Subject: -- Sources Sought Notice to Third Party Logistic (3PL) firms for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution of Food for the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). POC: James D. Sprandel, Contract Specialist, AMS Commodity Procurement Staff (AMS/PPSCD), Phone 202-720-9191, Email:
[email protected] THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. THIS NOTICE IS ISSUED FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT, NOR IS IT A SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR OFFERS. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to invite comments, suggestions, and questions concerning a proposed solicitation for 3PL firms for the transportation, storage and distribution of food and to gain knowledge of potential qualified facility size classifications (such as Large Business, Small Business, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or WOSB Programs) relative to the North American Industry Classification (NAICS code) 493110 (size standard for small business designation in millions of dollars = $30.0). These services are currently being performed under contracts that are in place through September 30, 2023 and AMS is seeking information to improve future solicitations. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking information from qualified source(s) for one or more firm-fixed price performance-based service contract(s) for Third Party Logistic firms to perform all the functions of receiving, storing, continuously accounting for and delivering food shipments purchased by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to recipients of federally mandated Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) nutrition programs such as the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Contractor(s) must be able to accept and process orders from USDA’s food ordering system, the Web Based Supply Chain Management system (WBSCM), and be responsible for all logistic functions including, but not limited to, receiving truckload commodities from AMS vendors in dry, refrigerated and frozen forms, storing approximately a four (4) month supply of commodities until needed, receiving orders for multiple types of stored commodities from recipients for scheduled delivery dates, loading of trucks consisting of 80% case pick, 20% full pallets, and delivery of multiple types of commodities to recipients in full truckloads, with a potential for dry, cooler, and freezer in a single truck. Storage facility proposed must be capable of storing both dry and temperature-controlled products for the various nutrition programs. Contractor must be able to track dates product is received into the contractor’s warehouse and best if used by dates on all external containers and report those to USDA electronically. Contractor should have the ability to add additional routes on an as requested basis, including multi-stop direct deliveries. To assist 3PL firms in responding to this Sources Sought Notice, AMS has attached a spreadsheet that contains estimated information on the locations of all current recipients by their City/State, annual shipment volume per lane, and temperature class. An average quantity of 17.5 pallets per full truckload can be assumed. Contractor(s) may also assume 4 inventory turns per year. Note: AMS currently includes the following line items and anticipates they will be included in future procurements: One time, per pallet, in/out handling fee to include all loading, unloading, case pick fees (80% case pick anticipated) and assessorial charges. The In/Out Handling fee is a one-time fee per pallet that includes all material handling from the time the material arrives at the warehouse to the time the material is shipped outbound. It includes, but is not limited to, loading and unloading trucks, moving material throughout the warehouse, all case pick fees, and all related assessorial charges. Special supplemental floor loading handling fee per pallet for slip sheeted inbound loads, to include palletization, stretch wrap, and any other necessary assessorial charges. Dry and temperature controlled (cooler and freezer) biweekly storage fee charged on a per pallet basis. Storage will be billed twice a month, based on the inventory present on the first and the sixteenth of the month, with all charges invoiced on the last day of the month. Biweekly means that there are 24 billing periods per year (twice a month). Transportation cost by dry and temperature controlled (cooler and freezer) truckload using Contractors route lanes of service. Single out-of-route mileage rate that would be used for all multi-stop shipments. An out of route mile is defined as the difference between the origin to final destination distance of a direct shipment and the total miles traveled on a multi-stop shipment. Stop charge on multi-stop deliveries. Only applies to additional stops (i.e., stop 2, stop 3, etc.). Fuel Surcharge, if applicable. The Fuel Surcharge Fee represents the amount that will be paid by the Government to adjust for changes in the price of fuel. This Fee will be applied using an economic price adjustment based on the published price of the “U.S. On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices (dollars per gallon)’. Special Handling Circumstances (such as damaged loads, etc.). AMS requests that respondents provide information as follows: What is your company’s business size (small or large)? (businesses with $30.0 million or less in annual revenue are considered small businesses, businesses with greater than $30.0 million in annual revenue are considered large businesses) Is your company within a special socio-economic category as identified in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) relative to NAICS code 493110 (General Warehousing), such as 8(a), HUBzone, SDVOSB, or WOSB Programs? If so, what is that designation? Would your company be capable of providing both transportation and warehousing services on an on-going basis? Based on the attached information and anticipated line items, how would you most efficiently handle this business? Describe the U.S. geographical service zone footprint that you would recommend based on states served. How many zones would you recommend? What is your proposed warehouse location (city/state) to service each zone? If you wouldn’t wish to service all zones, describe which area you could best serve. Describe your ability to handle the volume specified (see attached spreadsheet). Describe your capability to manage data electronically, including incoming shipment scheduling, inbound receipts, inventory reporting (including dwell times and “best if used by” dates printed on external containers), recipient delivery order processing, outbound shipment tracking, invoicing, metric tracking, and any other pertinent data and information you see relevant. What is your capability to transmit and receive this information electronically to/from USDA’s Web-Based Supply Chain Management System (WBSCM), which is based on SAP commercial software? Describe your customer service process and how problem resolution resulting in customer satisfaction is conducted. (For example, how easy is it for the customer to get in contact with someone to discuss a problem, is there a specific process for tracking problems until resolution is achieved, how follow-up is handled and documented, how USDA will be notified, etc.) Can your route guide handle transportation to final offshore destinations such as AK, HI, PR, and VI, to include all drayage, last mile delivery, and assessorial fees? What is your fuel surcharge schedule and how often do you update it? Any additional comments on the anticipated line items or contractor capabilities/value added that AMS might want to consider that the contractor feels might be beneficial to AMS in planning such a contract. Written questions in response to this RFI should be sent by e-mail to the attention of James D. Sprandel, Contract Specialist at
[email protected] by October 14, 2022 . AMS will make every attempt to provide answers to questions in sufficient time for respondents to incorporate new information into their response to this RFI. However, AMS may be unable to respond to questions that are received late. Please include “Sources Sought Notice to Third Party Logistic (3PL) firms” in the subject line of any email correspondence. AMS will post answers to questions on the System for Award Management website (SAM.gov). Written responses to this RFI should be limited to 10 pages, e-mailed to the attention of James D. Sprandel, Contract Specialist at
[email protected]. Please include “Sources Sought Notice to Third Party Logistic (3PL) firms” in the subject line. These responses must be received no later than October 28, 2022.