SOURCES SOUGHT
99 -- Advanced Facer Canceller System (AFCS) Indicia Detector/AFCS Overhaul
- Notice Date
- 7/22/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 491110
— Postal Service
- Contracting Office
- United States Postal Service, Supplies and Services Purchasing, Automation CMC, 8403 Lee Highway Dewey Bldg, Merrifield, VA, 22082-8150
- ZIP Code
- 22082-8150
- Solicitation Number
- TBD
- Response Due
- 9/15/2005
- Archive Date
- 9/30/2005
- Description
- The United States Postal Service is currently performing market research for available technology and supply sources in the area of mail processing indicia detection/image acquisition technology. Specifically, the USPS has a need due to end of life considerations and advancements in indicia detection technology to integrate a new Indicia Dectector/Image Acquisition System within its ongoing Advanced Facer Canceler System (AFCS) Overhaul Program. The following information provides background and technical specification information to suppliers. Sourcing strategies for this technology solution has not been finalized and are dependent on the results of the referenced market research. Requests for information and performance data submission should be provided to Mr. Mark A. Guilfoil, Manager, Automation CMC, 8403 Lee Highway, Merrifield, VA 22082-8150, Telephone (703) 280-7891. Requirements Specification AFCS Indicia Detector/AFCS Overhaul Program. BACKGROUND: The Advanced Facer Canceller System, AFCS, is the main letter mail culling, facing, and canceling machine used by the US Postal Service. The AFCS machines were deployed in the early 1990s. Much of the technology contained in the AFCS was developed in the mid 1980s. That technology has reached end-of-life and is now obsolete and difficult to support. One module within the AFCS that is of particular concern is the indicia detectors. The indicia detectors are used to locate valid indicia, stamp, meter, or the Facing Identification Mark (FIM). The location of the indicia is used to determine the orientation of the mail piece and to properly face the mail for subsequent processing. The purpose of this requirements specification is to list the requirements for a state of the art vision based indicia detector with additional functionality of image capture that can replace the existing indicia detectors on the AFCS. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS. 1. Size: The portion of the new indicia detector / image lift system that must be mounted on the AFCS transport (i.e. read head) shall fit in the same foot print as the existing indicia detector currently in USPS operations. The maximum dimension for the transport mounted portion of the indicia detector is 199.5 mm wide, 156 mm deep, and 260 mm high (above the baseplate). Below the machine transport, there is approximately an area of 750 mm wide, 750 mm deep, and 750 mm high to house additional components of the image lift system. 2. Mail Piece Feature Recognized: The indicia detector shall recognize the following features for each mail piece: ? Indicia Type ? Postage stamps, postal stationary, meter marks, Information Based Indicia (IBI ? Data Matrix and PDF417), and Facing Identification Marks (FIM). Stamps that have not been issued or authorized by the US Postal Service are not to be identified as indicia, or as a mail piece feature. ? Indicia value for all valid indicia on the mail piece. ? Mail piece orientation, even if no indicia is identified ? POSTNET bar code ? presence and value ? PLANET bar code ? presence and value ? Four State Bar Code ? presence and value ? ID Tag, both US National and International ? presence 3. Indicia Location: The indicia may be located anywhere on the face of the mail piece and may be in any orientation. 4. Mail Piece Characteristics: The mail processed on the AFCS is single piece First Class collection mail, letters and postcards. There are no requirements that collection mail will comply with any of the mail piece characteristics listed in the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM). The indicia detector shall be able to recognize the required mail piece features on mail pieces with the following physical characteristics: ? Color ? mail piece can be any color ? Size ? mail pieces size can vary within the limits listed in the table below: Minimum Maximum Length 5.0 inches (127 mm) 11.5 inches (292 mm) Height 3.5 inches (89 mm) 6.125 inches (155 mm) Thickness 0.007 inches (0.178 mm) 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) 5. Transport Speed: The transport speed of the AFCS is 3.8 m/sec ?0.2 m/sec. 6. Response Time: The indicia detector must provide information on the orientation of the mail piece within 50 msec. 7. Processing Rate: Maximum processing rate of 15 mail pieces per second. 8. Indicia Recognition Rate: The indicia (feature) recognition rate shall be > 98%. 9. Indicia Recognition Error Rate: The indicia (feature) recognition error rate shall be < 1% 10. Mail Piece Image: The indicia detector shall provide a 256 dpi grayscale image that is suitable for OCR processing of the full mail piece. The full mail piece is defined as shown above delineating the minimum and maximum dimensions in height and length, 11. Mail Piece Image Performance: The 256 dpi grayscale image shall provide the same or better performance as provided by the existing grayscale scanners on the AFCS. Sort and encode rates will be used to measure OCR image performance. 12. Maintenance: The indicia detector shall include built in self test. The indicia detector shall be self calibrating. Calibration is to be required no more frequently than once per week. The time required to complete the self calibration shall not exceed five minutes. The illuminating system for the indicia detector shall be capable of at least 40 thousand hours of operation without requiring replacement. 13. Environmental: The indicia detector shall be capable of continuous operation on a letter mail transport in a postal environment. The indicia detector will not be in a controlled or conditioned environment. The temperature range is from 50 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Relative humidity (non-condensing) is from 5 to 70 percent over the temperature range and may increase to a level as high as 80 percent over the temperature range from 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 14. Production Configuration: To minimize the number of computers on the workroom floor, the indicia detection software is planned to be integrated into the USPS image server that is part of the AFCS Advanced Coprocessor System (ACP) in any production systems ultimately procured. Respondents will be provided with specifications concerning the computers used within the ACP upon request. SCHEDULE AND DELIVERABLES. For purposes of this technology assessment and market survey, potential vendors shall provide performance data for available systems for USPS review. This information should include a complete description of a working unit which substantiates the vendors ability to meet the requirements in this specification. This written information shall be provided no later than September 15, 2005. Minor variations to the values expressed within the above specification, with the exception of Item 1. Size requirements, will be considered by the USPS if such systems are currently in use in other postal administrations or market applications. In the event that a potential vendor is currently or plans to develop a system which will meet the requirements provided herein, such vendor must provide a date by September 15, 2005 when those development activities would be completed and their system be available for USPS review. Testing plans will be developed and announced after USPS review of submitted system performance data. The USPS will not provide funding for development activities associated with this AFCS component. A determination concerning any procurement approach would be made after review of the responses to this technology assessment and comparison of its results to internal schedule requirements. The USPS by issuance of this notice makes no commitment to acquisition of any indicia detector/image capture system.
- Place of Performance
- Address: TBD
- Record
- SN00853220-W 20050724/050722212541 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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