SOURCES SOUGHT
70 -- Commercial Off-the-Shelf Industrial Non-Contact Printer, Scanner, and Accountability System
- Notice Date
- 3/22/2002
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), Office of Procurement, 14th & C Streets, S.W., Washington, DC, 20228
- ZIP Code
- 20228
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-02-BEP-09
- Response Due
- 4/5/2002
- Archive Date
- 4/5/2002
- Point of Contact
- Larry McCain, Contract Specialist, Phone (202) 874-0133, Fax (202) 874-3135,
- E-Mail Address
-
larry.mccain@bep.treas.gov
- Description
- SOURCES SOUGHT/REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is seeking available sources for the acquisition of commercial off-the-shelf industrial non-contact printers and scanners to print and read bar codes on sheets of U.S. currency paper. The bar code printing of the sheet would occur at the perfecting offset printing presses. Once printed, the scanners would read the bar codes on the sheet at each production stage throughout the remainder of the currency production processes. In addition, the BEP is interested in related software accountability systems that would use the bar codes to track each sheet through the production processes and interface with the BEP?s automated inspection systems to collect associated quality and defect information. PRINTERS AND SCANNERS: The non-contact printers will have the ability to mark sheets of U.S. currency paper with a unique identifier via machine read bar code with adjacent human readable information. The scanners/readers would be installed at numerous points on each of the Bureau?s currency production equipment. Information collected from the scanners will be used by the accountability system to track production and to associate quality and defect information to individual sheets. ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM: The Bureau is also seeking sources for an accountability system that includes an enterprise-scale relational data base management system (RDBMS) for real-time collection, transfer, and interface of the information associated with the bar code. Scanners/readers will integrate with the printers to create computerized files of bar code information that the system accesses multiple times during the production processes. The bar code information tracks the individual sheets from a production load through the production processes and interfaces with the BEP?s automated inspection systems to collect associated quality and defect information about each sheet. The system will process, cross-reference, and reconcile the bar code information numerous times from the initial printing of the bar code until the bar code is removed from the sheets at the final production step. Consequently, the system must be capable of real-time processing and reconciliation, comparing information from one production step to the next, producing discrepancy reports, and incorporating various quality and defect data acquired by multiple inspection systems throughout the production process. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: 1. The printer must be capable of printing simultaneously at two locations on the leading edge of the sheet as it is being transferred through the press. These bar codes will be equivalent except for a sheet-side identifier to uniquely identify the two halves of the printed sheet; 2. Each bar code must have the minimum capacity of 30 ASCII characters of data within a target range of 80mm wide by 7mm tall; 3. The following bar code information will be printed: a. Serial Lot Number (9 characters); b. Manufacturing Order/Job Number (12 characters); c. Sheet number (00001 ? 20000) (5 characters); d. Sheet side identifier (1 character); e. Plant Identification (1 character). (The above information is also to be printed in human-readable characters adjacent to the bar code.); 4. Capability of printing Conventional and 2D type bar code symbology; 5. Provide cost effective, reliable reader/scanners that will integrate with printer; 6. 99.99% readability/ scan rate guarantee; 7. Capable of printing grade A / B bar code; 8. Print with a sheet feed rate of 476?/min; 9. Printing shall be done without use of Methyl Ethyl Ketone ink or solvent; 10. Be applicable for possible defect encryption; 11. Provide on site training for maintenance and programming; 12. On site performance and analysis of equipment for communication protocol for ease of use and robustness under BEP operating conditions; 13. Provide a standard warranty on printers and scanners for up to one year. Suppliers are requested to provide written information that addresses the above requirements, along with any product information to supplement the written response. Suppliers shall describe what modifications to the equipment/system may be necessary to meet the performance requirements. The Bureau is requesting information packages from potential sources on their capability to provide the supplies identified herein. Firms having applicable interest, capability, and background should submit particulars in accordance with Numbered Note 25. Respondents of this notice will not be notified of the results of the evaluation of the information submitted. This sources sought/RFI is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any follow-on acquisition. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this sources sought/RFI or otherwise pay for the information requested. All interested sources capable of providing the above mentioned hardware, software, and services may respond to this notice by providing an information package delineating their capability to provide the assistance and supplies identified herein. Respondents must indicate their business size status: Large Business, Small Business, 8(a), or other. Responses are due not later than April 5, 2002. Direct all responses to this sources sought/RFI in writing to the attention of Larry McCain, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Office of Procurement, Materials & IT Contracts Division, Room 708A, 14th & C Streets, SW, Washington, DC 20228-0001. Questions regarding this sources sought/RFI should be directed to the same at: e-mail: larry.mccain@bep.treas.gov or phone: (202) 874-0133.
- Record
- SN00047345-W 20020324/020322213433 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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