Catering Solicitation 693JK424R600002 as published on November 7 2023.pdf

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

Department Work-Life and Special Programs Office

Secretary’s 56th Annual Awards Ceremony

Catering Solicitation No. 693JK424R600002 for DOT Secretary’s

56th Annual Awards Ceremony

Executive Summary

Proposal-Submission-Deadline: 11:30 PM Eastern Standard Time November 28th, 2023. All proposals shall be e-mailed to all of the following DOT addresses: james.mowery@dot.gov ; and

Jessica.Koehler@dot.gov ; and Kenneth.Headley@dot.gov ; and Anthony.Abate@dot.gov ; and

Casey.Welsh@dot.gov ; and Heather.Albert@dot.gov ; and Laura.Wainwright@dot.gov .

Pre-Proposal-Site-Visit to DOT: All prospective offeror-companies are encouraged but not required to attend a Pre-Proposal DOT-Site-Visit by having not more than two company-representatives report to the West Lobby of DOT’s Headquarters Building at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20590, not later than 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time on November 15th, 2023.

Each such site-visit-desiring company is asked to please e-mail, to all the DOT addresses cited above, by 11:30 PM Eastern Standard

Time on November 13th, 2023, the names of that company’s planned

DOT-site-visit-attending persons. Each such company-representative reporting to the

DOT West Lobby and planning to attend DOT’s November 15th Pre-Proposal-Site-Visit shall bring with her or with him at least one standard I.D.-document, such as a Driver’s License or a U. S. Passport or a company-I.D. or a voter-registration-card or at least two recently-received bills showing the attendee’s name and address. It is estimated that all companies’ Pre-Proposal DOT-Site-Visit-attendees will be escorted, by DOT personnel, from DOT’s West Lobby, at about 10:15 AM Eastern Standard Time on

November 15th, onward and inward into DOT’s interior, to include visits to the DOT Building’s East

Atrium and to DOT’s Conference Room 6 and possibly to the room where the subject Award Ceremony’s

Executive Luncheon, mentioned below, will be served. It is estimated that the Pre-Proposal Site-Visit will end at about noon on November 15th, with all visitors then being escorted, by DOT employees, out through one of DOT’s lobbies.

mailto:james.mowery@dot.gov mailto:Jessica.Koehler@dot.gov mailto:Kenneth.Headley@dot.gov mailto:Anthony.Abate@dot.gov mailto:Casey.Welsh@dot.gov mailto:Heather.Albert@dot.gov mailto:Laura.Wainwright@dot.gov

Requirement for a UEI-Number: This Solicitation’s selected Purchase-Order-awardee-company must possess a valid UEI-number issued to the firm by the System for Award Management

(SAM.gov) Federal-procurement-website, to be able to receive this Solicitation’s resulting Purchase

Order document. And DOT’s electronic-procurement-system known as “Prism”—not to be confused with prison—will not allow DOT to award a Purchase Order unless and until the intended awardee-company has been issued a valid UEI number by the SAM.gov system. (It is the contracting officer’s understanding that the acronym “UEI” stands for something like “Universal Entity Identifier”.)

Regarding the needed timing of possession of a valid UEI-number, this Solicitation sets a cut-off-date

(deadline) of 11:30 PM Eastern Standard Time December 28th, 2023—which DOT hereby reserves the right to extend, but only in DOT’s sole discretion and only upon DOT’s determination that granting an extension would be in the best interests of DOT and the taxpayers. Prospective offerors lacking a UEI number are strongly advised to start early—meaning now—in applying, through the SAM.gov system, to receive an assigned UEI number, because a large and growing body of empirical evidence suggests that obtaining a UEI number can be an epic IT-adventure.

Scope of Competition: Subject to DOT’s small-business-preference expressed in the next paragraph, this Solicitation is a full-and-open-competitive procurement.

