OCONUS - UAE Gaseous Helium (GHe)

Sources Sought Notice

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy-Aerospace (FEM)
San Antonio, Texas

INTRODUCTION:
This is a Sources Sought notice issued by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy-FEM - San Antonio, Texas. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals. No awards will be made from the responses to this announcement. However, responses may be used to determine the appropriate acquisition strategy for a potential future procurement. This notice is issued by DLA Energy to identify potential sources and solicit industry to express their capability and interest in providing all helium, personnel, materials, supplies, management, engineering, tools, equipment, services, and labor necessary for accomplishing these requirements. This potential requirement is for the filling of Government-Owned equipment with bulk gaseous helium containers within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Contractor shall provide all products, supplies, management, tools, equipment, and labor necessary to provide gaseous helium on an F.O.B. Origin basis into Government-provided compressed gas tube bank trailers, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) tube module containers, and High-Pressure Cylinder Assemblies (HPCAs) within UAE. This requirement encompasses various customers throughout the Middle East Region, Overseas Continental United States (OCONUS). The Government shall be responsible for shipping trailers to/from supplier fill-point/plant(s).

The Government may contract for all, some, or none of the below; however, it still requests sources for a potential requirement.

SCOPE OF REQUIREMENTS: The Contractor shall be responsible for all aspects associated with obtaining and managing all facilities, land, utilities, equipment, personnel, raw materials, supplies, and services needed to support and meet the following requirements:

• Filling bulk helium containers with compressed gas helium that meets the product specifications contained within to pressures between 2400 and 4500 psi.
• Safely fill multiple types of bulk helium containers in accordance with CGA standards.
• Complete all required hazardous material (HAZMAT) certification documentation and the ability to access U.S., NATO, and local government facilities for delivery, removal, and service of bulk helium containers and associated equipment.

PRODUCT: Gaseous Helium shall conform to the requirements of specification MIL-PRF-27407E, dated 23 April 2024, Propellant Pressurizing Agent Helium, Gaseous Type 1, Grade A, NSN: 9135-01-665-9490.

For MIL-PRF-27407E Helium, gas containers interconnected by a single manifold that equalizes the pressure across all the containers is considered a lot and shall be sampled and analyzed. The samples shall be taken from the manifold sampling point on the containers, and sampling shall be accomplished by one of the methods indicated in the MIL-PRF-27407E. The sampling port on the manifold shall be clean and free of contaminants.

One copy of a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for each sample required by the specification shall be attached to the container inside the rear cabinet and submitted as an attachment to the applicable Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) document.

FILLING OF BULK HELIUM CONTAINERS:
The Government (Customer) shall maintain bulk helium containers in a ready-to-fill state at all times. Upon receipt of Government-owned equipment, the contractor shall immediately notify the Government of any issues that would prevent the filling of the equipment. Helium containers must be serviceable, roadworthy, and compliant with CGA, DOT, and industry standards for safe transport. Gauges, manifolds, and valves shall be operational and meet CGA and industry standards.

The Contractor shall fill helium containers to the maximum allowable working pressure as stated on each container.

Product Heel: All helium containers returning to the Contractor's fill point will have residual product inside. The Contractor shall have the capability to analyze heel for compliance with specifications. Product heel that conforms to the specification shall be retained within the helium container for top-filling. At no time will heel product be purged from returning containers unless approved by the DLA Contracting Officer.

In the event heel product does not meet the specification or the helium container is contaminated, the Contractor shall have the capability to clean, evacuate, and/or purge bulk helium containers within 24 hours, ensuring compliance with specification requirements. Purge procedures shall follow industry standards for bringing containers back into service.

The Contractor shall fill helium containers within 14 days of the issuance date on the delivery order and provide proper material handling equipment needed to move, up/download bulk helium equipment.

ESTIMATED QUANTITIES: Estimated Product Grand Total over the 5-year period is 243,000 CZ (Cubic Meter).

• Year 1 – 48,600 CZ
• Year 2 – 48,600 CZ
• Year 3 – 48,600 CZ
• Year 4 – 48,600 CZ
• Year 5 – 48,600 CZ

ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: This potential requirement has a 5-year period of performance (20 September 2025 through 19 September 2030).

ANTICIPATED CONTRACT TYPE: Firm-Fixed-Price Requirements type contract, single award. The Government will not lock into a fixed quantity, but all helium needed to support this region will be acquired under this requirement and future contract.

CAPABILITY STATEMENT: Interested qualified organizations should submit a capability statement for this requirement addressing the following areas:

1. Capability to fully meet the specification.
2. Capability to perform all the sampling/testing requirements listed in the specifications.
3. Capability and willingness to allow government quality assurance inspectors access to supplier production/load-out plant to conduct quality assurance assessments as needed.
4. Statement of ability to meet needs for DLA Aerospace Customers.
5. Capability for a potential Federal Government Contract: your company must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/#1. Is your company registered in SAM? If so, what is your company's cage code and DUNS #? If your company is not currently registered in SAM, would you be willing to register in the SAM system?

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: All capability statements sent in response to this Sources Sought notice shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer, Tammie Campbell, at email: tammie.campbell@dla.mil. All Capability Statement responses must be received by Friday, 25 October 2024, at 10:00 AM Central Time.

DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. Respondents will be added to the prospective offerors list for any subsequent solicitation. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

CONFIDENTIALITY:
No classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. All proprietary information should be marked as such.