REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)
Office of Field Operations
San Diego Field Office
Kenneling Services Calexico
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
INTRODUCTION
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is conducting market research to gain a greater understanding of the full range of available options to meet the government's preliminarily identified requirements. This is an RFI released pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 Market Research. This RFI's purpose is to obtain market information on viable sources of supply, industry practices, answers to specific questions, and industry comments. All RFI submissions become Government property and will not be returned.
This announcement constitutes an official RFI. Further, CBP is not at this time seeking quotes and will not accept unsolicited quotes. Your response to this RFI will be treated as information only. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this announcement or Government use of such information. No funds have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this effort. The information provided may be used by CBP in developing and refining its Acquisition Strategy, Statement of Work (SOW), and Performance Specifications. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition-sensitive information contained in their response. The U.S. Government does not intend to award a contract solely on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information submitted in response to same. The U.S. Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the results of this survey.
DESCRIPTION
This initiative is being pursued to procure commercial Canine Kenneling services for 36 43 CBP-owned canines, with capacity for up to 7 additional canines in case of evacuations. The contractor will provide all labor, supervision, equipment, and supplies. The kennel must be located within the United States and within a 25-mile radius of the following locations:
- Calexico East Port of Entry: 1699 E. Carr Rd., Calexico, CA 92231.
- Calexico West Port of Entry: 200 E. First St., Calexico, CA 92231.
Detailed specifications for the equipment and accessories are provided in the attached Statement of Work (SOW).
INFORMATION REQUESTED:
Please provide answers to the following questions:
- Company Name, Company Address, Point of Contact, Telephone Number, and E-mail Address.
- Are you under NAICS code 812910 Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services? If not, what NAICS code do you use? What size business are you registered as with this code?
- Is your organization capable of providing the technical requirements included in the attached draft SOW?
- Do you have any concerns or questions regarding the requirements set forth in the attached draft SOW?
- Is your organization capable of meeting the 25-mile radius requirement from the Calexico East and West Ports of Entry?
- Can your facility accommodate between 36 43 canines, with capacity for up to 7 additional canines in emergencies?
- Does your organization comply with the Animal Welfare Act (9 CFR 3.1 and 3.11) and the National Canine Enforcement Handbook (HB 3200-07B)?
- Does your kennel facility meet the specific requirements for flooring, ventilation, lighting, fencing, and video surveillance as described in the SOW?
RESPONSES
Responses shall be the minimum length necessary to accommodate all requested information and submitted via e-mail only. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the SAM.gov website. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement.
QUESTIONS
Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Contracting Officer, email address listed below. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions, if not answered directly to the respondee, will be answered by posting on the System for Award Management (https://sam.gov/) website; accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary, sensitive, or classified information.
Instructions and Response Guidelines:
Please provide the information you deem relevant in order to respond to the specific inquiries of the RFI. Information provided will be used solely by CBP as market research. This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for
Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid, or Request for Quotation (RFQ), and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract, nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response to this request. All information contained in this RFI is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government.
RFI Responses shall be submitted electronically via email to the Contract Specialist, PATAO, CHRISTOPHER at christopher.patao@cbp.dhs.gov no later than 10:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on Monday, 6 January 2025.
Telephone responses will not be accepted. The Government is not required to respond to any information provided in response to this RFI. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor https://sam.gov/ for additional information pertaining to this RFI.
Background
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), specifically the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, is conducting market research to identify viable sources for commercial Canine Kenneling services. This initiative supports the Canine Enforcement Program (CEP), which enhances CBP's mission through the detection and apprehension of undocumented immigrants and the seizure of controlled substances. The goal is to procure kennel facilities that can house CBP-owned canines efficiently.
Work Details
The contractor will provide all labor, supervision, equipment, and supplies necessary for kenneling services for 36 to 43 CBP-owned canines, with capacity for up to 7 additional canines in case of emergencies. The kennel must be located within a 25-mile radius of the Calexico East and West Ports of Entry. Specific requirements include:
- Secure and insured boarding for the canines.
- Compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and National Canine Enforcement Handbook.
- Employee background checks must clear Local and National Crime Information Center (NCIC) checks.
- 24-hour access for Canine Enforcement Officers (CEOs) to retrieve their assigned canines within ten minutes.
- Facilities must be secure from public access, with double gates/doors for entry/exit.
- The environment must be quiet and conducive to rest, free from distractions.
Place of Performance
The kennel facility must be located within the United States, specifically within a 25-mile radius of Calexico East Port of Entry at 1699 E. Carr Rd., Calexico, CA 92231, and Calexico West Port of Entry at 200 E. First St., Calexico, CA 92231.
