Chemical / Petroleum

NAICS Code

325998 All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing

Anticipated Contract Type

Requirements, Firm Fixed Price

Anticipated Period of Performance

10 Years

Description/Overview

The Defense Logistics Agency (Richmond, Aviation) is conducting market research to identify potential suppliers that have the capability to provide a total supply chain solution in support of chemicals, packaged petroleum, oils, lubricants (ChemPOL) and other items within Federal Supply Classes (FSCs) 6810, 6820, 6840, 6850, 9150 (excluding Class I Ozone Depleting Substances).  The total supply chain solution will include the wholesale supply, storage and distribution for Packaged Petroleum, Chemicals, Oils and Lubricants. The approximate annual demand value is $100MM with a volume of 10K delivery orders per month.

A contractor with the capability to support a total supply chain solution will be required to supply all ChemPOL National Stock Numbers (NSN) in addition to the integrated support of all FSCs for DLA customers through customer direct shipments to Continental US (CONUS), Outside Continental US (OCONUS), and the replenishment of Forward Stocking Locations (FSL) through DLA direct shipments. DLA’s customers include the Department of Defense (DoD), other civilian agencies, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS).

The contractor will also perform comprehensive supply chain management of chemicals and packaged petroleum products to include but not limited to the following:

1. Procurement of materials
2. Planning & Forecasting
3. Order Processing & Fulfillment
4. Procurement & Purchasing
5. Inventory Management
6. Quality Control
7. Shelf-Life Management
8. Storage, Packaging, Transportation & Distribution
9. Obsolescence Management
10. Data Management & Delivery
11. Customer Support Services
12. Material Returns

Hazardous Materials

Management of the ChemPOL supply chain will require the handling of hazardous and non-hazardous materials.  The Contractor will be required to obtain and maintain all required federal, state, municipal, and international certifications, licenses, permits, registrations and approvals that may be required to perform this contract. The Contractor and any subcontractor shall possess or obtain their own, non-Government, EPA RCRA identification number(s) and follow the regulations of 40 CFR 260-280, 29 CFR 1910.1200 and DFARS 252.223-7001. The Contractor is responsible for reporting under EPCRA (all applicable sections), as well as providing such data or other appropriate data to the customer/installation allowing the customer/installation to meet its Federal/State/Local/DoD and international environmental reporting requirements.

Scope

The scope of the project includes the following (excluding Class I Ozone Depleting Substances):

6810 – Chemicals

6820 – Dyes

6840 – Pest Control Agents and Disinfectants

6850 – Miscellaneous Chemical Specialties

9150 – Oil and Greases

Possibly FSG 80 – Brushes, Paints, Sealers and Adhesives

RFI Questions

DLA is working with customers and industry to identify both requirements and possible strategic supply chain solutions.  DLA will consider industry inputs in this Sources Sought/RFI when finalizing the support strategy for these items.  Please answer the questions below as thoroughly as possible.

Please provide your CAGE, company name, address and point of contact information when compiling your response.

General

1. Is your company a manufacturer or distributor?
2. Is your company a large or small business?  If a small business, under what NAICS code are you considered a small business?

Support Strategy

1. Please explain your capabilities and plan to manage the ChemPOL supply chain to provide a strategic material solution to a global customer base.  What are the biggest challenges your company would face in managing the supply chain?
2. Some items may be on a Qualified Products List (QPL) and can only be obtained from specific sources.  Would your company be able to procure items from qualified sources?
3. How will your company manage transportation and/or shipment of ChemPOL items?
4. Does your company own warehouses?  How would your company maintain inventories of active items?  How would your company manage products with short shelf life?
5. Does your company have a third-party logistics (3PL) partner?  If so, what areas of your business does the 3PL partner manage?
6. Does your company have a plan to reduce the impact of natural disasters on the supply chain?
7. Some NSNs will have sporadic or low demand, other NSNs will have no demand but may experience surges in demand at random times.  What is your plan to maintain the supply chain for historically low or no demand NSNs that may suddenly experience a surge in demand?
8. DLA seeks to encourage small business participation.  The threshold for small business material spend is usually 50%.  What is your plan to maximize small business participation to meet or exceed this threshold?
9. Describe your firm’s ability to meet Time Definite Delivery (TDD) standards.  Identify previous efforts where you were required to support specific timed deliveries and any risks associated with the effort.  Be specific in how your organization met the delivery requirements and mitigated identified risks.

TDD DELIVERY STANDARDS - Issue Priority Designator (IPG)

Priority 01-03 for IPG 1, FOB Destination requires 6 business days - CONUS and OCONUS Shipment to CCPs/Ports of Embarkation

Priority 04-08 for IPG 2,  FOB Destination requires10  business days - CONUS and OCONUS Shipment to CCPs/Ports of Embarkation

Priority 09-15 for IPG 3,  FOB Destination requires 15 business days - CONUS and OCONUS Shipment to CCPs/Ports of Embarkation

Hazardous Materials

1. Managing the ChemPOL supply chain will involve handling hazardous materials.  What licenses/safety certifications/permits and experience does your company have that apply to handling hazardous materials?
2. How would your company ensure sub-contractors have and maintain the necessary licenses/safety certifications/permits for handling hazardous materials?
3. What capabilities does your company have to comply with packaging requirements, including marking and labelling, for ChemPOL items?
4. What special requirements (equipment/processes/shelf life etc.) are necessary for handling one or more types of hazmat materials in the ChemPOL item pool?

Industry Viewpoint

1. Is there an efficient way to separate the ChemPOL items into categories of distinct item types?  What would the categories be (e.g. chemicals, petroleum etc.)?  Would this make sense or add value?  Please explain the rational of each distinct category.
2. Federal Supply Group (FSG) 80 contains brushes, paints, sealers and adhesives.  Would there be any advantages or disadvantages to combining FSG 80 to the pool of ChemPOL items in FSCs 6810, 6820, 6840, 6850, 9150 (excluding Class I Ozone Depleting Substances)?
3. Any future award will contain economic price adjustments in which prices will be adjusted at a specified interval.  What length of time would you recommend for the adjustment interval (e.g. 3 month, 1 year etc.)

Summary Information

We encourage you to submit any additional information which you deem relevant.  DLA will hold Industry Days at a future date later this year.  The Industry Days will feature group discussions as well as 1-on-1 Q&A sessions.  Vendor responses to this RFI will influence the topics discussed on Industry Days.  DLA encourages all vendors to attend Industry Days in person.  A conference line will be available for parts of the conference.

Please send your response to the following point of contact via email:

E-mail to:  Gary.L.Miller@dla.mil

DLA Aviation

Attention:  Gary Miller, Program Manager

-and-

E-mail to:  Trang.Pham@dla.mil

DLA Aviation

Attention:  Trang Pham, Contracting Officer

Disclaimers:

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation.  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.  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 to determine how to proceed with the acquisition process.  Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.