19AQMR24N0005_Integrated Services RFI _Posting_Document v2_09.11.2024.docx

Request for Information Notice 19AQMR24N0005 Department of State U.S. Embassy Mexico—International Narcotics & Law Enforcement Affairs (INL Mexico) Integrated Services for Receiving, Warehousing Facilities & Related Services, Customs Brokerage, and Transportation Services

INL Mexico currently contracts for warehouse space and related services in Brownsville, Texas. INL Mexico is conducting market research to ascertain current innovative and best practices in warehousing and related integrated services such as inspection, customs brokerage, transportation, and items reception, and freight forwarding. INL Mexico seeks to either validate our existing contracted warehouse service model or obtain information from industry to inform a new model that brings INL Mexico increased efficiencies while accounting for our unique legal and operational conditions in the United States and Mexico.

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and is not a Request for Proposals or Quotes (RFP or RFQ) or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any services. Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government reserves the right to determine how it should proceed as a result of this notice. Furthermore, entities that respond to this RFI should not anticipate feedback with regard to submissions. The Government will not pay any cost incurred in response to this Notice. All costs associated with responding to this Notice will be solely at the responding party's expense. The information provided in this RFI posting is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Department of State, INL Mexico is seeking information vendor capability statements and responses to specific questions.

When developing capability statements, industry should consider the following goals that INL Mexico hopes to achieve with a new contracted integrated services model:

1. Increased efficiency by utilizing one vendor who performs all services related to importing and delivering equipment donations into Mexico including receiving and inspection, warehousing, customs brokerage, and delivery to locations across Mexico.

2. Streamlined delivery of donations from the U.S. directly to end user locations within Mexico.

3. Minimize USG exposure to import taxes and fees considering that donations to the Government of Mexico should be duty free when coordinated with the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE).

4. Modernizing our contracted service model to align with current industry capabilities and peer federal organization best practices.

When developing capability statements, industry should be aware of the following unique considerations that apply to INL Mexico’s operations and our requirement:

1. Goods that imported by INL Mexico are typically donations purchased from the USG and given to various state and federal entity end users geographically dispersed across Mexico.

2. Donations should have duty free status /receive free entry permits from the Government of Mexico, coordinated with SRE by INL Mexico.

3. Volume and frequencies of deliveries are variable but individual deliveries are typically known at least two months in advance or when contracts are placed.

4. Some donations have required special equipment e.g. flatbed trailer and cranes

5. Illustrative examples of previous donations include:

a. Airboats (see case study below)

b. 1,000 fire retardant mattresses (31 inches x 78 inches x 5 inches), 10,000lbs total see below for additional information

c. Mobile Ballistics Laboratories (trailer sized)

6. Other metrics for consideration include the following:

a. Average volume per year is 133 pallets from 2022 to 2024

b. The single largest delivery contained 142 pallets that were shipped in different 53’ trucks

Details for this delivery (the same delivery as described in 5.b.) are as follows:

Description:

1,000 Retardant mattress to fire with pillow Type: Correctional Mattress Material: Densified Polyester 100% sewn seam Cover: Encased in a fire retardant Features: Fluid resistant, anti-microbial, bedbug resistant Easy to Clean and Disinfect Integrated Pillow Dimensions: 31 inches X 78 inches X 5 inches Color: green

Delivery Places:

Carr. Guanajuato-Puentecillas Km. 11.5, Col. Puentecillas, Guanajuato, GTO. C.P. 36263.

Cargo:

Notice Responses/capability statements should include the following:

1. Contact information:

a. Name of company

b. UEI number

c. Institutional or organization affiliation (if applicable)

d. Email address

e. Phone number

f. List of available government contract vehicles for your firm (e.g. GSA Schedule, GWACs, etc.)

2. Summary of credentials/professional experience relative to similar requirements including;

a. Experience operating freight forwarding services

b. Experience importing goods from the United States into Mexico

c. Experience supporting other federal government organizations, especially in the foreign affairs context

3. Based on the information and recommendations that you provide, please state the applicable pricing model that you would provide. ROM estimates or ranges are acceptable. Any theoretical price quote(s) that are provided are understood to be both notional and nonbinding.

a. Is pricing per shipment or pallet?

b. Is pricing structured based on square footage occupied?

c. How often are the services billed?

4. Any additional information that should be included in a future requirements document (PWS) that industry requires in order to respond effectively.

5. Recommendations to minimize the cost/price of this requirement.

6. Recommendations on the appropriate NAICS code (e.g. 488510, 493110, 484230) and PSC code (e.g. M1GZ, R706, V112, X1GZ, etc.) for the full spectrum of services required for this requirement.

