Description
This is a sources sought notice only, for the following categories of U.S. small businesses: specifically targeting HUBZones, Small Disadvantaged Business, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern, and Woman-owned and Economically Disadvantaged Woman-owned Small Businesses. This notice is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or Request for Quotations (RFQ). No contract or order will be awarded from this announcement, nor will there be any reimbursement made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement. The Government will utilize responses to this sources sought notice to determine the availability of qualified U.S. small business firms, within the above identified categories, capable of meeting the Department of State's requirements and to determine the appropriateness of setting aside an anticipated acquisition under one of the above small business categories. The required services include the services of packing, freight handling, forwarding, cargo storage, customs clearance, and other related services that apply to shipments originating from, consigned to, routed through, and/or moved within the geographic area(s) of Jamaica Kingston area. PLEASE NOTE THE PLACE OF PERFORMANCE IS JAMAICA. Specific qualifications as they pertain to this sources sought notice include the following: Extensive experience working in Jamaican in the customs and shipping sector; a thorough understanding of Jamaican import-export law and regulations; a thorough understanding of and experience working through the complexities of the customs clearance process at the port of Kingston; front line staff in Jamaica with native and a high level of fluency in English; a thorough understanding of and experience with Jamaican labor law as it affects employees within the vendor's company as well as frequent strikes by dock workers. Firms interested in responding to this sources sought notice are invited to submit examples of prior work and experience, clearly demonstrating that the firm meets all of the above qualifications. Any examples provided of a 1 page prior work and experience must address the qualifications stated above. Please be certain to include: Interested US small business concerns capable of meeting the requirements are invited to submit a Capability Statement by uploading the following information directly to the FebBizOpps website. The Capability Statement must include at a minimum the following information: 1. Company name, DUNS number, and POC information. 2. Small Business Status (e.g. Small, SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, etc.). 3. List previous contracts (not to exceed 5 references) under which the company has provided services similar to the ones required. Include contract number, contract amount, award date, and customer name, address, and POC information. General affirmations of interest will not be considered in our set-aside decision. Only Capability Statements addressing the above-mentioned requirements received from US small business concerns will be considered. NO PHONE CALLS WILL BE ACCEPTED. ONLY WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE (PREFERABLY BY E-MAIL) WILL BE CONSIDERED.