DOD Issues RFP for Active RFID

Evigia, a manufacturer of active RFID tags, will also throw its hat in the ring. The firm has been developing and testing products for more than a year, says Karl Ma, Evigia's VP of sales and marketing, in order to meet the RFP's technical specifications. It has also been raising funds and entering partnerships to compete for the contract, Ma adds.

Ron Arbogast, operations supervisor for Graphic Industry Inc. —one of the seven companies that licensed Savi's IP linked to ISO 18000-7—says his firm is undecided. "We don't know," Arbogast states. "We did go through the preliminary testing, and we are in the midst of making a decision."

Another licensee, Apogee Total Solutions, indicates it does not intend to respond to the RFP.

According to the RFP's Solicitation Provisions section, it is anticipated that a maximum of three vendors will be chosen. This section states that "contract awards will be based on the best overall (i.e., best value) proposals that are determined to be the most beneficial to the Government, with appropriate consideration given to the five evaluation factors: Technical, Management Support Plan, Performance Risk, Price and Small Business Participation." The vendor with the lowest price, the document indicates, may not necessarily win.

The RFP notes that the contract awards are expected to be made no later than four weeks after the close of the RFP, which is currently slated for Sep. 3. Vendors chosen may then need to provide oral presentations and/or a demonstration of their proposals.