The U.S. Department of State is seeking proposals for a Travel Management Contract for the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, under Request for Quotation (RFQ) Number 19UZ8025Q0024. The contract aims to provide comprehensive travel management services for official domestic and international travel of U.S. government employees, with an initial term of one year and four optional renewal years. This service is crucial for facilitating government operations and ensuring efficient travel arrangements for personnel. Proposals must be submitted by July 18, 2025, and include specific documentation such as the SF-1449 form, proof of SAM registration, and compliance with solicitation requirements. Interested parties can direct inquiries to Kathleen Murphy at murphykc@state.gov or Shukhrat Arifdjanov at ArifdjanovSS@state.gov for further clarification.

Minutes+19UZ8025Q0024.pdf

The U.S. Embassy in Tashkent conducted a pre-proposal conference regarding Request for Quotation (RFQ) Number 19UZ8025Q0024 for a Travel Management Contract. The procurement team emphasized the importance of compliance with the solicitation document and reminded attendees that proposals must meet specific requirements to be considered. Submissions are due by July 18, 2025, and must include various forms and proof of registration with the System for Award Management (SAM).

The contract will provide travel management services for official domestic and international travel by U.S. government employees, with a one-year term and four optional renewal years. The payment structure involves a transaction fee for services rendered. The Embassy will offer an office space and necessary equipment, while the contractor must ensure staff qualifications and provide adaptations as needed.

Key requirements include providing bilingual personnel, maintaining quality control of travel services, and delivering quarterly reports. A notable aspect of the contract is the inclusion of Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance, which the contractor must arrange. The Embassy seeks transparency throughout the bidding process, and all inquiries must be submitted in writing to ensure fairness. The document concludes with a Q&A section addressing specific bidder inquiries, further clarifying expectations and procedures.

Minutes From Pre-Proposal Conference of 07/02/2025

Request for Quotation (RFQ) Number 19UZ8025Q0024

Introduction

U.S. Embassy Tashkent Team:

Kathleen Murphy – Contracting Officer

Shukhrat Arifdjanov – Procurement Supervisor

Irina Mezentseva – Procurement Agent

Jumyazov, Nodir – Procurement Agent

Sitora Raupova – Procurement Agent

Lola Burankulova – Travel Assistant

Preamble

This meeting will serve as the pre-proposal conference for the contract for Travel Management Contract for the Embassy of the United States of America in Tashkent. This will be in accordance with Section 1 on pages 9-44, including the pricing on pages 7.

Before starting discussion of the Solicitation Package, please note that there are two main requirements:  The first is to read the solicitation document carefully, and the second is to submit your proposal in compliance with the solicitation requirements. If you have worked in the past with the US Embassy but don’t submit a proposal in compliance with this solicitation, you will not be awarded the contract. Section 3 on pages 65-67 provides you with clear instructions on what must be included to complete the proposal package. If something is not on this list, it will not be evaluated. 

Please ensure that you provide accurate calculations for your bid, as this will be one of the main criteria that are evaluated.

The US Embassy strongly emphasizes transparency of the tender and equal conditions for participation.  If you have any questions, they must come in writing by email to TashkentGSOProcurement@state.gov. We will set a deadline for questions, after which we will email the questions and their answers to all bidders at once to ensure transparency and a fair process.

I will let the procurement team explain how to complete the forms.

Shukhrat Arifdjanov

Quotations are due by 12:00 pm Tashkent time (GMT+5) on July 18, 2025 and must be hand-delivered in a sealed envelope marked “Quotation 19UZ8025Q0024 Enclosed" to the following address:

Attention: Contracting Officer

Embassy of the United States of America

3 Moyqorghon Street,

5th block, Yunusobod District,

Tashkent, Uzbekistan 100093

Please have ID with you (passport, driver’s license or ID card), it should be shown to our local guards. Proposals submitted late will not be accepted for consideration

In order for a proposal to be considered, you must also complete and submit the following:

1.SF-1449 on page 4

2. Section I, Pricing

3. Section 5 Representations and Certifications

4. Additional information as required in Section 3

5. Proof of SAM Registration

Section – 1 in page 6

Description:

The Contractor shall provide travel management services to the U.S. Embassy, Tashkent, as described in this solicitation. The contract type is transactional funded IDIQ contract for all travel management services required by the agencies set forth in Section 1. The contract will be for a one-year period from the date to start services, set forth in the Notice to Proceed, with four option years to renew.

