Request for Information: Privatization of Defense Commissary Agency Operations
Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted
- Solicitation number
- RFIPRIVDECA
- Agency
-
Defense Commissary Agency
Department of Defense
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- Not on record
- PSC
- Not on record
- Place of performance
- Fort Lee, Virginia 23801, United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), on behalf of the Department of War, has issued a Request for Information to explore the potential privatization of 178 commissary operations across the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The agency seeks feedback from commercial grocery operators and investment firms regarding their interest and capability to assume commissary operations while preserving the critical military benefit of 23.7% average savings for authorized patrons compared to local grocery competitors. Key requirements include maintaining current savings levels with minimal or no government subsidy, operating within existing military installation access regulations, and addressing an unfunded facilities maintenance backlog through industry investment. The RFI is structured as a comprehensive questionnaire covering administrative information, operational models, pricing strategies, and financial capabilities, with responses limited to 50 pages in Microsoft Word format. The response deadline has been extended to November 5, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST, with additional DeCA operational information to be made available in the FOIA Reading Room by October 14, 2025.
This opportunity carries no set-aside designation and does not identify any current incumbents or contractors. The privatization initiative involves significant financial components, including a required one-time industry infrastructure investment of approximately $2.4 billion to address the existing facilities maintenance backlog, structured as roughly $500 million per year for up to five years. Additionally, the selected entity would need to handle ongoing annual maintenance costs of approximately $250 million. The scope encompasses all 178 commissary locations currently operated by DeCA, representing a comprehensive transformation of military grocery operations across multiple states and territories. The government has emphasized that this RFI is strictly for market research and planning purposes, with no guarantee of future contract actions or solicitations resulting from the responses received.
Notice text
3 versions
Update #3 · Latest ·
*** Response deadline for this RFI has been extended until November 5th, 2025 at 11:59 EST. The response extension will allow respondents more time to complete their submission questionnaire and review RFI relevant information about DeCA operations to assist responders, that will be made available in the DeCA FOIA Reading Room no later than Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 14. See attachments for a link to the DeCA FOIA Reading Room.***
On behalf of the Department of War (DoW), The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to obtain industry feedback on the potential privatization of its 178 commissary locations across the contiguous United States (CONUS), Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The purpose of this RFI is to determine whether commercial grocery operators and investment firms are both interested in and capable of assuming commissary operations while preserving the critical military benefit of a 23.7% average savings for authorized patrons. DeCA is also seeking industry solutions addressing the existing unfunded facilities maintenance backlog for in-scope commissaries through a one-time industry infrastructure investment of $2.4 billion (approximately $500M per year for up to 5 years) and an annual maintenance cost of approximately $250 million.
Attached is the detailed RFI that outlines the specific information needed in order to submit a response and a listing of the 178 commissaries. Submission deadlines are also stated in the RFI document.
Notice to All Responders
This RFI is for information and market research purposes only, and is not a request or solicitation for proposals, offers, quotes, or any similar submittals. The request does not constitute a government promise or intention to conduct any future contract planning or actions. The request creates no obligations to respond in any particular format or form, and the government has no obligation to reply or take action in response to any information submitted.
Responders should clearly and distinctively mark any submitted information they consider to be proprietary, confidential, or sensitive. The government will make all reasonable efforts to protect such information from disclosure, within limitations imposed by law or regulation. The Government reserves the right to use the responses in its decision-making processes and future acquisition planning.
Update #2 ·
On behalf of the Department of War (DoW), The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to obtain industry feedback on the potential privatization of its 178 commissary locations across the contiguous United States (CONUS), Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The purpose of this RFI is to determine whether commercial grocery operators and investment firms are both interested in and capable of assuming commissary operations while preserving the critical military benefit of a 23.7% average savings for authorized patrons. DeCA is also seeking industry solutions addressing the existing unfunded facilities maintenance backlog for in-scope commissaries through a one-time industry infrastructure investment of $2.4 billion (approximately $500M per year for up to 5 years) and an annual maintenance cost of approximately $250 million.
Attached is the detailed RFI that outlines the specific information needed in order to submit a response and a listing of the 178 commissaries. Submission deadlines are also stated in the RFI document.
Notice to All Responders
This RFI is for information and market research purposes only, and is not a request or solicitation for proposals, offers, quotes, or any similar submittals. The request does not constitute a government promise or intention to conduct any future contract planning or actions. The request creates no obligations to respond in any particular format or form, and the government has no obligation to reply or take action in response to any information submitted.
Responders should clearly and distinctively mark any submitted information they consider to be proprietary, confidential, or sensitive. The government will make all reasonable efforts to protect such information from disclosure, within limitations imposed by law or regulation. The Government reserves the right to use the responses in its decision-making processes and future acquisition planning.
Update #1 ·
On behalf of the Department of War (DoW), The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to obtain industry feedback on the potential privatization of its 178 commissary locations across the contiguous United States (CONUS), Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The purpose of this RFI is to determine whether commercial grocery operators and investment firms are both interested in and capable of assuming commissary operations while preserving the critical military benefit of a 23.7% average savings for authorized patrons. DeCA is also seeking industry solutions addressing the existing unfunded facilities maintenance backlog for in-scope commissaries through a one-time industry infrastructure investment of $2.4 billion (approximately $500M per year for up to 5 years) and an annual maintenance cost of approximately $250 million.
Attached is the detailed RFI that outlines the specific information needed in order to submit a response and a listing of the 178 commissaries. Submission deadlines are also stated in the RFI document.
***Disclaimer***
Information received in response to this RFI shall be safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure by Government. Any information submitted by a responder containing proprietary, confidential, or sensitive business information should be clearly marked and designated by the responder in its response.
No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Commissary Privatization RFI response date extended to Nov 5 - v3.docx | DOCX document | |
| DeCA Privatization RFI File.docx | DOCX document | |
| US-DeCA-Stores-by-State.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| DeCA Privatization RFI File.docx | DOCX document |
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