Fleet Industrial Supply Center Norfolk, Detachment Philadelphia, 700 Robbins Ave., Bldg. 2B, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5084

B -- BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT DUE 011598 POC Point of Contact -- William D. Niewood, Contract Specialist, 215-697-9653, Contracting Officer, Mario J. Cesarone, 215-697-9653 E-MAIL: click here to contact SUP43 via e-mail, thomas_p_pate@navsup.navy.mil. Alternative Methods of Feeding Afloat Navy Sailors BACKGROUND: The United States Navy feeds sailors aboard ship using traditional methods. Meals are prepared with mixers, steam kettles, ovens and grills using raw ingredients. The crew is served cafeteria style using plates, glasses and silverware that requires cleaning and sanitation after each meal. While the quality of food prepared is excellent, the cost of feeding sailors using traditional methods is very high. Navy food costs run approximately $800 Million per year, with over 15,000 Food Service personnel involved in preparation of 130 million meals afloat per year. REQUIREMENTS: The Navy is interested in finding lower cost messing alternatives that provide an acceptable level of food quality, with less intensive shipboard manpower requirements. The primary goal is to reduce the number of sailors required in food management, preparation, service, and clean-up aboard ship. Concept papers are solicited for alternative means of feeding the crew aboard ship. Concept papers may include recommendations for more efficient methods of food preparation, innovations in equipment, new technologies or procedures. This is a solicitation for ideas to be implemented on a prototype platform to verify the feasibility of new methods or food products to feed shipboard personnel. An Aircraft Carrier is the desired prototype platform, since it represents the largest and most complex afloat feeding operation. (1) Concept papers will be constrained by the requirement to maintain an acceptable quality of life for shipboard sailors. Quantity and quality of food must be maintained. The typical Aircraft Carrier operates seven separate galleys. The numbers shown represent meals per day (MPD) at sea: Captains Mess -- 9 MPD; Flag Mess -- 90 MPD; Wardroom I -- 800 MPD; Wardroom II -- 700 MPD; Chief Petty Officer's mess -- 1600 MPD; AFT general mess -- 10,000 MPD; FWD general mess -- 5,000 MPD. The current size of a typical Aircraft Carrier food service staff is approximately 300. A primary metric for determining success of the implemented Concept must be crew satisfaction with the quality of the meals. (2) Concept papers must address sustainability issues. Deployed ships have sustainability requirements ranging from 30 to 90 days. This requirement drives the required stowage space. Typical stowage aboard an Aircraft Carrier includes 11,441 cu. Ft. chill; 14,584 cu. Ft. freeze; 42,116 cu. Ft. dry storage. Concept paperss which require substantially more stowage space might limit the sustainability of a war ship and will not be considered. Surface combatants are frequently replenished at sea to maintain longer time on station. Any replenishment provisions, raw or prepared must be packaged for transport on Navy replenishment ships and potential movement between ships via Navy Underway Replenishment (UNREP) procedures. (3) Concept papers will provide a detailed plan describing the alternative messing proposals being made, the projected cost, manning requirements, and potential stowage requirements. CRITERIA: Concept papers will be evaluated based on technical merit, scope of potential applicability, and estimated cost. (Note: Items 1 through 3 are in descending order of importance. No particular sequence of importance is implied by the ordering of elements within Items 1, 2 or 3. 1.Technical: Proposed mechanism to provide nutritious and appetizing meals to afloat sailors within the broad constraints of available food service technology. No Research and Development for new technology is desired. Concept papers should include only new applications of existing and proven technology. Proposed mechanism to convert afloat food service operations from existing equipment, work spaces and personnel to the new methods of operation. Background and corporate experience in the areas of food service and hotel management. 2.Scope: Potential for reduction in number of sailors currently providing afloat food service. Potential for supporting the Navy's desire to standardize business practices and services across platform types. Some unique difficulties are anticipated with application of any new methods to submarines or very small units. However, priority will be given to those ideas with the widest possible application and potential for expansion. 3.Cost: Concept papers should include the complete cost estimate for prototypes on a number of different sized platforms, ranging from small combatants to aircraft carriers. They should also include cost estimates for expansion of the new methodologies beyond the prototype ships to all potential platforms. The purpose of this Broad Agency Announcement is to solicit Concept papers which will embody the above objectives for the Naval Supply Systems Command. Industry Associations as well as individual firms are encouraged to submit Concepts for consideration. Concept Papers can be submitted at any time but not later than COB 15 January 1998. The Navy reserves the right to select for award any or none of the responses received as well as the right to award to other than the lowest offeror. Contract award, if any, for concept development is expected to be made during the first quarter of calendar year 1998. Funding up to $250,000 may be available for this effort. The BAA is an expression of interest only and does not commit the government to pay any proposal preparation costs for responding to this BAA. Responses should be forwarded at no cost to the government. The cost of preparing proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resultant contract or any other contract. It is however, an allowable expense to normal bid and proposal indirect cost specified in FAR 31.205-18. All responsible sources may submit a concept paper which shall be considered by the Navy. All correspondence and offers are to be submitted by e-mail to: thomas_p_pate@navsup.navy.mil Or by mail to: Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command, Attn. SUP 43, 5450 Carlisle Pike, P O Box 2050, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. (0310)

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