DLA Strategic Materials' Supplier Pathway

Purpose: The DLA Strategic Materials' Supplier Pathway outlines the steps on how a Strategic Materials Supplier can work with DLA. 

Navigate:

Introduction into Strategic Materials

1. Reach Out to Your Local APEX Accelerators for Assistance
2. Register in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
3. Obtain Basic Certifications and Meet Compliance Standards
4. Research Current and Past Solicitations in SAM.gov
5. Find Solicitations that Meet the Supplier's Capabilities
6. Assemble and Submit Offer Package with Attachments
7. Offer Accepted for Award by Contract Admin?
   1. Restart Process at Market Research
8. Begin Performing and Delivering on Contract
9. Complete Sampling and Testing
10. Material Received and Inspected
11. QAS Notifies Appropriate Parties After Inspection of Material
12. Supplier Submits Receiving Report & Invoice in the same WAWF session?
    1. Complete Combo Invoicing
13. Complete Invoice and Receiving Report
14. Receive Payment from DFAS

Resources and Terms Glossary

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DLA Strategic Materials Program

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When working with DLA Strategic Materials as a Supplier, these specific basic certifications and compliance standards may be required in order to do business. See examples below:

Certifications

• Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)  , as stated in DFARS clause 252.204-7021 , is needed to ensure Suppliers are safeguarding DLA/DoD data. For more information, see DLA OSBPs Cybersecurity Resources page

Compliance

• Department of Transportation (DOT)  regulations certifying hazardous materials are properly classified, described, packaged, marked, labeled, and are in a condition safe to transport the material
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)  regulations regarding the proper management, handling, storage, transportation, and disposition of material
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS)  to communicate the hazards of the material  in accordance with The United Nations Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  regulations for the characterization of waste to determine appropriate disposal of material and any associated packing and shipping material
• Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health (ESOH) Policy Statement outlines DLA's overall commitment to maintaining safe, environmentally responsible, and compliant operations at all depot facilities

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Before conducting market research into Strategic Materials opportunities, it is important to understand the different type of opportunities:

Material-Specific Procurement Solicitations

Material-specific Solicitations are used to provide strategic and critical materials to the United States National Defense Stockpile. These Solicitations are typically for a defined quantity and type of material with clear specifications.

Material-specific Solicitations typically include:

• Delivery schedule and location
• Packaging and labeling instructions
• Pricing information
• Certification requirements

Example of a material-specific Solicitation:

Research & Development

Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs)

The Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is a formal notice the Government uses to request proposals for basic and applied research in specific areas of interest. BAAs solicit innovative ideas and solutions that could advance Government objectives to secure, restore, or stabilize supply chains for critical materials.

Suppliers should note that BAAs allow Vendors to research and take material capabilities and expand them for specific technical, scientific, and practical applications. These notices are open to meaningful proposals with varying technical or scientific approaches.

Example of a Broad Agency Announcement:

After looking at active listings, switch to inactive or old listings of Solicitations to see what offers and bids succeeded in the past.

Under the Status section located in the Filter By section, select the checkbox for Inactive and de-select the checkbox for Active to see old Solicitations.

Begin reviewing Notice Types labeled Solicitation or Updated Solicitation.

Tip: Remember to focus on Notice Type "Solicitation" or "Updated Solicitation" for most relevant information while conducting market research.

Review solicitations present in listings on SAM.gov. There are typically three phases to a solicitation you will see:

1. Sources Sought - Used to gather basic information on availability and interest for Suppliers to meet the demands of a potential future solicitation, customer need, or business need. Usually gives basic information on:
   • Specification requirements to needed items
   • Location
   • Anticipated period of performance
   • Estimated quantities
   • Instructions for Suppliers on how to submit their capability statements if interested.
2. Pre-solicitation/Synopsis (usually a Request For Information or RFI) - Used to provide Vendors an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the requirement and submit their capability statements.
3. Solicitation - Standard Solicitation to make official bids
4. Original Award Notice - SAM.gov notice stating who the successful Offeror is and what the contract price is that is under contract

Note: As time progresses, the above documents can be amended (updated) to reflect the newest changes such as requirement updates or extra clarifications needed within documents themselves.

