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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JANUARY 02, 2003 FBO #0396
SOURCES SOUGHT

A -- FLATS SEQUENCING SYSTEM (FSS) AND/OR DELIVERY POINT PACKAGING (DPP) SYSTEM FOR U.S. POSTAL SERVICE (USPS)

Notice Date
12/31/2002
 
Notice Type
Sources Sought
 
Contracting Office
United States Postal Service, Supplies and Services Purchasing, Automation Purchasing (HQ), 8403 Lee Highway Dewey Bldg, Merrifield, VA, 22082-8150
 
ZIP Code
22082-8150
 
Solicitation Number
Reference-Number-3AAERD-03-FSSDPP
 
Archive Date
3/15/2003
 
Point of Contact
Mark Guilfoil, Manager, Alliance & Innovations Group, HQ Purchasing, Phone 202-268-8951, Fax 202-268-3677,
 
E-Mail Address
mguilfoil@email.usps.gov
 
Description
The U.S. Postal Service is seeking to pre-qualify manufacturing sources capable of providing research and development solutions that walk sequence letter and flat mail for individual letter carriers to take directly to the street. The Postal Service's ultimate vision for delivery is a seamless operation that results in one bundle of mixed letters and flats for each delivery point (Delivery Point Packaging (DPP)). However, the Postal Service recognizes that technology limitations may or may not support the ultimate vision and could require an interim step that uses flat sorters to sort flats into delivery point walk sequence (Flats Sequencing System (FSS)). As such, the Postal Service will evaluate and pre-qualify sources for one or both of the approaches discussed below. To implement the expressed vision depends on having high-speed mail sorting and packaging equipment that efficiently sorts and merges the letter and flat mail in delivery walk sequence order for the letter carrier. The equipment must be optimally located to maximize the operational savings, and designed to eliminate the labor-intensive carrier "pull downs" inherent in the existing process. The output should be a series of packaged delivery point, walk-sequenced mail bundles/packets of letters and flats, for the carriers to take directly to the street without the need of additional sortation, casing, or pull-down. The bundles/packets could be presented to the letter carriers at a central carrier location in a "ready to go" vehicle. 1. Flats Sequencing System (FSS): This system provides flat mail in "Delivery Point Sequence" (DPS) or "walk" sequence to all carriers within one or more delivery zones. Currently, the USPS has sorting equipment to sort letter mail to full DPS level and flat mail to zone and carrier level. The FSS system approach could add flat mail sorting systems to the existing automation fleet to walk sequence flat mail for carriers. The FSS system must be able to handle all types of flat mail, currently processed by the USPS AFSM100 and the UFSM1000 (upgraded FSM1000) flat mail sorting machines. The FSS must demonstrate a minimum machine throughput of 40,000 pieces per hour for a single pass operation and/or a cumulative 16,350 pieces per hour for a multi-pass operation. The FSS may use image processing to automate sorting using bar codes, optical character reading and online video encoding to achieve a minimum of 95% sort rate to the delivery point with an error rate not to exceed 1% of the volume sorted. 2. Delivery Point Packager (DPP): This system provides for an all encompassing, seamless operational approach that results in a single bundle of "packets" containing letters and flats individually packaged for each delivery point on the carriers' route. To fulfill this vision requires mail sorting and packaging equipment that efficiently sorts, merges and packages the letter and flat mail streams in delivery sequence order for the letter carrier. The DPP system may result in reduction or complete elimination of some or all, existing USPS mail sorting equipment. A key component of this new approach is a sorting system that assembles a large range of letters and flats into delivery point packages. The system must accommodate all sizes, and weights of letters and flats. A DPP sorting system must be able to process all carriers' flat and letter mail for one or more delivery zones and must be capable of sorting the mail volume for the next day's delivery within the time window available. The output volume must meet or exceed the existing carrier volume levels available from current sorting methods. Current machine throughput for the equipment is 35,000 pieces per hour. The DPP may use image processing to automate sorting using bar codes, optical character reading and online video encoding to sort all letter and flat mail to the delivery point with an error rate not to exceed 0.5% of the volume sorted. Potential sources are encouraged to consider completely new system solutions and should not limit themselves to the existing mail processing equipment and sorting processes. The USPS plans to issue a solicitation to pre-qualified sources in calendar year 2003 Quarter 1. The solicitation will include system level performance specifications and simulation model requirements. In Phase I, firms will be asked to submit firm fixed price proposals for conceptual, design, and simulation deliverables. The Postal Service will evaluate all proposals and anticipates making one or more contract awards. Phase I awards are planned for calendar year 2003 Quarter 2. In Phase II, prototype and/or test bed contracts are planned for only those suppliers that submitted design and simulations that are accepted by the Postal Service. For the FSS suppliers, a contract for a prototype and In-Plant test is planned for calendar year 2004 Quarter 1. For those who successfully complete the In-Plant test, the Postal Service plans to award a field test contract in calendar year 2004 Quarter 4 for the field tests to be performed in Quarter 2 2005. For the DPP suppliers, a contract for test beds and evaluations is planned for calendar year 2004 Quarter 2. Test bed evaluations are planned for Quarters 2 and 3, calendar year 2005. The results of the evaluations will be used to select the approach the Postal Service plans to pursue. If applicable, build and test contracts for the Phase III will be awarded. Only firms that receive Phase III test contracts will be considered for subsequent production contract awards. To be eligible to participate for either program, interested firms must have deployed mail processing equipment to the USPS or other Postal Administration facilities. Interested suppliers should indicate if they wish to be pre-qualified for FSS, DPP, or both programs. If interested suppliers plan to team, the submission must include the member parties and their roles. Interested firms are requested to submit the following information: (1) a statement of technical capability and personnel resources with demonstrated experience in research and development of mail processing equipment and equipment modifications. Suppliers may provide written material, drawings, floor space requirements, photographs, and/or videos that demonstrate the machine specifications, listed above; (2) a list of all contracts performed within the last 5 years for similar requirements including contract number, dates of performance, customer's and Contracting Officer's name and phone number, and the dollar value of the contract; (3) quality and reliability data relating to the firm's previously deployed systems; (4) company's most current financial statements, and (5) location of deployed mail processing equipment (country, city, equipment type, quantity). During the pre-qualification process, the USPS may visit sites identified by the submitting firm to evaluate the machine attributes. The USPS will evaluate the pre-qualification statements submitted based on the following factors: (1) technical capability to meet the USPS requirements; (2) past performance and personnel resources; (3) quality and reliability; and (4) financial capability. The qualification statements may not exceed 50 pages. This announcement does not in any way commit the US Postal Service to test or purchase any equipment or make an award. Any subsequent award is contingent upon USPS funding approval. Qualified firms should send the required information to Mr. Vance Cathell, Contracting Officer not later than 28 February 2003. The mailing address is United States Postal Service, Automation CMC, Attention: Mr. Vance Cathell, Contracting Officer, 8403 Lee Highway, Fairfax VA 22082-8150. Email address is vcathell@email.usps.gov. All inquiries must be in writing.
 
Record
SN00232966-W 20030102/021231213605 (fbodaily.com)
 
Source
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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