U.S. Postal Service, Headquarters Automation Purchasing, 8403 Lee Highway, Merrifield, VA 22802-8150, Delivery Address: Dewey Business Center, 3001 Prosperity Avenue, Room G31, Merrifield, VA 22082-8150

99 -- ROBOTIC MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEMS: 6 AXIS AND GANTRY DUE 030797 POC Fred W. Medico, Purchasing Specialist, (703) 280-7817, Franklin Miles, Contracting Officer, (703) 280-7812. The U.S. Postal Service intends to purchase robotic material handling systems (RMHS) for its anticipated need of an estimated 300 RMHSs nationwide. These robotic systems will consist of six axis pedestal and gantry robots. The total quantity of each type RMHS has not been established. Pedestal robotic systems must service a 360 degree area with 100 inch reach and with a minimum weight load capacity of 265 pounds. The complete robotic system will be defined as a "cell". The "cell" consists of the material handling robot, the mail dispatch containers and the safety enclosure. The Gantry robotic system must be capable of high throughput (as a minimum 7 transactions per minute) with the same minimum weight load capacity as the pedestal type. Systems with other robot types may be considered if they are clearly workable in a mail processing environment. The purchase will be divided into two phases. Phase 1 is a test/demonstration and Phase II is for the production purchase. Product supplier (manufacturer, distributor etc.) will be required to install their robotic systems into a facility to undergo a thirty (30) calendar day test/demonstration beginning May 1997. The test/demonstration will be with test decks of mail trays. In order to be considered for participation in the test/demonstration and evaluation phase, the product supplier must have (1) extensive experience and a successful industry reputation in the integration and implementation of robotic material handling systems, (2) extensive experience in automation control systems, and (3) resources available to complete, as a minimum, 25 installations per month. The equipment will be the product supplier's established commercially available product. Interested sources must submit a comprehensive package fully addressing the above experience and resource requirements, the robot product(s) contemplated, a detailed description of five contracts completed within the last two (2) years, both governmental and commercial, if applicable, referencing the contract number, contracting officer name and telephone number. Responses will be evaluated against the above requirements, the proposed robot products, and customer satisfaction. Those Product suppliers who meet the above requirements will be notified of the schedule for test/demonstration. Multiple awards are anticipated. Responses must be received at the above mailing address by March 7, 1997. Those product suppliers who conduct a successful product test/demonstration will be invited to participate in Phase II. Release of the Phase II production Request for Proposal is scheduled for July 1997. (0044)

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