7. Responses to the following specific questions that are relevant to our market research:

a. What are other federal government entities utilizing for shipments out of the U.S. with ultimate end user delivery within Mexico?

b. What is the commercial standard practice in diplomatic operations for these types of services?

c. What is the standard commercial practice for staffing of warehouse facilities when shipments and deliveries are not of a known or predictable cadence (i.e. boom or bust)? How are these services structured and priced by the contractor?

d. What is the commercial standard timelines and/or service standard for receipt and inspection of items in the contractor’s facility?

e. Is there any minimum/maximum amount of square feet or pallets to occupy in a commercial warehouse?

f. If your company provides transportation services, how does this service work? Do you provide FTL/LTL services?

g. What type of transportation units does your company use and/or have access to (1 TON, 3.5, TON, low boys, etc.)?

h. Do you provide loading/offloading maneuvers for any type/size of cargo?

i. If your company provides transportation services, what safeguards do you have in place when providing these services? E.g. block & bracing.

j. As a regular practice, do you have an insurance to cover the merchandise during transportation?

k. As a regular practice, do you have an insurance to cover the stored merchandise in the facility?

l. If the merchandise is purchased and stored in the United States and then shipped out to Mexico, what are the benefits/advantages (other than security), of having a CTPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) warehouse facility? Do you recommend a CTPAT warehouse facility?

m. Are there any different security measures that the non-CTPAT certified warehouses have?

n. In terms of customs clearance, what are the services (dispatch, inspection of the cargo, customs classification, etc.) that are typically considered in an importation? Please provide a breakdown.

o. In case your company provides integrated freight forwarder services, are you able to provide special permissions such as SEDENA, COFEPRIS, SALUD, SENASICA? What are the documents that will be required?

p. In case your company provides integrated freight forwarder services, are you able to provide a NOM (Official Mexican Norm) to cross the border? How can you meet this requirement since shipments are not for resale or commercial purposes?

q. Do you have expertise on importation of live animals such as trained canines by air freight into MEX (Mexico City) or Toluca (TLC) airports?

r. Are you able to clear cargo in Matamoros, Ciudad de México, Toluca, AIFA airports and into all the entry customs in Mexico?

s. What is the cost and process when a shipment is subject to inspection by customs authorities in Mexico?

8. A Response to the market research case study questions. The full case study and corresponding questions are included at the end of this document.

Do not include the following in the response:

1. Do not submit formal proposals or offers;

2. Do not submit requests to be considered for award or to be notified of a future solicitation; as a courtesy to vendors who submit capability statements, responding vendors will be notified should the government elect to issue a formal RFP/RFQ at a later date.

3. Do not submit requests to be added to a mailing or distribution list;

4. Do not submit questions or comments not related to this Request for Information;

5. Do not respond via telephone.

How to Submit Responses:

1. Please submit responses via email to ModrakER@state.gov including “19AQMR24N0005: Integrated Services INL Mexico” in the e-mail subject line.

2. Please submit capability statement responses as a single attachment to the email: either Adobe pdf file or MS Word file.

3. If you have any questions regarding this Notice, please submit them via e-mail to ModrakER@state.gov. Please include “19AQMR24N0005: Integrated Services INL Mexico” in the e-mail subject line.

4. The Request for Information submission closing date is October 31, 2024 at 4:00 PM CST.

Integrated Services for Warehousing, Transportation, and Customs Broker Services:

Case Study

For each of the two sets of products, assume cargo is delivered to your warehouse facility by the contractor. These are based on real INL requirements, however the dollar amounts have been adjusted to protect proprietary pricing. Assume that both items were manufactured in the United States.

Instructions: Firms responding to this RFI are requested to provide a pricing breakdown and narrative that explains how each of these shipments would be charged to INL Mexico via contract under your notional pricing and service model. Narratives and breakdown should include all pricing for receiving, storage, customs brokerage, transportation, and any other necessary costs in order to deliver to the end user locations as specified below:

Delivery 1: Handheld Analyzers

75 Handheld Analyzers Defender Omega: Rugged 1064nm Raman handheld analyzer with hazardous material, narcotics, explosives, and tactical libraries, both ID and screener algorithms, and Wi-Fi. Includes 2-year Premium Service & Support Plan - a comprehensive blend of hardware and software support including technical support & remote diagnostics, depot repair (parts & labor), 24x7x365 reachback support, CSP access for software & library updates.

· 2 x (122x107x104 cms)

· 1 x (122x107x80 cms)

Col. San Luis Tlatilco Naucalpan, Estado de México, C.P. 53630

Delivery 2: Airboats

6 Diamondback Airboats Part Number: 168DAA-600 Description: 16' x 8' complete and operational. Diamondback Airboat w/ Pleasurecraft Marine LT4 engine, inclusive of covers for airboats.

Manufacturer: Ram-Lin Part Number: 168Ramlin Description: 16' x 8' aluminum tandem axle Ram-Lin trailer

Delivery Places:

-TAMAULIPAS (2 airboats and 2 trailers) Calle Aldama, numero 1000, Zona Centro. C.P. 88500, Reynosa, Tamaulipas.

-COAHUILA (2 airboats and 2 trailers) Oficinas Federales en el Puente Internacional 2, Coahuila 2000, Zona Centro C.P. 26000, Piedras Negras Coahuila.

-COAHUILA (2 airboats and 2 trailers) Puente Internacional Puerta de Mexico, Calle Hidalgo #305, Zona Centro, Acuña, Coahuila

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