SOURCES SOUGHT
D -- On Line Marketing Services For CCC Owned Grains
- Notice Date
- 3/23/2006
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 518210
— Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency, Acquisition Management Branch, Special Projects Section, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0567, Washington, DC, 20250-0567
- ZIP Code
- 20250-0567
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-3151-S-06-0008
- Response Due
- 3/31/2006
- Archive Date
- 4/7/2006
- Description
- The USDA Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) has a requirement for the On Line Marketing of CCC Owned Grains. This requirement is as described in the Statement of Work (SOW)below. The USDA is interested in receiving capability statements from small or large business entities that are capable of perrforming this requirement. Please provide capability statements, and any comments pertaining to the optimum performance of this requirement. Vendors may share any suggestions or experiences that may enhance the solicitation and award of this requirement. As a minimum, please provide: Name; Address, E-mail contact, Web site address, Business Size (Small/Large Business?); Telephone/Fax Numbers;Experiences with On Line Marketing of Commodities, Along with any questions/comments to: Alonzo.Jacobs@wdc.usda.gov USPS or Courier/Express Mailings may be sent to USDA, Acquisition Management Branch, 1280 Maryland Avenue, SW,Portals Bldg.,Suite 580A, Washington, DC 20024. SOW Follows: FARM SERVICE AGENCY STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) REQUEST FOR ONLINE MARKETING SERVICES FOR CCC-OWNED GRAINS Section 1.0 General Information 1.1 Background: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) proposes to contract for online marketing services of CCC-owned grain. CCC?s definition of grain for purposes of this solicitation includes wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, rice, and soybeans. The online marketing service would supplement the current CCC sales methods of cataloging, issuing public invitations, and providing sales lists for grain. The statutory authority of Section 5 of the CCC Charter Act provides that, ?In the Corporation?s purchasing and selling operations with respect to agricultural commodities, the Corporation shall, to the maximum extent practicable consistent with the fulfillment of the Corporations purposes and the effective and efficient conducts of its business, utilize the usual and customary channels, facilities, and arrangements of trade and commerce, including, at the option of the Corporation, the use of private sector entities.? Furthermore, P.L. 104-127, Section 165 states, in part, ?? The Commodity Credit Corporation may sell any commodity owned or controlled by the Corporation at any price that the Secretary determines will maximize returns to the Corporation.? CCC currently sells cotton and peanuts obtained through marketing assistance loan program forfeitures. CCC sold 108,247 bales of cotton valued at $36.03 million in fiscal year 2004, and 17,616 bales valued at $4.07 million in fiscal year 2005. In March 2006, CCC completed sales of 105,811 tons of 2004-crop peanuts valued at $31.73 million. 1.2 Objectives: CCC?s objectives are to obtain competitive prices for grain inventories in the most cost-effective and least disruptive market manner. Section 2.0 Statement of Work 2.1 Requirements: CCC proposes to use online marketing services for sales of its own grain inventories. The service provider must demonstrate to CCC?s satisfaction their previous experience with online marketing of 1 or more agricultural commodities, and meet the qualifications in Section 4.0. Online marketing services will offer customers the opportunity to negotiate commodity prices, complete sales transactions and, as applicable, complete transfer of title in an electronic format. The online marketing service contract will cover CCC-owned grain and be in place for a 12-month period. CCC will have options to extend the contract for an additional four (4) 12 month periods. The Government is not obligated to exercise any Option Period. If CCC exercises this option, CCC will have a second, third, and fourth extension option for an additional 12 months, to provide for a total contract period of 60 months. The online marketing service must provide: Online access to CCC personnel normally engaged in the merchandizing of grain; Help desk assistance to the users; Inventory sales data in an electronic format; and summary data on actual sales activities. The online marketing services must include CCC-owned grain along with other industry owners/marketers of these commodities. Generally, bids on government-owned commodities are somewhat lower than bids on privately owned commodities. Making CCC-owned grain available on a private industry online marketing services website would eliminate the identification of the commodity as government-owned, which may result in higher bids. The use of online marketing services will leverage market driven ?best in class? technology, and use market forces in a fair and equitable manner to maximize returns to CCC. 2.2 Quality Assurances: CCC will use the following guidelines to measure vendor performance: 1. Grain inventory placed on the service will be made available for sale within 4 hours of receipt by the vendor. 