Description
Disclaimer: This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to the RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201, responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. This is a Request for Information synopsis only. It is not a request for proposal and does not commit the Government to issue a solicitation, make an award, or pay any costs associated with responding to this announcement. After review of the responses to this RFI, one or more solicitations are likely to be published. All information submitted in response to the RFI shall remain with the Government and will not be returned. Request for Information Description: The purpose of this synopsis is to gain knowledge relative to current/future assembly of ancillary supply kits that meets the below minimum specifications. Responses to this synopsis will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. The Government is interested in attaining your current and projected capability to assemble ancillary supplies both vendor purchased, and government furnished ancillary supplies into packages, label and distribute these ancillary kits in the configurations below throughout the United Stated and territories. The information that you provide will allow the government to assess the current health care industry inventory given the increase in customer demand and the probable effects on the commercial supply chain and distribution network affecting these items. The government is interested in the current and future manufacturing capabilities, location of manufacturing and raw materials, and an outlook on the industry. Please provide any additional information that you feel may be of interest to the Government when reviewing responses to this request. Scope of Work: In response to COVID-19, the Government has a requirement to ensure the successful administration of the COVID-19 vaccine through providing 3,252,000 adult and pediatric ancillary kits to be shipped to the vaccine distribution centers. This entails the procuring of medical supplies and services needed to assemble, package, label and ship COVID-19 vaccine ancillary kits containing items provided or procured by the Government. The kits themselves consist of items that include hypodermic needles and syringes of various makes and sizes, mixing syringes, sterile alcohol prep pads, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), face shields, surgical masks, needle information cards, vaccination cards and other medical products. These items will be placed into packages or kits essential for healthcare providers to administer the vaccine. In addition, the Contractor shall provide Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and distribution services for Government Furnished Property (GFP). The USG requires the distribution and transportation of these products to various locations across the United States that are not currently known. Product Technical Requirements: The Government is seeking to utilize the services of medical supply distributors to ensure the successful administration of the delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing supplies in the event of a pandemic or similar event during an infectious disease emergency across the United States. Task 1: Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) Services The Contractor will coordinate receipt of 140k pallets of USG product into its warehouses across the United States. At a minimum, the Contractor shall have locations that are geographically dispersed and able to service all the continental United States while being capable of warehousing the quantities referenced above under proper conditions. The Government anticipates there could be many suitable locations and would like solutions presented based on the Contractor’s expertise considering population centers, historical distribution patterns for these types of product and other relevant factors. The Contractor should possess an inventory system capable of providing up to date information on all Government owned inventory including quantity, location, and expiration date, if applicable. For planning purposes, and notwithstanding initial load-in and surge requirements, the number of trucks delivering and/or removing products from the facility may average 10 per week. There will be domestic and international shipments to US Territories. The Government anticipates that approximately 95 percent of the product received by the Contractor will be on standard pallets weighing no more than 2,500 pounds per pallet. Normal hours of operation are Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), and full mission capability is required during these hours. Given the current response conditions, the Contractor shall expect to manage multiple shipments during standard business hours until the COVID-19 conditions and inventory have stabilized. For all deliveries to the Contractor, appointments will be scheduled in advance. Contractor receiving hours are 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. local time. Anything received after 2 p.m. will be received next business day and Contractor shall track any deliveries that arrives after 2 p.m. and provide notice to the contracting officer’s representative (COR) within 24 hours. Contractor shall keep a log of unscheduled deliveries and provide to the COR upon request. The Contractor shall provide after-hours operations as needed for emergency shipments or shipments that arrive later than the scheduled time. All Contractor support shall be provided at the Contractor-provided facilities. Contractor shall inventory and validate receiving documentation for product. Any discrepancies between the incoming (packing list) documentation and the actual product shall be annotated on the inbound documentation. At a minimum, the Contractor shall ensure that quantities received are accurate and lot numbers match the packing list.