REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Defense Logistics Agency

DLA Troop Support Europe & Africa

OBJECTIVE

DLA Troop Support Europe and Africa, Commodity Services Business Unit, is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) seeking integrated solutions to supply materials, tools and equipment for the management and operation of US Government facilities located throughout the European and African (EUCOM & AFRICOM) Areas Of Responsibility (AOR)'s.  DLA Troop Support Europe and Africa's objective for this RFI is to conduct Market Research on different methodologies available to support facility requirements for the United States Department of Defense and other federal Agencies activities in the EUCOM and AFRICOM Areas of Responsibility. The information submitted in response to this RFI may be used to help the Government further define its requirements and understand the interest of potential companies in this sort of initiative.

INITIATIVE OVERVIEW

DLA Troop Support Europe and Africa is a component of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).  DLA provides supply support and logistics services to the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and other federal agencies.  The Government is requesting input from industry, to determine the potential for a Long Term Contract in support of the EUCOM and AFRICOM AORs.

Projected Scope of Work:

•v  Supply Chain Management →  Develop and maintain an active and continually evolving state of the art supplier base

•v  Distribution and Warehousing →  Utilize transportation infrastructure to support geographic locations throughout Europe and Africa

•v  Quality Control → insure all products tendered meet the appropriate recognized national and industry standards regarding inspection, testing, grading, marking, treating, infestation, and general quality.

•v  Customer Direct Support → Ensure all products delivered to ordering activities comply with the description of products requested by the customer

•v  Data Management → Utilize a management System that is compatible with industry and government systems

•v   Item Selection → Any item required by the ordering activity to support maintenance , repair, and operations of a facility. In general, the scope includes construction materials and other supplies, including but not limited to:

•Ø  Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) supplies

•Ø  Plumbing supplies (including bath and shower items and, ablution units)

•Ø  Electrical products (generators, wire, connectors, sockets, outlets, lights, etc.)

•Ø  Tools of various kinds

•Ø  Chemical, lubricating, and rubber products and products including same

•Ø  Construction supplies (including but not limited to cement, lumber and plywood, bricks, blocks, steel, aluminum, and other metal products, conduits, prefabricated structures to include re-locatable buildings (RLBs & ablution units), etc.

•Ø  Perimeter security items such as barriers, barbed wire, concertina wire, and sand bags (also used for erosion prevention)

•Ø  Communication devices (such as walkie-talkies, two-way radios, etc. used by the maintenance personnel).  

•v  Contractors should be able to supply the entire product types listed above, as well as various other immediate need maintenance and repair items.

•v  Non-routine Type Items → Items that might not routinely be used in the operations arena, but for reasons within the discretion of the ordering activity, the ordering activity has determined to use such supplies to meet its requirements.  Example:  temporary storage containers required to support construction projects or exercises.  The intended purpose for their use will place such containers within the scope of this initiative.

General Questions

If you are currently doing business or have previous experience with Supply Chain Management in Europe and Africa please answer the following questions:

•☼   In your opinion, is one contractor capable of supporting this initiative which covers 105 countries over two continents?

•o   If you believe one contractor is capable of supporting this initiative, describe how that contractor would support an area of this magnitude.

•o   If you don't believe one contractor is capable of supporting this initiative, describe the challenges you feel would inhibit them from supporting an area of this magnitude.

•☼   Distribution prices need to be established prior to award.  This distribution price would include transportation ceiling prices to all locations covered under the resulting contract.

•o   In your opinion, what would be the best approach to split Africa and Europe into smaller pricing regions, taking into consideration issues such as the complexity of shipping to the areas; existing infrastructure, trade agreements, customs, availability of  local product, and other considerations.

•☼   We intend to include language that will support "Incidental Services" to be performed under this contract.  Incidental services could include, but are not limited to; installation, and set up.

•o   Describe challenges with supporting such services throughout the entire AOR.

INSTRUCTIONS

Responses to this RFI are due to the contracting office identified below by 5:00 PM US Eastern Time/11:00 AM Central European Summer Time, October 4, 2013.  Responders shall provide one (1) electronic copy of their response.  Electronic submissions, in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat formats, shall be accompanied by a printed inventory that identifies all CDs, their file contents, and their electronic formats as submitted.  All CDs and files are to be labeled with the responder's name, contact information, and submission date.  All RFI responses must be unclassified.  Existing commercial documentation and product literature can also be submitted.  Please submit your responses by email to Carlos Torres, Contracting Officer at [email protected].

DISCLAIMER

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only, as defined in FAR 15.201(e), to obtain information about pricing, delivery, capabilities, and other market information for planning purposes.  There is no solicitation available at this time. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this RFI, nor will the Government compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing the information provided to the Government. This RFI does not constitute a commitment by the Government. Any information provided in response to this market survey will be used for informational purposes only and will not be released. Any proprietary information submitted will be protected if appropriately marked. Vendor participation is not a promise of future business with the Government. The purpose of this RFI is to conduct Market Research to determine Industry capabilities for a Tailored Logistics Support Program encompassing both the US European Command (EUCOM) and the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility (AORs).

All responsible sources may submit information that shall be considered by the agency.  If late information is received, it may be considered, depending on agency time constraints.  Any projects developed from the RFI responses may be the subject of a subsequent acquisition; any such subsequent acquisition will be posted in FedBizOpps.gov.  Responses to this RFI will not be returned.  The Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received, or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI.  No requests for a bid package or solicitation will be accepted; no bid package or solicitation exists at this time.  In order to protect the integrity of any possible future acquisition, no additional information will be provided and no appointments for presentations will be made in reference to this RFI.