Commandant (G-ACS), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001

J -- CENTRAL MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT AND CENTRAL SOFTWARE PROTECTION AGREEMENT SOL DTCG23-98-R-TPM01B POC Contract Specialist: Linda Mullen (202) 267-1512; Contracting Officer: Jerome Hensley (202) 267-6211 This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This is Request for Proposal Number DTCG23-98-R-TPM01B. This solicitation document will incorporate provisions and clauses that are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 90-46. The standard industrial classification code is 3599 and the size standard is 500 employees. The period of performance is for a base period (Oct 1, 1997 -- Sept 30, 1998, Qty 12 mos.) and 4 one-year option periods (Oct 1, 1998 -- Sept 30, 1999, Qty 12 mos., Oct 1, 1999 -- Sept 30, 2000, Qty 12 mos., Oct 1, 2000 -- Sept 30, 2001, Qty 12 mos., and Oct 1, 2001 -- Sept 30, 2002, Qty 12 mos.). The Contractor shall provide all labor and materials necessary to provide a central maintenance agreement which applies to all hardware and software in the mailing system models currently in use throughout the Coast Guard, listed below, and a central software protection agreement for the mail processing equipment listed below. Item No. 1) 33 Pitney Bowes Model 6105 Mailing Machines; 2) 222 Pitney Bowes Model 5600 Mailing Machines; 3) 2 Pitney Bowes Model E670 Mailing Machines; 4) 1 Pitney Bowes Model B610 (100 lb.) Electronic Mailing Scale; 5) 9 Pitney Bowes Model A530 (30 lb.) Electronic Mailing Scales; 6) 2 Pitney Bowes Model B510 (10 lb.) Electronic Mailing Scales; 7) 355 Pitney Bowes Model LMS-70 (70 lb.) Electronic Mailing Scales; 8) 3 Pitney Bowes Model STAR 160 Mailing and Shipping Systems; 9) 5 Pitney Bowes Paragon Mail Processors; 10) a central software protection (Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) Disk Replacement) agreement for the Pitney Bowes mail processing equipment currently in use throughout the Coast Guard as follows: 1 Pitney Bowes Model B610 (100 lb.) Electronic Mailing Scale; 9 Pitney Bowes Model A530 (30 lb.) Electronic Mailing Scales; 2 Pitney Bowes Model B510 (10 lb.) Electronic Mailing Scales; 355 Pitney Bowes Model LMS-70 (70 lb.) Electronic Mailing Scales; 3 Pitney Bowes Model STAR 160 Mailing and Shipping Systems; and 5 Pitney Bowes Paragon Mail Processors; 11) 1 copy of a Service Activity Report (not separately priced). The Contractor shall designate a single Project Manager responsible for all work performed under this contract and to serve as a point of contact for the Coast Guard. Specific Tasks are as follows: 1) The Contractor shall provide to the Coast Guard a central maintenance agreement which applies to all hardware and software for the mailing system models described above. The maintenance agreement shall provide that if the Contractor provides a replacement part that does not fully perform according to manufacturer's specifications, the Contractor shall promptly replace the non-operational part/equipment with a like part/equipment. 2) The Contractor shall provide to each CoastGuard unit, an equivalent piece of equipment functioning at manufacturer's specifications, should the original mailing machine or electronic mailing scale require more than 12 hours to repair. The replacement equipment shall be delivered and operational within 24 hours from the initial service call that reported the original equipment non-operational. If the malfunction is due to defective equipment parts, the Contractor shall complete all repairs, including labor, at no cost to the Coast Guard. 3) The Contractor shall provide periodic on-site maintenance on the equipment described above, on a semi-annual basis. 4) The Contractor shall provide unlimited on-site service calls to include repair which shall include all parts and labor free of charge. 5) The Contractor shall provide to each Coast Guard unit affected by this agreement, a copy of the maintenance agreement. 6) The Contractor shall provide a review of service history of the equipment, check parts inventory, and make specialized diagnostic tests on-site. Also, provide reports of service activity for Coast Guard review, in compliance with Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) -- Form DD 1423-1, Data Item No. 0001, available upon request. 7) The Contractor shall provide to the Coast Guard a central agreement that will protect the 343 Coast Guard units for all qualified Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) or Disk replacements for up to six (6) qualified events on the mailing equipment described above. The postage rate PROM and Disk shall contain accurate and up-to-date postage rate changes on U.S. Postal Service and other carrier rates. 8) The Contractor shall automatically send one (1) copy of the updated PROM/Disk replacement for each piece of mailing equipment listed above at each of the 343 Coast Guard units, at no cost to the Coast Guard, before any qualified event takes effect. The following documents are incorporated by reference: U.S. Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual (USPS DMM); U.S. Postal Service Postal Bulletin (USPS PB). The following documents are attachments to this RFP and will be forwarded upon request: CDRL Data Item No. 0001 and the address list for all of the 343 Coast Guard Units, which will also list the equipment and serial numbers at each location. Definitions: 1) Qualified Event -- Postal or carrier rate increases or decreases; changes in service provided by carriers (e.g., required new report formats or geographical expansions); and all ZIP Code or Postal Zone changes. 2) Maintenance -- Actions taken to return equipment to "as new" operating condition, and to reduce the probability of equipment failure. 3) Repair -- Actions taken to return non-operating equipment to "as new" operating condition. 4) Non-Operational -- Equipment not functioning at manufacturer's specifications. The Government will not provide or loan any equipment required to perform the services described herein. The Contractor shall furnish everything required to perform this contract. The following provisions are incorporated by reference: 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items; 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items (must be submitted with offer); 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, the following terms and conditions are added as an addendum to this clause: 1. Invoice -- The Contractor is required to submit invoices which contain all of the information specified in FAR Clause 52.232-25, Prompt Payment. A DD Form 250 may be used as an invoice provided it includes all the information in Clause 52.232-25. The original and two copies of the invoice shall be submitted to the following address: Commandant (G-ACS-1A), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second St., SW, Wash., DC 20593-0001, M/F: Invoice for Contract No.* (to be added at time of award). Failure to provide the required information shall be cause for rejection of the invoice. 2. Option to Extend the Term of the Contract 52.217-9 -- The Government may extend the terms of this contract by written notice to the Contractor prior tocompletion of the basic contract for Item Nos. 1 -- 11; provided, that the Government shall give the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 30 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension. If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option provision. The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 60 months; 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses cited in this clause are applicable to this acquisition: 52.203-6, 52.203-10, 52.219-8, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, and 52.222-37; 52.232-18 Availability of Funds. The U.S. Coast Guard intends to enter into a firm-fixed price contract. The Government will award a contract, subject to the availability of FY 98 funds, resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Technical capability of the service offered to meet the Government requirement; management capability; price; and past performance. Technical, management and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than price. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further actions by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer, whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. Offers are due on September 12, 1997, 3:00 to: Commandant (G-ACS-1A/LM), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second St., SW, Washington, DC 20593-0001, ATTN: Linda Mullen. For information call Linda Mullen at 202/267-1512. This notice is for informational purposes for Minority, Women-Owned and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. The Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), has a program to assist minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises to acquire short-term working capital assistance for transportation-related contracts. Loans are available under the DOT Short-Term Lending Program (STLP) at prime interest rates to provide accounts receivable financing. The maximum line of credit is $500,000. For further information and applicable forms concerningthe STLP, call the OSDBU at (800) 532-1169. For information concerning this acquisition, contact the contracting official listed above. (0227)

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