RFI_AirTransportation_KTN-WHD-25.pdf

United States Postal Service (USPS) Request For Information (RFI)

Air Transportation Services Between Ketchikan and Hyder, Alaska

Background The mission of the USPS is to provide trusted, affordable, and universal mailing and shipping services to the people of the United States. In carrying out this mission, the USPS delivers to nearly 167 million addresses and collects outgoing mail from its customers at the time of delivery. The USPS also offers mailing and shipping services through approximately 34,000 retail outlets and its website, www.usps.com.

To learn more about the USPS, please visit http://about.usps.com.

Purpose The purpose of this document is to request information from potential suppliers regarding the USPS’s need for air transportation and related services between Ketchikan and Hyder, Alaska. Specifically, and in accordance with the Supplying Principles and Practices (SPs and Ps), the USPS issues this Request for Information (RFI) as an invitation for potential suppliers to register interest in providing the required services. Note that for this RFI, the required services include air transportation (line-haul) and ground/terminal handling in support of mail delivery to and from the following areas:

▪ Ketchikan, Alaska (KTN)

▪ Hyder, Alaska (WHD)

Scope The USPS is looking to secure air transportation and related services between Ketchikan and Hyder, Alaska. Service will be required for no less than four (4) years and no more than eight (8) years. Service is expected to begin in the summer of 2025.

The USPS anticipates awarding an indefinite delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to secure the required services. There will not be a contract awarded as a result of this RFI; the RFI was prepared only for the purposes of gathering information from potential suppliers. The USPS may or may not issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) as a result of this RFI.

Requirements

General Requirements Suppliers that are interested in providing the required services must, at a minimum:

▪ Provide proof of FAR 121 or FAR 135 certification;

▪ Provide transportation of mail in accordance with all applicable Federal, State and local authorities and the schedule contained herein;

▪ Be certified to handle certain hazardous or perishable products (including “mailable” live animals) in accordance with USPS regulations;

▪ Carry no parcels greater than sixteen (16) ounces per piece on a commercial passenger flight unless cleared by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA);

▪ Maintain full responsibility for all line-haul services and ground/terminal handling, as applicable;

▪ Provide mail handling via screened employees (NOTE: Screening includes a criminal background check, drug screening, fingerprinting, and the issuance of a clearance by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the federal law enforcement arm of the Postal Service); and

▪ Provide strict protection of the mail while in the possession of the supplier.

Aircraft / Capacity Requirements Suppliers that are interested in providing the required services must:

http://www.usps.com/ http://about.usps.com/

▪ Provide an aircraft on floats that can carry between four hundred (400) to five hundred (500) pounds per trip, on average, and up to one thousand (1000) pounds, as required.

Schedule / Frequency Requirements Suppliers that are interested in providing the required services must have the ability to operate a minimum of two (2) days per week, as needed, except on Sundays and USPS observed holidays.

Moreover, potential suppliers must have the ability to operate in compliance with the schedule below unless directed to do otherwise by the Contracting Officer:

Schedule

NOTE: Trips 5201 and 5202 transit Rudyerd Pass. Trips 5203 and 5204 transit the Pearse and

Portland Canals and will be required on an as needed basis. The Administrative Postmaster will authorize the supplier to provide service to Hyder via the Pearse and Portland Canals.

Holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth Holiday, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Any trip missed due to a holiday or weather will be performed the next flyable day except no service will be required on national holidays or Sundays. If any make-up trips create a conflict in the schedule, the schedule may be adjusted by the Supplier with the approval of the Contracting Officer’s Representative. The supplier must be prepared to operate extra service days and extra trips to accommodate seasonal mail volume fluctuations. This includes but is not limited to the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day (Peak Season).

Ground / Terminal Handling / Tender / Delivery Suppliers that are interested in providing the required services must have the ability to pick mail up at the designated tender point and deliver mail to the designated delivery point for the locations listed below. The supplier’s service must include the drayage and loading / unloading of mail aboard the aircraft. The supplier must also sort and load mail according to the instructions of the local postal official.

TRIP ORIGIN DESTINATION LV AR MILEAGE FREQUENCY

KETCHIKAN,

AK (KTN)

HYDER, AK

(WHD)

10:30 11:15 75 1, 4

HYDER, AK

(WHD)

KETCHIKAN, AK

(KTN)

11:45 12:50 75 1, 4

KETCHIKAN,

AK (KTN)

HYDER, AK

(WHD)

10:30 11:45 153 9

HYDER, AK

(WHD)

KETCHIKAN, AK

(KTN)

12:15 13:30 153 9

TRIP

ROUND TRIP

MILEAGE

FREQUENCY ANNUAL TRIPS

5201/5202 150 1 & 4 (Mondays & Thursdays) 105

5203/5204 306 9 (As Required) See below

Ketchikan Post Office Hyder Post Office U.S. Postal Service U.S. Postal Service 3609 Tongass Ave. 100 Hyder Avenue Ketchikan, AK 99901-9998 Hyder, AK 99923 -9998

(907) 225-9602 (250) 636-2662

Submission Instructions Suppliers that are interested in fulfilling the USPS’s requirements as described in the section above must provide the following information via a written submission:

▪ Company name, including any subsidiaries or associated companies;

▪ Company address;

▪ Company website;

▪ Point of contact name;

▪ Point of contact phone number;

▪ Point of contact email address;

▪ Company overview;

▪ Description of company capabilities as they pertain to the USPS’s requirements, specifically;

▪ Description of available fleet, including aircraft types, ground vehicles, quantity of each, and estimated weight/volume metric capacities;

▪ Explanation as to how the available fleet would be allocated or used to fulfill the USPS’s requirements both with regard to air transportation; and

▪ Copy of 121 or 135 air certificate.

Written submissions must be provided via email to Doug Brewer at Douglas.E.Brewer@usps.gov and Molly Kinghorn at Molly.K.Kinghorn@usps.gov no later than 5:00pm Eastern Time (ET) on Friday, March 14, 2025. Any questions regarding this RFI can be directed to Ahmed Abu-Ajaj or Molly Kinghorn prior to the submission deadline via e-mail at the same e-mail addresses.

Provisions Provision A-2: Solicitation For Information or Planning Purposes (March 2006) (MODIFIED)

1. The USPS does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to pay for the information solicited.

2. This solicitation is issued for the purposes of gathering information around potential suppliers’ ability to provide air transportation and related services between Ketchikan and Hyder, Alaska.

mailto:Douglas.E.Brewer@usps.gov mailto:Molly.K.Kinghorn@usps.gov