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

[The Bread Guy]

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.

Respondents are encouraged to provide ideas and suggestions on how the eventual solicitation (pricing, evaluation components, work scope, etc.) might be structured.

Note that at this time, there is no firm requirement for procurement. A subsequent solicitation will be issued once a requirement for procurement has been finalized ....

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

 

[Halifax Tar]

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

 

[Monsoon]

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.

 

[The Bread Guy]

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



b.
Interpreter
Services



c.
Refuse
Coordination

d.
Collection,
Holding
and
Transfer
(CHT)/Sewage
Removal

e.
Waste
Oil
and
Aggregate
Water
Removal


f.
Disposal
of
Hazardous
Materials

g.
Fresh
Potable
Water



h.
Pilots,
Tugboats,
Line
Handlers
and
Berthing
Services

i.
Cargo
Lighterage

j.
Crane
Services

k.
Brows
(Gangways)


l.
Cargo
Drayage/Free
Time/Demurrage/Detention


m.
Water
Taxi
Service


n.
Vehicle
Rental

o.
Bus
Services



p.
Paint
Float
Rental

q.
Forklift
Services



r.
Telephone
Service

s.
Internet




t.
Fenders


u.
Administration/Coordination
of
Airport
Services

v.
Administration/Coordination
of
Passenger
Handling

w.
Electrical
and
Steam
Connections
and
Service



x.
Cable
TV
Connections
and
Service



y.
Provision
of
Force
Protection
Services



z.
Coordination
of
Laundry
and
Dry
Cleaning



aa.
Coordination
of
Banking/Currency
Requirements



ab.
Fuel

(possible
that
fuel
will
be
tendered
individually)

ac.
Containment
Booms



ad.
Coordination
of
Local
Repair
for
Vessel/Unit
Equipment



ae.
Coordination
of
Accommodations



af.
Rations

ag.
Repair
and
Maintenance
Period
–
Small
Repair
Services
....

 

[Monsoon]

From the RFI documents:

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

 

[Journeyman]

....and cable TV 

 

[The Bread Guy]

....and cable TV 

Can't forget that, can we?

 

[garb811]

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

 

[gcclarke]

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?

 

[Navy_Pete]

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.

 

[Furniture]

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.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

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.