Freezer Glove RFI.docx

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) issued solely for information and planning purposes only, and does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ)/Invitation for Bid (IFB)/Request for Proposal (RFP). This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service. Furthermore, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly.

In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI, and Submittals will not be returned to the responder.

OBJECTIVE:

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service is part of a science-based national system to ensure food safety and food defense. FSIS ensures food safety through the authorities of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act, as well as humane animal handling through the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. FSIS has a need for cold weather/freezer gloves in sizes, small, medium, large, and extra-large which are used to inspect meat in accordance with the Agency’s mission. The required gloves must meet the below specifications:

· Cold weather protection down to -4°F/-20°C

· EN 388 abrasion and puncture resistant

· ANSI/ISEA Level 2 cut resistance

· EN 511 water resistance

VENDOR SUBMISSIONS:

Companies are encouraged to respond if they have the capability and capacity to provide a glove with the listed specifications. FSIS will accept and test samples to ensure they meet specifications listed, and the needs of FSIS personnel. Testing will be conducted by FSIS personnel at meat processing facilities after approval of the product specification sheet for technical acceptance. The first 3 product specification sheets approved for technical acceptance will move on for product testing. Vendors selected for product testing will need to provide 10 pairs of gloves in sizes small, medium, large, and extra large for 3 testing locations. Testing facility locations and points of contact will be provided upon selection for testing.

Be advised that generic capability statements are not sufficient for effective evaluation of respondents' capacity and capability to provide the required latex gloves.

In addition to product specification sheets, responses to this RFI shall be limited to 3 pages, and must include:

1. Company name, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone, website address (if available), and the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a point of contact having the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with Government representatives.

2. Name, title, telephone number, and e-mail addresses of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses.

3. Business size for NAICS 339999 with size limitation standards of 550 employees and status, if qualified as an 8(a) firm (must be certified by the Small Business Administration (SBA), Small Disadvantaged Business (must be certified by SBA), Woman-Owned Small Business, HUBZone firm (must be certified by SBA), and/or Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (must be listed in the VetBiz Vendor Information Pages).

4. SAM UEI, CAGE Code, Tax Identification Number (TIN), and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc). Companies also must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov to be considered as potential sources.

5. Identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and contract number and SINs that are applicable to this potential requirement are also requested.

6. If the company has a Government approved accounting system, please identify the agency that approved the system.

Please submit copies of any documentation, such as letters or certificates to indicate the firm's status (see item #3 above).

To the maximum extent possible, please submit non-proprietary information. Any proprietary information submitted should be identified as such and will be properly protected from disclosure.

Interested offerors should submit their capability statement not exceeding 3 pages in length and product specification sheets. SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE no later than 12:00pm, Eastern Time, January 3rd, 2025. The capabilities and specification sheet response shall be e-mailed to: eric.schnitzler@usda.gov.

All information received in response to this notice that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to the notice will not be returned, nor will there be any ensuing discussions or debriefings of any responses. Information provided in response to this notice will be used to assess alternatives available for determining how to proceed in the acquisition process. This notice is part of Government Market Research, a continuous process for obtaining the latest information on the commercial status of the industry with respect to their current and near-term capabilities. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a competitive contract.

FSIS will use the information submitted in response to this notice at its discretion and will not provide comments to any submission; however, the content of any responses to this notice may be reflected in subsequent solicitation. FSIS reserves the right to contact any respondent to this notice for the sole purpose of enhancing FSIS's understanding of the notice submission.

This announcement is Government market research, and may result in revisions in both its requirements and its acquisition strategy based on industry responses.

It is emphasized that this is a notice for planning and information purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contractual agreement, nor will the Government pay for supplies/information solicited.