Freight Forwarding and Warehousing - INL Colombia

Sources Sough Notice - Freight forwarding services for the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Bogota, Colombia.This Sources Sought notice is issued for planning purpose only, and does not constitute a solicitation for proposals, offers, bids, and/or quotes. This is not an announcement of a forthcoming solicitation, or confirmation that the Government will contract for the items contained in the Sources Sought, nor is any commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract implied. Responses to this notice will assist the Government in identifying potential sources in determining if a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Small Disadvantaged Businesses 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zone Small Business (HUBZone), or Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) set-aside of the solicitation is appropriate, and in determining whether or not this approach to securing contracting support is practicable.

Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this Sources Sought. Responses to this notice will not be returned.The following information is requested in this Sources Sought:1.  Company name, point of contact, phone number, and address;2.  UEI Number and CAGE Code;3.  Interest in nature of participation [e.g., prime contractor, teaming partner, primary subcontractor];4.  SDVOSB/HUBZONE/8(a)/WOSB certification;5.  Statement of capabilities in providing freight forwarding and warehousing indicating that the vendor can perform the requirements as stated.6.  Examples of past performance.Interested contractors may provide the above information via e-mail to the addresses listed below. Information submitted must be in sufficient detail as to allow for a thorough government review of firm's interest and capabilities. This information is due no later than Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at 12:00 PM EST. Questions pertaining to this sources sought will be accepted through Wednesday, November 23, 2022 12:00 PM EST.Primary Point of Contact: Michele CoccovizzoSenior Contract Support SpecialistCoccovizzoML@state.govSecondary Point of Contact:Margaret R. GaudreauContracting OfficerGaudreauMR@state.govStatement of WorkThe Contractor shall provide services for the United States Mission, Bogota, Colombia as described. This consists of freight forwarder services for the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Section (INL), U.S. Embassy Bogota, Colombia to receive various shipments to and from Colombia and to perform import/export and shipping requirements in support of INL programs. The shipments will include but are not limited to; aircraft parts and components, hazardous materials, ammunition, vehicles, and vehicle parts, building and facilities equipment, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cargo, and general commodities. The primary responsibility is to provide proper, timely and cost effective freight forwarding services for the following INL programs: ARAVI (Colombian National Police Air Service), CNP Interdiction (Base security, ABD, Junglas, Diran, etc.), Manual Eradication, Reestablish Public Security (Carabineros), CD Brigade, International Cooperation Division (ICD), Rule of Law (Justice, Human Rights, and Corrections), Program, Development &Support (PD&S), Department of Justice (DOJ), Coast Guard / Colombian NAVY, Corrections, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This list is considered representative and shall not be considered as all inclusive.The Contractor shall furnish all managerial, administrative, direct labor personnel, materials and transportation that are necessary to accomplish all work as required by this contract. Contractor employees shall be on site only for performance of contractual duties and not for other business purposes.The contractor shall establish effective service controls for the prompt and complete performance under this contract. This shall include:Adequate terminal facilities to effectively receive and store shipments.Adequate facilities to effectively service the receipt of shipments.Equipment deemed necessary to perform services including temperature protection for commodities requiring temperature control.Prompt inspection and notification of damaged cargo.Protection from the elements and securing of received material.Transportation and documentation of hazardous materials.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 from the United States to Colombia, from Colombia to points in the United States of Government-owned materials.The measure of performance shall be the condition of packed articles upon arrival at their destination. The Contractor must appreciate the importance of U.S. Government property and always take the greatest care in handling and packing such articles. No claim for any additional compensation shall be considered unless it has been authorized by the Government in writing in advance. The Government shall not be responsible for any work performed that is not specifically provided for under the terms of this contract or authorized by the Government in writing in advance.Packing Specifications and ResponsibilitiesLabor employed to perform services under this contract shall be experienced and competent in the performance of such services. Those employees who perform services at the client's office or residence shall be