JanSan 2nd Generation RFI
Request For Information (RFI)
Strategic Sourcing, Janitorial and Sanitation (JanSan) Supplies Purchase Channel Next Generation, Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) 73, Enhanced SIN(s) 375 xxx
BACKGROUND
The General Services Administration (GSA) is considering the creation of a new, enhanced SIN(s) on the 73 Schedule to fulfill federal and DoD customer agency demand for Janitorial and Sanitation (JanSan) part numbered products.
The initial BPA's awarded under JanSan Purchasing Channel will expire in July 2019. The enhanced SIN(s) would serve as a next generation of the FSSI JanSan Purchasing Channel in lieu of a traditional BPA. SIN 375 XXX is being used to designate the new enhanced SIN, although multiple enhanced SINs may be introduced. A new SIN number(s) and description(s) will be created when plans are finalized for the opening of an offer period on the new SIN(s).
GOALS
The goal of the new approach is to:
● Reduce duplication for vendors and customers, simplifying contract and catalog management for vendors, and reducing confusion for customers (federal buyers)
● Increase small business participation
● Bring greater selection of JanSan items that are either currently not available on the JanSan Purchasing Channel, or not available at competitive pricing.
● Obtain lower pricing on items offered, for example pricing that falls within the lowest quartile, or lowest 25% of all pricing among Government buying options, for like items, while still retaining the most desirable features (based on customer feedback) of the current generation solution
FEATURES
Based on customer and vendor feedback obtained to date, the enhanced SIN(s) would retain the Best in Class (BIC) features and FSSI characteristics that the current solution provides:
● Fast delivery (5 to 7 business days)
● Lowest possible pricing
● Savings, spend data --including transactional data --and performance metrics available
● Wide selection/large catalog of part numbered items
● Variety of ordering options - Allow direct ordering from customer agencies to vendors, through GSA Advantage!® , walk in stores, vendor website, and/or other means for federal and DoD buyers of part numbered items
● Schedule solution (TAA compliance, green product requirements, and other features built-in)
● A to-be-determined Contract Access Fee, currently at 2% under the current generation solution's fee structure
● AbilityOne authorized resellers
In addition, the enhanced SIN could come with new features to potentially include:
● BPAs to MAS
Allow customer agencies to solicit and place BPAs directly with vendors against the enhanced SIN(s), enabling easier set aside compliance based on agencies' internal needs and easier repeat ordering for an agency's most-ordered items
● Reduced duplication for Vendors
Single upload process for Enhanced SIN catalog items; no more "double review" at both the MAS CO level and then at the BPA CO level
● Reduced duplication for Customers
○ Removing products offered under a vendor's existing SINs onto the new, enhanced SIN(s)
○ Focusing the SIN definitions and scope to allow more specialized offerings (i.e., vendors offer popular commercial products vs providing products to meet a "market basket")
○ To enable this, Contractors may be disallowed from holding an existing 51V SIN alongside its new enhanced SIN(s), simultaneously. (ie, holding both current SIN for cleaning products and a new enhanced SIN)
● Zonal pricing
To reduce shipping costs or structure shipping charges commensurate with weight/cube/distance
● FOB Destination &/or Minimum Order Quantities
For some items with prohibitive shipping or low dollar value; ability to tailor offering/minimum order amounts, and potentially some allowance for offering Origin vs Destination pricing
● Targeted Socioeconomic Vendors
Encouraging participation of socioeconomic vendors such as veteran-owned small businesses and service disabled, veteran-owned small businesses to allow for increased small business participation while also allowing customer agencies to more easily meet set aside requirements
● Smarter Discounts
Rather than across the board discounts (tier discounts), vendors may be able to:
● Run temporary sales
● Offer discounts based on the line, brand, or supplier
● Give additional discounts at certain order sizes
● Adjust pricing dynamically
● Sensible Fill or Kill Response Times
24 hrs response under the current increased to at least 72 hrs
● Common Understanding of Delivery Times
Reduce customer and vendor confusion with a clear set of delivery guidelines, due dates.
Questions for Industry Response
1. Would the features listed above help you to offer the lowest price -- or at least the lowest 25th percentile pricing -- on Schedule? If so, which features would best help you to achieve lower pricing, based on your business costs/ business model? (1 page maximum)
2. For current JanSan Purchase Channel holders: which contract terms under the current JanSan Purchasing vehicle are the most cost prohibitive? (for example, data reporting, spend reporting, product add modifications, minimum order, FOB destination, combo of all these, or others not mentioned here, etc.) (1 page maximum)
3. Would you be willing/interested to quote on the enhanced SIN(s) in the above format? Provide comments on the above features such as what about the above features would you change or what would you suggest that could enhance price competitiveness and/or effectiveness? Are any of the features above ‘non-starters' or deal breakers for your company that would make effectively unable or uninterested in quoting? (1 page maximum)
4. Provide suggestions as to what the government could do to comply with Green product requirements (i.e. BioPreferred and CPG requirements and Executive Order 13514) at more competitive pricing. (1 page maximum)
5. Please suggest any additional features for this solution that can drive down your cost structure and improve the pricing for the federal customer. (1 page maximum)
Send responses to fssi.jansan@gsa.gov with "RFI Response" and your company name in the subject line, ie, "RFI Response - ABC Company" no later than August 14, 2017.
We highly encourage vendors to communicate with their questions and clarifications to the above email, before the response due date. GSA is aiming for a highly collaborative effort with the vendor community in the development of the next generation, to deliver maximum value for our customers.
If you currently have a Schedule contract, In addition to answers on the above questions, please ensure you also include:
● Your Schedule contract number.
● Are you a Manufacturer/Brand Owner, or are you a Non-Manufacturer (ie Reseller or Distributor)? Do you do both and if so, please indicate which commodities you play in.
● Your Primary specialization or niche focus, within the JanSan scope. If you do have a wide assortment, what is your strongest niche?
If you do not currently have a Schedule contract, please include the following information:
● DUNS number
● Socioeconomic classification(s) that you hold (Small Business, Women Owned Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business, SBA Certified 8(a) Firm, SBA Certified HUBZone Firm, or Other than Small, i.e. Large)
● Primary specialization or niche focus, within the JanSan scope. If you have a wide assortment, what is your strongest niche?
STAY ENGAGED!
We will be using GSA Interact JanSan Group as a forum for communicating information regarding this RFI and future developments of the next generation solution.
https://interact.gsa.gov/group/federal-strategic-sourcing-initiative-fssi-janitorial-sanitation
Interested parties are invited to subscribe to this Group to ensure that they receive important information or updates connected with this RFI.
DISCLAIMER
This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. Any information submitted by respondents to this request is strictly voluntary. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Quote (RFQ), nor does its issuance obligate or restrict the Government to an eventual acquisition approach.
The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses from this RFI or pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the use of such information. All information received from this RFI will be used for planning and market research purposes only. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in a future solicitation, if any is issued.
The Government may supplement any written responses received for this RFI, with responses received through other informal and digital methods in accordance with FAR 10.002, both during the open period of the RFI and after its close, including but not limited to emails, phone calls, and online or email surveys.
Dana N. Weaver, Phone 8178508338, Email dana.weaver@gsa.gov
