RFI Helium Transportation Requirement.pdf

Request for Information (RFI) for

Transportation Services

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY.

This is a RFI solely for information, planning purposes, and market research. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or services. U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is seeking information only at this time. CBP will not pay for any costs associated with responding to this RFI. All costs will be solely at the interested parties’ expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future CBP requirements. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Government has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed.

Release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur costs for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Statement of Need The purpose of this RFI is to gather information and question from potential vendors contractors for services.

Background The Domain Awareness Persistent Surveillance (DAPS) Directorate provides wide-area persistent long-range detection and monitoring (radar and electro-optical/infrared surveillance) for interdicting low-level air, maritime, and surface illicit activities along the United States-Mexico border, the Florida Straits, and a portion of the Caribbean. The DAPS Directorate provides labor services to support, manage, and maintain all requirements for full operational and maintenance of seven (7) Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems (TARS) field sites, two (2) Tactical Maritime Surveillance Systems (TMSS), and four (4) Tactical Aerostat Systems (TAS). The number of sites has the potential to increase, although the increase is not known at this time.

The DAPS Directorate is requesting a services-oriented contract that will provide direction and methodology for transportation and delivery of helium trailers to and from TARS, TMSS, and TAS field sites. Activities will provide continued support of Customs and Border Protection, Air & Marine Operations, providing wide-area persistent long-range detection and monitoring (radar and electro-optical/infrared surveillance) for interdicting low-level air, maritime, and surface illicit activities along the United States-Mexico border, the Florida Straits, and a portion of the Caribbean. The DAPS Directorate requires contracted labor services to support, manage, and maintain all requirements.

Scope and tasks associated with this effort are reflected in the DRAFT Statement of Work, enclosed.

Contract Type / CLIN Structure. The government request that the contractor recommend contract type and CLIN structure.

Time for Response Interested parties shall submit a response by 12:00 p.m. ET on April 28, 2025.

Contractor requested to review paragraph 4, Specific Tasks to ensure that all components of the paragraph are addressed. Vendor response is limited to ten (10) pages.

Q&A Period

There will be a question/answer period provided giving the opportunity to ask questions and a cumulative response given. Provide all questions by 4:00 p.m. EST on April 25, 2025, to the below point of contact.

The cumulative response to all received questions to be posted as soon as possible.

Question and Response Submission

Submit questions and responses via email to the Contracting Officer’s Representative:

Chadwick Myers 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, 8th Floor Washington, DC 20004

(202) 360-7364 Chadwick.Myers@cbp.dhs.gov mailto:Hazel.Russell@cbp.dhs.gov

Statement of Work (SOW) Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Air and Marine (AMO)

April 22nd, 2025

1. BACKGROUND:

The Domain Awareness Persistent Surveillance (DAPS) Directorate provides wide-area persistent long-range detection and monitoring (radar and electro-optical/infrared surveillance) for interdicting low-level air, maritime, and surface illicit activities along the United States-Mexico border, the Florida Straits, and a portion of the Caribbean. The DAPS Directorate provides labor services to support, manage, and maintain all requirements for full operational and maintenance of seven (7) Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems (TARS) field sites, two (2) Tactical Maritime Surveillance Systems (TMSS), and four (4) Tactical Aerostat Systems (TAS). The number of sites has the potential to increase, although the increase is not known at this time.

The DAPS Directorate is requesting a services-oriented contract that will provide pickup, transportation, and delivery of helium trailers to and from TARS, TMSS, and TAS field sites. In addition, helium trailers will require pickup and transport to specified recertification facilities as needed to rehab, recertify, and repair trailers. Activities will provide continued support of Customs and Border Protection, Air & Marine Operations, providing wide-area persistent long-range detection and monitoring (radar and electro-optical/infrared surveillance) for interdicting low-level air, maritime, and surface illicit activities along the United States-Mexico border, the Florida Straits, and a portion of the Caribbean. The DAPS Directorate requires contracted labor services to support, manage, and maintain all requirements.

