DLA - Natural Graphite Flakes

AMENDMENT 1:

The proposal due date has been extended to 10:00 a.m. (EST) time on September 5, 2025. Electronic proposals must be submitted via e-mail to Charli Soren at Charli.Soren@dla.mil, and Rachel Leak at Rachel.Leak@dla.mil.  Facsimile proposals will not be accepted.

A copy of all questions submitted and their answers have been posted along with documents that have been updated in response to those questions. 

Vendors may utilize DFARS 252.225-7013 for duty free entry certificates in response to inquiries about tarrifs. 

Attachments:
     1 – Schedule B 

     2 – Statement of Work - updated
     3 – Clauses and Provisions

     4 - Questions and Answers

This is a solicitation for the acquisition of commercial items using FAR Part 12 (Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services), FAR Part 15 (Contracting by Negotiation), and FAR 16.5 (Indefinite-Delivery Contracts).   This solicitation is for a long term, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) utilizing fixed pricing. Solicitation issued under “Full and Open Competition” using FAR 6.102.  This acquisition is for natural graphite flakes.

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.  This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested, and a written solicitation will not be issued.  This combined synopsis/solicitation reference # SP8000-25-R-0013 is being issued as a request for proposal (RFP). DLA Contracting Services Office - Columbus Division 3 (DCSO-C3) intends to award and administer an IDIQ contract with a five (5) year base period.

This combined synopsis/solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through the:

• Federal Acquisition Circular 2025-02, effective January 03, 2025.
• Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) effective January 17, 2025.
• Defense Logistics Agency Directive (DLAD) PROCLTR 2025-15, effective April 3, 2025

The complete text of any of the clauses, provisions and DLAD notes may be accessed in full at https://www.acquisition.gov/ and http://www.dla.mil/HQ/Acquisition/Offers/eProcurement.aspx.

This acquisition is full and open to competition with the intention to issue multiple awards, with one or more IDIQ contract(s) being reserved for small business concerns IAW 19.503 Reserves. The applicable NAICS code is 335991 – Carbon and Graphite Product Manufacturing with a size standard of 900 employees.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) by and through DCSO-C3 intends to award a contract minimum of $1,000,000.00 and a contract maximum of up to $65,000,000.00 of natural graphite flake. The Government reserves the right to award less than the maximum dollar value. All graphite flake to be delivered under any resulting contract shall have a form and packaging conducive to long-term storage in an enclosed Government warehouse per the Statement of Work (SOW).

Payment Terms: Net 30 from Invoice submission IAW SOW Para 13.4

The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, and its Addendum, applies to this acquisition.

The provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition. The evaluation factors are as follows:

Factor 1: Technical Approach and all subfactors will be evaluated including vendor submittal of a sample Certificate of Analysis (COA).

Factor 2: Recent and Relevant Past Performance

Factor 3: Price

A completed copy of FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications--Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition and shall be submitted with the vendor’s offer if not available through SAM at https://www.sam.gov.

The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition.

The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders--Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition.

Potential offerors are hereby notified that this notice and subsequent amendments to the notice will only be available by downloading the documents at the SAM.gov Website at http://www.sam.gov. This office will not issue hard copy solicitations.  By submitting a response to this notice, the vendor will be self-certifying that neither the offeror nor the principal corporate officials and owners are currently suspended, debarred, or otherwise ineligible to receive contracts from any Federal Agency.

The Offeror shall mark each page of its quote with the legend “Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104.” This includes the cover page and every page that may contain source selection information. Note that the Offeror has an independent requirement to mark anything deemed to be bid or quote information, protected proprietary information, or other information that is to be protected from disclosure to ensure that the information is protected.

Contract Line-Item Numbers (CLINs) and Quantities (See Attachment 1-Section B):

CLIN 0001 – Natural Graphite Flake*

*Include packaging and shipping

     PSC/Material Code: 9620/N30000323

     Unit of Issue: LB         

     Period of Performance (PoP):  9/30/2025 – 9/29/2030

     Delivery Period: 24 Months

     FOB/Inspection/Acceptance: Destination

     Pricing Terms: IDIQ with each DO updated negotiated pricing

CLIN 0002 – Material Testing

     PSC/Material Code: 9620/N30000323  

     Unit of Issue: LB         

     Period of Performance (PoP):  9/30/2025 – 9/29/2032

     Delivery Period: 24 Months

     FOB/Inspection/Acceptance: Destination

     Pricing Terms: IDIQ with each DO updated negotiated pricing

It is anticipated that multiple IDIQ contracts will be awarded for the Natural Graphite Flake requirement as a result of this combined synopsis/solicitation notice.  Awards will be based on the lowest evaluated price from a responsible offeror (IAW FAR 9.104) that submits a proposal that conforms with the technical requirements of the solicitation with one or more IDIQ awards reserved for small business concerns IAW 19.503 reserves. Successful offerors must have a past performance rating of acceptable.

The Provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition; with additional instructions to offerors included within this notice.

The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition; with the specific evaluation criteria included in paragraph (a) of the provision.

Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, with its offeror OR confirm that the completed clause is included within its SAM.gov registration.

The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition.

The Clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Products and Commercial Services, applies to this acquisition.

All questions related to this solicitation must be submitted via e-mail to Charli Soren at Charli.Soren@dla.mil, and Rachel Leak at Rachel.Leak@dla.mil by 12:00pm EDT, August 26, 2025.  Responses will be posted via a solicitation amendment.

Proposals are due by 12:00 p.m. (EST) time on September 3, 2025. Electronic proposals must be submitted via e-mail to Charli Soren at Charli.Soren@dla.mil, and Rachel Leak at Rachel.Leak@dla.mil.  Facsimile proposals will not be accepted.