DOT’s Small Business Preference: Notwithstanding the full-and-open-competitive character of this procurement as stated in the immediately-preceding paragraph, DOT does hereby reserve—and

DOT hopes to be able to exercise—its right to award this Solicitation’s resulting Fixed-Price Purchase

Order to a small business in the event that DOT hereafter determines that this Solicitation’s strongest-and-most-competitive proposal happens to have been submitted by a small business, or in the event that the firms inside this Solicitation’s strongest-and-most-competitive set of resulting proposals are in DOT’s judgment essentially tied with each other in competitiveness and that only one proposal in that most-competitive set happens to have been submitted by a small businesses, or in the event that DOT hereafter finds any other rational basis for awarding this Solicitation’s resulting Purchase Order to a small-business-offeror via a selection-process not inconsistent with this Solicitation’s Evaluation Criteria given below.

Small Business Size-Standard: The NAICS Code for this procurement is 722320, and that

NAICS Code’s associated small-business-size-standard is $9,000,0000. Accordingly, and to qualify as a small business, an offeror-company submitting a proposal to DOT in response to this Solicitation must have annual average gross revenues of less than $9,000,000, as determined under the business-year-revenue-averaging-rules specified in applicable SBA-regulations. It is the contracting officer’s understanding that those SBA regulations would classify, as a small-business, any offeror-company whose average annual gross revenues, as computed over the company’s five-most-recently-completed company-business-years, are less than $9,000,000. But any prospective offeror-company that is able cite any specific SBA-regulations refining or contradicting the contracting-officer’s small-business-revenue-understanding expressed above, is asked to please do so by sending an e-mail to james.mowery@dot.gov by November 12th, 2023. Each offeror is asked to please state, on the front-page of its proposal submitted to DOT in response to this Solicitation: (A) The offeror-company’s average annual gross-revenue-dollar-figure as computed over the offeror-company’s five most-recently-completed company-business-years; and (B) The offeror-company’s best good-faith-assessment as to whether the company is, or is not, a small-business under this Solicitation’s specified NAICS Code, 722320.

mailto:james.mowery@dot.gov

Scope of Work: This Solicitation, which has been published in the Federal-procurement-website known as SAM.gov, seeks Fixed-Price proposals for one and only one resulting Fixed-Price Purchase

Order for the performance of the catering-project mentioned in the title displayed above and described more fully in the Statement of Work set forth below.

STATEMENT OF WORK

Catering Services – January 25, 2024

1.0 OBJECTIVE

The objective of this Scope of Work is to provide light refreshments and floral arrangements for the U.S.

Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Secretary’s 56th Annual Awards Ceremony, which includes a

Presidential Rank Awardee Recognition for approximately 50 people, and Reception for approximately

800-950 individuals to be held on January 25, 2024, at the DOT’s Headquarters in Washington, DC.

(1200 New Jersey, Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590). The purpose of this event is to celebrate the distinguished recipients of the Secretary’s Annual Awards, the highest honor and award for DOT employees each year.

2.0 DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

The Contractor will prepare and deliver staff, food, utensils, labor, and other necessary equipment to execute a Presidential Rank Awardee Recognition for approximately 50 people and a reception for 800-

950 people, while maintaining a safe, clean, and healthy environment. Floral arrangements to complement the event will also be provided.

3.0 DELIVERABLES

Provide labor, materials, and equipment to prepare and serve meals in accordance with this Statement of

Work and applicable industry and service-related regulations.

1. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing all subsistence and labor required to accomplish food preparation in accordance with this Statement of Work.

2. The Contractor shall use fresh ingredients. All food must be maintained at the proper temperatures to prevent food borne illness, during preparation, cooking, transport, serving, display, and during storage.

3. The Contractor shall provide all dishware, silverware, tablecloths, and napkins, suitable for a

Secretarial event.

4. There will be no cooking or storage facilities available or provided for food processing.

5. Food and necessary cooking/refrigeration/heating or warming ovens/storage equipment must be transported from vendor’s site to the Department of Transportation.

6. The Department of Transportation will provide, indoor space with electricity, a small conference room without kitchen facilities or running water for preparation, and access to restrooms for appropriate hand washing.

