REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. Shipping, Transportation and/or Consolidation Companies. Puerto Rico Exports Program. Request for Information No.

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1 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Shipping, Transportation and/or Consolidation Companies Puerto Rico Exports Program Request for Information No. 1 Issued: April 28, 2011 CLOSING LOCATION: BY MAIL DDEC/PRIDCO PO Box San Juan, PR Attention: Puerto Rico Exports Program BY COURIER/IN PERSON DDEC/PRIDCO 355 F.D. Roosevelt Avenue, Suite 401 San Juan, PR Attention: Puerto Rico Exports Program CLOSING DATE: Response must be received before 5:00 p.m. Atlantic Standard time on May 20, If by mail, courier or in person, one (1) hard copy and one (1) electronic copy of the Response must be received before 5:00 p.m. Atlantic Standard time on May 20, Contact person: Jorge R. De Jesús Medina PO Box San Juan, PR (787) jaxport@pridco.com

2 1. DISCLAIMER THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS BASED UPON THE PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE PROGRAM AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO S VISION OF AND INTENTIONS TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM. NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, NOR ANY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, OR ANY SUBSEQUENT ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS OR NEGOTIATIONS SHALL BE DEEMED OR CONSTRUED TO BE A COMMITMENT OR PROMISE BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION OR OPERATIONS OF THE PROGRAM DESCRIBED HEREIN. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. NEITHER THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO, ANY OF ITS INSTRUMENTALITIES OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOMENT AND COMMERCE, NOR ANY OF THEIR OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR CONSULTANTS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCURACY OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED AS PART OF THIS RFI. ALL RESPONDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE ACCURACY OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED. THE USE OF ANY OF THIS INFORMATION IN THE PREPARATION OF A RESPONSE TO THE RFI IS AT THE SOLE RISK OF THE RESPONDENT. 2

3 2. Overview of the Requirement 2.1 Introduction and Objectives The Government of Puerto Rico s Strategic Model for a New Economy (MENE, by its Spanish initials) establishes the guiding principles for short, medium and long term economic growth in Puerto Rico. The MENE contemplates Puerto Rico s insertion into the global economy as a key measure for long term growth for every sector of our economy. As such, the MENE proposes to foster the development of local companies capable of exporting competitive goods and services. Currently, almost 99% of all Puerto Rican exports are products manufactured by foreign multinational companies. Traditionally, there has been a lack of local companies exporting their local products to the United States and elsewhere. As part of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce s (DDEC, by its Spanish initials) and the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company s ( PRIDCO ) efforts to foster exports by local companies, we have identified the need to help out small and medium-sized business gain access to key markets, in particular, the Southeast of the United States. PRIDCO wants to establish a pilot program in order to promote exports of Puerto Rican goods produced by small and medium-sized Puerto Rican companies in the United States. The establishment of said program may require the procurement of provider(s) for the consolidation, shipping and/or logistics at the destination port for ocean borne freight from the Port of San Juan to the Port of Jacksonville. The main goal behind the program is to subsidize (albeit temporarily) exports from Puerto Rican small and medium sized businesses to the Port of Jacksonville. The Port of Jacksonville is an ideal location for an export hub because: (i) over 70 percent of all ocean-borne freight shipped between the mainland and Puerto Rico is handled in Jacksonville; (ii) Puerto Rico is Jacksonville s main trading partner, and the Jacksonville community has a robust network of ocean carriers and logistics service providers experienced with handling Puerto Rico cargo (including the four Jones Act ocean carriers servicing Puerto Rico, Crowley Maritime, Horizon Lines, Trailer Bridge and Sea Star); and (iii) there are multiple industrial parks located in close proximity to Port of Jacksonville Authority (JAXPORT) facilities, including the Blount Island Marine Terminal, where operations are provided by three of the four ocean carriers servicing Puerto Rico from Jacksonville. All of these industrial parks have existing buildings available for lease, and also property available for build to suit projects. This Request for Information seeks information from consolidators, freight operators, logistics providers and/or others in Puerto Rico and Jacksonville that may provide guidance as to pricing, requirements and any and all information that may assist in the pilot program described above. 2.2 Definitions Throughout this Request for Information, the following definitions will be used: a) Closing Date and Time means 5:00 PM Atlantic Time on May 20, 2011; 3

