US Postal Service, Automation Purchasing, 8403 Lee Highway, Merrifield, Virginia 22082-8150

39 -- DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF AUTOMATIC MAIL CARTRIDGE UNLOADER MACHINE POC Pauline C. McTeer, FAX 703-280-8412 The Postal Service is seeking sources and qualifications statements from firms who are interested in being considered for development of an Automatic Mail Cartridge Unloader Machine. The USPS has a requirement for the design, development, installation, and testing of prototypes for an Automatic Mail Cartridge Unloader Machine. The USPS has underway programs to use robots and mail cartridges for processing of mail within Postal Processing and Distribution Centers (P&DC's). Processed letter mail for outgoing operations will not leave the P&DC's in the mail cartridges, but will be transferred to standard EMM mail trays. After the mail has been transferred from the mail cartridges to the EMM trays, the trays will be sleeved, strapped, and shipped around the country. The USPS does not have equipment available today to transfer the mail from mail cartridges to EMM trays. The new machine will need to receive loaded mail cartridges and empty EMM trays from conveyors, transfer the mail from the mail cartridges to EMM trays and feed empty cartridges and loaded EMM trays onto take away conveyors. The future potential for this machine exceeds 1,000 units. We are seeking qualification statements from only those firms who can adequately demonstrate the following capabilities: (1) successful past performance in the design and test of automated material transfer systems, (2) the ability to develop automated equipment controls, (3) experience with mail handling equipment, and (4) the availability of existing technology that can be modified to build, test, and deliver prototypes complete within 26 weeks after the award of a contract. Only those firms who are determined to be prequalified will be considered for any resulting contracts. Interested firms should prepare a discussion of any preliminary design ideas they may have and a summary of their qualifications, including the most recent financial statements, not to exceed twenty (20) single-sided pages, which must demonstrate that they possess the capabilities described above. Firms who are determined to be prequalified will have to sign a non-disclosure agreement regarding the cartridge design for further participation in the project. The qualification statement must be submitted with an original and three (3) copies to the address above no later than October 17, 1997. ***** (0272)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0153 19971001\39-0007.SOL)