Transaction Fees and Commission Refund Process

Transaction Fee.  The Government shall pay the Contractor a transaction fee based on a fixed rate per transaction. Please provide fee for 2 options: domestic and international. You are required to provide prices for each service. page 7

Scope of work – page 9. We will discuss it more detailed later today.

Price table – 7

Workday – 22

Insurance – page 37

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY - page 43

The Embassy will provide you with a furnished room on the ground floor, a computer, a printer. If you will need special devises to be connected to Amadeus program, please have your own.

Contract clauses – page 45

Excusable Delays – page 63

Defense base Act (DBA) insurance.  Page 65

This kind of insurance must be included for this contract. Please see the DOL web site where you can purchase it. DBA insurance cost must be included to your commercial proposal.

Please note that you will have to purchase DBA insurance only if Contract awarded to you.

The Embassy will reimburse that part for you.

Section 3 – solicitation provisions – page 65-67

 All the factors that we will use when considering proposals are specified in section 3, page 65-67. If submitted proposal missing any information specified in section 3, the proposal can be considered technically unacceptable.

52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video

Surveillance Services or Equipment.  Page -73

It means that provider is not allowed to use the prohibited technology listed in there.

Section 4 – evaluation factors – page 70-71

Should be reviewed carefully to know Embassy requirements. If not provided, we will not evaluate.

SAM.GOV page – 66

This registration is free of charge and must be updated every year.

Lola Burankulova

Scope of work from page 9 to 44

Transaction Fees and Commission Refund Process

This is Transaction Fee Model contract – This model is premised on the Travel management Center (TMC) contractor charging the USG a transaction fee for providing travel services. The Government shall pay the Contractor a transaction received from carriers, and suppliers of lodging, rental vehicles, and other travel services. The Government accepts no responsibility or liability for payment of such concessions. The Contractor is warned that commercial practices may not apply to the payment of commissions on Government rates.

The Contractor shall provide On-Site Travel Management Service. The Embassy provide fully furnished office located at the lower level of the building, room #310S. The contractor will provide any and all additional equipment required, including but not limited to, computers, network connections to reservation systems, office furniture and printers.

– Scope of Work

The Contractor shall provide corporate travel services for official domestic and international travel of Government employees and their dependents. Domestic and international travel includes travel within the country in which the U.S. Embassy Tashkent is located and travel outside that country, including travel within the U.S and other countries.

2.0 – Definitions and Acronyms 

In this Section you could finds all explanation to definitions of this solicitation.

– Contractor Requirements for Providing Official Travel Services

In this paragraph you could find all requirements, but please pay attention for most important clauses: 

Taxes – When reservations are made for official business, the Contractor shall ensure that rate include taxes in separate line.
Quarterly problems and solutions report - This report shall identify problems and recommended solutions
Quarterly activities report – This summery shall reflect all official sales activity for each agency using the contract, whether the travel was purchased using a Government Travel Charge Card.

4.0 – Contractor Priority   

The Government’s travel requirements shall be accorded the highest priority. The Contractor must ensure that non-Governmental travel considerations do not delay, impede, or frustrate the Contractor’s timely effective processing of official Government travel

5.0 – Furnishing of Equipment/Property  

The Government will provide the property listed in Section 1, Attachment 3. The contractor shall provide any additional furnishing and equipment that it desires.

6.0 – Space for Performance of Required Services

As mentioned before, the Embassy provides fully furnished office located at the room #310S

7.0 – Minimum Personnel Requirements

All Contractor personnel providing services under this contract shall be fluent in English as well as the local language and meet all requirements as described in the contract.

8.0 – Contractor’s Quality Control Plan 

 General. The Contractor shall maintain procedures to continually monitor the quality of travel services, with the goal of providing and maintaining the highest level of customer service/satisfaction.

