sell to State, County, Local and Tribal government entities products they would use in preparing for or responding to emergencies, including emergency response vehicles (e.g., police vehicles, sheriff vehicles, and fire trucks), uniforms, protective wear, and other items used by emergency responders. (3) The Government of the District of Columbia There are no longer any restrictions on FPI selling to the DC government. (4) To non-profit and religious organizations under 501(c)(3), (c)(4), or (d) FPI can now sell products and services to thousands of charitable organizations, social welfare organizations, and religious organizations which are considered 501(c)(3), (c)(4), or (d) entities under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The one exception to this authority is that FPI cannot sell office furniture to such entities (under the FSA furniture is - any product or service offering intended to meet the furnishing needs of the workplace, including office, healthcare, educational, and hospitality environments). SCOPE OF WORK: RFP The primary objective of Market Analysis effort is to complete a detailed and comprehensive review of potential market opportunities based on the new authorizations detailed in the FSA. The review must be based on the new market definitions as outlined in the four parts of the FSA identified in the - Background section above. Deliverables: Contractor will develop a written report and make a presentation on its Market Analysis findings, recommendations, and market research for the CEO and applicable Business Group General Managers. The deliverable must include, but should not be limited to, discussion on the following topics: FPI's current demonstrated schedule of products (https://www.unicor.gov/sop.aspx) Opportunities for growth as expressed by General Managers of the Business Groups Opportunities for growth based on the Contractor's analysis of the market and FPI's capabilities The competitive landscape and product offerings of competitors We have attached a draft RFP initially developed. Please use this document as a - building block to help structure your inputs and future discussions (Attachment 3). RFI QUESTIONS 1.) From a high level, what approach would you take to development of the RFP? Specifically, how to best engage market place to: a.) Enable structuring of proposals to allow - apples to apples comparison to select optimal respondee based on capability and value rather than just based on lowest price. b.) Allow greater participation from right potential supply base. 2.) What information needs to be provided along with the RFP package in order to put forth a comprehensive and complete proposal? Specifically, the critical - must have information required to do so. 3.) How would you structure the Order Winning Criteria (OWC) to evaluate proposals based on both capability and value for money? What would be key criteria and the associated weighting? What would be - must haves? What would be the - differentiators? 4.) What category of supply of market best addresses this type and level of work? On what basis? 5.) How would you structure the engagement to provide both adequate time and resources to accomplish this level of work? Based on this, how would you structure the contract to support this? 6.) Based on question #5, what would be your estimated Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM)? The ROM will be used for budget planning purposes only and in no way will affect your proposal if our/your Organization proceed into solicitation process. RFI GUIDELINES Please use the draft RFP attached to this RFI to help structure your responses. Though we are open to structural changes to the draft document if required, we would need compelling rationale why changes are required. Rather, we would ask focus be on content of RFP. Specifically, what should be asked in the proposal which would help determine a best value fit contractor for our needs. Information from this RFI may lead to one-on-one market research discussions and other recommended approaches to industry engagement. Although all comments received will be carefully reviewed and considered for inclusion in any possible later action, the initiators of this request make no commitment to include any particular recommendations. Your response to this RFI is requested on or before 2:00pm EST on November 22, 2021. Responses must be submitted electronically to tina.jeffery@usdoj.gov and matthew.joyce2@usdoj.gov with the subject line - RFI RESPONSE - FSA (Your Organization name).