DESCRIPTION: The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking qualified sources that are capable of providing performance-based contractual support with regard to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - Recipient - Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing Coordination (FDSPC) Project. Please refer to the accompanying draft "Statement of Objectives" (SOO) for background and specific details regarding the subject upcoming solicitation. This procurement is a competitive 8(a) set-aside limited to eligible 8(a) concerns. 8(a) eligibility will be verified, so vendors must submit their 8(a) information with the capabilities statements, including 8(a) status expiration date, SBA Small Business Specialist and contact information, TINS, DUNS and Cage Code. The purpose of conducting market research in accordance with FAR 15.202 entitled "Advisory Multi-Step Process," is to gain an understanding of the capabilities and qualifications that exist in the current marketplace as well as to formulate a performance-based acquisition strategy. The Government intends to use such information gathered as part of the competitive process to "down-select" the most viable sources. EVALUATIONS BASIS FOR SELECTION TO COMPETE FNS, SNAP Recipient Program intends to award a Firm Fixed Pricing (FFP) contract resulting from a solicitation and request for proposal (RFP) to the responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation and is evaluated as being the most advantageous to the Government. To provide for fair competition and good stewardship of public resources, FNS, SNAP Recipient Program will make a selection of vendors to be provided with an RFP. The initial down select will be based on vendor responses in the form of a capability statement. CAPABILITY STATEMENT EVALUATION FACTORS Font size must not be less than 12-point, single spaced. Only 8½" x11" paper size shall be used with borders not less than 1 inch. The total page count is limited to five (5) pages, excluding Title Page and Table of Contents. No Cover Letter is required. The vendor shall include a general, brief statement detailing the organization's history, which may include the organization's structure, the number of years it has been in business, etc. For each of the evaluation factors (2.1 - 2.4) the following ratings will be assigned: Exceptional: The capability statement demonstrates extensive performance in environments most like that of FNS SNAP Recipient Program in regards to all of the following functional areas: Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing-coordination. The capability statement demonstrates extensive corporate experience within the last 10 years. The capability statement demonstrates this performance and experience as the prime contractor. Acceptable: The capability statement demonstrates performance in environments most like that of FNS SNAP Recipient Program in regards to at least 3 of the following 5 functional areas: Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing-coordination. The capability statement demonstrates corporate experience within the last 10 years. The capability statement demonstrates this performance and experience as the prime contractor. Marginal: The capability statement demonstrates performance in environments most like that of FNS SNAP Recipient Program in regards to a majority of the following functional areas: Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing-coordination. The capability statement demonstrates corporate experience within the last 10 years. The capability statement demonstrates this performance and experience as the sub-contractor. Unacceptable: The capability statement does not demonstrate performance in environments most like that of FNS SNAP Recipient Program in a majority of the following functional areas: Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing-coordination or the capability statement does not demonstrate corporate experience within the last 10 years; or the capability statement does not demonstrate this performance and experience as the prime contractor or sub-contractor. 2.1 The vendor should demonstrate relevant successful past performance and corporate experience directly related to the federal sector in Fulfillment Operations, as presented in the Statement of Objective (SOO). 2.2 The vendor should demonstrate relevant successful past performance and corporate experience directly related to the federal sector in Distribution Operations, as presented in the Statement of Objective (SOO). 2.3 The vendor should demonstrate relevant successful past performance and corporate experience directly related to the federal in Storage Operations, as presented in the Statement of Objective (SOO). 2.4 The vendor should demonstrate relevant successful past performance and corporate experience directly related to the federal sector in Printing-coordination, as presented in the Statement of Objective (SOO). Note: Vendors who would like to submit a proposal for this project will not be eligible to propose on the FNS Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Retail Call Management, Data-Intake, Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing coordination (CDFDSP) Project also posted on the FedBizOpps. This will be the only Notice posted in FedBizOpps for the down select of qualified firms. Therefore, Contractors interested in competing for this requirement MUST respond to this notice by the end date and time in order to be considered further. Firms will be notified electronically of their eligibility in the down select process. Capabilities statements are due October 14, 2011, 2:30 p.m. electronically at
[email protected]. The Government is not honoring questions at this time. Thank you for your interest. Richard Hicks /s/ Contracting Specialist USDA/Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)