2. The vendor will have the marketing service available at least 8 hours a day during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. central time). 3. All daily sales transactions will be finalized, including payment to CCC, no later than 9:00 a.m. on the next business day. 4. Sales and inventory data will be provided to CCC on a daily basis, as soon as possible after close of business each day (and not later than 9:00 a.m. on the next business day). 5. The vendor will ensure that the integrity of the system is maintained at all times. Market positions, sales information, and inventory positions shall be restricted to authorized representatives of the vendor and CCC. Section 3.0 Requirements/Tasks The contractor shall provide the following services: 3.1 The contractor shall establish a marketing service for grain, available through the internet as an online and electronic function. 3.2 The contractor shall conduct online sales in a dynamic bidding system. CCC shall maintain title to the commodity until confirmation of cash is received via wire transfer or electronic funds transfer (EFT), unless the vendor guarantees the sale. If sale is guaranteed, CCC shall not be subject to losses incurred due to the failure of any subsequent transaction. CCC may place grain on the online marketing service, or remove grain from the online marketing service, at CCC?s sole discretion, at anytime throughout the contract term. 3.3 The contractor shall protect both the buyer?s and seller?s identity. Until a sale is confirmed, the price determining process shall be anonymous. 3.4 The contractor shall provide necessary security safeguards to ensure that market sensitive or proprietary data is secure from disclosure. 3.5 The contractor shall ensure that its users of online marketing services are entities actively engaged in merchandising commodities. 3.6 The contractor shall generate necessary inventory sales data to interface with CCC?s inventory systems. See Section 10.0. Section 4.0 Deliverables 4.1 Remote access to online marketing service for Bulk Commodities Division, Kansas City Commodity Office, and Warehouse and Inventory Division, Washington, DC. 4.2 Electronic interface requirements to make grain inventories available on online marketing service provided to Kansas City Commodity Office. 4.3 Ability to provide valid offers and to complete transactions of sales of commodities for Bulk Commodities Division, Kansas City Commodity Office. 4.4 Daily reconciliation of inventory and merchandising activities. 4.5 Deliverable Schedule: All deliverables shall be functioning within 45 days of contract award. Section 5.0 Key Commodity Office Personnel In the Kansas City Commodity Office, the following persons are contacts: Jerry Cornell Martha Mitchell Chief, Bulk Commodities Division Chief, BCD, Merchandising Branch In the Warehouse and Inventory Division, Washington, D.C., the following persons Are point of contacts: Steve Gill Mark Overbo Director Deputy Director Section 6.0 Contractor Furnished Items The vendor shall work independently. The vendor will supply computer hardware and software, other equipment, and office space needed to conduct the work. Section 7.0 Basis of Award The award will be made using ?Best Value? Selection Process. The Technical Team will evaluate all proposals to identify all contractors whose proposals may be the best value to the government, price and other factors considered, in accordance with the SOW and the evaluation criteria set forth below. Evaluation will be made using 4 evaluation criteria ? (1) Technical Ability, (2) Past Performance, (3) Live Demonstration, (4) Price. Evaluation of factors: The combined Non-Price Related factors/experience are more important than Price. In the case where technical ratings and past performance ratings vary only slightly between offers, price will become a determining factor. Of all service providers meeting the basic requirements of technical ability and past performance, the Technical Evaluation Team will invite the apparent best value service provider(s) to conduct a live test demonstration. The best value determination will be made after the live test demonstrations. 