4 b) Closing Location means the address on the front cover of this RFI; c) Commonwealth means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or any of its instrumentalities or political subdivisions, including the DDEC and PRIDCO; d) Contract means a written contract executed by the Commonwealth and the Contractor as a result of Direct Solicitation; e) DDEC means the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, sponsor Commonwealth agency of the Program; f) Issue Date means April 28, 2011; g) must or mandatory means a requirement that must be met in order for a Response to receive consideration; h) PRIDCO means the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company; i) Program means the Puerto Rico Exports Pilot Program; j) Respondent means an individual or a company that submits, or intends to submit, a Response; k) Response means a statement of qualifications submitted in reply to this RFI; l) RFI means this Request for Qualifications; m) RFI Review Team means the committee formed by DDEC, which may include employees and contractors of the DDEC and other instrumentalities of the Commonwealth, to evaluate each Response; n) should or desirable means a requirement having a significant degree of importance to the objectives of this RFI. 3. Request for Information 3.1 Inquiries All inquiries related to this RFI are to be directed, in writing, to the contact person at the mailing address on the front cover of this RFI on or before May 13, Responses to questions and clarification requests received in writing will be made in writing and will be distributed to all Respondents. Any oral explanations or instructions provided by DDEC, PRIDCO or its consultants shall not be considered binding. Information obtained from any other source is not official and should not be relied upon. 3.2 Closing Date 4

5 One complete hard copy of each Response plus one electronic copy on CD, diskette or other carrier media must be received before the Closing Date and Time at the Closing Location. Responses must not be sent by facsimile. Responses and their envelopes should be clearly marked with the name and address of the Respondent, the RFI number, and the following: Puerto Rico Exports Program. 3.3 Late Responses Responses will be marked with their receipt time at the closing location. Only complete Responses received and marked before the Closing Date and Time in the manner set forth in Section 3.2 above will be considered to have been received on time. Hard-copies of late Responses will not be considered or evaluated and will be returned to the Respondent. In the event of a dispute, the Response receipt time as recorded at the address on the front cover of this RFI will prevail whether accurate or not. 3.4 RFI Review Team An RFI Review Team formed by DDEC and PRIDCO, which may include employees and contractors of the DDEC, PRIDCO and other instrumentalities of the Commonwealth, will evaluate each Response. The decision of the RFI Review Team with regard to any particular Response is final and may not be appealed. 3.5 Review and Selection The RFI Review Team will evaluate Responses against the mandatory criteria set forth in Section 5 below. Responses not meeting all mandatory criteria will be rejected without further consideration. The RFI Review Team reserves the right to accept, reject, and/or interview any or all Respondents. The RFI Review Team also reserves the right to contact Respondents with requests for clarification or additional information, or to arrange other follow-up activities it deems appropriate. The RFI Review Team may select a limited number of Respondents for interviews. Short-listed Respondents selected for interview shall be notified of the time, date and location for oral presentations. Upon completion of the interview process, the DDEC or any of the agencies or instrumentalities under its umbrella reserves the right to immediately enter into contract negotiations with a selected Respondent. 3.6 Signed Responses The Response must include a cover letter substantially similar to the cover letter set forth in Appendix A executed by a person authorized to sign on behalf of the Respondent and to bind the Respondent to statements made in the Response to this RFI. 5