neat and in uniform identifying them as employees of the Contractor.The Contractor agrees to provide complete services for surveying, packing, crating, weighing, and marking of official Government shipments of commodities including, but not limited to, aircraft parts and components, hazardous materials, ammunition, vehicles and vehicle parts, building and facilities equipment, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cargo, and general commodities, for shipment within and from the United States of America. Such services will be performed on goods located primarily within the United States of America (export), as requested.The Contractor shall provide all necessary packing and crating material required by this specification and standard industry practice for the services under this contract.The Contractor shall provide export packing and related services following the best commercial practices to ensure a shipment of the least tare weight and smallest cubic measurement that is compatible with assurance of transportation to destinations without damage or pilferage to containers or contents. Export packing shall include, but shall not be limited to Padding, dunnage and packing into cases, barrels, or crates of all fragile items.Although some shipments will be of a high priority nature and will require immediate shipment, it is most practical to consolidate the packing and shipping of items. Consolidations wil not contain mixed priorities. Where there is a conflict between order priorities on the purchase order and operational requirements, INL will direct the priority of shipment.Freight HandlingThe Contractor shall act on behalf of the Government on any selected incoming and outgoing Government cargo that may be assigned to the Contractor under this contract, including the effecting of necessary transport of Government cargo from the United States of America to Colombia and vice versa. The Contractor accepts full responsibility for any and all losses and/or damage, from the time such cargo is received into the hands of the Contractor until it is released into the custody of the Government as evidenced by a signed receipt. The Contractor further agrees that in any instance involving loss or damage to the Government cargo, where the Contractor fails to exercise reasonable diligence, the Contractor shall assume full responsibility for such losses or damage including payment of claims for such losses or damage.The Contractor shall transport all incoming Government cargo handled under the contract from the contractor’s warehouse in the Miami (FL) area to the final destination in the Bogota area or elsewhere in Colombia, according to the order priority on the purchase order. Purchase orders for other commodities shall be marked as urgent if they require expedited shipping. Otherwise, contractor can assume the shipment is regular and should be consolidated.Freight Forwarding and Warehousing ServicesThe contractor shall provide freight forwarding and warehousing services including but not limited to:Coordinate receipt and delivery of freight, from the individual commodity supplier’s origin points to the contractor’s warehouse.Verify, count, weight, cube and condition of all received commodities at the time of receipt and in the event of loss, damage, or shortage promptly notify the appropriate INL and assist with sufficient documentation to justify a INL claim for compensation.Provide warehousing and storage services for commodities during the period of consolidation and while awaiting ocean/air shipment.Consolidate freight and stuff export containers.Secure air freight from an American Flag Air Carrier utilizing the most economical rate available. All Ocean freight must be pre-approved by INL in advance of booking.The contractor shall utilize air freight when air freight is most economical. Ocean freight shall be utilized for oversized or extremely heavy shipments. Ocean freight will not be used often due to the limited transportation capacity within Colombia and the safety and travel requirements to clear freight at Port.  The contractor shall confirm with INL Bogota the method of shipment if doubt exists as to whether it will be air freight or ocean freight.For import shipments the contractor shall make the necessary arrangements for clearing the freight through U.S. Customs and shipping the freight to a supplier as designated by INL Bogota.Shipping (and/or Packing) of cargo intended for the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement transportation is a highly specialized function. The measure of performance shall be the condition of packed articles upon arrival at their destination, accuracy of documents, and shipping according to priority status. The Government shall not be responsible for any work performed which is not specifically provided for under the terms of this contract or authorized by the Government in writing in advance.Contractor ResponsibilitiesAdministration:The Contractor shall be responsible for the effective management and administration of all required work under this contract. