REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON BANKING FACILITIES AND SERVICES The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), Department of Defense, is seeking firms that can provide services to efficiently and effectively match banking facilities and services with the needs of the Agency and the commissary patrons. This is a request for information only and is not a request for proposals. DeCA operates a worldwide system of commissaries providing quality groceries at lowest practicable cost to members of the U.S. Military Services. Commissary patrons include active-duty military, retirees, members of the Reserve and National Guard, and their family members. The commissary system, a worldwide chain of approximately 300 stores, is the ninth largest food retailing chain in America. DeCA is adding in-store banks in selected commissaries, much like the grocery industry. Floor space within commissaries will be provided to financial institutions to establish an in-store bank. The potential may exist to establish in-store banks at 170 commissaries worldwide. Department of Defense regulations pmit only one bank and one credit union per military installation. The in-store financial institution must be one of the institutions currently licensed to do business on the installation. Financial institutions are authorized by the installation commander to operate on the installation. Interested firms should submit a summary of their experience in working with ffinancial institutions that locate banking facilities in retail establishments and also address in their summary: alternative approaches to providing banking services in different markets, elements of typical agreements between an in-store bank and its host, lessons learned from the process of instituting an in-store banking program with retailers seeking to establish an in-store banking program, and the consideration usually exchanged between the financial institution and the host retail establishment. Financial institutions currently located on military installations are invited to submit comments on the establishment of in-store banks in commissaries. The Government will not pay for any material provided in response to this request for information, nor will the Government return the data provided. No contractual relationship will be established between DeCA and entities that respond to this request for information. There may be opportunities for the entities responding to this request for information to develop business relationships with the financial institutions that will provide banking services to DeCA. Entities possessing the expertise and capabilities to provide the type of information requested are invited to submit information packages not later than January 15, 1998, to: Defense Commissary Agency, Directorate of Resource Management, ATTN: Mr. Greg Kochuba, 1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800. Responses do not constitute a proposal. For further information, contact Mr. Kochuba at (804) 734-8783 or 734-8333.

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