Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, 38th LS/LGC, 4009 Hilltop Road, Tinker AFB, OK, 73145-2713

D -- REQUEST FOR INDUSTRY COMMENT/ADVANTAGES OF CENTRALIZED PURCHASE OF CELLULAR PHONES AND/OR SERVICES. SOL Reference-Number-F34608RFI0001 DUE 121799 POC Tomma Hofegartner, Contracting Officer, Phone 405-734-9297, Fax 405-734-9220, Email tomma.hofegartner@tinker.af.mil -- Cathy Summers, Contracting Officer, Phone (405) 734-9759, Fax (405) 734-9537, Email WEB: Visit this URL for the latest information about this, http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=R&;ProjID=Reference-Num ber-F34608RFI0001&LocID=982. E-MAIL: Tomma Hofegartner, tomma.hofegartner@tinker.af.mil. This is a sources sought/market survey synopsis being conducted in support of the U.S. Air Force Audit Agency, March ARB, CA. The purpose is to determine the feasibility of pursuing a consolidated central acquisition for cellular phone service and to determine if the United States Air Force (USAF) would benefit substantially from the establishment of a central Air Force contract for the purchase and/or lease of cellular telephones and service at all CONUS Air Force bases. AFAA findings and recommendations will be compiled and be submitted for review/implementation. If beneficial, the resultant contract would be recommended for implementation with mandatory usage by all Air Force bases. The contract would be available for use by Reserve, Guard, and other agencies under limitations to be defined in a solicitation. To aid industry in their determination, the Government has consolidated a spreadsheet to depict the number of current cellular phones and average usage currently being utilized at 13 active AirForce bases. This spreadsheet can be downloaded from the Electronic Posting System (EPS). Interested parties are requested to provide comments or discussion on the following areas of concern: (1) The Air Force requires a broad menu of plans which provide users a wide selection of cellular products and services for purchasing or leasing. Would industry encounter problems or difficulties extending that type of offering to all USAF activities? (2) Does industry foresee any difficulty in pooling of air time minutes at the delivery order or contract level versus individual telephone plan? Is flat rate monthly charge with a consolidated delivery order/contract usage pool feasible? If so, what type of impact would that have on the monthly fee in percentage of cost or fee? (3) Is industry ready to offer one monthly fee with nationwide service (no pool/no limit/no peak or off peak services) regardless of prime/sub teaming arrangements? (4) From industry view, what criterion is applicable to support a purchase versus lease decision by the Air Force customer at the time a cellular phone is determined necessary to meet mission requirements? (5) From industry view, are there any problems or difficulties foreseen if a centrally negotiated contract is established which authorizes local ordering by individual base activities or base contracting offices? Payment methodology under the proposed contract would be by USAF Impact Card transactions for all products or services received under the contract/orders. (6) If a central contract is awarded, does industry foresee any problem or difficulty due to geographic dispersion of facilities or establishment of multiple prime/sub relationships, if required? Or, are there any established industry practices on franchises, dealerships, or resale arrangements that would inhibit or prohibit execution of a central Air Force contract? (7) Is it feasible for the prime contractor to collect contract data information concerning Air Force usage, either internal by a single prime or collectively from prime/subcontract relationships, on all Air Force sales and to identify Air Force buying trends? Such data would be furnished periodically as contract deliverables. (8) Can industry provide for technology insertion/upgrade into the term renewal plans? Can credit be established for phones acquired by the Government under initial purchase plans where the renewal can provide better technology? (9) What type of contract does industry consider to best provide for the flexibility desired? Is a firm-fixed price contract the best approach? Does industry perceive any advantages to use a requirements type contract versus IDIQ or cost contract? (10) Can industry offer any special discounts or payment terms and conditions for the sole use of the Government Impact Card at the disbursement methodology? (11) What term of contract would industry recommend for the central contract and the purchase or lease plans to be proposed? Is a five-year contract adequate? (12) Based upon the estimated quantities of telephones and the monthly usage pattern reflected in Attachment A, what volume of savings is realistically to be expected by the USAF? The Government will be available on 6 or 7 December 1999 at Tinker AFB if industry is interested in holding a presentation or discussions regarding this RFI. The suspense date for scheduling one of these dates is 30 Nov 1999. Points of contact for this effort are Ms.Tomma Hofegartner and/or Ms. Cathy Summers at (405) 734-9297/9759 or Fax, 405-734-9537. Posted 10/28/99 (D-SN396127). (0301)

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