k9 rfi.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION:

CW001-26 RFI Fabricated Metal Products (K-9 Cages and Inmate Transport Inserts)

RFI DISCLAIMER

This Request for Information (RFI) does not create any representation, either express or implied, that if a tender or procurement process does proceed, that the participant’s tender or other form of application (if any) will be given any preference or special consideration.

Participants are still required to follow any tender or procurement process that may take place in the future. If a solicitation is released, it will be advertised in under “Contracting Opportunities” in SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of potential offerors/bidders to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation.

This RFI does not indicate a commitment to any particular course of action.

Respondees are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense

OVERVIEW: RFI

Federal Prison Industries (FPI) would like to enter into a three (3) year agreement to purchase the following fabricated metal product (K-9 Cages and Inmate Transport Inserts) for our Fleet Group. The purchase of these materials is to allow UNICOR inmate workers to Upfit vehicles to sell to the Federal Government. Delivery locations are:

FCI Bastrop, TX FCI La Tuna, TX FCI Victorville, CA

Estimates for three (3) year quantities are as follows: (BAS1-Bastrop, LAT1-La Tuna, VIM1-Victorville) (THIS LIST MAY NOT BE INCLUSIVE OF ITEMS LISTED IN THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WHEN ISSUED)

BASTROP TX

LA TUNA TX

VICTORVILLE, CA

Objective of this RFI is to as follows: collaborate with Industry on how best to structure the Request for Proposal (RFP) to ensure:

1. To expand the vendor list for domestic vendors that are small business

2. Greater market awareness/participation by relevant and capable suppliers

To enable this, we are launching this RFI as catalyst to this collaborative process in development and participation in eventual RFP by qualified suppliers.

BACKGROUND

Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), operating under the trade name UNICOR, was established by statute and Executive Order 6917 in 1934 with a mission to rebuild the lives of individuals who have taken wrong turns in life. FPI’s program provides federal inmates with valuable job and life skills, which, upon release from prison, will enhance their prospects for employment and success within their communities, and it does so without spending American tax dollars. FPI is unique in that it is a manufacturing organization operating within the U.S. Federal Government.

Currently, FPI is comprised of seven (7) business sectors: Agribusiness, Electronics, Clothing and Textiles, Fleet Services, Recycling, Office Furniture, and Services. Throughout the 85-year history of FPI, these business groups have changed based on market opportunity and demand patterns. Combined, these business groups provide hundreds of products and services to multiple departments and agencies of the Federal Government such as the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, and Defense Logistics Agency. While FPI has a private sector customer base, the majority of its customers are Federal Government agencies.

RFI OBJECTIVES:

As stated in the “Overview” section of this document, following are the RFI Objectives in more detail:

1. Greater market awareness/participation by relevant and capable suppliers

Through this RFI and eventual RFP process, we want to have greater engagement and market awareness by potential suppliers who qualify and meet the requirements to fulfill our requirements.

RFI Question #1: Please let us know your interest in participating in this RFI/RFP process through the undersigned. Please also provide company background information.

RFI Question #2: Are these items available from a domestic source?

RFI Question #3: Is the vendor registered as a small business in SAM.

RFI Questions #4: Obtain general market information such as:

· Industry standard lead times

· What is the correct index to be used for Economic Price Increases

· Industry standard ordering quantities

RFI GUIDELINES

Please reference above “RFI Question #” in structuring your responses. For example, for Objective 1: Greater market awareness/participation by relevant and capable suppliers, please reference your response as “RFI Question #1: …..”.

Information from this RFI may lead to one-on-one market research discussions and other recommended approaches to industry engagement.

Although all comments received will be carefully reviewed and considered for inclusion in future RFP and any possible later action, the initiators of this request make no commitment to include any particular recommendations.

Your response to this RFI is requested on or before 2:00pm EST on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 Responses must be submitted electronically addressed to Chelsea Walker at chelsea.walker3@usdoj.gov and Tiffani Balestrini at tiffani.balestrini@usdoj.gov with the subject line “RFI RESPONSE – Steel Fabrication CW001-26 RFI (Your Organization name)”.