2. SCOPE

This Statement of Work (SOW) will focus on pickup, transportation, and delivery of CBP Owned helium trailers to and from TARS, TMSS, and TAS field sites, using the below two (2) scope approach.

1. Minimal Scope – Consisting of transportation of CBP Owned helium trailers to support seven (7) TARS, two (2) TMSS, and four (4) TAS field sites.

2. Full Scope – Consisting of pickup, transportation, and delivery of CBP Owned helium trailers from certified helium fill plant facilities based on recurring customer requirements.

3. REFERENCES:

1. Contractor shall follow and comply with the most current publication of the United States Department of Transportation Code of Federal Regulations Title 49 along with applicable local and state transportation regulations.

2. Contractor shall follow and comply with CBP AMO specific standards and specifications as required. Contractor shall provide all such provisions are deemed in full compliance with the letter of the law.

4. SPECIFIC TASKS:

For pickup, transportation, and delivery of helium trailers to and from TARS, TMSS, and TAS field sites the contractor shall provide the specific and ad-hoc tasks in support of program requirements and IAW contractor Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in the following areas identified below. Vendor needs to define the steps undertaken to include timelines associated with performing the task from notification to delivery.

A. AVAILABILITY.

On demand availability of trucks and drivers upon request from customer base for recurring and non-recurring helium requests.

B. NOTIFICATION.

Provide punctual status communications to customer by email (primary) or phone (secondary) on Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) and Estimated Time of Delivery (ETD) of helium trailers being transported to and from field sites and helium fill points. Contractor shall also provide notification on transportation delays due to driver availability, weather, vehicle breakdown, or any other unforeseen events that may impact on time delivery.

C. PERSONNEL.

Contractor drivers shall have valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and up to date Hazmat endorsements to pick up, transport, and deliver CBP Owned trailers to and from field sites and helium fill points.

D. VISUAL INSPECTION.

Contractor shall visually inspect trailers before departing field site and helium fill plants to ensure trailers are road worthy for transport.

E. IDENTIFICATION.

Contractors shall provide valid identification to include valid CDL and or company credentials upon request from site personnel.

F. DOCUMENTATION (TRAILER PICKUP).

Contractors shall provide a copy of the Commercial Bill of Lading (CBL) and DD 626, Motor Vehicle Inspection (Transporting Hazardous Materials) to site personnel before departure.

G. DOCUMENTATION (TRAILER DELIVERY).

Contractor shall provide signed meter ticket with net helium amount to site personnel.

Driver or vendor must also submit signed meter ticket electronically into the DoD’s Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) system for payment of services.

5. ACCEPTANCE AND DELIVERY:

Due to the importance of the mission and the need for helium, the vendor must be able to respond to the request in an appropriate amount of time to ensure the mission can continue. This includes:

• Responding to all cycle and out of cycle transportation requests within 24 hours.

• Pickup and deliver trailer from specified fill plant to site within 5-7 days of request.

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

Upon contract award, the Contractor shall provide the above said services and support for a base period of one (1) year, plus four (4) one-year options. The base and option years are scheduled as follows:

Base Year: Jun 29, 2025 – Jun 28, 2026 Option Year 1: Jun 29, 2025 – Jun 28, 2026 Option Year 2: Jun 29, 2025 – Jun 28, 2026 Option Year 3: Jun 29, 2025 – Jun 28, 2026 Option Year 4: Jun 29, 2025 – Jun 28, 2026

The government reserves the right to extend the term of the contract by written notice to the Contractor per FAR 52.217-9, "Option to Extend the Term of the Contract" (MAR 2000).

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:

All transportation of helium trailers will be executed at the following sites and Commercial fill plant locations. Transport of trailers to recertification facilities will be determined before contract award. The site list below includes the current sites used; however, the government reserves the right to add additional sites as mission dictates.

8. PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION:

The contractor will schedule meetings and provide updates as requested by the Government to address topics such as: project schedule, materials, cost, impediments, mitigation plans, pickup and delivery schedule, status, travel impediments, and other statuses as necessary.

Site Name Site Location

Site Address Fill Plant Location

Fill Plant Site Address

Yuma Arizona Route 95, Mile Marker 58

Yuma, AZ 85365

Long Beach, CA

901 W. 12TH

STREET LONG

BEACH, CA 90813

Fort Huachuca Arizona Building 16201Z Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613

Long Beach, CA

901 W. 12TH

STREET LONG

BEACH, CA 90813

Deming New Mexico

17750 Hermanas Grade Rd SW Deming, NM 88030

Gruver, TX HWY 136 15 MI

NORTH, GRUVER,

Texas 79040

Marfa Texas 21 Miles West of Marfa U.S. Hwy 90 Marfa, TX 79843

Gruver, TX HWY 136 15 MI

NORTH, GRUVER,

Texas 79040

Rio Grande City

Texas 465 La Morita Rd 19 Miles NNW of RGC on FM 649Rio Grande City, TX 78582

Gruver, TX HWY 136 15 MI

NORTH, GRUVER,

Texas 79040

South Padre Island

Texas 1 Wallace Reed Road South Padre Island, TX 78597

Gruver, TX HWY 136 15 MI

NORTH, GRUVER,

Texas 79040

Cudjoe Key Florida 1800 Blimp Rd, Cudjoe Key, FL 33042

Largo, FL 7900 118TH AVE

LARGO, FL 33773

A1 Salinas Ranch

Texas 800 W. Expressway 83 (Stripes Gas Station) Sullivan City, TX 78595

Gruver, TX HWY 136 15 MI

NORTH, GRUVER,

Texas 79040

A2 Penitas Texas Walmart, 1705 E.

Expressway 83, Penitas, Texas 78576

Gruver, TX HWY 136 15 MI

NORTH, GRUVER,

Texas 79040

A4 Santa Cruz Aerostat Site

Texas Pueblo Tires and Service, 5527 US 83 Rio Grande City, TX 78582

Gruver, TX HWY 136 15 MI

NORTH, GRUVER,

Texas 79040

A5 Anacua Ranch

Texas 75 North Anacua Ranch Road, Roma, TX 78584

Gruver, TX HWY 136 15 MI

NORTH, GRUVER,

Texas 79040

9. REPORTING:

A monthly status report shall be provided to the DAPS Directorate office, via email, by the 15th of each month. These reports shall contain (at a minimum) a description of all efforts scheduled/accomplished for the reporting period, estimated start / completion date, materials provided / purchased, schedule of trailer pickup and deliveries, estimated delivery dates (for both TARS sites and commercial fill plants), individual and cumulative transportation costs and list of invoices submitted. The contractor shall maintain and provide upon Government request all documentation and applicable invoicing related to transportation and delivery of CBP Owned helium trailers. The contractor shall use contractor generated forms.

9.1 Deliverables

The Contractor shall deliver those items to CBP as outlined in the table below.

Table 1 – Deliverables, Milestones, and Delivery Schedule

ITEM # DELIVERABLE (D) / MILESTONE (M) DUE DATE

1 Monthly Status Report (D) 15th business day after the end of the prior month

2. Invoice Report (D)

15th business day after the end of the prior month

3. Kick Off Meeting (M) 7 calendar days after effective date of contract

10.0 Changes to the SOW

No changes to the resulting SOW or cost increases shall be incurred without written prior approval of the Contracting Officer as coordinated by the COR. Any changes or cost increases will not take effect until the Contracting Officer executes a written modification.

11.0 Points of Contact

All contract questions and concerns shall be directed to the POC as designated below. The Contracting Officer (CO) is the only individual with the authority to amend this contract.

COR

Chadwick Myers / COR 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, 8th Floor Washington, DC 20004

(202) 360-7364 Chadwick.Myers@cbp.dhs.gov mailto:Hazel.Russell@cbp.dhs.gov