Description
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION In accordance with the Postal Service’s Supplying Principles and Practices, the Postal Service is issuing a request for information (RFI) as a sources sought notice. This is an invitation for potential suppliers to register interest in providing air transportation and supporting services. It is the intent of the Postal Service to award air transportation and its ancillary services (ground handling/terminal handling and scanning) to pre-qualified, high performing air transportation suppliers, at reasonable prices, that are willing to meet postal operating and business criteria as listed in this document. A key operating goal is to have sufficient network redundancy. Potential suppliers are asked to submit responses that provide information about their companies demonstrating how they will meet or exceed our provided requirements. This process identifies what is in the marketplace and provides an opportunity leading to pre-qualification of potential suppliers. Unlike a request for proposals (RFP), an RFI does not imply a commitment to acquire the services identified in the RFI from any responding supplier. An RFI provides the Postal Service with useful information to further assess innovative solutions and a better understanding of how the requirements can best be met. The Postal Services intends to prequalify an adequate number of suppliers for the transportation of domestic mail by air with certificated Part 121 passenger airlines. Of prime importance to the Postal Service is reliable on-time performance combined with network scope and scale. If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit information which demonstrates the following: • Must be a Certificated Part 121 airline company. (You need not send anything at this point to show your status; however, if necessary, the Postal Service may contact you and require the documentation.) • Must agree to carry mailable hazmat and “live” mail in accordance with the USPS Domestic Mail Manual. • Must have demonstrated business compatibility from both technical and business relations viewpoints. Must state that you possess the ability to electronically scan bar-coded mail and transmit the data via electronic data interchange (EDI) to the Postal Service. • Must be able accommodate mail between all lanes serviced; i.e., your entire network including transfer routings, and must have the ability to provide capacity between origins and destinations to which the Postal Service has demand. • Must be in an acceptable financial condition that will allow the Contracting Officer to determine that operations are to remain ongoing. Additional information: • The contract term is estimated to be from 2 to 5 years, beginning October 1, 2011. • The service must be performed in accordance with all applicable US Federal and local authority transportation laws. • Persons who handle the mail must be screened, to include a criminal background check, drug screening, fingerprinting, and must receive a clearance issued by the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, the federal law enforcement arm of the Postal Service. • The Postal Service requires strict protection of the mail while in the possession of the supplier. • On-time performance standards will be a requirement based on mail product type. • Supplier must be, or become, EDI-compliant within 90 days of start-up. • Contract pricing and payment will be on a rate per pound depending upon the pounds of mail properly transported and scanned. The above represent the primary requirements which are intended to allow the potential supplier to assess interest or to inquire further. Other requirements and provisions will apply prior to any final contracting. If you believe that you can accommodate the Postal Service requirements, please submit your responses to this office via e-mail message, US Mail, or fax (202 268 5879) on or before August 6, 2010. In responding to this RFI, a list of requested information follows: • Company overview • Subcontractors and code-share partners • Supplier capabilities addressing the aforementioned requirements (e.g., carriage of HAZ-MAT and “Lives”) • Network coverage • Public financial information Provision A-2: Solicitation for Information on Planning Purposes (March 2006) A. The Postal Service does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to pay for the information solicited. B. This solicitation is issued for the purpose of potential suppliers registering interest in providing air transportation and supporting services. Your responses should be directed to: Cheryl R. Brazil Contracting Officer Air Transportation CMC 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW Room 1P650 Washington DC 20260-0650