For more information on SAM.gov Solicitation Notice Types see: What are the notice types for Contract Opportunities in SAM.gov?

See the example below of different Notice Types:

Suppliers can also use the advanced search filter on SAM.gov to save searches and then receive notifications by email every time a new solicitation is released with the saved criteria.

 

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Suppliers need to review the Solicitation and ensure they have the capabilities to fulfill, if awarded, all requirement sections/topics and Statement of Work (SOW), including the ability to meet the following (this list is not all-inclusive):

• Supply demand schedule
• Supply demand quantity
• Location, packaging, and delivery requirements
• Technical and Quality Standards
• Military and Commercial Standards stated (e.g., MIL-STD-130  for Identification Marking of U.S. Military Property)

Solicitations will state the specifications that the product being procured must meet. Most commonly they are MIL and ASTM standards; however, Commercial standards may be stated and required.

Some of the standards may be directly stated in the Solicitation on SAM.gov; however, they may also be stated in the Statement of Work (SOW) which will be included in the "Attachments" section on the Solicitation.

Examples of Statement of Work:

Suppliers should always thoroughly review the entire Solicitation especially, but not limited to:

• Section B - Schedule of Supplies and Services within the continuation pages of the Solicitation
• Any separate Requirements Pages attached to the Solicitation

Example of Performance Requirements Summary Table:

In addition to standards, instructions for points of inspection will be outlined. Become familiar with what is stated to prepare for your product's point of inspection.

Delivery Location

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Section L/FAR 52.212-1  of a solicitation or combined synopsis/solicitation is a crucial part of government contracting documents, providing instructions to offerors on how to prepare and submit their proposals. To ensure compliance and maximize the chances of being considered for the contract, offerors must carefully follow these guidelines. Section L outlines various requirements, including:

• Proposal Format: Specifies the structure and format that proposals should follow, such as page limits, font size, and organization of content.
• Submission Guidelines: Details on how and where to submit proposals, including deadlines and any electronic submission requirements.
• Content Requirements: Lists the specific information and documentation that must be included in the proposal, such as technical details, past performance information, and pricing.
• Evaluation Criteria: While typically detailed in Section M, Section L may sometimes include information on how proposals will be evaluated.

To create a complete Offer Package, the offeror will assemble the following completed and signed documents specific to the solicitation. This Offer Package must then be returned to the Contracting Officer Point of Contact (POC) listed at the bottom of the solicitation on the SAM.gov notice. Remember to always refer to the specific combined synopsis/solicitation document for precise instructions, as requirements can vary.

All or some of the following documents may be required:

• Pricing Proposal Worksheet/Section B - The Pricing Proposal Worksheet/Section B of a solicitation or combined synopsis/solicitation focuses on detailing what the Government is buying and the associated pricing structure. This section is critical for offerors to understand precisely what the Government requires and how they should structure their pricing proposals to ensure clarity, completeness, and accuracy. Section B typically includes:
  • Supplies or Services: A detailed list and description of the supplies or services the Government needs, including specifications to ensure offerors understand the requirements.
  • Line Items: A breakdown of the procurement into specific line items, each with its own description, quantity, and unit of measure, organizing and pricing each component separately.
  • Pricing: Spaces or tables for offerors to input their prices for each line item. Instructions are usually included on how to present pricing information, such as the inclusion of shipping costs or handling of options and quantity variations.

