FBO_Post.pdf

Request for Information (RFI) – Reverse Auction Platform

Background The Federal Bureau of Prisons (Bureau) is an agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ). It consists of 122 institutions throughout the United States, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico; 6 regional offices, a Central Office (headquarters), 2 staff training centers, and 26 Residential Reentry Management offices.

The National Acquisitions Section (NAS) is responsible for the execution and administration of all national contracts and blanket purchase agreements (BPAs). NAS seeks to streamline the acquisition process through utilizing reverse auction platforms for acquisition staff Bureau wide. The reverse auction platform will aid acquisition personnel by reducing administrative costs while maintaining competition and meeting socio-economic goals.

Purpose The purpose of this RFI is to seek information regarding the options that are currently available in the marketplace for a reverse auction platform. Information received from this RFI may be utilized for a future procurement need. Additionally, the Government may conduct One-on- One market research sessions (either face-to-face or virtually utilizing: Cisco WebEx, Citrix GoToMeeting, Adobe Connect) with responders to this RFI to further understand market capabilities.

Requirements

• The web-enabled reverse auction platform must permit Bureau procurement staff to conduct real-time competed auctions for different contract vehicles by posting online reverse auction formatted solicitations and utilizing best value award criteria.

• Transactional fee shall be visible to the contracting personnel at the time of award.

• The system shall be versatile to allow buyers to have complete control of the bidding process (i.e. posting auctions or canceling auctions at any time if it is in the best interest of the Government and award to any vendor providing a quote in accordance with the established evaluation criteria).

• The reverse auction platform must be capable of concurrent transactions in support of approximately 300+ users (buyers) creating/conducting numerous auctions among various vendors for an array of requirements.

• Buyer shall have the ability to set a target price and specify that the winning price must be equal to or better than the target price.

• Buyer must have the ability to set the criteria for selecting the awardee(s) and include terms and conditions.

• Buyer must have the ability to set specific beginning and end times, and the ability to amend and extend the time period for each auction.

• Bidders must be able to submit a lower bid than the target price or leading bid to anonymously compete for the Bureau’s requirement.

• Bidders shall not have knowledge of other bids posted or bidders participating in the auction.

• Bidders shall have knowledge regarding the status of their bid (e.g. leading or lagging) in reference to the target price or other bids.

Questions regarding this RFI must be submitted to k1cannon@bop.gov and mbodine@bop.gov by March 11, 2016.

Responses to the questions below shall be emailed, no later than 12:00 pm (ET) on March 23, 2016, to Kathleen Cannon, Contracting Officer, at k1cannon@bop.gov.

Questions

1. Describe your company’s web-enabled reverse auction platform.

2. Describe your company’s fee structure.

3. Provide detailed information on reporting capabilities and analysis tools.

4. Describe common problems that buyers encounter when utilizing the platform. How are these problems resolved?

5. What type of help desk/support capabilities does your company offer? What are the hours of operation?

6. What is the average implementation time for your company’s reverse auction platform

(including training)? Please provide a sample time-line for implementation for 300 buyers.

7. Does your company currently hold a GSA Schedule which covers the reverse auction platform solution? If so, what is the number and expiration date?

8. Interest parties shall specify the North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code, Federal Supply Classification (FSC) used, current business size, and socio economic program for the reverse auction platform solution.