6 3.7 Changes to Response Wording The Respondent will not change the wording of its Response after the Closing Date and Time and no words or comments will be added to the Response unless requested by DDEC or PRIDCO for purposes of clarification. 3.8 Respondent Expenses Respondents are solely responsible for their own expenses incurred in preparing a Response or for any costs incurred prior to the execution of a Contract, including any negotiations with the Commonwealth relating thereto. The Commonwealth will not be liable to any Respondent for any claims, whether for costs or damages incurred by the Respondent in preparing the Response, loss of anticipated profit in connection with any final Contract, or any other matter whatsoever. 3.9 Definition of Contract Respondents should not construe a Response to this RFI as a contract nor infer a commitment of any kind. Notice in writing to a Respondent will likewise not constitute a contract nor give the Respondent any legal or equitable rights or privileges relative to the service requirements set out in this RFI. Only if a Respondent and the Commonwealth enter into a subsequent full written Contract will a Respondent acquire any legal or equitable rights or privileges Modification of Terms / Additional Information DDEC reserves the right to modify the terms of this RFI at any time in its sole discretion. This includes modifying any of the procedures identified in the RFI, including the right to cancel this RFI at any time without entering into a Contract. All subsequent information regarding this RFI, including changes made to this document, will be posted on the RFI Website. It is the sole responsibility of the Respondent to check for amendments and additional information on the RFI Website Ownership of Responses All documents, including Responses, submitted to PRIDCO become the property of PRIDCO. Responses and any information made a part of the responses will not be returned to the sender. The RFI and the selected Respondent s Response to this RFI may, by reference, become a part of the Contract between the Respondent and the Commonwealth Confidentiality of Information Information pertaining to the Commonwealth and the Program obtained by the Respondent as a result of participation in this RFI is confidential and must not be disclosed without written authorization from DDEC. 6

7 3.13 Collection and Use of Personal Information Respondents are solely responsible for familiarizing themselves, and ensuring that they comply, with the laws applicable to the collection and dissemination of information, including resumes and other personal information concerning employees. If this RFI requires Respondents to provide PRIDCO with personal information of employees who have been included as resources in response to this RFI, Respondents will ensure that they have obtained written consent from each of those employees before forwarding such personal information to PRIDCO. Such written consents are to specify that the personal information may be forwarded to PRIDCO for the purposes of responding to this RFI and use by PRIDCO for the purposes set out in the RFI. PRIDCO may, at any time, request from Respondents the original consents or copies of the original consents, and upon such request being made, Respondents will immediately supply such originals or copies to DDEC Receipt Confirmation Form Respondents must fill out and return the attached Receipt Confirmation Form set forth in Appendix B. All subsequent information regarding this RFI, including changes made to this document, will be directed to Respondents who return the Receipt Confirmation Form. Subsequent information will be distributed by the method indicated on the Receipt Confirmation Form Additional Conditions and Limitations The Respondent shall not offer any gratuities or anything of monetary value to any official or employee of the Commonwealth or any member of the RFI Review Team for the purpose of influencing consideration of a response to this RFI. Other than as specifically provided in this RFI, Respondents are specifically prohibited from contacting any official or employee of the Commonwealth or any member of the RFI Review Team concerning this project or Response to this RFI and shall be subject to disqualification if they do. The Respondent shall not collude in any manner or engage in any practices with any other Respondent(s), which may restrict or eliminate competition or otherwise restrain trade. Violation of this instruction may cause PRIDCO to reject the Respondent s submittal. This prohibition is not intended to preclude joint ventures or subcontractors. All responses submitted must be the original work product of the Respondent and/or its consultants. The copying, paraphrasing or other use of substantial portions of the work product of another Respondent is not permitted. Failure to adhere to this instruction may cause PRIDCO and/or DDEC to reject the Respondent s submittal. PRIDCO and DDEC have the sole and absolute discretion and reserve the right to reject any or all Responses received with respect to this RFI and to cancel the RFI at any time prior to entering into a Contract. 7

8 4. Information PRIDCO wants to establish a pilot program offering assistance to small and medium-sized businesses in Puerto Rico interested in exporting their products to Jacksonville. The establishment of said pilot program may require procurement for the consolidation, shipping and/or logistics at the destination port for ocean borne freight from the Port of San Juan to the Port of Jacksonville. The main goal behind the pilot program is to subsidize (albeit temporarily) exports from Puerto Rican small and medium sized businesses to the Port of Jacksonville. This Request for Information seeks information from consolidators, freight operators, logistics providers and/or others in Puerto Rico and Jacksonville that may provide guidance as to pricing, requirements, guidelines, and any and all information that may assist in the establishment of the pilot export program described above including, but not be limited to, consolidation, shipping and/or handling logistics at the destination port for ocean borne freight from the Port of San Juan to the Port of Jacksonville. In particular, this Request for Information seeks the following: (i) a full and detailed description of the process and its stages from the point of origin to its port of destination, the Port of Jacksonville; and (ii) prices for each stage of the process and on a consolidated basis. Preference shall be given to descriptions and complete solutions from point of origin to the port of destination. For purposes of this RFI, please consider the following two point of origin scenarios: (i) warehouse of the small or medium-sized Pilot Program participant; and (ii) the Port of San Juan. Any Response addressing possible solutions for final destinations for cargo beyond the Port of Jacksonville are outside the purview of this RFI. 5. Mandatory Criteria The following are mandatory requirements. Responses that do not clearly satisfy the criteria below will receive no further consideration during the qualifications review process. Criteria a) The Response must be received at the Closing Location by the Closing Date and Time; b) The Response must not be sent by facsimile; c) The Response must be in English; d) One complete hard copies of the Response must be submitted, plus one electronic copy on CD, diskette or other carrier media; e) The Response must include a cover letter substantially similar to the cover letter set forth in Appendix A executed by a person authorized to sign on behalf of the Respondent and to bind the Respondent to statements made in the Response to this RFI; f) The Response must include a completed Receipt Confirmation Form set out in Appendix B. 8