(17) PLACE OF CONTRACT PERFORMANCE: Contractor Facility with material delivery to

Hammond Depot

3200 Sheffield Avenue

Hammond, Indiana 46327-1003

Telephone: -219-937-5383

Site Manager: Nathaniel Walsko

(18) SET-ASIDE STATUS: UNRESTRICTED  

Other Acquisition Notes:

1. Selection of an offeror for contract award will be made based on an assessment of each offeror’s response to this combined synopsis/solicitation notice.  As a combined synopsis/solicitation notice based on the lowest evaluated price from a responsible offeror (IAW FAR 9.104) that submits a proposal that conforms with the technical requirements of the solicitation. The full and open-source evaluation will review the technical acceptability and determine whether all aspects of the SOW were met for natural graphite flake.  For a rating of acceptable all aspects of the SOW must be addressed sufficiently.  Please see 52.212-2 “Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services” for complete information.

2.  Contractor must be registered in “System for Award Management” (SAM) before proposal submission.  Check the following SAM website link for registration and/or SAM expiration date, www.sam.gov. Submit SAM’s certification with your proposal.  Proposals and SAM certification dates must match.  No award will be made to a Contractor not registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).  In addition, the Contractor’s Representations and Certification must be listed in the SAM database.  The Contractor must maintain an ACTIVE status in SAM prior to award and throughout the life of this contract.  Invoices will be paid using the financial information provided in the Contractor’s SAM profile.  Failure to keep an ACTIVE status may result in payment delays and other administrative delays.

3. INDEFINITE DELIVERY INDEFINITE QUANTITY (IDIQ) CONTRACT INFORMATION

    a.  Contract Period.  The intended awards will include a five (5)-year ordering period, fixed price Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts with one or more IDIQ awards reserved for small business concerns.  The pricing for each delivery order (DO) shall be negotiated at time of issuance based on market conditions and quantity. The Government will evaluate price reasonableness in accordance with FAR 15.4004 and DFARS PGI 215-404. The Government reserves the right to award a single IDIQ award if it is identified that it is in the best interest of the Government.

    b.  The Government intends to acquire the following total minimum and maximum dollar amount of Graphite Flakes under this contract:

        Guaranteed Minimum: $1,000,000.00

        Maximum: $65,000,000.00

    c.  The Statement of Work (SOW) found in Attachment 2 of this combined synopsis/solicitation represents the scope of supplies required under this intended IDIQ contract.  

    d.  Issuance of Delivery Orders.  All requirements for supplies will be ordered as delivery orders that are fixed price at the time of DO issuance.  Requirements will be presented to the IDIQ contract holder (awardee) by way of request for pricing.  Any DLA Contracting Services Office (DCSO) warranted Contracting Officer, within the limits of their warrants, may award and administer a delivery order for supplies covered by the IDIQ contract.  Delivery Orders will most likely be placed by the DLA Contracting Services Office – Columbus (DCSO-C3).  Awards will be completed at the delivery order level utilizing LPTA to allow vendors to provide additional discounts, however the pricing set forth in the base IDIQ will be the ceiling. DO set-a-sides will be discretionary and in IAW with FAR 19.504, all orders not set-aside will be competed between all IDIQ holders.

    e.  ESTIMATED QUANTITES: These are the estimated quantities the Government expects to order during each contract year.  Please review section 2 (Scope of Work) table 1 for the estimated yearly quantities for natural graphite flakes.

    d.  DELIVERY: Delivery is 24 months from the issuance of each delivery order (DO).  Unless otherwise specified, the proposal will be deemed to offer delivery in accordance with the required schedule. 

4. COMPLETE PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

In addition to the requirements at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Products and Commercial Services, please note the following additional proposal submission instructions.  Offerors shall provide the following documents as a part of your proposal:

     a.  Cover Letter.  Provide cover letter with a unique identification number (proposal number) for your offer.  A Standard Form (SF) 1449 is not used in this combined synopsis/solicitation.  Therefore, include a statement in the cover letter specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the solicitation.  Offers that fail to furnish required representations or information; or reject the terms and conditions of the solicitation may be rejected.  Include a statement certifying the accuracy of the proposal and a signature by the principal of the firm/entity.  (one (1) PDF document)

     b.  SAM Certifications.  Provide evidence showing your company is registered in SAM.gov with an ACTIVE STATUS.  (one (1) PDF document)

     c.  Technical Approach.  Review FAR 52.212-2 for technical acceptability considerations.  (one (1) PDF document)

     d.  Recent and Relevant Past Performance. Review FAR 52.212-2 for technical acceptability considerations.  (one (1) PDF document)

     e. Price.  In addition to providing the completed price proposal form (Attachment 1-Section B), ensure your price proposal includes enough details so that the contracting officer can make a fair and reasonable price determination in accordance with (utilizing) the price analysis techniques found at FAR 15.404-1(b)(2).  (one (1) PDF document)

All questions related to this solicitation must be submitted via e-mail to Charli Soren at Charli.Soren@dla.mil, and Rachel Leak at Rachel.Leak@dla.mil by 12:00pm EDT, August 26, 2025.  Responses will be posted via a solicitation amendment.

Proposals are due by 12:00 p.m. (EST) time on September 3, 2025. Electronic proposals must be submitted via e-mail to Charli Soren at Charli.Soren@dla.mil, and Rachel Leak at Rachel.Leak@dla.mil.  Facsimile proposals will not be accepted.

NOTE: Proposal MUST be valid for a period of at least 60 calendar days after solicitation closing.

Attachments:
     1 – Section B

     2 – Statement of Work
     3 – Clauses and Provisions