RFI: AFSAT Student Support Services - Transportation Solutions for International Students

* Post-Industry Day Follow-Up (scroll to bottom for Attendee list & Questions with Responses) *

Purpose

The Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron (AFSAT) is seeking innovative transportation solutions from qualified Small Business 8(a) entities to support international students attending training programs at various training locations nationwide.

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation or obligation on the part of the government. Responses to this RFI will help shape future acquisition strategies.

Scope of Work

AFSAT requires transportation services for international students in multiple categories, however the following two are what the USG will focus on in this RFI:

1. Ground Transportation

• Purpose: Transport students between training locations (ie. Lackland AFB and Dallas, TX) or within/around a specific training location (ie. Columbus, MS).
  
  • Airport-to-Training Location: Ensure IMS(s) is transported from airport to training location/lodging.
  • Between Training Locations: Ensure IMS(s) is transported from one duty location to another
  • Within/Around Specific Training Location: Ensure IMS is transported from lodging facility to training location and returned to lodging facility. Additionally, weekly grocery/incidental shopping trips as well as possible medical appointment transportation.
• Locations: Nationwide
• Group Size: Ranges from 1 to 30 students.
• Types of vehicles: Vans, buses, sedans.
• Training Duration: May vary from a single day to 180 days.
• Requirements:
  • Safe, secure reliable, and cost-effective transportation solutions.
  • Flexibility to accommodate varying group sizes and schedules.
  • Compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local transportation regulations.
  • Innovative approaches to optimize transportation efficiency and minimize costs.
  • Industry Standard Insurances

2. Air Transportation

• Purpose: Provide air travel solutions for students traveling between training locations nationwide.
• Requirements:
  • Coordination of air travel logistics, including ticketing, scheduling, and baggage handling.
  • Ability to accommodate varying group sizes and travel schedules.
  • Cost-effective solutions with a focus on minimizing travel disruptions.

3. Lodging

Purpose: To provide safe, comfortable, and cost-effective lodging accommodations for students while traveling or attending training at various locations nationwide.

Requirements:

• Lodging standards should be commensurate to USAF Active Duty and rank appropriate
• Lodging rates must be competitive and align with the General Services Administration (GSA) per diem rates for the respective location.
• Lodging facilities must provide a secure environment
• Facilities should offer options for meals (e.g., on-site dining, nearby restaurants, or kitchenettes in rooms).

Key Considerations

Respondents are encouraged to propose innovative approaches to address the following:

1. Scalability: Solutions that can adapt to varying group sizes (1-30+ students) and training durations (1 day to 180+ days).
2. Nationwide Coverage: Ability to cover all potential training locations across the United States
3. Cost Efficiency: Strategies to optimize costs while maintaining high-quality service, including potential discounts and incentives. Please provide sample pricing based on hypothetical scenarios (e.g., transporting 10 students from San Antonio Airport to a base in San Antonio, round-trip airfare for one student from Columbus, MS to San Angelo, TX).
4. Technology Integration: Use of technology to streamline scheduling, real-time tracking of vehicles and students, and communication.
5. Cultural Sensitivity: Ensuring services are tailored to the needs of international students. This includes, but is not limited to, language support capabilities, accommodation of dietary restrictions during travel, religious accommodations during travel and awareness training for drivers/staff.
6. Security: Ensuring compliance with security protocols, including background checks and necessary clearances for personnel.
7. Accessibility: Provision of accessible transportation options for students with disabilities.
8. Contingency Planning: Ability to handle unexpected events such as missed flights or natural disasters, including procedures for re-booking travel and providing assistance to stranded students.
9. Performance Metrics: Discuss your approach to tracking on-time performance and ensuring customer satisfaction.

Interested Small Business 8(a) entities are requested to provide the following information:

1. Company Information:
   
   • Name, address, and point of contact (including phone number and email address).
   • Small Business 8(a) certification details, including documentation such as a copy of the certification letter or a link to the SBA profile. Confirmation of active registration in SAM.gov (System for Award Management).
2. Capabilities Statement:
   • A detailed description of experience in providing transportation services, including ground and air transportation.
   • Examples of past performance in similar projects, with specific details such as:
   • Contact information for references (names, phone numbers, and email addresses).Project scope, duration, and outcomes.
3. Proposed Approach:
   • A detailed description of ground and air transportation solutions, including:
   • Innovative strategies to address scalability, nationwide coverage, cost efficiency, and technology integration.
   • Information on the vendor's ability to provide real-time tracking of vehicles and students.
   • Capability to receive and protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI):
   • Description of the technology and infrastructure (software and hardware) in place.
   • Confirmation of trained personnel to handle secure communications.

