RFQ Solicitation Text Search is Back!

Connecting Suppliers with DLA

THELINK

Issue 2

October 2016

Upcoming Events:

November 8-9, 2016:

DLA Land and Maritime Small 

Business Training Knowledge 

Opportunities (TKO) Seminar

Details and Registration at: 

https://

landandmaritimeapps.dla.mil/

news/events/tko/

www.dla.mil

www.facebook.com/dla.mil

www.twitter.com/dlamil

www.youtube.com/user/

dodlogisticsagency

The RFQ Solicitation Text Search tool returned to the DLA Internet Bid Board 

System (DIBBS) on August 29, 2016 along with other improvements! Detailed 

guidance on how to use the new tool has been posted under the "Help" section on 

the DIBBS home page and can be viewed directly at: https://

www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil/Refs/help/Solicitations/DIBBS-Text-Search-User-Guide.pdf.

A few tips to help get you started are below:

 The tool will allow you to query for specific text, and then filter by items with 

technical documents, Fast Award candidates, Small Business Set-Asides, 

HUBZone Set-Asides, Combined Set-Asides, and Service Disabled

Veteran Owned Small Business Set-Asides.

 You can also filter by various timeframes for when the RFQ was modified and 

sort by “Best Matches,” “Newly Posted to Oldest,” or “Oldest Posted

to Newest.”

 If you are looking for items having an 

AMSC code of 1G, search for {FULL 

AND OPEN COMPETITION APPLY}.

 You can search by a buyer code (e.g. 

PARFL19), phone number, (in this 

format: (111) 279-8510), or email

address.

 You can search by NAICS (e.g. 

336413).

 You can search “JCP CERTIFICATION”

to find solicitations requiring JCP 

Certification.

Continued on Page 3
cFolders is DLA's access to technical data associated with 

open solicitations and the staging area for technical data 

for other projects not associated with open solicitations. 

There are multiple ways to access cFolders, but the 

primary way is via the link titled "DLA 

Collaboration Folders (cFolders)" on 

the DIBBS home page. Help for 

cFolders can be found at the "FAQ/

Help" link at the top of the DIBBS home 

page under "Tech Data." Although 

cFolders is accessed via DIBBS, the 

systems are NOT connected and the 

DIBBS Helpdesk cannot assist you. 

All cFolders password and system issues should be referred 

to the cFolders Helpdesk at (855) DLA-0001 or (855) 352-

0001. For additional questions, call the DLA Product Data 

Customer Service Help Line at (804) 279-3477. If you 

require additional 

technical data not 

supplied with the 

original solicitation 

or order/contract, 

you must contact 

the listed buyer or 

contract 

administrator.

In order to standardize procurement transactions across the Federal Government, the Federal Acquisition Regulation 

(FAR) Subpart 4.16, Unique Procurement Instrument Identifiers (PIID), has been amended to implement a uniform

award identification system referred to as the Procurement Instrument Identification (PIID). 

For DLA, the new PIID structure will continue to require use of Activity Address Codes (AACs) as the unique identifier 

for contracting offices, the current fiscal year, instrument type, and a four-character serial number. Existing contract,

purchase order, and delivery order numbers will not change.

Beginning October 1, 2016:

Manual purchase order numbers will change from an “M” to a “P” in the 9th position. Automated purchase orders 

will continue to use a “V” in the 9th position. 

Beginning October 2017:

∗ Task/delivery order numbers will be issued with a unique 13-character delivery order number as described above, 

containing an “F” or an “M” in the 9th position; the current four-character supplementary call number identifier will 

no longer be utilized.

 An “M” in the ninth position of the PIID will identify purchase orders and task or delivery orders issued by the 

enterprise FedMall system.

 All modifications, including modifications to calls and task/delivery orders, will utilize a 6-character format, added to 

the 13-character PIID being modified.

 More information about the October 2017 changes will be provided as we move 

closer to the implementation date.

Please monitor the DIBBS Notices (https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil/Notices/) and/or 

the Supplier Information Resource Center (SIRC) (http://www.dla.mil/HQ/

InformationOperations/Business/EBSSupplierResources.aspx) for updates. 

Reminder: 

Foreign vendors should 

not be certifying as a 

small business! 

Procurement Instrumentation Identification (PIID) News

Where do I go to get help with cFolders?

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 You can search “QML” or “QPL” to find 

solicitations requiring 

the vendor to be on a 

Qualified Products List or 

Qualified Manufacturers 

List.

 Looking for a solicitation 

supporting the F-4 AIRCRAFT? Type “F-4 AIRCRAFT” to search.

In addition to the RFQ Text Search, three other 

improvements have been released:

1 - You can now use dashes in the solicitation number 

when using Fast Track Quoting. 

2 - You can now revise your quote when there is an 

"X" in the 10th position for RFQs.

3 - You will no longer get an error when the special 

character "&" is followed by a "#" in your password.

If you have questions related to this new functionality, 

please contact the DIBBS Helpdesk at: 

dibbsbsm@dla.mil. Again, we appreciate all of your 

feedback on the DIBBS Survey and will continue to 

work on improving the DIBBS website.

RFQ Solicitation Text Search is Back! (continued)

A Fast Auto Evaluation icon on the DIBBS “search results” screen identifies Fast Auto Evaluation solicitations. These

solicitations, estimated to be less than the micropurchase threshold, are not set-aside for small businesses. The 

solicitations may be awarded prior to the solicitation return date/time. Commencing at 3:00 P.M., one business day 

after the issue date, and continuing every day thereafter at 3:00 P.M. until the return date, all quotes equal to or 

below the micropurchase threshold will be evaluated by DLA’s automated evaluation program for an early award.