9.0 – Transition Requirement and Continuity of Services 

Government requires a smooth and orderly transition between the Contractor and the successor Contractor to ensure minimum disruption and avoid decline in service to the Government.

10.0 – Deliverables

 The Contractor shall provide all required deliverables in timely manner as described in the contract.

11.0 – Notice to Proceed, Period of Performance and Options

Immediately upon receipt of notice of award, the Contractor shall take all necessary step to prepare for performance of the services required hereunder. The Contractor shall have a maximum of thirty calendar days to complete these steps.

12.0 – Place of Performance

As mentioned above.

13.0 – Hours of Service

The Contractor shall provide service Monday-Friday 8 hours per day during the embassy’s working hours.  The Contractor shall provide emergency services outside regular working hours through a 24-hour, toll-free phone number, available to all Government travelers.  See also Section 1, continuation of block 20, paragraph 3.10

14.0 – Basis of Compensation to the Contractor

The Government will reimburse the Contractor for transportation services for official travel arranged by the Contractor.  This reimbursement will include only the actual carrier rates and/or fares effective for air, rail, bus and steamship tickets issued to Government travelers for official travel.     

15.0 – Billing and Payment Procedures

Billing and payment procedures for transportation expenses will differ, as noted below, according to whether the agency is participating in the Government travel card program.  Only the cost of official carrier transportation and excess baggage may be charged to the Government, plus the transaction fee, reduced by any commission.  

16.0 – Refund Procedures

This clause provides instruction of refund procedures which depends of the mode of transaction.

17.0 – Transaction Fee Procedures

These procedures apply only to official Government travel, not personal travel.  Any transaction fee charged to an individual on personal travel shall be between the traveler and the Contractor.  However, the Contractor shall post in a plainly visible location, the transaction fee to be charged to a traveler on personal travel.

18.0 – Security

The Government reserves the right to deny access to U.S.‑owned and U.S.‑operated facilities to any individual.  The Contractor shall provide the names, biographic data and police clearance on all Contractor personnel who shall be used on this contract prior to their utilization as required below in “Government Approval and Acceptance of Contractor Employees”.  The Government shall issue identity cards to approved Contractor personnel, each of whom shall display his/her card(s) on the uniform at all times while on Government property or while on duty at private residences.  

19.0 - Government Approval and Acceptance of Contractor Employees

The Contractor shall subject its personnel to the Government's approval.  All employees shall pass a suitable investigation conducted by the Government, including recommendation(s) from their respective supervisor(s).  Also required is a police check covering criminal and/or subversive activities, a check of personal residence, and a credit investigation.

20.0 - Key Personnel

The Contractor shall assign to this contract the following key person: Project Manager & Site Manager

21.0 - Personal Injury, Property Loss or Damage (Liability)

The Contractor hereby assumes absolute responsibility and liability for any and all personal injuries or death and/or property damage or losses suffered due to negligence of the Contractor's personnel in the performance of the services required under this contract.

22.0 – Insurance

The Contractor, at its own expense, shall provide and maintain during the entire period of performance of this contract, whatever insurance is legally necessary.  The Contractor shall procure and maintain during the entire period of performance under this contract the   minimum insurance $2,000.00 per incident

23.0 – Bonding of Employees

The Contractor shall obtain bonding for all employees associated with this contract, and shall provide evidence of bonding before initiating any work.

24.0 – Permits

Without additional cost to the Government, the Contractor shall obtain all permits, licenses, and appointments required for the prosecution of work. 

25.0 – Post Award Conference

Within 5 days after contract award, a post award conference will be  held at the Embassy, the precise location, date and time to be provided by the Government at time of award. 

26.0 -Task Order Issuance

Under this contract, any request for travel management services for official travel shall be considered to be issuance of a task order under the clause at FAR 52.216-18.

27.0- Requiring Activities And Participating Agencies

28.0- Quality Assurance And Surveillance Plan (Qasp)

Conclusion

We hope that the information obtained will help you to provide acceptable and mutually beneficial offers. All questions might be asked during the meeting or send via electronic mail to address TashkentGSOProcurement@state.gov. We will send the answers to all the companies, that will reflect the transparency of the tender and equal conditions for participation.