[NR(C(1] Upon inspection of the inbound shipment, any damage, shelf-life issues, or missing quantities shall be reported to the Contracting Officer Representative immediately and material suspended by the Contractor pending resolution of the problem. Ship all items under appropriate conditions (i.e., temperature, weight limitations, etc.). Confirmation of delivery will be provided to DSNS by email in a format mutually agreed upon on each business day by 10:00 a.m. EST. Vendor shall acknowledge receipt and forward copies of all inbound documentation to the Contracting Officer Representative within 24 hours after receipt of material. In the event the Contractor receives a pallet that is mixed lots, and lot tracking and expiration are required by the USG, the Contractor will charge the USG a negotiated price to take the pallet apart and store. Receiving requirements: Single SKU 60” pallets One packing list per truck taped to the last pallet loaded onto the trailer Each pallet should be labeled with the lot # (marker on shrink wrap, paper attached etc.) Delivery appointments are required The Contractor shall provide 300,000 pallet spaces in an ambient warehouse for storage with the ability to maintain temperature ranges from 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit for all GFP if required by manufacturer specifications. The Contractor shall adhere to all manufacturer specifications for the storage of GFP. Products and kits that do not require temperature controls may be stored in non-temperature-controlled warehouse, such as gloves and gowns. At the warehouse location(s), the Contractor shall have adequate space for storage, staging, receiving and shipping product. The facility must have dock doors to adequately support receiving and shipping simultaneously. The Contractor shall comply with local zoning requirements and will create the kits in accordance with applicable Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) and State Board of Pharmacy requirements for the kitting operations. The Contractor shall ensure that accurate records and accountability of both inbound and outbound shipment records are auditable and reconcilable to the Government. All documentation that is related to the inventory quantities of product shall be retained by the Contractor and made available to the USG upon request. Table 1: Below is a breakout of products that will be serviced under VMI. Masks- surgical/procedural eye/face shield Gloves- Surgical & Exam Gowns- Isolation & Surgical Masks- N95s Needles & Syringes EpiPens Ancillary Kits Other COVID related PPE Swabs and Media Respirator Masks & Filters Other related diagnostic supplies Task 2: Ancillary Support Kits (CLIN 1002) The Contractor shall use Government Furnished Material (GFM) to create and label ancillary support kits as described in the tables below for Adult, Pediatric, and Mixed Ancillary Kits. The USG will provide and/or procure all material for kitting as well as the template for the Contractor to print and supply the vaccination card and needle information card. The Contractor's ability to produce the kits is dependent upon the delivery of GFM as well as no supply interruption due to actions of foreign governments, manufacturer constraints, or acts of God. The Contractor shall provide final rendering of the vaccination card and needle information card to the Government and receive approval from the COR prior to printing such cards for inclusion in the kits. Task 3: Product Distribution The Contractor must be capable of making final delivery of the product to the local site within two (2) business days within the continental United States of receipt of authorization. In addition, the Contractor must be capable of shipping all items under appropriate conditions (i.e., temperature, weight limitations, etc.). Confirmation of delivery will be provided to DSNS by email in a format mutually agreed upon on each business day by 10:00 a.m. EST. The Contractor shall: Maintain a readiness level to receive and respond to a notice to distribute from DSNS 24/7/365 and distribute product as directed Have an emergency email established that will notify customer service 24/7/365 of a notice to distribute product as directed within the specified time frames. Customer service will coordinate with the distribution center to bring staff on site to prepare for distribution. Within 24 hours of receipt of appropriate authorizations during normal hours of operation, the contractor must be able to load and begin transporting product to desired locations throughout the United States. Be capable of making final delivery of product to the local site within the continental United States within two business days of receipt of authorization. Ship all items under appropriate conditions (i.e., temperature, weight limitations, etc.) the contractor shall provide confirmation of delivery to DSNS by 10:00 a.m. EST each business day via the daily report. Provide transportation tracking information from their facility to agree destinations when requested by USG (DSNS) Task 4: Freight & Transportation (CLIN 1005) The delivery of Ancillary Kits will be Free on Board (FOB) Destination. Delivery of other medical product will be FOB Destination. The place of delivery shall be provided by the USG to the Contractor no less than seven (7) calendar days prior to shipping and within 24 hours of other medical products. NOTE: The Government is planning solicitation for immediate response needs, as well as making assessments for longer term needs, likely up to five (5) years, for ancillary kitting services. The Government is interested in assessing overall availability as well as encouraging domestic production and availability. As stated above, no solicitation(s) is/are yet available. [NR(C(1]Storage items received in delivery or storage items in warehouse? This isn’t clear. I would delete or add more clarity.