RFI_Vendor_Managed_Inventory_Solution.pdf

Request

For

Washington Information (RFI)

Metropolitan

Area

Transit

Authority

VENDOR MANAGED INVENTORY

Date Published: January 19, 2018

Request for Information

Vendor Managed Inventory Solution

Introduction

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is seeking information from qualified vendors to provide information on a third party-managed inventory solution or other third-party parts and materials acquisition and inventory management solutions.

The goal of this request is to gather information to inform a future Request for Proposal

(RFP) for vendor(s) to manage or support procurement, warehousing and distribution of parts (scope to be determined) that are critical to WMATA’s operation as well as those that have long lead times.

Background

WMATA budgets more than $100 million annually for parts, materials and supplies. This is done through business with numerous vendors by acquiring some parts through long-term contracts and others through one-time purchases (spot buys). WMATA’s inventory and parts ordering are managed through Maximo and Oracle PeopleSoft. WMATA also operates a central warehouse and satellite storerooms at major rail and bus facilities.

RFI Responses

Responses to this request should include the following information:

Clear explanation of one or more operating models WMATA should consider on how to structure and define the scope of a third-party support in its parts acquisition and inventory management processes. Potential models include but are not limited to:

o Vendor-managed/replenished inventory o Third-party-managed/replenished inventory o Third-party logistics (3PL) o Fourth-party logistics (4PL)

Define how each model would work, what the benefits and costs would be, including detailed explanations of how any costs savings are realized and the implementation timeline.

Define how rail parts from foreign suppliers and/or with long lead times, sole source items or items no longer available from OEMs will be attained to meet

WMATA’s needs.

Identify ways and potential solutions that will assist WMATA in addressing the problem of part obsolescence. How will you obtain parts that are obsolete or ensure that you have enough parts to avoid parts obsolescence?

How will the vendor managed inventory solution work with WMATA’s resources? What cost or payment structures should WMATA consider (e.g., pay for parts with a defined markup, pay directly for services provided?)

Provide relevant public or private sector examples of customers where you have delivered substantial value in terms of parts availability, simplified ordering and cost savings.

What approximate share of WMATA’s parts could you supply and/or manage the acquisition of these parts? Identify categories in which this will be done?

A portion of Metro’s parts and materials acquisitions primarily for major planned railcar and bus overhauls are reimbursed with Federal Transit Administration capital funds and must comply with federal grant requirements that include Buy

America and fair/open competition. Could you manage acquisitions subject to federal grant requirements, including sourcing items that meet specific criteria and document compliance? Do you have specific experience with FTA grants or comparable requirements?

Below is a number of all the active parts that WMATA currently has for various programs.

Number of Active Parts

Office No of Items

ACTIVE

Plant 259

Analyst 5

Car Track Maintenance 30

Material 48,013

Power 146

Elevator and Escalator Services 1,342

Railcar Maintenance 4,198

Automatic Train Control 116

Bus Maintenance 7,520

Track and Structure 395

Communications 39

Shops and Materials Support 795

Automatic Fare Collection System 78

Bus Training and Administration 18

Storerooms and Material Logistics 3,280

Track Access and Support Services 294

Total 66,528

For a general, but not all-inclusive list of common categories of items we purchase, please visit this link:

https://www.wmata.com/about/records/public_docs/upload/CommoditiesList.pdf

The abbreviations in the above link are as follows:

ADMN: Administrative/Commodity

CMNT & RAIL: Railcar Maintenance, Track, Structures

BUS: Bus Shop and Bus Maintenance https://www.wmata.com/about/records/public_docs/upload/CommoditiesList.pdf

Electronic submission: Electronic submissions in PDF format are encouraged.

Response Submission Deadline/Action Dates: Submissions are due February 19, 2018 at 2pm EST.

Point of Contact for Inquiries and Submissions

Electronic inquiries and submissions should be sent via email to rmagosi@wmata.com

If responses are submitted in printed form, five copies should be delivered to:

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Office of Procurement

Attention: Fifi Refiloe Magosi

Procurement Manager

600 Fifth Street NW, Washington, D.C 20001

Responding to this RFI

RFI responses must include:

Company Profile

· Name of Firm

· Primary business and corporate mission

· Email address

· Phone

· Identification of other key individuals who collaborated on the RFI response

· A brief summary description of previous relevant experience in Vendor Managed

Inventory Solutions.

Rights and Options Reserved:

In addition to the rights reserved elsewhere in this RFI, WMATA reserves and may, in its sole discretion, exercise any one or more of the following rights and options with respect to this RFI if determined that doing so is in the best interest of WMATA to:

1. Decline to consider any response to this RFI (Response); to cancel the RFI at any time;

to elect to proceed or not to proceed with discussions or presentations regarding its subject matter with any Respondent and with firms that do not respond to the RFI; or to reissue the RFI or to issue a new RFI (with the same, similar or different terms);

2. Waive, for any Response, any defect, deficiency or failure to comply with the RFI if, in WMATA’s sole judgment, such defect is not material to the Response;

3. Extend the Submission Date/Time and/or to supplement, amend, substitute or otherwise modify the RFI at any time prior to the Submission Date/Time, by posting notice thereof on WMATA’s web page(s) where the RFI is posted;

4. Require, permit or reject amendments (including, without limitation, submitting information omitted), modifications, clarifying information, and/or corrections to

Responses by some or all Respondents at any time before or after the Submission

Date/Time;

mailto:rmagosi@wmata.com

5. Require, request or permit, in discussions with any Respondent, any information relating to the subject matter of this RFI that WMATA deems appropriate, whether or not it was described in the Response or this RFI;

6. Discontinue discussions, at any time determined by WMATA, with any Respondent or all Respondents regarding the subject matter of this RFI, and/or initiate discussions with any other Respondent or with vendors that did not respond to the RFI;

7. Do any of the foregoing without notice to Respondents or others, except such notice as

WMATA, in its sole discretion, may elect to post on the WMATA web page(s) where this RFI is posted.

To the best of WMATA’s knowledge, the information provided herein is accurate.

Respondents should undertake appropriate investigation in preparation of responses.

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation or commitment to contract. Responses to this notice are not an offer and cannot be accepted by WMATA to form a binding contract.

WMATA is not obligated to conduct subsequent discussions with any Respondent to this

RFI, and reserves the right to conduct discussions regarding its subject matter with firms that do not respond to this RFI. This RFI and the process it describes are proprietary to

WMATA and are for the exclusive benefit of WMATA. No other party, including any

Respondent, is intended to be granted any rights hereunder. Upon submission, Responses to this RFI shall become the property of WMATA, which shall have unrestricted use thereof. Responses may be subject to public disclosure under applicable law. By submitting its Response, the Respondent agrees to the terms and conditions of this RFI.

DISCLAIMER

To the extent permitted by law, WMATA will not publicly disclose information that is

(a) submitted in response to this RFI, (b) confidential, (c) proprietary, and (d) unambiguously marked as such. Submitters are cautioned to clearly label as “Proprietary and Confidential” any specific information or other material that they consider to be proprietary and confidential.

This RFI may also be found electronically at www.wmata.com