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

A -- AUTOMATIC TRAY UN-SLEEVER SOL 102590-98-A-0045 DUE 012698 POC Mr. Vance Cathell (703)280-7803 WEB: Business Opportunity Bulletin, www.purchasing.gov. E-MAIL: Purchasing Specialist, vcathell@email.usps.gov. The United States Postal Service is seeking sources and qualification statements from firms who are interested in being considered for the design, manufacturing, and test of automatic tray un-sleevers with an option for five additional machines. Multiple awards may be made. These machines, which do not currently exist within the Postal Service will automatically un-sleeve mail trays and place the sleeve onto one of four containers. The Automatic Tray Un-sleever can be a self-contained unit or two modules consisting of a strap removal and containment unit and un-sleeving unit having the ability to un-sleeve the small MM, MM, small EMM or EMM trays from its corresponding sleeve, and placing the sleeve onto one of four containers for that sleeve. The machine shall perform this function without causing undue wear and tear to trays and sleeves. The machine shall be designed to operate so a sleeved and strapped tray containing mail, fed lengthwise from a conveyor will be removed from the sleeve. The automatic tray un-sleever shall consist of a means of detecting the type of tray, removing the strap, pushing a tray out of the sleeve and loading the sleeve onto one of four containers. The machine shall separate the straps in a container for recycling. The conveyors shall be powered-roller conveyor. The automatic tray un-sleever shall have safety shielding, applicable interlock, appropriate start and stop controls, and graphic machine status, fault and diagnostic display. We intend to provide access to the draft Statement of Work for this requirement on our web site at www.purchasing.gov. If not available at that site, it can be transmitted via electronic mail or other means from the purchasing specialist. We are seeking qualification statements from only those firms who can adequately demonstrate the following capabilities: (1) Design of automated material handling machinery, (2) Historic performance on similar contracts for the design of mechanized material handling and/or packaging machinery, (3) Knowledge of Ergonomics and Human Factors Engineering, (4) Knowledge of shipping containers, (5) Knowledge of robotic and mechanized material handling requirements, and (6) Manufacture of highly automated material handling machinery. 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 and a summary of their qualifications, including the most recent financial statements, not to exceed twenty single-sided pages, which must demonstrate that they possess, at a minimum, the six capabilities described above. The qualification statement must be submitted with an original and 2 copies to the address above no later than 26 January 1998. (0364)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0002 19980105\A-0002.SOL)