See example below:

• Vendor Technical Proposal - The Technical proposal is only required if specified by the Solicitation. The proposal is the way a Supplier proves their technical capability to the Government. The Offeror may submit continuation sheets with this fill-in provision to expand their technical narrative; however, unless otherwise stated in the solicitation, the complete technical proposal (exclusive of any résumés, drawings, or blueprints) shall not exceed the page limit identified - in many cases, 12 pages.
• Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Products and Commercial Services Standard Form SF1449 fields/sections must be completed: 
  • Vendor pricing information (unit and total price without taxes that the Government is exempt from)
  • CAGE code in Block 17a of the Standard Form 1449, in the box labeled “CAGE CODE”
  • If needed, add all certifications and representations requested in Section K of the Solicitation
  • For more information, see How to Read a Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Products and Commercial Services (SF1449)
    
    
    

    DLA Strategic Materials' Supplier Pathway

    Example of DLA Strategic Materials SF1449 Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Products and Commercial Services Form

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    VIRIN: 250821-D-D0441-9008
• Contractor Performance Data Sheet - Supplier is to fill out as a reference sheet of past government and non-government contracts/subcontracts to validate a history of Supplier performance. Each solicitation is unique, so review the specific solicitation to identify the scope of the referrals needed. 
  
  
  

  DLA Strategic Materials' Supplier Pathway

  DLA Strategic Materials Past Performance Questionnaire

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  VIRIN: 250821-D-D0441-9009
• Certificate of Analysis (COA) of product(s) being supplied
• Quality Assurance Provisions if indicated in Solicitation
• Additional Attachments for needed justifications

Important: Check often while Solicitation is open in case of amendments (updates) are made to the live Solicitation. To acknowledge amendments, complete Blocks 15A, 15B, and 15C of the Standard Forms (SF) 30 and return to DLA by emailing the Contracting Officer POC on Solicitation.

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Offer Evaluation

Section M/Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.212-2  of a solicitation or combined synopsis/solicitation is an essential part of the document that outlines the evaluation criteria and the process the Government will use to assess and select the winning proposal. Section M typically includes:

• Evaluation Factors: Describes the key factors that will be considered in the evaluation, such as technical capability, past performance, and price. These factors are used to compare different proposals.
• Relative Importance: Indicates the relative importance or weight of each evaluation factor. For example, it might state that technical capability is more important than price, or vice versa.
• Evaluation Process: Explains the method the Government will use to evaluate the proposals, such as best value trade-off, lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA), or another approach.
• Scoring or Rating System: Details how proposals will be scored or rated based on the evaluation factors. This might include specific point systems or qualitative assessments.

Section M tells offerors how their proposals will be judged and what aspects are most important to the Government in making the award decision. This helps offerors understand where to focus their efforts to align with the Government's priorities.

Best Value Continuum

The Government utilizes a spectrum of approaches known as the "best value continuum" to evaluate and select offers. This continuum allows contracting officers to choose the evaluation method that provides the greatest overall benefit to the Government, considering the specific needs of the procurement. Two prominent points along this continuum are:

• Low Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA): As the name suggests, LPTA primarily focuses on securing the lowest price. This approach is often used when the technical requirements are straightforward and easily met. The award is then made to the lowest-priced offer that meets the minimum technical standards.
• Best Value Tradeoff Process: This approach balances cost and technical factors, allowing the Government to select a higher-priced proposal if it offers demonstrably superior technical benefits. This method is particularly suitable when quality, performance, or innovation are crucial and worth paying more for.

The FAR provides detailed guidance on applying the best value continuum (see FAR 15.101 ). Contracting officers have the flexibility to tailor the evaluation process based on the complexity and nature of the procurement, ensuring the selected method best fits the specific needs of the acquisition.

By understanding and strategically responding to the criteria outlined in Section M, offerors can significantly improve their chances of crafting compelling proposals that resonate with the Government's needs and priorities.

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If offer is not accepted, request a debriefing from DLA to understand why your proposal was not selected and to gain insight to help you improve your proposals in the future. Suppliers can restart the process and begin researching Strategic Materials opportunities using Step 4 - Search Solicitations.

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When a Supplier is awarded a contract, a notification will be sent to their email that was specified in the offer package.

Once the order is received, begin to perform on the contract adhering to all of the following:

• Standards
• Contract delivery methods
• Contract delivery schedules
• Contract quantity
• Any other details mentioned in the SF1449

Who to Contact for Questions During Performance Period?

For contract related questions and requests, reach out to the Contract Administrator assigned to your contract. In most cases, it is the same POC as stated on the Solicitation.

