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

99 -- OPTICAL CHARACTER READER/VIDEO CODING SYSTEM FOR NEXT GENERATION FLAT SORTING MACHINE SOL 102590-98-A-0095 DUE 041598 POC Robert D. D'Orso, C.P.M., A.P.P., (703) 280-7836 WEB: click here to download a copy of the prequalification request, http://www.usps.gov/business/wantad.htm. E-MAIL: click here to contact the contracting officer via e-mail, rdorso@email.usps.gov. The USPS is seeking to pre-qualify sources capable of providing an integrated Optical Character Reader, Bar Code Reader, and on-line Video Coding System (OCR/VCS) for a five-week competitive test on a Next Generation Flat Sorting Machine in a designated US Postal facility. The USPS desires to test OCR/VCS systems to be installed on the Next Generation Flat Sorting Machines scheduled for deployment starting in July, 1999. The test is tentatively planned for August 31 -- October 2, 1998. Pre-qualified OCR/VCS systems will be installed for testing on the NGFSM which will be selected in July 1998 through an ongoing competitive process. The winning OCR/VCS systems will be installed on 175 NGFSMs to be procured on the initial purchase with optional quantities up to an additional 500 NGFSMs which may be deployed on subsequent purchases. The USPS plans to issue a solicitation in June, 1998 to those firms that are determined to be pre-qualified for this requirement. These firms will be asked to submit a firmfixed price proposal to transport, install and test their system (no development costs will be paid by the USPS). The solicitation will include an OCR/VCS system specification and Competitive Test Plan. The USPS plans to evaluate these proposals and make one or more test contract awards. The winning OCR/VCS system will be the directed source to the NGFSM supplier. The USPS plans to request pricing for approximately 175 systems on July 1, 1998. Only those firms (or their licensees) that receive test contracts will be considered for selection as the directed source. The results of the test will be used in the evaluation process for the selection of the directed source in October, 1998. To be considered for pre-qualification, a firm must have an operational OCR/VCS on a flat sorting machine in a domestic or foreign post office processing facility, or furnish evidence of the ability to interface an OCR/VCS system with an existing USPS flat sorting machine (FSM 881) for a demonstration to be held before June 15, 1998. The OCR/VCS system to be deployed on the Next Generation Flat Sorting Machine must as a minimum meet the following requirements: The OCR/VCS video camera device shall implement a minimum video resolution of 200 square pixels per inch and shall be capable of acquiring the image of a mail piece up to the maximum dimensions of 12.0 inches high, 15.0 inches long and 0.75 inches thick. The OCR and Postnet bar code reader functions shall be capable of processing images of flat mail in which the destination address angle will vary between 0 and 360 degrees from a horizontal plane. The output of the BCR, OCR and VCS functions shall be the decoded ZIP Code character data or data extracted from the USPS national address database used to identify ZIP Code information. The error rate for the OCR function shall not exceed 2.0 percent on primary 5-digit sorting operations and 4.0 percent on secondary 11-digit sorting operations. The error rate for the BCR function shall not exceed 0.1 percent. The accept rate for theOCR shall meet or exceed 80.0%, and the accept rate for the BCR shall meet or exceed 98.0 percent. The on-line Video Coding System operates in conjunction with the OCR, BCR and NGFSM. Flat mail images not resolved by the OCR or BCR shall be processed by the Video Coding System. The VCS shall provide video display terminals (VDT) which will be used to manually enter mail sorting data. The system must have sufficient buffer capacity to provide for 30% of the NGFSM throughput to be recirculated prior to keying, to accommodate temporary surges of non-bar coded and non-OCR readable mail pieces. The contractor shall provide a minimum of eight VDTs along with associated tables and chairs for data entry and one supervisor terminal for monitoring the VCS system. The contractor shall provide as part of the VDT, a 19 inch or larger video color monitor. Images displayed at the VDT for coding shall be displayed with a minimum resolution of 100 dots per inch. The entire image of the mail piece must be displayed on the VDT. In addition, the VCS shall provide functions for the operator to rotate the image of a mail piece if the image is not initially displayed with proper orientation. There shall be no previewing of images, i.e., displaying images first in low resolution to allow the operator to select an area for Zooming before keying a mail piece. The background of the screens for reading text and data entry should be a non-interlaced display of "paper" white background with minimal or no black borders on the screen. Text written directly on the background should be in black characters. The VDT video color monitor X-RAY emissions shall comply with DHHS Title 21 CFR Subchapter J -- Part 1000-1030. The contractor shall provide a QWERTY type keyboard as part of the VDT. The USPS ergonomic specifications require that the keyboard must provide for rapid and accurate unobstructed visual search and data entry. The keyboard design must minimize user error rates, memorization and reach requirements. Use of a Numeric keypad is recommended. Interested firms are requested to submit the following information: (1) written material, drawings, photos, videos, and performance statistics that demonstrate the ability to meet the system specifications listed above; (2) the location of their currently deployed OCR/VCS systems; (3) a list of all contracts performed within the last 3 years for similar requirements including the contract number, dates of performance, customer's and Contracting Officer's name and phone number, and the dollar value of the contract; (4) a technical plan to integrate the firms OCR/VCS system into the USPS selected Next Generation Flat Sorting Machine; (5) Quality and reliability data relating to the firm's design; quality system in compliance with the ISO 9001 model, or a quality system deemed equivalent by the USPS (ISO certification is not required). During the pre-qualification process, the USPS plans to visit sites identified by the firm to physically evaluate the system attributes. The USPS will evaluate the pre-qualification statements based on the following factors: (1) Technical capability to meet USPS requirements; (2) past performance; (3) quality and reliability. This announcement does not in any way commit the Postal Service to test any equipment or make an award. Any subsequent award is contingent upon USPS funding approval. All companies interested in obtaining a prequalification request package, should mail their request to the address in item 7. Interested firms must send the required information no later than April 15, 1998. The qualification statements should not exceed 25 pages. All inquires must be in writing, no telephone requests will be accepted. (0082)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0349 19980325\99-0008.SOL)