Sources Sought - NAVAIR Warehouse Consolidation and Modernization Project

Title: Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Sustainment Group, Command Property Office (CPO) Warehouse Consolidation and Modernization Project. Multiple locations include: Richmond, VA; Columbus, OH; Port Hueneme, CA; Pensacola, FL; and Patuxent River, MD. This Sources Sought Notice (SSN)/ Request for Information (RFI) is for planning and informational purposes only and shall not be construed as a commitment or promise of a contract by the Government. This is not a solicitation. This notice does not constitute an Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Proposal (RFP), nor does it restrict the Government's ultimate acquisition approach. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this notice or travel costs associated with Industry Day Events that may follow. For this acquisition, the NAICS code is 333922, Conveyor and Conveying Equipment Manufacturing and the small business size standard is 500 employees. Information received in response to this notice will be used to further define the Government's requirement. We encourage all interested large and small businesses in all socio-economic categories (including 8(a) Business Development Program, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Historically Under-utilized Business (HUB) Zone, Veteran-Owned Business, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), and Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) concerns) capable of satisfying any portion of the listed requirement to identify their capabilities and provide their feedback. Information received as a result of this RFI will be used solely for market research purposes. The Government shall use this market research in determining the best method of procurement, which is part of the acquisition planning process. This RFI is for information purposes only and no award will result from the RFI. This RFI shall be open from July 11,2024 through August 9, 2024. All responses are due no later than 5 PM EST, August 9, 2024. Please include in your response if you are interested in participating in an Industry Days event, August 28-29, 2024, in Richmond, VA. All responses shall be limited to email correspondence and to 10 pages, single-spaced in Times New Roman 11 pt font. Response to this RFI: To be considered responsive to this RFI, please provide a concise capability brief that includes the following information: Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, DUNS number, CAGE code, and a statement regarding small business status (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) and the corresponding NAICS code. (If suggesting another NAICS than the one listed, please provide why it is better suited for this requirement.) Information in sufficient detail regarding previous experience (indicate whether as a prime contractor or subcontractor) on similar requirements (include size, scope, complexity, and timeframe), whether the services provided were commercial or non-commercial, and any pertinent certifications and accreditation. Please advise if your firm has an Authority to Operate (ATO) on Navy Marine Corps Intranet. Identify whether the firm is interested in competing for this requirement as a prime contractor or subcontractor. Specify what type of support the firm would be interested in providing. Address any subcontracting, joint ventures, or teaming arrangements that may be used to provide a total solution, including possible "similarly situated entities" (same small business status) subcontractor(s). Disclose if the firm would be interested in participating in a face-to-face Industry Day in Richmond, Virginia, August 28-29, 2024, that would include a site visit for the location of the first installation project. Identify how the Government can best structure these contract requirements to facilitate competition by and among both large and small business concerns. Describe the technology and systems capabilities the firm and equipment possesses that would enable the firm to provide a total solution at the best value to the Government, considering life-cycle costs (maintenance, operation, labor required to operate systems, etc.). Clearly articulate which material management business events (ie. Goods Receipt, Goods Acceptance, Goods Issuance, Reversal, etc.) are automated/streamlined via the firm's WMS, WES, or ERP system capabilities when connected with smart hardware solutions. The narrative shall draw direct correlations and relate directly to the requirement described herein and shall directly demonstrate the interested parties capabilities to perform the effort herein through the examples of past experiences provided. Failure to provide the information as requested by the due date will result in the Government continuing the acquisition planning phase without considering the capabilities of parties who do not respond in a timely manner. Scope of the Requirement The purpose of this RFI is to gather information on best practices and solutions for Warehouse Consolidation and Modernization efforts. The NAVAIR Command Property Office (CPO) has established a warehouse consolidation and smart warehouse modernization project. The purpose of consolidating and modernizing NAVAIR-owned material is to advance and leverage technology to improve the efficiencies and accuracies of warehouse operations for the United States Navy (USN). Implementation of smart warehouse technologies should improve the efficiency, accuracy, security, visibility, tracking, and safety of material and supply handling, management, storage, and distribution. The current processes and tools in place for CPO warehousing functions have potential for enhancements to efficiency, timeliness, accuracy, and safety. By increasing and optimizing the performance of the warehouse, the entire integrated logistics support system readiness and effectiveness is enhanced. Some examples of areas for enhancement are: Recording of receipt, storage, inspections, issuance, and shipping of material and supplies is often manual, time-consuming, and reliant on multiple software tools, and is therefore subject to human error. Automation can improve performance and efficiency. Identification of material and supplies handled by the warehouse requires comprehensive knowledge of items and configurations, introducing lookup delays. Integrated information systems and automation can improve warehouse throughput. Streamlined use of technical manuals during inspection or maintenance activities. Technical data may be required for kitting operations. Warehouse buildings are often filled