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Sampling and testing are critical in Strategic Materials contracts because they ensure the quality, reliability, and compliance of materials being acquired for national defense and industrial readiness.

The Supplier should obtain a representative sample of each lot of material during the sampling process, and the Government may determine which lots are selected for conformance. The Supplier should submit written notification to the Contracting Officer (KO) and the Quality Assurance Specialist (QAS) or Contracting Officer Representative (COR) prior to the packaging of lots of material at their packaging facility that is intended for the delivery to the Government.

Generally, no lot(s) of material may be shipped to the Government unless it has been sampled at the Supplier’s packaging facility. Often, the Government’s samples will be shipped with their corresponding material lots, unless the Supplier and Government agree upon an alternative transfer of custody of the Government’s samples.

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The Supplier may be required to submit a Certificate of Analysis for each lot to the QAS for review and acceptance prior to shipment of each lot. A COA is a legal document commonly required in Strategic Materials Solicitations that ensures that the materials delivered by the Supplier meet the specifications stated in the contract.

Suppliers may need to provide a COA to the Government Point of Contact (POC) with each production lot. COAs may be submitted in PDF format by email to the Government using the email address specified in the contract. The Government will review each COA submitted to determine acceptability and compliance with the requirements stated in the contract. The QAS will notify the Supplier of the acceptability/unacceptability of each COA after receipt.

The Supplier may then schedule each delivery with the QAS/COR after the COA has been accepted. The Government may perform visual inspections of all material upon receipt at the delivery point to verify conformance with the requirements in the contract. 

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The Government may provide written notification of the acceptance/rejection of delivered material to the Supplier within the time frame specified in the contract (days of delivery).

 The Supplier should not submit an invoice until the QAS/COR has issued a notification of acceptance for the delivery.

To submit an invoice, users must have access to Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE), which provides access to Wide Area Workflow (WAWF), the system used to submit invoices to DLA and route the information to Defense Finance and Account Service (DFAS) for payment processing.

There are two slightly different invoicing processes depending on whether the Supplier already has a receiving report in hand or not. Suppliers have different business practices based upon their priorities.

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When completing the Combo Invoicing Process, both the Invoice and Receiving Report will be generated at the same time. See the Combo Invoicing Process for additional information on how to complete the invoice and receiving report simultaneously.

After completing the Combo Invoice, skip to step 14 - Receiving Payment from DFAS.

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Supplier will need to complete two rounds of entering data into WAWF. The first round is entering data to create an receiving report and the second round is to enter information to create an invoice.

See Stand Alone Invoicing Process for additional information on how to complete the invoice and receiving report.

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Once the invoice (typically with receiving report) has been submitted in WAWF, it will be routed to the Defense Finance And Accounting Service (DFAS)  for processing.

Typically payment terms are 30 days, but this will be stated in the contract. DFAS evaluates the submitted Invoice and Receiving Report by using a "3-Way Match" approach which seeks matching information across the Contract, Invoice, and Receiving Report and then pre-validates the invoice. After approval, the DFAS Disbursing Office will send a check or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to Vendor and update myInvoice.

MyInvoice is a web-based application developed specifically for Suppliers' and Government users to obtain status of Suppliers' invoices.

To check invoice payment status, a Supplier can check myInvoice in Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE)  or see if a Payment Official has completed any action on the WAWF submitted invoice.

See the following DFAS video below to see how to check payment status in myInvoice.

 

Check for Payment Official Action

Another way to check the status of your invoice in WAWF is to follow these steps: 

1. Login to WAWF and select the Vendor tab. 
2. From the dropdown, select History folder.
3. Use the search fields to locate the Combo Invoice.
4. Click Submit.
5. Locate the invoice heading and then click on the linked document below. 
6. Once invoice opens, scroll down to the bottom of the page and under Action By: Payment Official, you can view the status of your invoice.

Resources:

• Contractor and Vendor Payment Information Booklet (PDF) - Detailed guides on how to get paid and common hinderances as to why payments could be delayed
• Accelerating Payments to Small Businesses (PDF) - Guide and overview of DFAS for small businesses