U.S. Geological Survey, Procurement and Contracts Section, Building 25, Box 25046, MS 204B, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225

R -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON PUBLIC INTEREST IN OPERATING NATIONWIDE MAP AND PUBLICATIONS DISTRIBUTION ACTIVITY POC Deborah S. Boles, Contracting Officer, (303) 236-5900 x316 This is not an announcement of a solicitation. This is a request for information. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is interested in improving access to its public information products and services through the possible private sector involvement in operating all or part of a nationwide map and publications distribution activity. Industry response is solicited to indicate the level of interest in providing distribution services; what capabilities are available; options for customer access; and how distribution services can be restructured and promoted to increase customer awareness, use and product sales. Specific functions may include all or parts of the following activities: support of a nationwide retail dealer network; receipt of orders from the general public and dealers via mail, phone, fax, and electronic network; operation of central or regional order fulfillment centers; operations of central warehouse activities; and customer awareness and marketing. Additional background information: The USGS has an inventory of over 130,000 published products which are currently sold to the public. These products are available directly through the mail from the Information Services Branch, in Lakewood, CO, over the counter through the USGS Earth Science Information Centers (ESIC), or through retail dealers who buy products at a discount from the USGS. The USGS distributes copies of new maps and publications to Federal Depository Libraries across the country and to Federal and/or State agencies who have cooperated in the funding of the mapping or research projects. The total sales of products from the Product Delivery Section was more than $7 million in FY 1994, with orders from 105,000 customers. An estimated 4,000 new products are received each year. Paper- based catalogs and indexes are distributed to customers in order to identify products. The majority of orders are placed through the mail or over-the- counter. The financial system collects data, identifies product location and price, and generates pull slips for product retrieval and order closing. An adjunct system tracks and orders custom products available through the ESIC's. Products are reprinted based on sales data collected in the financial system. Currently, inventory for all 130,000 products is kept in the facility located at the Denver Federal Center, Building 810. Information responding to industry interest in the foregoing activities is being requested in as much detail as organizations are willing to provide. Neither a draft statement of work nor specifications are available from the USGS. No formal solicitation or contract will result from this synopsis for industry information; any subsequent solicitation will be synopsized prior to its release. Information responding to this request should be received within forty-five days from publication of this notice. (0070)

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