Request_for_Information_final.docx

Request for Information (RFI) General Services Administration Office of Personal Property Management (PPM)

Purpose GSA’s PPM Strategic Vision Team is assessing industry capabilities for internet sales services that private industry can provide GSA’s personal property sales program. The purpose of this RFI is to explore the option of a public-private partnership to help with conducting online sales that would maximize the proceeds received in the liquidation of government assets. Additionally, we are exploring marketing and advertising tactics to increase our external audience and outreach.

Mission A team was assembled in Central Office and tasked with the development of a 3 to 5 year strategic vision for the enhancement of the Personal Property Management Program nationwide. We are conducting a complete review of current processes and systems in order to identify areas of improvement. Additionally, we are exploring marketing tactics to increase our external audience and outreach. We sell virtually all commodities that federal agencies may use. In fiscal year 2012, GSA sold 93,042 line items with proceeds totaling $107,426,407. In the first three quarters of fiscal year 2013, GSA has sold 56,219 line items with proceeds of $83,463,243.

General Part 1: The PPM Strategic Vision Team is interested in obtaining market research information on the option of a public-private partnership to help with conducting online sales that would maximize the proceeds received in the liquidation of government assets.

The chart below describes the requirements that a Sales Center (SC) must possess in order to sell federal surplus property:

- All buyers and sellers who wish to buy an asset online register through an online registration process.

- Secure solution designed to minimize bidder fraud and buyer default.

- Controls to ensure that bidders that default or commit fraud are banned from future sales or cure default prior to participating in future sales.

- Keeps track of each email correspondence with the buyers and sellers in accordance with the Privacy Act and NARA.

- Accommodates the ordering and service needs, and the payment collection and processing capabilities of various agencies.

- Collects, processes, distribute money on behalf of agencies in a variety of formats, including but not limited to wire, online check, cashier’s check, money order, and credit card.

- Accepts payment in major foreign currencies from winning bidders, and have a conversion mechanism to pay the seller in U.S. dollars.

- Includes frequently asked questions (FAQ) and a glossary of auction items.

- Displays privacy policy that complies with the Privacy Act.

- Retains asset sales records, including the buyer data, in accordance with NARA’s General Records Schedule 4, Items 3 a and b.

- Conducts online quarterly surveys of buyers and sellers to evaluate customer satisfaction.

- Standard terms will include disclaimers stating that all assets are being sold “as-is” as defined in the FMR unless otherwise noted.

- Prompts each bidder to approve its bid before submittal and allows a bidder to cancel an erroneous bid. (The administrator may require approval of the retraction before a bid is cancelled.)

- Notifies bidders when they have been outbid.

- Provides a Watch List, Automatic Notification, and Automatic Time Extension features, where closing time is automatically extended for NN minutes if placed within MM minutes before closing.

Part 2: Additionally, the PPM Strategic Vision Team is interested in obtaining market research information on marketing tactics to increase our external audience and outreach.

Government Questions Part 1: Public-private partnership to conduct online sales.

1) Are these services feasible, what services can your company provide?

2) What type of sales does your company conduct? (Internet, live, or other means? If live, does your company have simulcast capabilities?)

3) What is your company’s electronic marketplace?

4) What commodities does your company sell? What, if any, does the company specialize in?

5) What is your company’s customer base?

6) What is the fee structure?

Part 2: Assist in providing avenues to vastly increase outreach and publicity of GSA sales.

1) How does your company advertise sales conducted on its platform?

2) What type of marketing efforts does your company currently have to publicize auctions?

3) What is your company’s fee structure?

Instructions Information shall be submitted electronically through email to Cynthia.Patton@gsa.gov and Darlene.Stickel@gsa.gov by the deadline specified in the announcements. All questions regarding this RFI should be sent electronically to Cynthia.Patton@gsa.gov and Darlene.Stickel@gsa.gov with the subject line “Request for Information”.

Responses shall include a point of contact in case the Government has follow on questions.

Public Records and Requests for Confidentiality Any document submitted that contains confidential information must be marked on the outside as containing confidential information, and each page upon which confidential information appears must be marked as containing confidential information. The confidential information must be clearly identifiable to the reader wherever it appears.

Copyrights By submitting a response, the vendor agrees that the government may copy the response for purpose of facilitation of review or to respond to requests for public records. The vendor represents that such copying will not violate any copyrights in the materials submitted.

Responses Responses should be based on the material contained in this RFI and any other relevant information the vendor thinks is appropriate. Responses will not be returned.

Cost to Vendors The government is not responsible for any costs incurred by a vendor in relation to the preparation of a response to this RFI.

No Obligation to Issue Request for Quote (RFQ) The issuance of this RFI does not obligate the government in any way to issue an RFQ for the services described.