Bottled Water Supply Services

Market Survey / Sources Sought Notice Bottled Water Supply – Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG)

The United States Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC‑APG), Installation & Technology Division, Facilities Branch, is conducting a Sources Sought/Market Survey to identify potential sources capable of providing Bottled Water Supply Services for Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland.

The requirement includes the delivery of Natural Spring Water only (purified water is not acceptable) in multiple container sizes, including 5‑gallon, 1‑gallon, and 0.5‑liter bottles. All containers shall be Bisphenol‑A (BPA)‑free, if available.

Five‑gallon water containers must meet the following specifications:

• Constructed of non‑shatter plastic material
• Equipped with a sanitized bottle‑neck seal prior to delivery
• Fully compatible with standard 5‑gallon water cooler dispensing units

All water containers provided under this requirement must meet the same BPA‑free standard (if available) and be suitable for safe handling, storage, and distribution.

Supply services will support multiple locations, including:

• APG North
• APG South (Edgewood Area)
• Adelphi Laboratory Center (Adelphi, MD)

Estimated Water Supply Quantities:

On a monthly and bi-monthly basis, 5-gallon bottles are being requested at eight (8) APG South locations, and four (4) APG North locations. Additionally, upon request only, 0.5-liter bottles (24 each) may be required at the ALC and Adelphi locations and 1-gallon bottles at an APG South location. See attachment - Technical Exhibit - Estimated Water Supply for more details. 

These services are in support of the Directorate of Public Works (DPW).

This Market Survey is for informational and planning purposes only. It is intended to identify qualified vendors capable of providing all labor, tools, materials, equipment, transportation, technical expertise, and incidental services necessary to deliver bottled water in accordance with the attached Draft Performance Work Statement (PWS).

Vendors must be located within a 60‑mile radius of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). Information regarding SAM registration can be found at: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM.  No reimbursement will be provided for any costs incurred in responding to this notice or any follow‑up requests for information.

Important Notice:

This is a Sources Sought announcement only. There is no solicitation available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response.

Participation in this Market Survey is strictly voluntary. This notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Invitation for Bid (IFB), nor does it commit the Government to any acquisition strategy or future contract award. The Government will not award a contract based solely on responses to this notice and will not pay for information submitted.

Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged. No feedback or evaluations will be provided to respondents regarding their submissions.

Purpose of This Market Research

Information received will assist the Government in:

• Determining whether responsible sources exist
• Assessing the potential for competition
• Evaluating whether the requirement may be set aside for Small Business
• Informing future acquisition strategy decisions

If the requirement is determined to be an unrestricted competition, the Government may further evaluate Small Business responses to establish subcontracting goals.

Respondents should indicate their business size and status (e.g., Small Business, Large Business, Woman‑Owned, Minority‑Owned, HUBZone, etc.). References may be used to verify past performance on Government or commercial contracts.

Response Instructions

Interested vendors shall submit:

• A detailed capability statement
• Contractor qualifications
• Responses to the Customer Questionnaire
• A Capabilities Document demonstrating the ability to deliver bottled water to multiple APG locations

Responses are due no later than 18 December 2025 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time (ET).

Submit all responses via email to:

• Mrs. Nicole Sutton, Contract Specialist nicole.s.sutton2.civ@army.mil
• Ms. Donna Poteat, Contracting Officer donna.n.poteat.civ@army.mil

No phone inquiries will be accepted. All questions must be submitted via email to the Technical Point of Contact listed above.

Capabilities Document Requirement

Vendors shall provide a Capabilities Document that clearly demonstrates their ability to manage and execute bottled water delivery services across multiple locations at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). The document should address delivery capacity, logistics, staffing, equipment, and any other factors that support successful performance of this requirement.

Contractor Questionnaire

Please complete the following questionnaire. If a question does not apply, please enter N/A.

1. Company Information

Provide a brief summary of your company and its core competencies.

Please include the following Point of Contact information:

• Company Name:
• Address:
• Point of Contact:
• Phone Number:
• Fax Number(s):
• Email Address:
• CAGE Code:
• DUNS Number:

2. Government Contracting Capability

Discuss your company’s capability and experience in meeting U.S. Government contracting delivery requirements, including adherence to schedules, reporting, and quality standards.

3. Product Availability

Do you currently stock bottled water products or maintain inventory levels sufficient to support recurring deliveries?

4. Past Performance

Describe your company’s past performance related to bottled water delivery or similar supply services. Please include:

• Contract Number
• Customer/Agency
• Point of Contact (POC)
• POC Email Address
• POC Phone Number
• Tasks Performed
• Outcomes Achieved
• Description of your direct support and responsibilities

These questions help the Government assess your logistical capability, delivery reliability, and operational readiness.

5. Delivery Capacity & Logistics

• What is your maximum daily and weekly delivery capacity?
• How many delivery vehicles do you operate, and what types (e.g., box trucks, cargo vans)?
• Do you have backup vehicles or contingency plans in case of equipment failure?
• What is your standard delivery lead time after receiving an order?

6. Delivery Locations & Routing

• Describe your experience delivering to multiple locations within a secured or restricted-access installation.
• Can your company support deliveries to multiple APG sites on the same day?
• How do you plan and optimize delivery routes?
• Do you have the capacity to meet recurring delivery requirements for multiple locations?
• Can your company provide recurring bottled water deliveries (bimonthly and/or monthly)?

7. Personnel & Training

• How many delivery personnel do you employ?
• Are your drivers trained and cleared to access military installations?
• Do your employees undergo background checks or security vetting?

8. Storage & Handling

• Do you maintain climate‑controlled storage for bottled water inventory?
• Describe your procedures for ensuring product integrity, cleanliness, and safe handling.
• How do you track inventory and expiration dates?

9. Equipment & Safety

• What equipment do you use for loading/unloading (e.g., pallet jacks, lift gates, hand trucks)?
• Describe your safety protocols for transporting and delivering bottled water.
• Do your vehicles have lift gates or other equipment to support large deliveries?

10. Surge & Emergency Support

• Can your company support surge requirements or emergency deliveries?
• What is your response time for urgent or same‑day delivery requests?

11. Quality Assurance

• Describe your internal quality control processes.
• How do you ensure accuracy of deliveries and documentation?

12. Subcontracting

• Do you subcontract any portion of delivery operations?
• If yes, identify subcontractors and describe their roles.

13. Delivery Schedule

• Are you able to deliver Monday through Thursday only, excluding Federal Holidays?
• Can you guarantee that no deliveries will be scheduled on Fridays?
• What is your process for rescheduling if a delivery date falls on a Federal Holiday?
• What is your typical lead time for scheduling deliveries?

14. Logistics & Operations

• What is the maximum and minimum volume of bottled water you can deliver per trip?
• Do you have contingency plans for non-emergency but time-sensitive deliveries?
• How do you track and confirm delivery completion?

15. What type of relationship does your company maintain with its bottled water supplier?