The Government seeks sources of supply for retort machines installed in intermodal containers.

Portable Retort Proposal (PRP) - Mobile production capacity Description of problem: Planning for potential unexpected natural/man-made disaster events can create unforeseen surge Industrial Base MRE/UGR (Meals-Ready-to-Eat/Unitized Group Ration) production issues. Development of a portable shelf stable readiness production equipment processing capacity is desired to prevent potential shortfalls. Current MRE/UGR vendors have a mix of vendor and government owned equipment to complement their production capacity to meet the surge needs of the Industrial Base for the MRE/UGR program. This proposal would provide for a potential event in which a vendor that makes our MRE/UGR items is shut down quickly due to a disaster, and a portable retort and filling machine can be brought into the vendor's location. Wheels that can lock in place or a motorized dolly system might be included for the specific pieces of equipment installed within the containers. The containers (trailers) will be used to transport the manufacturing equipment. The vendor will then be able to produce MRE/UGR products within 4 days. The proposal is to develop viable options to accomplish the plan, yet allow for mobile versatility. The proposal shall include the following: Plans for portable standard trailers that can move two (2) retorts and one (1) MRE filling/sealing, plus one (1) UGR filling/sealing machine to a food production facility. Provide a proposal for how to achieve the portable application that would still meet the FDA pressure vessel and food production requirements for a production facility if the items are not to be removed from the trailers. The desired option is for using the equipment in the trailers; however this is not a mandatory requirement. If the equipment is to be removed from the trailers into the facility, please provide a proposal for that plan separately. The firm must have experience in supporting the food processing business for shelf stable products, manufacturing, or design equipment. Proposals can be for one completed trailer element or all four trailers. The plan is currently viewed as comprising a total of four (4) trailers. Two (2) trailers for one (1) each with a retort including carts and required support equipment, and one (1) each MRE linear continuous motion fill/sealer with ultrasonic seal heads capable of production 300-500 pouches per minute automatically or 60 pouches if hand fed, trailer with required support equipment, and one (1) each UGR fill/sealer capable of producing 8-10 trays/minute trailer with required support equipment. The equipment must fit within a standard 40 foot multimodal container that could be moved by skid or trailer wheels. Options such as expanding sides/top are allowed. Trailers will not be required for stacking purposes. Utility hookups, if permanently installed, would need to be included. Options for removal of the equipment would need to be identified that would allow for normal forklift applications only or other wheeled movements to the factory floor. Currently, it is envisioned that the destination point, the container would be dropped from the trailer and placed inside or outside the production building. Set-up of equipment is desired to be delivered and available for full running operations within 96 hours (4 days). Retort empty weight is estimated @ 2,000 lbs. while a fully loaded retort with water and product is estimated @ 23,000 lbs. Concept design needs to include the following at a minimum: - 1) Multi-modal container layout. Equipment shall be arranged in a manner which maintains food production and processing flow, if used, within the containers. If no production occurs within the container, the design needs to address ease of unloading and setup of equipment. - 2) Feed line concepts or conveyor systems for product on input and output needs to be designed if equipment is used within the containers. - 3) HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) is required if equipment is used within the containers. - 4) Adequate task lighting is required in the containers. - 5) Design concepts should include ideas for practical layout of the equipment within the containers for transportation. Tie-down points, blocking, and bracing of equipment should be considered. - 6) If equipment is used for production within the containers, abilities to work on the line must be identified. Adequate walkways must be maintained, allowing for operator safety and ease of entry and exit. - 7) Design must meet and maintain necessary federal standards (i.e. OSHA regulations) for personnel safety while operating the equipment, if it is used within the containers. - 8) Design of containers for ease of equipment movement in/out with minimal lifting capacity if not permanently installed within the containers. - 9) If equipment is removed, include ideas for locking wheel applications or motorized system for movement in/out of trailers (electric, hydraulic, etc.) - 10) Recommend model types of production equipment to be purchased and/or supplied along with throughput of pouches/trays per hour. - 11) Recommend support equipment such as electric generator, vacuum pump, air pump, or other machinery in additional container. - 12) All items must be in US specifications for power and all control identifies in American English only. - 13) Connection set-up should be simple and easy. Product specifications for the end food items can be found at the following web link: http://www.troopsupport.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/index.asp Ancillary equipment to be included to allow support of this equipment is the following: - Two (2) sets of retort baskets and trollies. - Two (2) sets of retort racks for both MRE pouches and polymeric trays. - Trolley guides. - Hydraulic ramps to lift retort baskets to container lever (when retort is operated inside container). - Anchoring plates for retort on plant floor, if removed from trailer. - Hydraulic jack dollies to move retort from container into processing area. - Identified spare parts you recommend. Proposals should approximate pricing and estimated delivery time. Administrative: DTS-FTGA, 700 Robbins Ave., Phila., PA 19111-5092 Questions can be directed to Joe Fedeli, Industrial Specialist Phone: (215) 737-8460 Email: joe.fedeli@dla.mil Contract issues and billing should be directed to Pete LaVerghetta Phone: (215) 737-7502 peter.laverghetta@dla.mil Both Joe Fedeli and Pete LaVerghetta are located at the address listed above. Closing date is changed to read August 31, 2012, 2:00 pm EST.