7.1 Instructions: The vendor shall provide evidence or documentation for the following: 7.1.1 Minimum Two (2) years of experience of online marketing services for negotiated commodity sales and purchase transactions, with systems to provide accurate and timely accountability 7.1.2 An understanding of the commodity merchandising industry, specifically pertaining to the administrative responsibilities and operational functions 7.1.3 A minimum net worth of $1 million (evidenced by most recent audited financial statements) 7.1.4 The technical ability to provide the requested services. This may include a successful live test demonstration of their online marketing service on-site at the Kansas City Commodity Office. The Farm Service Agency will provide 5 days notification to schedule demonstration. Section 8.0 USDA Furnished Materials USDA will provide warehouse receipt data required from CCC?s inventory catalog for posting to an online service (Section 10.0). Section 9.0 Inspection and Acceptance 9.1 Inspection: USDA will review and make determinations on 100 percent of the deliverables. 9.2 Acceptance: Acceptance or Rejection of proposals by USDA ? The Project Manager will provide written electronic notice of acceptance or rejection of proposals. In the case of rejection, specifics will be provided to the vendor for the reason for rejection. Section 10.0 Attachments Attachment 1 (Applicable To All Commodities) Following is the anticipated data required from CCC?s inventory catalog for posting to an online service for all CCC-owned grain. Attachments 2 through 8 identify additional data that is specific to certain commodities. Field Name Comments Commodity Lot Number Grade U.S. Standard Special Grade Designation Class Gross Weight Pounds Net Weight Pounds Net Quantity Based on Unit of Measure Unit of Measure See Attachments 2 through 8 Test Weight Pounds Moisture Percent Heat Damaged Kernels Percent Foreign Material (as applicable) Percent Other Quality Factors Offer Price Per Unit of Measure Warehouse Code Warehouse Name Warehouse Location City Warehouse Location State Warehouse Location County Loadout Mode (as applicable) Truck, Rail, Barge, etc. Loadout Rate (as applicable) Per Unit of Measure Section 10.0 Attachments Attachment 2 (Wheat) Following is the anticipated data required from CCC?s inventory catalog for posting to an online service for all CCC-owned wheat. This data is in addition to the data identified in Attachment 1. Field Name Comments Unit of Measure Bushels Damaged Kernels (Total) Percent Dockage Percent Subclass Protein Percent Total Defects Percent Test Weight Pounds per Bushel Shrunken and Broken Kernels Percent Wheat of Other Classes Percent Contrasting Classes Percent Falling Numbers Count HVAC Count Section 10.0 Attachments Attachment 3 (Barley) Following is the anticipated data required from CCC?s inventory catalog for posting to an online service for all CCC-owned barley. This data is in addition to the data identified in Attachment 1. Field Name Comments Unit of Measure Bushels Damaged Kernels (Total) Percent Dockage Percent Subclass Protein Percent Broken Kernels Percent Sound Barley Percent Thin Barley Percent Section 10.0 Attachments Attachment 4 (Oats) Following is the anticipated data required from CCC?s inventory catalog for posting to an online service for all CCC-owned oats. This data is in addition to the data identified in Attachment 1. Field Name Comments Unit of Measure Bushels Sound-Cultivated Oats Percent Wild Oats Percent Section 10.0 Attachments Attachment 5 (Corn) Following is the anticipated data required from CCC?s inventory catalog for posting to an online service for all CCC-owned corn. This data is in addition to the data identified in Attachment 1. Field Name Comments Unit of Measure Bushels Damaged Kernels (Total) Percent Broken Corn and Foreign Material (BKFM) Percent Section 10.0 Attachments Attachment 6 (Grain Sorghum) Following is the anticipated data required from CCC?s inventory catalog for posting to an online service for all CCC-owned grain sorghum. This data is in addition to the data identified in Attachment 1. Field Name Comments Unit of Measure Hundredweight Damaged Kernels (Total) Percent Dockage Percent Broken Kernels and Foreign Material: foreign material (part of total), and total Percent Section 10.0 Attachments Attachment 7 (Rice) Following is the anticipated data required from CCC?s inventory catalog for posting to an online service for all CCC-owned rice. This data is in addition to the data identified in Attachment 1. Field Name Comments Unit of Measure Hundredweight Color Smut Percent Milling Yield Whole Kernel and Total Kernel Count Section 10.0 Attachments Attachment 8 (Soybeans) Following is the anticipated data required from CCC?s inventory catalog for posting to an online service for all CCC-owned soybeans. This data is in addition to the data identified in Attachment 1. Field Name Comments Unit of Measure Bushels Damaged Kernels (Total) Percent Splits Percent Soybeans of Other Colors Percent
- Place of Performance
- Address: To Be Determined
- Record
- SN01013168-W 20060325/060323211734 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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