7. All food served shall be wholesome and free from spoilage, free from adulteration and misbranding, and safe for human consumption. Uncooked items, such as fresh fruits, shall be clean and free from blemish.

8. All foods shall when served, be attractive and correct in temperature, color, taste, and consistency.

They shall be crisp, moist, dry tender, etc., as may be appropriate in each case.

MENU REQUIREMENTS

1. Presidential Rank Awardee Recognition

Room: TBD

Set-up Time: 12:00 p.m.

Event Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

50 people (Buffet Style)

Pork Sliders 4 dozen

Crudité and Dip 25 people

Fruit and Cheese Display 35 people

Cookies\Bars 5 dozen

Bottled Beverages: Water\Soda\Juice 6 dozen

Upscale lunch ware, utensils, and napkins 50 each

2. Awards Ceremony Reception

Room: DOT HQ East Atrium

Set-up Time: 12:00 p.m.

Event Time: 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

800-950 people (Buffet style)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs 900 each

Spring Rolls – Vegetable 900 each

Pork Carnitas Taquito with Cilantro Lime 900 each

Chicken Fingers 200 each

Crudité and Dip 600 each

Fruit and Imported Cheese and Crackers 700 each

Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce 850 each

Chilled Shrimp 30 pounds

Mini French Pastries and Petit Fours 900 each

Mini Maryland Style Crab Cakes 900 each

Minu Quiche Lorraine 800 each

Cookies/Bars/Dessert Tray 900 each

Fruit Punch in Dispenser 40 gallons

Water in Dispenser 40 gallons

Tablecloths (white, 120 inch, rounds) 22

Upscale Plasticware, utensils, and napkins 800 each

STAFF REQUIREMENTS

1. The Vendor will provide sufficient staff to deliver, prepare, and serve the required meals. Vendor will clean and remove materials and leave worksite in the condition it was provided. Sufficient staff is required to pass hors d’oeuvres, staff the buffet line, prepare and serve food, setup, maintain, and clean the worksite. Adequate staff is required to assist during meal service to ensure sufficient food is present, refreshed, and cleaned up in a timely manner.

2. All staff shall wear appropriate uniform for their function and the occasion.

3. This Statement of Work requires the awarded Contractor to provide qualified workers and services.

4. The Contractor shall furnish required Personal Protective Equipment, and properly supervise all site personnel. Safety is the highest priority for the Government. The Contractor shall direct all those under its charge to work safely.

Note: On or before Monday, January 15, 2023, Contractor must provide list of personnel, equipment, and vehicles requiring access to the U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters Building. Personnel details must include copy of national ID or other valid government identification. Contractor will be provided with an Excel template for submitting details.

CEREMONY FLORAL ARRANGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Rooms: DOT HQ West and East Atrium

Set-up Time: 12:00 p.m.

Event Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

10” Boston Ferns with Silver/Gold Pot Covers 10 (West Atrium)

Large Centerpieces 2 (East Atrium)

One-Sided Arrangements 2 (East Atrium)

4.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

DOT’s Headquarters in Washington, DC. (1200 New Jersey, Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590)

• Presidential Rank Awardee Recognition - TBD

• Ceremony Reception – DOT HQ East Atrium

• Floral Arrangements – DOT HQ West and East Atrium

Note: Prior to submission of proposals, prospective offerors may do a pre-proposal site-visit, at the

Department of Transportation, on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST

Each such site-visit-desiring company is asked to please e-mail, to all the DOT contacts listed in the solicitation, by 11:30 p.m. EST on November 13th, 2023, the names of that company’s planned DOT-site-visit-attending persons.

5.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Wednesday, January 24, 2024 (approximately 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.) The Vendor must be available for a Pre-ceremony walkthrough at the Department of Transportation to discuss logistics and any questions the Vendor has prior to the next day’s ceremony.