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that all work activities are performed in a timely and cost-effective manner while maintaining the highest quality of performance. The prices established in Section 1 of the contract include all costs associated with this task.The contractor shall furnish all managerial, administrative, direct labor personnel, materials and transportation that are necessary to accomplish all work as required by this contract.Performance Reporting:The Contractor shall develop and deliver timely, complete and accurate monthly Performance Reports to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) not later than the fifth (5th) business day after the reporting performance period. The report shall include but not be limited to the following:Work performed during the reporting period including: accomplishments, real and anticipated problems/issues and recommendations for corrections;Work to be accomplished during the next reporting period;Immediate actions required of the Government for the continued on-time and on-cost performance of the contract;Ad hoc information on project status on an as-needed basis and as directed by the COR; andLessons learned to date, with performance improvement recommendations.Damage Loss Report:The Contractor shall, in case of damages and losses; report to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) not later than the first business day after the occurrence. In case of loss, damage or delay to a shipment(s) such as theft or seizure of cargo, strikes, embargoes, fires or other similar incidents, the contractor shall notify in writing no later than the first working day to the COR after such incident.Work Skills and ExperienceThe Contractor shall ensure that all personnel assigned to this contract possess the skills and experience necessary for accomplishing their individual tasks.The contractor shall provide freight forwarding and customs brokerage services in accordance with the Department of Transportation and/or International Airlines Transportation regulations for the freight handling, forwarding, customs clearance and other related services that apply to shipments originating from, consigned to, routed through and/or moved from/to the United States to/from Colombia, or other locations when required.The contractor shall provide Airway Bills, invoices, packing lists, purchase orders or other documentation prepared during the export/import process to INL Bogota.The contractor shall maintain a web-based database for all shipments. The database will be capable of providing details of line items received and line items shipped, as well as being suitable for preparation of all required shipping documentation. The intent is to be able to provide, per purchase order line-item real time tracking and cost data from time of receipt to time of shipment, by priority. The contractor will provide a description of this web-based tracking/database as part of the proposal.For exporting transactions/shipments the contractor shall make the necessary arrangements for shipping the freight from the contractor’s warehouse to Port of Importation, Colombia, South America, according to the order priority on the purchase order. Aircraft Purchase orders will indicate the following priorities: AOG - Aircraft on Ground, immediate shipment; 05 urgent; 12 regular - not a priority. Purchase orders for other commodities will be marked as urgent if they require expedited shipping. Otherwise, contractor can assume the shipment is regular and should be consolidated.Upon contract award, the contractor shall be notified as to how to mark the shipments for the appropriate programs. All documentation will indicate that the exporter/importer of record is the U.S. Department of State.Record Keeping RequirementsThe Contractor shall prepare a complete, accurate and legible Inventory List as the articles are packed. The original will be retained by the Contractor and shall be forwarded to the COR immediately after the packing is completed. All exceptions as to the condition of goods listed on the Inventory List must be brought to the COR’s attention before goods are removed from the contractor facilities.The purchase order number and the project´s name shall appear on each sheet of the Inventory List, and the last sheet must also indicate the total number of boxes, total number of shipping crates (lift vans), net, tare and gross weights, with measurements and total cubic measure.Storage Area RequirementsAll temporary or permanent storage provided, either for unpacked or packed aircraft parts and components, hazardous materials, ammunition, vehicles and vehicle parts, building and facilities equipment, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cargo, and general commodities, shall be inside storage buildings and areas that are acceptable to and approved by the COR.In areas assigned for preparation and storage of aircraft parts and components, hazardous materials, ammunition, vehicles and vehicle parts, building and facilities equipment, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cargo, and general commodities the Contractor shall prevent pilferage or damage by sunlight, water, or fire. Government owned materials shall be stored in areas that are dry, well ventilated, clean, and free from dust, insects and rodents, have adequate fire protection, and are accessible for routine inspection.The Contractor shall keep aisles, driveways, and entrances free of storage and equipment not being currently handled or operated.The Contractor shall remove waste or refuse from storage areas or kept in metal containers with tight-fitting metal lids.Government owned materials shall be stored on skids, dunnage, pallet bases, elevated platforms, or similar storage