to currently allowable capacity based on the layout requirements of current material handling equipment and processes (forklifts, human traffic stand-off distances, etc.). It is estimated that with enhanced technologies and processes, such as narrow-aisle forklifts or smart pick-and-pull systems, the storage capacity of the warehouses can be increased. More efficient, effective, and timely methods of acquiring data, transporting material and supplies, managing inventory, and distributing information to the point of need will dramatically amplify operations and readiness. Smart Warehouses are needed by CPO to increase the efficiency and fidelity of warfighter logistic operations, including the identification, recording, organization, storage, retrieval, and transportation of material and supplies. The intended outcome of the Warehouse Consolidation and Modernization project are modernized warehouses that can not only improve the efficiency and safety of current processes but also serve as a proving ground for testing, refining, and validating emerging automation technologies. Requirement Specifications Creation and implementation of overall smart warehouse solutions to current industry standards. All automated technologies must meet country of origin / build requirements, meet Department of Defense/Department of the Navy /Defense Information Systems Agency (DoD/DoN/DISA) (as applicable) cyber security requirements, and be delivered compliant with DoD/DoN/DISA (as applicable) ATO process. The Warehouse Management System (WMS) must meet all DoD/DoN/DISA (as applicable) cyber security requirements and be delivered compliant with DoD/DoN/DISA (as applicable) ATO process. Use of automated technologies must ensure the safety of personnel and equipment within the warehouse and be equipped to sense potential hazards and act to mitigate them. This may include but is not limited to, object detection and avoidance, personnel detection and avoidance, and communication of intent with other automation systems. Creation and design of a Robotics Processing Automation (RPA) tool and/or Automated Program Interface (API) that can move data from the Warehouse Management System (WMS) to the Navy-Enterprise Resource Planning (N-ERP). Ideally, data flow would be omni-directional. Creation and design of a WMS, Warehouse Execution System (WES), and Warehouse Control System (WCS), and automated hardware to fulfill the following requirements: Expedite the receiving process. Expedite and provide assured accuracy of product identification by use of barcode scanning. Expedite and aid with damage and order accuracy inspections. Expedite and provide assured accuracy of recording receipt of items. Ability to capture photo, piece, weight, and cube dimensioning of material and retain information in a WMS. Expedite and/or automate the transportation of material and supplies to storage locations (SLOCs) by use of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), an Automated Storage and Retrieval System, and an automated put/pick wall. Implement automation solutions to streamline operations and reduce reliance on manual labor. Expedite and/or automate the placement of material and supplies into SLOCs. Expedite and provide assured accuracy of recording SLOC information (aisle/row, shelf #, box #, total quantity, date stored, etc.). Maintain assured inventory by implementation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tracking. Optimize SLOCs and arrangement for both compactness and readiness of access to most-used items. Optimize navigation routes leveraging information such as expected floorplan/layout, informed whereabouts of other mobile systems, cognizance of multiple tasks to be completed, etc. Expedite, automate, and/or increase the accuracy of inventory management tasks. Expedite and/or automate the recording of findings into an inventory management system. Expedite, optimize, and/or automate the retrieval of material and/or supplies from SLOCs. Expedite, optimize, and/or automate the transportation of material and/or supplies from SLOC to the shipping staging location. Expedite, optimize, and/or automate the inspection of material and/or supplies. Expedite, optimize, and/or automate the packing and packaging of material and/or supplies. Expedite, optimize, and/or automate the process of labeling the packed material and/or supplies for shipping. Expedite, optimize, and/or automate the staging of material and/or supplies for shipping. Expedite, optimize, and/or automate the loading of material and/or supplies onto the truck. Expedite, optimize, and/or automate the process of providing the bill of lading and small parcel shipment. Additional information to consider: Incoming material and supplies may be shipped from external locations or assembled at the Richmond facility but will typically be delivered to the warehouse by truck. Delivered goods come in a wide vary of package shapes and sizes. Goods may arrive as small boxes of piece parts, parcel envelopes, on pallets, or as larger crated weapons systems. Products are received from multiple manufacturers, distributers, and vendors. Therefore, there is no standardized labeling or serialization schemas used. Labeling may be unique from item to item. Environmental considerations such as emission mitigation, EPA guidelines, Federal Management Energy Program, etc. Security considerations such as climate control, data security, surveillance, etc. Safety Automation of processes is a priority for the CPO to enhance warehouse operations efficiency. These automated technologies must ensure the safety of personnel and equipment within the warehouse, being equipped to sense potential hazards and act to mitigate them. This includes, but is not limited to, object detection and avoidance, personnel detection and avoidance, and communication of intent with other automation systems. Insurance The contractor and any subcontractor shall maintain a comprehensive, all-risk insurance policy covering bodily injury and property damage liability in connection with contract performance. All policies must include an endorsement waiving the insurance carrier's right of subrogation against the United States of America and provide that the KO receives 30 days' prior notice before cancellation or reduction of coverage. Upon contract award and prior to performance, or 30 days before the expiration of insurance coverage, the contractor shall submit to the KO either a certified copy of the insurance policy or an insurance certificate verifying coverage compliance. Questions Questions regarding this RFI should be submitted via e-mail to contact@example.gov.