Request for information (RFI) - third party logistics services and supply chain support - defense commissary agency - guam

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 

THIRD PARTY LOGISTICS SERVICES AND SUPPLY CHAIN SUPPORT 

DEFENSE COMMISSARY AGENCY 

THIS NOTICE IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ISSUED FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. IT IS NOT AN OFFER, SOLICITATION FOR OFFERS, PROPOSALS, OR QUOTATIONS, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A COMMITMENT OF ANY KIND BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PROCEED WITH A SOLICATION OR ENTER INTO A CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP. RESPONSE TO THIS RFI IS VOLUNTARY AND DOES NOT REPRESENT AN OFFER, ACCEPTANCE, OR ENFORCEABLE CONTRACT. 

1. Introduction 

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to gather feedback, suggestions, and questions from qualified Third-Party Logistics (3PL) firms in support of identification of a potential solution for the transportation, storage, and distribution of food products directly to two commissaries (Anderson Air Force Base commissary and Orote commissary on the island of Guam. DeCA is particularly interested in innovative ideas and suggestions that strengthen commissary supply chain resilience and improve agency operational efficiencies and the customer experience for DeCA patrons on Guam. 

2. Background 

DeCA provides a vital benefit to military personnel, retirees, service-disabled veterans, and their families/caregivers, and other authorized patrons by offering grocery products at legally mandated price savings as compared to relevant local competitors. Maintaining a reliable and efficient supply chain to its two commissaries on Guam, located at Anderson AFB and Orote NB, presents unique logistical challenges. These challenges impact efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and the timely ability to meet the needs of commissary patrons. 

3. Scope of Services 

DeCA is seeking information from 3PL providers specializing in the full spectrum of food logistics functions, including: 

• Tracking and reporting throughout the supply chain. 

• Comprehensive quality inspection and monitoring of all work performed. 

• Receipt, storage, handling, transport, and distribution of dry, refrigerated, and frozen packaged food products. 

Specific services of interest to the DeCA include, but are not limited to: 

• Receiving weekly, a rough maximum of 15 containers of food products from DeCA suppliers (in dry, refrigerated, and frozen forms).  Typically consists of an average nine (9) dry, two (2) frozen, and four (4) refrigerated containers weekly. This is not a static weekly shipment.  

• Storing an inventory of dry, refrigerated, and frozen food products for extended periods. 

• Fulfilling orders for scheduled deliveries to two commissaries on time. 

• Transporting scheduled deliveries to commissaries on time and to the correct locations. Drivers would need to be able to access military bases and possess required certifications ( ie. CDL). 

• Retrieving empty containers from commissaries on scheduled delivery days. 

• Returning empty containers within 10 days of receipt to commercial carriers at the port of Guam. 

• Tracking container arrival and departure to and from the port of Guam. 

• DeCA is not seeking a slotted warehouse methodology. 

Order fulfillment to commissary stores typically involves receiving, identifying, segregating, staging by location for delivery day, and transporting pallets for delivery on time to commissary locations on a weekly basis.  

Any storage facilities that would be used for DeCA products must accommodate dry and temperature-controlled products for an extended time period, and DeCA would expect regularly conducted inventories of store products and inspections to ensure products are free of pest and insect infestation. DeCA operations also require tracking of product receipt dates on all external containers and documentation of same. DeCA is also interested in information from providers with the ability to deliver to multiple sites in the same day (multi-stop direct deliveries) and, the flexibility to adjust the time and volume of deliveries. 

4. Key Challenges 

Providing storage and distribution services to DeCA’s two commissaries in Guam creates significant logistical challenges that affect efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and the timely ability to meet the needs of commissary patrons. Key challenges include: 

• Insufficient distribution system resilience. 

• The complexity of managing inventory for distribution to commissary locations. 

• Variable weekly store delivery volume and ensuring adequate storage space for storing and staging products before delivery to commissaries. 

• Limited technology integration and visibility across the distribution supply chain. 

• Varied stock requirements which increase the risk of inaccurate shipments to commissaries. 

• Use of multi-compartment trucks to separate frozen, refrigerated, and dry goods, consolidating product deliveries to commissaries. 

• Effective communication of shipments and deliveries to commissaries across Guam. 

• Storage capabilities to hold products under potential delivery delays due to inclement weather or power outages, etc. 

5. Information Requested 

DeCA requests information on possible 3PL capabilities and models that will inform agency decisions on potential future procurement of relevant services at a future date. If you elect to provide information in response to this RFI, please consider including information on the following: 

• Identify a 3PL distribution models for storing and distributing dry, refrigerated, and frozen products for two commissary store locations in Guam. 

• Identify how any potential arrangements or models would support and enhance quality, on-time store deliveries, and exceptional customer service for food distribution. 

• Identify how any potential model addresses the program challenges noted above. 

• Recommend the government-provided data (i.e., pallet positions, square footage, shipment periodicity, delivery locations) needed to maximize the effectiveness of any future solicitation of relevant services and associated proposals or offers. 

• Recommended quality assurance/quality control, customer service/communication/data requirements, and performance metrics for the government to consider as part of any future solicitation for the relevant services. 

• Recommended system integration requirements for DeCA to consider that would provide visibility into all supply chain activities. 

• Recommended contingency plan requirements (e.g., overflow contract agreements, performance bonds, product quality, transportation/delivery services) that DeCA should consider to ensure supply chain resilience and consistent/reliable achievement of program goals. 

Provide any remaining questions pertaining to the RFI that would assist the interested parties in determining its ability to support the agency’s need. 

6. Responses 

Written responses to this RFI should be limited to 10 pages and submitted electronically to Leanna Stith, Contracting Officer, at Leanna.Stith@deca.mil. Please include "Special Notice for Third Party Logistic (3PL) Providers – Request for Information" in the subject line. Responses must be received no later than 3:00PM EST July 31, 2025. 

7. Important Notes 

Information provided in response to this RFI will be used for internal DeCA purposes only, and information will not be shared among those entities responding to the RFI. PLEASE CLEARLY MARK ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU CONSIDER PROPRIETARY OR SENSITIVE. 

DeCA may use responses to this RFI in making decisions on future procurements. Your decision to respond to this RFI or not respond to this RFI will not affect your participation or consideration in any future procurement.  

Thank you for your interest and participation in this RFI. We look forward to receiving your valuable input. 

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