P02 SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE - SM_MED BOXES_updated_with pictures 36C77023Q0408.pdf

36C77023Q0408

PURPOSE: This is a Request for Information(RFI)/Sources Sought announcement only.

This is not a solicitation announcement.

This RFI/Sources Sought Notice is market research to help the Department of Veterans Affairs make acquisition decisions. The VA Heartland Network Contracting Office (NCO) 15 is looking for Small

Business concerns, which includes Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) and Service-Disabled

Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), registered in SAM under NAICS code 322211 (Corrugated and Solid Fiber Box Manufacturing), that can provide shipping boxes with characteristics as listed in the

Statement of Requirements below (pictures attached). If you are interested and can provide the required product, please answer the following questions below and email them to

Brigitte.Kidder@va.gov no later than 10AM CDT on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

Vendors are required to address the following questions to be considered a viable source for future needs;

1. Are you a manufacturer of the Item being requested? - Yes or No.

2. If not the manufacturer:

a. Can you provide a letter of authorization from the manufacturer showing you are a

“Authorized Distributor” of the manufacturer? - Yes or No.

b. Can you provide verification showing you are an “Authorized Distributor” of an

“Authorized Reseller” who is an Authorized Distributor of the Manufacturer - Yes or No.

3. Is the product you can offer made in the USA? - Yes or No.

Any responses to this Sources Sought notice must include answers to all of the above questions in order to adequately assess the capabilities of the marketplace in relation to the requirements of this procurement. When responding please include;

• Your company’s POCs:

• Name

• Phone Number

• Email Address

• Your Company’s SAM Unique ID Number

• Your Company’s size (e.g., SDVOSB, VOSB, WOSB, Small Business etc.)

This Request for Information does not obligate VA to the release of a solicitation.

mailto:Brigitte.Kidder@va.gov

STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS

ITEM#1: RECYCLABLE SMALL SHIPPING CONTAINER BOX (11 1/2 x 10 x 6)

• Kraft board grade 200B DC with weather resistant adhesive with a tear away zipper

(1/2”W x 7 ½”L) located on top of the box with 1” double-sided tape (3M double-coated tape with an extended liner)

• “Refrigerate upon arrival” stenciled in bold black ink, 1” tall letters place on the top of the box

¾” above the tear away zipper.

• 3-inch water-activated reinforced tape used to provide a tamper-evident seal on the bottom of the box

• Recyclable/bio-degradable material

• Boxes will not be shipped stacked inside each other, they must be shipped with all flaps folded into place with the bottom of box taped sealed and ready for shipment.

• Pallets must be 40x48 with 136 containers per pallet.

• Kitted boxes must be secured with corner boards and completely stretch wrapped to the pallet

• Package: 1 per box

• Box used to ship prescription medications

• Bi-weekly usage: 6,912 boxes every Tuesday, and 5,184 boxes every Thursday

• The box must be able to KEEP TEMPERATURE WITHIN BOX AT MKT (Mean Kinetic

Temperature) AT OR BELOW 45 DEGREES FARENHEIT/8 DEGREES CELCIUS FOR A MINIMUM OF

48 HRS

o Testing criteria include 3rd party vendor verification that their product can hold MKT at

45 degrees Fahrenheit/8 degrees Celsius for a minimum of 48 hours o Boxes are to be tested with glacier ice gel packs 12x12 (12 oz)

ITEM#2: RECYCLABLE MEDIUM SHIPPING CONTAINER BOX (11 ½ x 9 x 10):

• Kraft board grade 200B DC with weather resistant adhesive with a tear away zipper

(1/2”W x 7 ½”L) located on top of the box with 1” double-sided tape (3M double-coated tape with an extended liner)

• “Refrigerate upon arrival” stenciled in bold black ink, 1” tall letters place on the top of the box

¾” above the tear away zipper.

• 3-inch water-activated reinforced tape used to provide a tamper-evident seal on the bottom of the box

• Recyclable/bio-degradable material

• Boxes will not be shipped stacked inside each other, they must be shipped with all flaps folded into place with the bottom of box taped sealed and ready for shipment.

• Pallets must be 40x48 with 85 containers per pallet.

• Kitted boxes must be secured with corner boards and completely stretch wrapped to the pallet

• Package: 1 per box

• Box used to ship prescription medications

• Monthly usage: 3,328 boxes

• The box must be able to KEEP TEMPERATURE WITHIN BOX AT MKT (Mean Kinetic

Temperature) AT OR BELOW 45 DEGREES FARENHEIT/8 DEGREES CELCIUS FOR A MINIMUM OF

48 HRS

o Testing criteria include 3rd party vendor verification that their product can hold MKT at

45 degrees Fahrenheit/8 degrees Celsius for a minimum of 48 hours o Boxes are to be tested with glacier ice gel packs 12x12 (12 oz)

• These boxes will be used to transport veteran patient’s medication. We are requesting delivery in truckload bundles of stacked pallets of small containers. If any changes are required to material or composition of the box in anyway shape or form CMOP must be given 90 days’ notice and prior approval must be given to proceed with changes. The users of these items will be the production staff at the SW CMOP VA facility in Tucson, AZ.

SHIPPING CONTAINER – PICTURES