SUPPLIERS: What is the most common error negatively 

affecting the receipt of your shipment, impacts your 

performance score and may delay payment? ANSWER: 

The pRFID (passive Radio Frequency Identification) tag 

information is not in iRAPT (Invoicing, Receipt, 

Acceptance and Property Transfer), formerly known as 

WAWF (Wide Area Workflow), when the material is 

received at the depot. Completing the pRFID entry in 

iRAPT as soon as the material is shipped, ensures your 

shipment is received correctly. The information you 

submit in iRAPT is transmitted to the receiving depot 

and creates a “reservation” for your shipment. Once the 

material arrives at the depot, the pRFID tag is read and 

populates the vital information for the inspector (such as 

the contract number, your CAGE number etc.). It is 

important to ensure the pRFID information is created in 

iRAPT as soon as the material ships to the depot. 

Late transmission of the pRFID information can lead to 

significant delays in the receiving process which may 

also create delays in payment and trigger a Supply 

Discrepancy Report (SDR). 

Just remember – complete the pRFID information in 

iRAPT and submit your receiving report in a timely

manner to avoid delays in payment and prevent a 

Supply Discrepancy Report which can negatively 

impact your performance score!

pRFID is required for shipments meeting the criteria 

prescribed in the Department of Defense FAR 

Supplement and Procedures (DFARS) 211.275-3 (June 

2016), Clause 252.211-7006. It is extremely important 

each pRFID tag is encoded with globally unique data; 

readable; affixed correctly to the package and the tag 

information is entered on the receiving report in iRAPT, 

prior to shipment or as soon as the material is shipped. 

Passive RFID Reminder!

Fast Auto Evaluation Solicitations
 PACKAGING NEWS!

Package Design Tips for Fragile Items

DLA Land and Maritime is “all in” on using PARs!

If you are a registered DIBBS supplier and are not using 

PARs, what are you waiting for? Submitting a PAR 

through DIBBS is easy and the preferred method for 

requesting a post award action against DLA contracts or 

purchase orders awarded to your company. 

Why DIBBS PARs?

 PARs are automatically assigned to the post award

administrator responsible for contract administration 

and displays on their workload screen.

 Suppliers receive immediate feedback after submission

(i.e. PAR number, PAR Status, administrator 

information).

 PARs are tracked, measured, and reported.

 DIBBS PARs are preferred over email requests which

may get delayed pending manual review and 

assignment.

 DIBBS PARs allow for notes and attachments.

 PARs are permanent records stored in the official

contract file.

Post Award Requests (PARs)

All items delivered to DLA customers (the Warfighter) are 

to arrive at the final destination point in usable condition 

with no damage regardless whether the contract 

specifies the use of “Standard Practice for Commercial 

Packaging” (ASTM D3951) or “Standard Practice for 

Military Packaging” (MIL-STD-2073-1). Factors to 

consider to design optimum protection are: size, weight, 

fragility, shipping environment, storage location, and 

duration. Fragile items’ cushioning, orientation, 

immobilization, and support are essential for safe 

delivery of the item(s). If suppliers do not have the 

expertise to design and test packages, then options do 

exist. Third party package design and test facilities, 

including some carriers, offer package design and testing 

services. 

Package design and performance testing for both ASTM 

D3951 and MIL-STD-2073-1 are governed by ASTM 

D4169 (Standard Practice for Performance Testing of 

Shipping Containers and Systems), Distribution Cycle 18, 

Acceptance Criterion 3 (product is damage-free and 

package is intact) for Department of Defense shipments. 

Key design parameter information is noted below:

1—Approximate Fragility Factors – MIL-STD-2073-1D, 

Table I (page 28).

2—Fragility Factor – MIL-STD-2073-1D, paragraph 3.8 

(page 7).

3—Determination of Item Fragility – MIL-STD-2073-1D,

paragraph 4.11 (page 12).

4—Packaging Design Validation – MIL-STD-2073-1D, 

paragraphs 3.12, 5.6, and Appendix F (pages 9, 23-24, 

119 – 121)

5—Containers – MIL-STD-2073-1D, paragraph 3.12 and 

Appendix C (pages 69 – 92).

6—Pictorial Marking for Handling Goods – ASTM D5445 

(e.g. fragile, arrow up, glass, etc.).

7—Protection from physical damage and mechanical 

malfunction is required for all methods of preservation. 

Specific environmental protection is cited in MIL-STD2073-1D, paragraph 5.2.3.a. for “Standard Practice for 

Military Packaging.” 

Further information can be found at: http://

www.dla.mil/LandandMaritime/Offers/Services/

TechnicalSupport/Logistics/Packaging/PackFAQs.aspx

or by calling (614) 692-3345.

PAR enhancements are in the works!

The feedback received from the DIBBS survey earlier 

this year was tremendous. Your responses were 

evaluated and DLA is planning to implement some of 

the best recommendations. 

Your feedback is always welcome! 

In conclusion, there is no time like the present to start 

using DIBBS to submit your PARs! If you are already 

using DIBBS PARs, we thank you and appreciate your 

feedback! If you have any suggestions on improving 

DIBBS PARs or need to report a PAR system issue, 

please email the DIBBS helpdesk at dibbsbsm@dla.mil.

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