iPhone 17 Pro Max, Case and Screen Protector

This document provides a clarification for Solicitation No. 19TH2026Q0081, issued by the Embassy of the United States of America in Bangkok, Thailand, for the procurement of iPhone 17 Pro Max devices, cases, and screen protectors. The Q&A addresses a conflict between the solicitation's localized business requirements and its overall classification. Specifically, a prospective vendor asked whether U.S.-based firms without a permanent address or VAT registration (Por Por 20) in Thailand are eligible to bid, given that the SF-1449 form designates the acquisition as unrestricted. The Embassy confirmed that the solicitation is unrestricted, and all submitted quotations will be assessed based on the evaluation criteria outlined in the solicitation documents, thereby allowing non-local vendors to participate.

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, has issued Request for Quotations (RFQ) number 19TH2026Q0081 for the procurement of 14 iPhone 17 Pro Max (512 GB) smartphones, along with 14 National Geographic protective cases and 14 screen protectors. This is a firm-fixed-price solicitation intended for a lowest-price, technically acceptable award. Eligible bidders must submit their electronic quotations in PDF format (under 25MB) by September 9, 2026, at 12:00 PM Bangkok local time. All proposals and questions must be in English, with the deadline for written questions set for September 4, 2026. Bidders must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to submission. To be considered, offers must include a completed SF-1449, pricing for all line items, representations and certifications, and a completed Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) Questionnaire (evaluated on a Go/No-Go basis). Additionally, vendors must demonstrate an established business presence in Thailand, the capacity to secure required National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) licenses, and the ability to deliver the products door-to-door (Delivered Duty Paid) to the embassy within 30 days of contract award. Products must be genuine, new, and covered by a manufacturer's warranty executable locally in Thailand.

This federal procurement document is a Justification for Restricting Competition to Brand-Name Supplies for the Department of State’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Bangkok, Thailand. The agency is seeking to acquire 14 Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 512GB devices, 14 National Geographic protective cases, and 14 tempered glass screen protectors. The primary justification for restricting competition to Apple brand-name products is operational necessity and compatibility. While HSI personnel are transitioning to government-issued iPhone 14s, those devices do not support local Thai eSIMs or critical local applications required for official law enforcement and coordination duties. To maintain uninterrupted access to Thai mobile networks and mission-essential applications, local procurement is required. Market research evaluated Android alternatives, including the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Xiaomi 17 Ultra. Although these devices are less expensive, standardizing on the Apple/iOS platform is necessary to avoid high integration, training, administrative, and lifecycle support costs associated with introducing a second operating system into HSI Bangkok's existing Apple ecosystem. Selecting the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max model also maximizes software support lifespan and security compliance. The justification specifies that this brand-name restriction does not limit competition to a single reseller; rather, a competitive solicitation will be issued to secure the best value from authorized vendors who can supply the brand-name equipment. Both Calvin Webb, DHS/ICE Bangkok Attaché, and Ramon Menendez-Carreira, Contracting Officer at the U.S. Embassy Bangkok, have certified the accuracy and fairness of the acquisition.

This document is a federal Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) Questionnaire designed for vendor completion during the procurement process. Its primary purpose is to assess a bidding organization's supply chain security posture, physical and personnel security protocols, and compliance with industry standards. The questionnaire is structured into three main sections: 1. **Contact Information:** Captures key company details and primary point-of-contact information. 2. **Vendor Risk Management Plan:** Evaluates how the organization identifies supply chain threats, maps key suppliers to those threats, and establishes and enforces contractual SCRM requirements with its suppliers. 3. **Physical and Personnel Security:** Assesses the vendor's practices regarding employee background checks, tampering prevention for stored Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment, and insider threat literacy training. Each assessment item is mapped to specific NIST SP 800-53 or ISO 27001 security control references. Vendors are required to input their responses directly into the template and must be prepared to provide supporting documentation to the government to validate their self-attestations.