aids, maintaining a minimum of two inches of clearance from the floor to the bottom-most portion of the stored goods. The Contractor shall not store property in contact with exterior or interior walls.Requirements for Storage MethodsThe Contractor shall place aircraft parts and components, hazardous materials, ammunition, vehicles and vehicle parts, building and facilities equipment, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cargo, and general commodities into temporary or permanent storage inside a warehouse on the day of receipt or, in the event of inclement weather, immediately upon receipt.The Contractor shall establish and maintain a locator system to enable prompt identification and removal of effects in storage.Warehouse FacilitiesWarehouse Facilities must be approved by the COR and meet the following criteria:Storage buildings shall be constructed, with masonry walls and floors, watertight roofs, and maintained in good condition. The building shall be kept dry, clean, well ventilated, free of dampness, free of moths, rats, mice, and insets, and in orderly condition at all times.Each building used for storage under this contract shall have as the minimum standard for qualification either:an acceptable automatic fire detection and reporting system, or an acceptable automatic sprinkler system; ora fire prevention and control plan, posted and maintained in each building; and necessary fire extinguishers and/or approved fire-fighting apparatus available and in good working order at all times.In addition, each storage facility must be protected by an adequate water supply for fire fighting and a fire department that is responsive twenty-four hours per day. Statements from the cognizant fire insurance rating organization shall be used by the Government as a definitive basis for determining the sufficiency or adequacy of a fire-fighting water supply and the responsiveness of a fire department to protect a facility.The Contractor shall insure that all installed fire protective systems shall be accredited by the cognizant fire insurance rating organization for insurance rate credit.Notification of Completion of Services:As soon as the required services for outgoing cargo and unaccompanied air baggage shipments are completed, the Contractor shall notify the COR and provide the following information:If a shipment of government owned property: Purchase order number and INL program requesting the shipment.Ultimate destination of shipmentDate of pickup, number of pieces and gross weight of shipment.Bill of Lading or Airbill number assigned to the shipment.The Contractor shall obtain a proper receipt from the carrier or its agent at the time the baggage is delivered to the carrier by the Contractor.VehiclesThe Contractor shall provide all vehicles necessary for the performance of this contract. All vehicles shall be kept in safe operating condition at all times with a valid safety inspection sticker attached if required by local law. The Contractor shall provide all fuel and lubricants for the vehicles.Vehicle Size. The Contractor shall provide the necessary vehicles of appropriate size (2.5 tons or more) for local transportation of shipments and Unaccompanied Air Baggage.Condition of Vehicles. The Contractor shall maintain its vehicles in the proper mechanical condition to assure their full availability when needed, and to assure that shipments are reliably and safely transported from the residence to the appropriate staging area.Non-Availability of Vehicles. Should the Contractor encounter mechanical difficulties that would otherwise prevent the scheduled completion of a scheduled pick-up, the contractor shall immediately obtain a suitable substitute vehicle at no additional cost to the Government. Non-availability of suitable vehicles shall not constitute acceptable justification for late pickup or delivery, or for additional costs to the Government.Computation of WeightGross Weight is calculated by adding the Net Weight of the contents to the weight of the shipping container and any bracing material used to secure articles in the container.The Contractor shall designate, and the COR shall approve a scale to be used for determination of shipment weights. Subject scale must be officially certified by any entity approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as accurate and must continually display documentation in testimony thereof. All official certificates of accuracy must be periodically updated and recertified to ensure there is no lapse of certification.An appointed representative may be present at the scale site when any shipment weight is taken to witness the accuracy of the reading.Transition/Phase-In and Phase-Out ServicesThe Contractor shall assume all pending requests not completed by the incumbent contractor. Open orders not received by the incumbent five days prior to the end of its period of performance shall be transferred to the incoming contractor that shall be responsible for:  storage, oversight for completion of work, all pending payments, warranties, and shipping to Bogota. Task order(s) for this work shall be priced in accordance with the pricing shown in Section 1; however, if a task order’s requirements differ from the items priced in Section 1, it shall be accomplished in accordance with the task order process described below.Phase-out services at the end of this contract shall be handled in accordance with FAR 52.237-3.