Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, Directorate of Contracting, DRMS-PO, Federal Center, 74 Washington Avenue N, Battle Creek, MI 49017-3092

PRESOLICITATION CONFERENCE FOR SALE OF SURPLUS MEDICAL DENTAL AND VETERINARY EQUIPMENT Point of Contact is Tina Musolf, DRMS-D, (616) 961-5973. Request for expressions of interest - long-term sale of medical, dental, and veterinary equipment. The Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), a primary level field activity of the Defense Logistics Agency, is planning to offer future generations of surplus medical, dental, and veterinary equipment for sale on a multi-year basis. This sale will be conducted using a two-step formal process consisting of two distinct steps: (1) Solicitation, submission, and evaluation of technical proposals to determine acceptability; and (2) Issuance of a formal Invitation for Bids (IFB) only to those firms who have submitted acceptable technical proposals under Step 1. The technical proposals, as submitted, will be evaluated and determined to be either: (A) Acceptable; (B) Reasonably susceptible of being made acceptable by additional information; or (C) Unacceptable. Any proposal which modifies or fails to conform to the essential requirements or specifications of this request for technical proposals may be considered unacceptable. The intent of this IFB is to enter a partnership with the Government to sell and add value to the surplus property. The Invitation for Bids will be issued to bidders who have been rated technically acceptable on step one. Bidders are advised to submit proposals which are fully and clearly acceptable without additional explanation or information, since the Government may make a final determination on whether a proposal is acceptable or unacceptable based solely on the proposal as submitted and proceed directly with the second step of this sale without requesting or permitting the submission of further information from any bidder. If the Government deems it necessary to assure adequate bid competition in the second step, or otherwise finds it desirable and in its best interest, the Government may in its sole discretion, request additional information from bidders after initial technical proposal submission. Such information will only be requested from bidders whose proposals are considered reasonably susceptible of being made acceptable. The additional information requested on such proposals will only be submitted to clarify of supplement, but not basically change the proposal as initially submitted. For this purpose, the Government may discuss any such proposal with the bidder. Firms submitting proposals determined to be unacceptable within step 1 will be notified. It is anticipated that the IFB (Step 2) will be issued in approximately thirty days or less from the date designated for receipt of the technical proposals, but only to those firms whose technical proposals have been determined to be acceptable in Step 1. No other firms will be invited to bid or considered for award. Each bid in Step 2 must be based on the bidder's acceptable technical proposal submitted in Step 1. Award will be made to the highest responsive/responsible bidder, and the awardee's technical proposal will be incorporated as part of the contract. The request for technical proposals is not binding on the Government and does not in any way commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of the request technical proposal nor does it commit the Government to contract for the items involved. An industry meeting regarding this IFB will be held at HQ DRMS, Battle Creek, Michigan, on or about October 30, 1996. Interested parties should contact Tina Musolf by mail at DRMS-J, Federal Center, 74 N. Washington, Battle Creek, Michigan, 49017-3092, by facsimile at (616) 961-5848, or by e-mail at tmusolf@drms.dla.mil, to attend the industry meeting or to request a copy of the draft IFB. An industry meeting regarding this IFB will be held at HQ DRMS, Battle Creek, Michigan, on or about October 30, 1996. Submission of written questions and comments prior to the industry conference regarding the draft IFB are encouraged. DRMS intends to issue the Step 1 invitation in late November 1996. (292)

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