# CF to industry:  how should we look for a company to support out ships overseas?



## The Bread Guy (20 Aug 2013)

This from MERX:


> .... A Request for Information (RFI) is not a bidding opportunity but an avenue to allow industry to provide information upon a potential requirement. In this case, industry feedback is sought from vendors on their ability to satisfy potential deployed logistics support services for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) before the issuance of a formal solicitation document.
> 
> *This RFI is issued by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) on behalf of the Department of National Defence (DND) to gather information to assist in forming a procurement strategy for supporting naval requirements in various ports around the world. DND has a requirement to obtain deployed support for the RCN in foreign ports where contracted support is required on an if and when requested basis.*
> 
> ...


More details in the RFI document here - deadline:  2013-09-16 05:00 PM Eastern Daylight Saving Time EDT


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## Halifax Tar (20 Aug 2013)

Isn't this called a ships chandler ?   Are we not reinventing the wheel yet again ?


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## Monsoon (20 Aug 2013)

Halifax Tar said:
			
		

> Isn't this called a ships chandler ?   Are we not reinventing the wheel yet again ?


Don't think so - it looks like DND is trying to find a way to do _procurement_ overseas (presumably not restricted to the procurement of basic port services). Just off the top of my head, being able to quickly obtain spares when a GENSET explodes, or to resupply ammunition from a non-Halifax-or-Esquimalt port, etc.


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## The Bread Guy (20 Aug 2013)

hamiltongs said:
			
		

> Don't think so - it looks like DND is trying to find a way to do _procurement_ overseas (presumably not restricted to the procurement of basic port services). Just off the top of my head, being able to quickly obtain spares when a GENSET explodes, or to resupply ammunition from a non-Halifax-or-Esquimalt port, etc.


From the RFI documents:


> .... Deployedlogisticalsupportservicestoinclude,butarenotbelimitedto,theprovisionofthe
> followinggoodsand/orservices:
> 
> a. CustomsClearance
> ...


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## Monsoon (20 Aug 2013)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> From the RFI documents:


So it looks like chandlery + repair and force protection services.


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## Journeyman (20 Aug 2013)

....and cable TV


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## The Bread Guy (20 Aug 2013)

Journeyman said:
			
		

> ....and cable TV


Can't forget that, can we?


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## garb811 (20 Aug 2013)

And the advantage of putting a man in the middle between the FLS/ship(s) and the Chandler would be...?


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## gcclarke (20 Aug 2013)

garb811 said:
			
		

> And the advantage of putting a man in the middle between the FLS/ship(s) and the Chandler would be...?



The ability to only have to negociate a single contract, and let the company that wins the bid be the ones who have to work out all the details in various ports?


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## Navy_Pete (20 Aug 2013)

Isn't there already a company(ies?) contracted for the chandlers?  Not sure if it's only short term or per trip, but we kept getting the same few guys working along the eastern seaboard, and they were interchangeable while in port as they worked for the same group.

Not sure if this is different or just supposed to be one big contract for a super chandler... who would probably just subcontract it to the locals we dealt with an charge us a premium.  There seems to be a push on to reduce 'contract management overhead', although all it means is we pay more in one big contract.  Might save some cash though as PWGSC 'contract management fees' drop off proportionately for larger contracts.


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## Furniture (24 Aug 2013)

We had a single company that dealt with a lot, if not all of the listed things on my trip to the Arabian Sea last year. Maybe it is an informal way to see if any other companies are interested in bidding on a contract if they decide to change things up?

The Satellite TV was great once it was up and running as long as we didn't turn too much or sail in certain directions... We watched a lot of Storage Wars and Canadian Pickers.


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## Oldgateboatdriver (24 Aug 2013)

Seems to me this is the key portion of the MERX:

" to gather information to assist in forming a procurement strategy  for supporting naval requirements in various ports around the world"

Will the strategy entail continuing to do what we do, or entail a "super-chandler" so ships always have a single point of contact and this super-chandler then organizes everything locally anywhere around the world?

Or regional super-chandlers: USA, Europe, Middle-east, Asia, etc.

So I think its a reasonable move for PSWC and DND to ask what is out there that might make getting port services easier for the ships, and come up with the appropriate strategy.


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