9 6. Response Contents Respondents must present their information in the following format: a) Each Response must include a cover letter substantially in the form set forth in Appendix A executed by a person authorized to sign on behalf of the Respondent and to bind the Respondent to the statements made in the Response to this RFI. b) Respondents must fill out and return the Receipt Confirmation Form set out in Appendix B. All subsequent information regarding this RFI, including changes made to this document, will be directed to Respondents who return the Receipt Confirmation Form. Subsequent information will be distributed to Respondents by the method indicated on the Receipt Confirmation Form. c) Respondents must provide an executive summary generally describing Respondent s organization, including an organization chart, as well as any relevant experience that Respondent s principals or prime team members have had in connection with the provision of services similar to those described requested in this RFI and any other relevant activities. d) Respondents must provide a statement of their proposed approach to the performance of the services, including without limitation, a description of the types of consultant services that the Respondent believes are required to perform the services. This statement should clearly demonstrate the Respondent s understanding of the requirements of the Program and the scope of services to be delivered throughout the entire process. DDEC and PRIDCO reserve the right to request additional information or clarification of information provided in the Response without changing the terms of the RFI during the RFI review period. Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company 9

10 Appendix A Response Cover Letter [Respondent Letterhead or Respondent s name and address] [Date of submittal] PUERTO RICO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY ATTN: PUERTO RICO EXPORTS PROGRAM 355 F.D. Roosevelt Avenue, Suite 401 SAN JUAN, PR Subject: Request for Information No. 1 The enclosed Response is submitted in response to the above-referenced RFI. We have carefully read and examined the RFI and have conducted such other investigations as were prudent and reasonable in preparing the Response. We are authorized to submit this Response on behalf of the Respondent and to bind the Respondent to the statements made therein, which the Respondent acknowledges and agrees are intended to constitute and be relied upon by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as accurate representations and binding statements of the Respondent. We acknowledge that the Department of Economic Development and Commerce and the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company reserve the right to modify the terms of the RFI at any time in its sole discretion. This includes modifying any of the procedures identified in the RFI, including the right to cancel the RFI at any time without entering into a contract. We further acknowledge that all subsequent information regarding the RFI, including any amendments and additions thereto, will be posted on the DDEC or PRIDCO websites, or It is our sole responsibility to check for amendments and additional information on the DDEC website. Yours truly, Signature Name: Title: Telephone Number: address: Legal Name of Respondent: Date: 10

11 Appendix B RECEIPT CONFIRMATION FORM PUERTO RICO EXPORTS PROGRAM REQUEST FOR INFORMATION NO. 1 DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCE CLOSING DATE AND TIME: 5:00 PM ATLANTIC TIME, MAY 20, 2011 For any further distributed information about this Request for Information, please return this form by fax as soon as possible to: [Insert Name ], [Insert Title] Puerto Rico Exports Program, [Insert ] Fax: (787) COMPANY: STREET ADDRESS: CITY: POSTAL/ZIP CODE: PROVINCE/STATE: COUNTRY: MAILING ADDRESS, IF DIFFERENT: FAX NUMBER: ( ) PHONE NUMBER: ( ) CONTACT PERSON: TITLE: ADDRESS: Please send us any further correspondence about this Request for Information by: Fax (default if no box checked) Courier Collect: Name Account No. 11