MODIFICATION
89 -- The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Regional Vendor Model
- Notice Date
- 3/6/2012
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 424410
— General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers
- Contracting Office
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Contract Management Branch, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 228, Alexandria, Virginia, 22302
- ZIP Code
- 22302
- Solicitation Number
- AG-3198-S-12-0504
- Archive Date
- 3/29/2012
- Point of Contact
- RICHARD HICKS, Phone: 7033052261, PAMELA MARTIN, Phone: 7036051568
- E-Mail Address
-
richard.hicks@fns.usda.gov, pamela.martin@fns.usda.gov
(richard.hicks@fns.usda.gov, pamela.martin@fns.usda.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Request for Information for FDPIR Pilot Project This is not a solicitation for Request for Proposals but instead a Request for Information to solicit constructive feedback from Industry on the government's draft solicitation documents for a new Pilot project for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). This valuable information will assist the government in finalizing a comprehensive solicitation package scheduled for FBO release late March 2012. Project Background: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS) mission is to reduce hunger and food insecurity, in partnership with cooperating organizations, by providing children and needy people access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education in a manner that supports American agriculture. FNS achieves this mission by administering USDA's 15 domestic nutrition assistance programs. Among those programs is FDPIR, which provides food to low income households living on Indian reservations and Native American families residing in designated areas near reservations. FDPIR was established as an alternative to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) because such areas often do not have easy access to grocery stores. Under FDPIR's current food distribution model, USDA buys food, which is sent to two USDA-contracted warehouses, both in Missouri. From there, food is distributed to ITOs and State agencies that administer FDPIR. This is known as the National Warehouse Model. The National Warehouse Model is not ideal because it does not provide sufficient opportunities to incorporate local and traditional foods into the FDPIR food package and has high costs associated with the centralized storage and trans-national transportation of food. Additionally, sites also receive fresh fruits and vegetables delivered by the Department of Defense. However, this Program will not be part of the Pilot and will continue as currently operated. FNS intends to pilot a Regional Distribution Model, starting in calendar year 2012. FNS will select a limited number of ITOs to participate in this Pilot, which will be "grouped" in one geographic area. There are several natural "Groupings" of ITOs throughout the nation. Under the proposed Pilot, USDA would contract with a vendor, which would service the Grouping selected to participate in the Pilot. Specifically, the vendor would buy USDA-approved items and distribute them directly to the ITOs, which would then prepare and distribute FDPIR food packages to program participants. This would be known as the Regional Vendor Pilot (RVP), or the Pilot. To be successful, the vendor selected for the Pilot must (at minimum) successfully and consistently (1) accept orders for foods that comprise the FDPIR food package from participating ITOs and Tribes, (2) deliver those foods to those organizations, (3) according to a negotiated schedule, (4) in good condition and (5) be cost-effective. Other anticipated benefits of the Pilot include (1) incorporation of traditional foods into the FDPIR food package, (2) greater opportunity to purchase foods from Native American producers, and (3) improved customer service for FDPIR organizations and program participants. FNS has drafted the following Performance-based acquisition documents meeting the government's objectives for the Pilot as follows: (1) Statement of Objectives (SOO) by which offerors will respond and from which offerors will develop their Statement of Work and Quality Assurance Plan including Performance Metrics, (2) Evaluation factors, and (3) Pricing structure. The government anticipates awarding one 5-year firm fixed price contract with economic price adjustments in food and fuel costs. Year one of the contract will deploy the Pilot and, if deemed successful in comparison to the performance and costs of the current Warehouse Model, including food costs, continue to increase deployment in option years 1 through 4. The expectation is to have a Nation-wide FDPIR food delivery contract by Year 5. Additionally, the government intends to make award based on best value with technical having paramount consideration over cost. Large businesses will be required to submit a negotiated subcontracting plan that will meet, to the extent practicable, the government's minimum 2012 small business goals. Purpose of Notice: The purpose of this notice is to receive constructive feedback from Industry on the government's Performance-based acquisition documents to determine if the structure is (1) feasible for Industry to prepare a comprehensive proposal, and (2) consistent with Industry best practices for pricing food and transportation costs, including bi-annual EPAs based on price indices. It is not the government's intent to completely modify its current performance-based acquisition model but to ensure that sufficient and accurate information is captured in order for the government to receive comprehensive proposals containing accurate pricing information. Vendors are asked to read the attached documents carefully to fully understand the government's requirements and respond accordingly. Your insight and feedback is valuable to FNS to ensure release of a Request for Proposals ensures competition to the maximum extent practicable. Vendor Responses: Interested firms shall respond by providing answers or recommended changes to the following documents: 1) Does the draft SOO contain sufficient information for offerors to respond in years 1 through 5? If not, what other data do you recommend should be included? 2) Are the evaluation factors clear and concise for offerors to respond? If not, what other factors do you recommend should be included? 3) Does the pricing structure contain sufficient information for offerors to provide fixed unit food prices, overhead/administrative fees/profit and a total fixed unit price? Is it feasible for transportation costs to be a separate line item? If not, how should transportation cost be priced? Provide a thorough rationale to support recommended structure for transportation costs. 4) Is it feasible for EPAs to be implemented every 6 months? If not, recommend the frequency and provide a thorough rationale to support the recommendation. 5) Is it feasible for unit food prices to remain constant in option years 2 - 5 with the EPA dictating unit prices upwards or downwards? If not, provide a thorough rationale to support the recommended structure. 6) Can the government expect quantity discounts as food commodities increase across the 5 year contract life? What other discounts, if any, can the government assume? 7) Is the number of pages, for each evaluation factor, sufficient to prepare a comprehensive response? If not, what are the minimum number of pages would you recommend for each factor, keeping in mind a streamlined not voluminous proposal? 8) Others? This is a request for information only. The government will not pay for the information prepared or submitted in response to this notice. Vendors interested in this procurement are advised to peruse FBOs for the solicitation's release. Further, the government is not interested in voluminous or marketing data in response to this request. Vendors are asked to respond only to the questions and other information relevant to this notice. Responses are due NLT 2 p.m. March 14, 2012 via e-mail to Richard Hicks, Contracting Officer, at Richard.hicks@fns.usda.gov. FNS is not soliciting questions as part of this Request for Information. However, the Contracting Officer is interested in any other questions, comments or concerns potential offerors may have on this effort for the government's consideration.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/FNS/CMB/AG-3198-S-12-0504/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: USDA - Food and Nutrition Service, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia, 22302, United States
- Zip Code: 22302
- Zip Code: 22302
- Record
- SN02689637-W 20120308/120307115754-0852f371d52a38e1947ec1ce627042b9 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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