TAILOR & LAUNDRY OPERATIONS

The Department of Transportation (DOT) Maritime Administration has a requirement for Tailoring and Laundry Services at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, NY. These services are currently being accomplished by a small business enterprise through a service contract with the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and MARAD pays monthly invoices submitted by the provider. This sources sought synopsis is for the purpose of conducting market research in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 to determine interest and capability of potential sources for this requirement if the Government were to change the arrangement so that the service provider is solely responsible for collecting all fees directly from patrons. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals, nor will any award be made as a result of this Request for Information (RFI). Contact with Government personnel other than those specified in this RFI by potential offerors or their employees' regarding this project is prohibited. Interested respondents will need to pass a NACI (background check) and must be registered and active in the System of Award Management (SAM). If a solicitation is later released, it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary; the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate a respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. Requirements: The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point, New York requires the services of a qualified organization capable of operating tailoring and laundry businesses as a concession for the Government and for the contractor to charge the students, faculty, and staff, or patrons, individually without invoicing the Government for services. The Academy shall provide the physical spaces already designed and built ready for operation as a wash and fold laundry distribution center, as well as a tailoring and press center. The contractor is expected to operate those services in a business- like manner, using established practices for such retail operations located on federal property. Any contractor revenue and expenses associated with this service shall be considered independent of this contract. However, the Academy shall be provided with a quarterly accounting of the revenue and expenses associated with this particular service The contractor shall be solely responsible for collect p payment for services from patrons. The Academy currently has a set-price range in place and would like to continue the general price range that we are currently paying. In the event that is not feasible, we would like to know the general price range or increase in fee structure we should anticipate paying. 0001 Tailoring and Pressing Operations: The USMMA requires tailoring and pressing services as per the attached Statement of Work (SOW) for the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy's 1000 midshipmen and 240 faculty and staff. 3.3.4 The hours will be normally set for 0730-1630 (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday. Hours may be offset at the discretion of the government to have coverage from 0700 - 1800 (7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) Contractors are required to furnish all property, equipment, and material necessary to perform this Government contract. The Contractor is to provide the following services: Sizing, initial fitting, tailoring, preparation, and adjustments of all uniform items for the midshipmen's new uniform issues throughout their tenure at the Academy. This will include retrieving, placing, sorting, folding, identifying, marking, and properly storing all items. Items may be stored in various rooms on high shelves or racks not adjacent but within the same connected structures. This includes the substantial number of initial uniforms provided during plebe (freshman) year, as well as periodic issues provided throughout the remainder of the midshipman's tenure. A current approximate list of items, quantities, and issue times is included but it is subject to change without notice. This will include the custom manufacturing from components of belts, insignia, rank devices, and other accouterments that may be unique to the midshipmen at USMMA. Providing tailoring services to the midshipmen for minor repairs and refitting of garments, annual striping of the midshipmen's uniforms, pressing of uniforms prior to their initial issue to midshipmen, and following any tailoring work and pressing of uniforms of midshipman officers and other midshipmen designated by the Commandant of Midshipmen. A basic schedule of uniform issues for all four years is included in this solicitation but is subject to change. The United States Navy Uniform Regulation NAVPERS 15665, publically available, are generally followed for uniform components, marking, and modifications but may be decreased or increased by the Academy to accommodate specific US Merchant Marine and USMMA requirements as determined by the administration of the Academy or Contracting Officers Representative (COR). The United States Marine Corps Uniform Regulations MCO P1020.34, publically available, is generally followed for tailoring specifications, standards, and limits. More specific details for each item will be provided in Commandant's Notice's issued by the USMMA. 0002 Wash and Fold Laundry Operations: The USMMA requires wash and fold laundry operations as per the attached Statement of Work (SOW) for the Merchant Marine Academy's 1000 midshipmen and 240 faculty and staff. The hours will be normally set for 0730-1630 (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday. Hours may be offset at the discretion of the government to have coverage from 0700 - 1800 (7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) Exceptions to this are listed in this Statement of Work (SOW). Contractor is to provide the following services: Midshipmen laundry garments will be picked up before 8:30 a.m. and returned the next business day at the same time during the following pick up, except during the four week July timeframe described in the Statement of Work (SOW). Garments will be individually packaged upon drop off by the patron and individually packed for delivery by the contractor. All garments will be professionally washed, dried, and folded. The contractor is encouraged to provide dry cleaning services to all midshipmen, faculty, staff, and authorized persons. This service would be a convenience to all patrons. All applicable terms of this contract, except next day delivery, such as supplies, posting of rates, regulations regarding lost items, et cetera that apply to the wash and fold service would also apply to the operation of the dry cleaning service. Contractors are required to furnish all property, equipment, and material necessary to perform this Government contract. This service is for commercial service laundry with associated proper equipment, water temperature, detergent, and sanitizing capability. The Government has clothes washing and drying machines available on a retail basis already located on the campus. Contractors must be able to demonstrate their ability to satisfy appropriate commercial or industrial laundry standards. The contractor shall provide the retail activities described herein for wash and fold laundry service. Laundry facilities will be operated according to applicable New York State, Centers for Disease Control, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) requirements regarding commercial laundry facilities. All facilities will be made available for Government walk through to observe the handling, cleaning, packing, sorting, and inventory of patron garments. Weekly laundry load has been approximately 35,000 pounds. The acquisition strategy has not been determined at this time. The applicable NAICS code is 812320 dry cleaning & laundry, industrial with a small business size standard of $5.5 in annual revenue. If you are capable of fulfilling this requirement, please indicate your interest by sending a capability statement via e-mail (only) by 1500 EST February 20, 2015 to Bruce.Markman@dot.gov. It is requested you include any recommendations for price structure or method of accomplishing this requirement, based on the attached draft Statement of Work (SOW). Include the following information in your Capability Statement email (elements should not exceed 12 pages): Prospective Offeror's Identification: a. Company name and government entity (SAM - CAGE) code b. Address c. Phone Number d. Fax Number e. Email address f. Point of Contact information g. A website address that provides additional information about the prospective business h. Identify your company type: i.e. a large or small, small disadvantaged, 8a, veteran owned small business, service disabled veteran owned small business, woman-owned small business, Native American and/or HUB zone business that is supported by a current registration status of active in the System for Award Management (SAM) http://www.sam.gov/. Include your company's North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. Provide your company's DUNS number. i. Sources shall include in their information; demonstrable experience within the past three years of same or similar work in a commercial or military/government setting. Note: The interested vendors list of this notice will not be used for decision making purposes for any small business set asides. For your business to be considered as a potential vendor for set aside purposes you must submit a Capabilities Statement as requested by this notice. Failure to do so may result in your business category not being considered as part of a decision by the government to set aside.