Thursday, January 25, 2024 (approximately 11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.). All work shall be completed, and deliverables submitted and ready for display and consumption on Thursday, January 25, 2024, by 11:00 a.m. with attendants supporting the reception until 4:30 p.m.

6.0 PAYMENT INFORMATION

Payment shall be made by purchase order via federal credit card.

7.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION – CONTACT INFORMATION

Trina Redmond, 202-366-4174, trina.redmond@dot.gov (COR)

Anthony Abate, 202-366-9532, anthony.abate@dot.gov (Technical POC)

8.0 EVALUATION CRITERIA

DOT will evaluate proposals based upon the following evaluation factors:

mailto:trina.redmond@dot.gov mailto:anthony.abate@dot.gov

Criterion 1:

Technical Plan

The plan will be assessed based on offeror’s compliance with DOT’s specifications and thoroughness of the plan for food and floral arrangements.

Criterion 2:

Past Performance

Each Contractor will identify three (3) past events, preferably federal agencies, where they have provided similar scope of services within the past 3-5 years.

The quality and dependability and timeliness and customer-relations achieved by the offeror company in its actual past performance of catering services for events similar to or comparable to the one called for in this Solicitation, as evidenced, in part, by the past performance references submitted by the offeror company within its proposal submitted to the Department of Transportation

(DOT) for the catering services contemplated in this Solicitation—although

DOT does explicitly reserve the right not only to directly contact the offeror’s past performance references, but also the right to look beyond the offeror’s past performance references and to consider any additional past performance information available to, or obtainable by, DOT.

Criterion 3:

Experience

The quality and quantity and calendar-length-of-time of the offeror-company’s experience in catering for events similar or comparable to the one called for in this Solicitation.

Criterion 4:

Pricing

The offeror’s grand total proposed Fixed-Price for the catering-project contemplated in this Solicitation.

Each criterion is weighted equally.

The Government may elect to award to other than the lowest price Offeror or other than the highest technically-rated offeror. The Government reserves the right of flexibility in conducting the evaluation as necessary to assure an award with the contractor providing the best value to the government.

Evaluation Categories

Excellent - (Acceptable) The contractor has demonstrated that there is a high probability of success in a combination of past results, low risk, and professional distribution of services.

Good - (Acceptable) The contractor has demonstrated that there is a good probability of success in a combination of past results, moderate risk, and professional distribution of services.

Fair - (Unacceptable) The Contractor has demonstrated that there is marginal probability of success in a combination of past results, high risk, and professional distribution of services.

Poor - (Unacceptable)

The Contractor has not demonstrated that there is a probability of success in this services-based effort.

DOT will not use adjectives in evaluating each offeror’s Cost Proposal under Selection Criterion numbered 4 as set forth above, because each offeror’s total proposed dollar-price-figure will, by definition, be a quantitative value.

9.0 PROPOSAL-PRICING-SUPPORT

Each offeror is asked to please provide, as the first sentence in the offeror’s Cost Proposal submitted to DOT in response to this Solicitation, the following confirmation:

“[State, here, the name of the offeror-company] hereby certifies that its Cost Proposal for catering-services to be provided at DOT’s 56th Annual Awards Ceremony is in full compliance with all applicable U. S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage Determinations and all other applicable DOL rules and regulations.”

This Solicitation’s contracting officer has decided to not require any offeror to display or otherwise support, in its Cost Proposal submitted to DOT in response to this Solicitation, any of the following: un-loaded-hourly-pay-rates for the contractor’s staff-members; overhead rates; fringe benefits rates; general

& administrative expense rates; profit rates. The contracting officer instead intends to rely on the competitive-feature of this Solicitation, and on the fact that the catering services contemplated in this

Solicitation are arguably commercial services.

10.0 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

DOT is not imposing any maximum-page-length on any offeror’s proposal submitted to DOT in response to this Solicitation.

DOT is not imposing any minimum or maximum font-size for any offeror’s proposal submitted to DOT in response to this Solicitation; but DOT is of course insisting that each proposal’s font-size be large enough to be easily readable by DOT employees.