RFI-Asphalt and Hard Tac 8-6-2026.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Subject: Facilities Management Branch – Nationwide Asphalt Supply for Paving Crew

RFI Number: RFI-BOP-Asphalt and Hard Tac Supply

Issue Date: 8/6/2026

Response Due Date: 8/20/2026

1. PURPOSE

This Sources Sought Notice / Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for market research purposes in accordance with

FAR Part 10. It does not constitute a solicitation and does not commit to the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract. Responses will not be considered proposals and will not form the basis for award.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Facilities Management Branch, is conducting market research to identify qualified vendors capable of supplying asphalt and hard tac to support the newly re-established paving crew, which will be conducting road and parking lot replacements/repairs throughout several Bureau of Prisons institutions across the country. To find locations of Bureau of Prisons correctional facilities, please visit https://www.bop.gov.

2. BACKGROUND

The Federal Bureau of Prisons Facilities Management Branch provides Buildings and Grounds maintenance operations utilizing inmate work programing, staffed journeyman level tradesmen, and contractors to maintain current, modernize or modify facilities as well as construct new to meet ever changing mission requirements. Currently the BOP provides facilities and maintenance operations for approximately 122 institutions nationwide.

3. OBJECTIVE

The intent of this RFI is to assess vendor capabilities, product availability, regulatory compliance, nationwide distribution capacity, pricing structure, and operational support related to asphalt and hard tac for road paving operations at various

Bureau of Prisons nationwide.

4. SCOPE OF INFORMATION REQUESTED

Interested vendors are requested to provide detailed responses addressing the following areas:

A. Company Information:

1. Company name and corporate structure

2. Business address and primary points of contact

3. UEI and CAGE code information, if applicable

4. Recommended NAICS and Product Service Code (PSC)

5. Years in business

6. Relevant experience supplying:

• correctional facilities,

• government agencies,

• military commissaries,

• large institutional retail operations, or

• controlled retail environments

7. Financial and operational capacity to support nationwide fulfillment

8. Distribution and warehousing capabilities

9. Is your company an asphalt manufacturer, distributor, broker, or reseller?

10. What is your company’s geographic coverage, including the states and regions they can support and any areas you https://www.bop.gov/ cannot provide asphalt supply services too.

11. How would your company provide nationwide coverage (owned plants, supplier agreements, subcontractors, etc.)

12. What are the names and the approximate number of asphalt plants or suppliers would you anticipate utilizing for up to 10 projects per year for the next 5 years?

13. What is the typical lead time from order to delivery?

14. What are the minimum and maximum order amounts?

15. What are your quality assurance procedures, including compliance with applicable ASTM, AASHTO, or state DOT specifications?

16. Do you have experience of performing similar nationwide or multi-state distribution contracts, including contract value and customer references?

17. Do you anticipate using subcontractors and, if so, what percentage of the work would be subcontracted?

18. For small businesses ONLY. Does your company think it can comply with the applicable limitations on subcontracting?

19. Are there any concerns with the Nonmanufacturer Rule if they are not producing the asphalt?

20. Do you have any recommendations regarding the contract structure, such as a single-award IDIQ, multiple-award

IDIQ, BPA, or regional contracts?

21. What is your suggested CLIN structure and ordering process?

22. Are there any best commercial practices the Government should consider?

23. What are the major risks or barriers that could affect successful nationwide performance?

24. Can you support deliveries to all 48 contiguous states (or Alaska and Hawaii, if applicable)?

25. What percentage of CONUS can you support without adding additional suppliers?

26. Would regional awards be more efficient than a single nationwide award? Why?

27. What ordering and dispatch system do you use to coordinate deliveries across multiple locations?

B. Product Information:

Provide detailed information for each nicotine pouch product proposed, including:

1. What types of asphalt do you have available for distribution?

2. asphalt strengths available

3. hard tac and other supply offerings

4. Unit packaging configuration / trucking

5. Maximum requirements during shipping (what are your limitations on distance before product cools?)

6. How is your company’s pricing is typically structured (fixed pricing, index-based pricing, regional pricing, transportation charges, fuel surcharges, etc.)?

7. Do you provide Safety Data Sheets (if applicable)

8. What packaging or delivery features do you anticipate needing that are relevant to institutional security?

5. TECHNICAL DESIGN GUIDELINE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

Please provide an assurance statement that you are capable or meeting the following requirements and provide in writing those which you cannot with an explanation:

1. Roads, driveways, hard stands, and parking areas shall be designed to meet local standards. Use the State Department of Transportation standard specifications, and details. Provide pavement designs utilizing AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) “Guide for Design of Pavement Structures” and applicable local conditions and design practice. The most stringent requirement governs. Design shall use California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value determined by the Geotechnical Engineer.

2. ASPHALT PAVING - All pavements utilized by trucks such as access roads, should be designed to meet a minimum traffic count of (20) AASHTO HS 20-44 vehicles per day. Access roads shall be hot mix asphalt paving.

3. All parking areas and driveways limited to only automobile traffic, patrol road, fire access roads and pavements from fire access road to mechanicals room should be designed based on a traffic count of (5) AASHTO H-15-44 vehicles per day.

4. All roadways in the compound and perimeter patrol road shall be hot mix asphalt paving unless otherwise noted.

5. Permeable asphalt pavement may be used on the fire access road and/ or at the perimeter patrol road and/or parking lots. Details of the permeable asphalt pavement design may be submitted as an Alternate Proposal (AP) during the contract negotiation phase. Design details for any permeable asphalt AP’s will be reviewed by the FBOP as part of the Phase II evaluation process.

6. OPERATIONAL AND DISTRIBUTION CAPABILITIES

Respondents shall describe:

1. National distribution capabilities

2. Warehousing locations

3. Ability to fulfill recurring large-volume orders

4. Average lead times

5. Backorder mitigation strategies

6. Inventory management systems

7. Product tracking and lot traceability

8. Expiration-date management procedures, and

9. Ability to ship directly to federal correctional institutions nationwide

Include any experience supporting:

• secure facilities,

• restricted-access delivery environments, or

• controlled inventory programs

Respondents shall demonstrate awareness of and ability to comply with varying state and local laws, regulations, shipping restrictions, and product distribution requirements applicable to nicotine pouch products throughout the United States.

Vendors shall identify:

• states or jurisdictions with known sales or distribution restrictions impacting proposed products

• procedures used to monitor regulatory changes

• methods for ensuring compliant interstate shipment and distribution, and

• any limitations affecting nationwide fulfillment capabilities

7. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Responses are due no later than 10:00 AM ET August 20, 2026.

Submit via email to: bwilson1@bop.gov Subject Line: RFI-BOP-Asphalt and Hard Tac Supply

Limit responses to 10–15 pages or fewer (excluding attachments). Only high-level ROM estimates and assumptions are requested at this time.

8. DISCLAIMER

This RFI is issued solely for market research purposes under FAR Part 10. It does not constitute a solicitation or offer.

The Government will not reimburse any costs associated with response preparation or participation in this market mailto:bwilson1@bop.gov research.

11. Reference Information

General information on BOP institutions: https://www.bop.gov https://www.bop.gov/