4. Pricing Structure:

A high-level pricing model for both ground and air transportation services.

• Pricing examples based on hypothetical scenarios, such as:
  • Transporting 10 students from San Antonio Airport to a base in San Antonio.
  • Round-trip airfare for one student from Columbus, MS to San Angelo, TX.
  • Transportation of 3 students in around Denton, Tx for 180 Days
  • Details on any potential discounts or incentives that can be offered.

5. Additional Information:

Any other relevant information or recommendations that demonstrate the vendor's ability to meet the requirements of the project.

Due Date:

Responses must be submitted by December 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM CST. Late submissions will not be considered.

Disclaimer

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Responses to this RFI will help shape future acquisition strategies. Responders are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding will be solely at the interested vendor's expense." Proprietary information should be marked clearly.

By providing detailed capability statements and supporting information or attending the Industry Day your company will help us understand the current market landscape and identify potential sources capable of providing student support services. This information will be instrumental in updating our market research library and informing future procurement strategies.

Please limit the capability statement to no more than 20 single-sided, type-written pages using font size 12. Extravagant formatting is not required nor desired. Paragraph numbering to coincide with the above requested information is preferred.

Any questions regarding this posting must be submitted via email as soon as possible but no later than noon CST on 1 October 2025 in order to allow answers to questions to be publicly posted before AFSAT Virtual Industry Day. Questions containing proprietary information must be identified to prevent release to the public via posting on the General Services Administration System for Award Management (SAM.GOV) https://sam.gov/content/home website. Please do not call the contracting office for information; email questions to avoid any misunderstanding or confusion and help eliminate duplicate questions.

The primary point of contact for this RFI is Zach Oliverson. Contact with other Government personnel regarding this RFI is not permitted. If your organization is capable of providing the training support service described above, please electronically submit the requested information by the specified due dates to Zach Oliverson via email: Zachary.Oliverson@us.af.mil.

Information requested due dates and timeline:

AFSAT Virtual Industry Day Attendees:

• Michael Baumeister, Makwa Global: mbaumeister@makwaglobal.com
• Steven Webb, RK Strategic Management Solutions: steve@rksmsllc.com
• Vickie LaGrone, Genuine TMC: vickie@genuinetmc.com
• Hasib Rahmani, Logiss: hrahmani@logissllc.com
• Suzan Carrillo, Alamo Travel Group: scarrillo@alamotravel.com
• Chris Murillo, GPI Enterprises: chris.murillo@e-gpi.com
• Jeff Sweat, SDLC Advisors: jsweat@sdlcadvisors.com
• Sri Gutti, Essnova: srgutti@essnova.com
• James Langk AMF Veterans: jlang@amfveterans.com
• Chris Braden, Interim Homes: cbraden@interimhomes.com
• Alyssa Everett, Terrestris: aeverett@terrestrisllc.com

Questions & Responses

1) For mission support requirements such as student arrivals, will the contract utilize task orders issued in advance (e.g., a group of 20 personnel arriving at DFW requiring transport to Lackland, lodging, and local transport for 30 days), or is the expectation that the awardee maintains 24/7 standby capability to receive real-time taskings? What is the anticipated notice period for upcoming requirements?

Task Orders will be issued in advance of the need. 24/7 standby capability is not anticipated. Expected notice for overall requirements 30+ days.

2) Is ground transportation limited to official training-related movements, or is the contractor expected to support all IMS transportation needs, including ad-hoc or on-call movements? If an on-call posture is required, what response time is expected?

Ground transportation is for training-related movements, weekly grocery/incidental shopping trip, and potential medical appointments.

3) Has the Government considered using existing BPAs with rideshare providers (Lyft, Uber) for local, in-and around mileage requirements? If so, how should offerors structure proposals to align with or differentiate from those BPA options?

The government has conducted market research on existing rideshare BPAs, but has not made a determination on if they would be utilized.

4) Will services be paid to the vendor via a Centrally Billed Account (CBA) or some type of Purchase Card? In addition, would you want the vendor to reconcile the CBA at the end of each month or would you want the vendor to submit invoices for all travel + fees?

Task Orders would be issued under an IDIQ contract. Specific requirements would be fulfilled through individual Task Orders, through which the vendor could then invoice.

5) Do the international students have to be transported using a DTMO approved bus carrier?

There is no anticipated DTMO approval required, and students could potentially be transported by bus, sedan, or van.