Deadline for the question is July 4 at 12.00 pm

When decision is made, we will inform all in writing about its results, announce the winning company, and separately, each company will be informed why it did not win the tender.

The conference concluded and attendees were thanked for their presence and expression of interest in serving the U.S. Government. The meeting was adjourned.

Q&A:

Q: How to display transaction fees on an invoice in percentage or in a fixed amount?

A: Show the fee as a fixed, flat amount per transaction.

Q: Who will cover fees for reissuing tickets?

A: If the re-issue is required because of a TMC error, the TMC bears the cost; if it is Embassy-initiated, the Embassy pays one additional transaction fee.

Q: Should our personnel work in the Embassy?

A: Yes. Two on-site staff positions are required.  The Embassy provides a fully furnished office in Room 310S and all necessary equipment.

Q: Can we know more about DBA insurance?

A: Include a provisional line of USD 3,500 in your price schedule. Only the awardee must obtain the actual Defense Base Act policy before performance begins.

Q: Will the Embassy provide internal training for our personnel?

A: Yes. On-the-job training and an orientation to the Mission Travel Policy will be provided.

Q: We are bit confused regarding the SF-1449—¬we need to fill out as per ADDENDUM blocks 12, 17, 19-24 and 30, so my question is what we should input in block 12 DISCOUNT TERMS, and block 19-24 – do we need to calculate, or just fill out the information about our company in block 17 and input the signatory information?

A: Complete block 17 with your company details and blocks 30 a-c with the signature.

Q: About the W-14 form—am I right that we need to fill out only information about our agency, and the rest is not about our company because all services will be provided outside the United States?

A: Form W-14 may be left blank.

Q: Also the question about bank commission which appears when we will charge your CITIBANK VISA CARD—¬in which block do we need to indicate this percentage?

A: The Citibank centrally billed account (CBA) will pay the fare, VAT+Bank-card commissions (as a separate CLIN), and the fixed transaction fee.

Q: Question about UEI number. I have registered on SAM.gov, and this number is not generated yet—it takes 10-15 days. Is it possible to check this point now?

A: Please see attached SAM registration guidelines.

Q: It was also mentioned during the meeting that all questions and answers would be uploaded to the website. Could you please let me know in which section they can be found?

A: After the deadline for questions, all Q&As will be uploaded to the Embassy Procurement page (https://uz.usembassy.gov/embassy/tashkent/procurement-and-contracting/) and to the notice on SAM.gov, under solicitation 19UZ8025Q0024.

Q: We would like to clarify one point regarding the provision of translation agency agreements. Most of these documents consist of 10-20 pages. In order to streamline the process, we propose submitting translated copies of only the key pages—specifically the first (cover) page, the page outlining the commission structure, and the page with signatures. Please confirm if this approach is acceptable for submission purposes.

A: All contract terms and conditions must be only in English and offer submission must be only in English. All other supportive documents like financial statements, recommendation letters can be submitted in the originally written language.

Q: During the meeting we were informed that Government will provide working spaces for implants and equipment listed in the task. Please confirm that working space and equipment will be provided for two persons.

A: Confirmed. The Government will furnish workspace and equipment for two on-site staff as specified in Attachment 3 (Government-Furnished Property) page 43.

Q: We are issuing air or railway tickets and rendering other services as requested; Government is fulfilling the payment by card for 1) the cost of product itself, 2) VAT, 3) bank commissions, and 4) transaction fee (Agency commission). Is it correct?

A: The Citibank centrally billed account (CBA) will pay the fare, VAT+Bank-card commissions (as a separate CLIN), and the fixed transaction fee.

Q: Could you please also inform what kind of card the Embassy uses: corporate or for individuals?

A: The Embassy uses a corporate Citibank Visa account.

Meeting Minutes from 19UZ8025Q0024 Travel Management Contract for U.S. Embassy Tashkent

Contract Opportunity Analysis

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