Tactical_Water_Systems_Market_Survey.doc

Tactical Water Systems

MARKET SURVEY

Defense Logistics Agency

DLA Land and Maritime

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

DLA Land and Maritime intends to issue a solicitation for approximately 3,587 NSN’s for direct support to the following Water Purification Systems: Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU), Tactical Water Purification System (TWPS) and Lightweight Water Purifier (LWP) customers). The tentative requirement is to design a complete worldwide supply chain to support these water purification customers within time definite delivery time frames.

Possible Scope of Services:

The current contract is support all demand requirements of only the specified water purification customers: Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU), Tactical Water Purification System (TWPS) and Lightweight Water Purifier (LWP) customers. The performance strategy will seek a low-risk yet streamlined operation, which not only reduces the Government’s inventory investment but also has the capability to provide high levels of customer support. In providing a complete solution for the supply of the NSN’s to these DoD Customers, the contractor is to perform various responsibilities which include:

Finance

Order Processing & Fulfillment

Planning

Tech/Quality

Procurement/Purchasing

Supplier Management

Item Management

Management of the Inventory

Warehouse Management & Operation

Transportation Management

Packaging/Shipment Preparation

Obsolescence Management

Customer Support/Services

Data Management

Background

1. Company Representative/ Phone number/email address/Title:

2. CAGE Code

3. Business Size

4. Does your company qualify in any sub-category? (i.e. 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB)

5. Address

6. Would you be willing to enter into a long term requirements contract?

7. How many years would be your ideal Base period in order to provide the best price to the Government?

FORMCHECKBOX

1 Base Year FORMCHECKBOX 2 Base Years FORMCHECKBOX 3 Base Years FORMCHECKBOX Number of Base Years does not affect price

a. Please provide a brief explanation as to why this length of Base Period is optimal:

b. If you suggested an “ideal” base period of more than ONE year, would you be willing to accept a Base Period less than your “ideal” Base period but no less than ONE year? YES FORMCHECKBOX

NO FORMCHECKBOX

i. Please list any concerns you might have with doing so:______________________________________________________

c. If you suggested a Base Period of more than ONE year, would you be able to hold pricing steady for the entire Base Period or would you require an annual price adjustment?

FORMCHECKBOX

I can hold my prices for the Base Period

FORMCHECKBOX

I would require an annual price adjustment

8. If the Government issues this solicitation with a 3 year base period where contractors will be required to hold their prices firm for all three years, would you still be willing to quote on the solicitation? YES FORMCHECKBOX

NO FORMCHECKBOX

9. Assuming an option period is equal to one year, how many option periods AFTER the Base period would you be willing to accept? 0 FORMCHECKBOX

1 FORMCHECKBOX

2 FORMCHECKBOX

3 FORMCHECKBOX

4 FORMCHECKBOX

10. Assuming an option period is equal to one year, how many option periods AFTER the BASE period would be optimal: 0 FORMCHECKBOX

1 FORMCHECKBOX

2 FORMCHECKBOX

3 FORMCHECKBOX

4 FORMCHECKBOX

11. The current contract uses an Economic Price Adjustment, calculated based on multiple commodity codes, to adjust option year pricing. Would you prefer to use EPA or an agreed upon Fixed Priced Adjustment (i.e. percentage of increase/decrease)?

Economic Price Adjustment FORMCHECKBOX Fixed Priced Adjustment FORMCHECKBOX

12. Please provide any additional information that you feel would help us to set up a Base Period/Option Period structure that is most beneficial to the Government and Industry: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ General Business Information

1. Which requirements listed above in the scope do you envision being able to provide – all or a portion? If a portion, which?

2. If your company is a large business, what opportunities do you foresee for small business participation?

3. What are the areas of risks associated with this effort? How would you mitigate those risks?

4. Does your company have Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) capabilities, including order processing, invoicing, and electronic funds transfer.

Solicitation Approach

5. DLA is considering opening the scope to support additional Tactical Water Systems in lieu of just Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU), Tactical Water Purification System (TWPS) and Lightweight Water Purifier (LWP) customers. The other systems help transport and store the potable water created by these systems. Would you be able to support the demand requirements of any Tactical Water System? If no, please explain the impact of opening the scope to all Tactical Water Systems.

6. Are there requirements that have not been mentioned that should be included?

7. What type of contract type do you think would be best suited for this solicitation?

8. What kind of pricing arrangement would work best with the mix NSN’s?

9. What type of contract incentives would you suggest to motivate contract performance?

Planning

1. The offeror will be required to collaborate with customers and accurately predict future customer requirements, demands, and demand patterns. What data do you need to develop these forecasts?

2. What involvement by DLA would you expect in this process?

Supply Chain Management

1. Identify the major cost drivers for a supply chain that includes delivery of parts to a limited customer base?

2. Balancing cost, what are reasonable delivery times for CONUS and OCONUS to the end user/customer, considering costs of storage and shipment or any other major cost drivers?

3. Considering the cost, what is a reasonable on-time delivery rate for the delivery times addressed above?

4. Identify the performance metrics that would provide effective performance measurements in a requirement of this type?

5. As opposed to an on-time delivery rate, we consider a fill rate of 95% a mandatory requirement. Is this feasible?

6. Are you able to provide web access to customers to check status of an order and shipment tracking?

7. Some of the NSN’s to be included in this contract normally require source inspection prior to shipment to DLA for storage. Is it feasible to include this requirement and have the parts inspected by the successful contractor prior to receipt for storage at the suppliers facility. Can this be documented and made available as part of a quality system review by the government.

8. How do we encourage or insure the quality of the critical application parts are maintained and improved throughout the life of the contract?

9. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and or Unique Identification (UID) of shipments is likely to be a requirement of the solicitation. What are the costs? What are the pros and cons?

Customer Support

1. Describe the customer support that should be provided by the contractor and what services should be provided by the Government?

Data Management

1. What type of data systems do you currently use and do you see any concerns with integrating your IT systems with other industry partners and government agencies?

2. The Contractor will be maintaining all data relating to these, are you able to give the Government access to your IT system and that data? What access limitations would you place on the Government?

3. Even though the Government will be responsible for approving source of supply or identifying which parts are acceptable to supply, what role should the contractor play in updating and maintaining the technical data?

Financial

1. Does your company have the financial resources to successfully perform on a contract generated?

2. Would your company be willing to invest in inventory levels necessary to assure both 100% on time delivery?

Miscellaneous

1. Please provide any additional feedback you feel is relevant to this proposed acquisition.

SUMMARY

Your responses to the request are appreciated.

Please send your responses to the RFI questions to the following P.O.C. by October 16, 2014.

P.O.C.: Lead Buyer, Email: Brandy.Warner@dla.mil Phone: (614) 692-5024 (DSN) 850-5024

DISCLAIMER

In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for information received in response to this RFI.

All information received in response to this RFI that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly.

Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Information provided in response to this RFI will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for determining how to proceed in the acquisition process.

Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.