FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES COMMERCIAL MARKET SERVICES PROGRAM INTENT: Federal Prison Industries, Inc. ( FPI ) has recently received approval from the U.S. Department of Justice to sell services to the private sector. This initiative is planned initially as a pilot, subject to general oversight by FPI's Board of Directors, and with close involvement of interested parties as FPI initiates this program. In addition, FPI is planning to concentrate its efforts on performing commercial services work that is currently being performed outside of the United States. Currently, it is envisioned that services such as sorting, packaging, data entry, assembly, phone answering, and item repair would be provided. Toward that end, FPI is developing criteria for commercial business partners interested in utilizing an inmate labor force in the United States to support their operations. As FPI moves forward with this initiative, it is committed to doing so in a manner which will not adversely affect the private sector, and which will be of benefit to FPI, its prospective partners,and the general domestic economy. Our objective through the Commercial Market Services Program is to implement service-based operations to help create new civilian jobs and to provide skills training and employment for Federal inmates. FPI plans to issue another CBD announcement to seek interested partners once FPI develops its criteria. Our goal is to implement pilot programs by the Spring of 1999, following the final development of program criteria. DESCRIPTION OF FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES: Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), which operates under the trade name UNICOR, is a wholly-owned government corporation within the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. The corporation was created by Congress in 1934, and provides employment, education, and training opportunities to inmates under Federal custody. UNICOR's mission is to employ and provide skills training to the greatest practicable number of inmates in Federal correctional facilities necessary to ensure the safe and secure operation of such facilities, and in doing so, to produce market priced, quality goods in a self-sustaining manner that minimizes potential impact on private business and labor. FPI operates more than 100 factories at 53 locations nationwide. FPI currently provides approximately 100 separate products and services to federal agencies, including the Department of Defense. MISCELLANEOUS: General comments on this initiative are invited. If you would like to provide comments or propose issues for consideration in the development of program criteria, or if you are interested in participating in this process as a prospective offeror, or if you are simply seeking additional information about this initiative, please contact: Tom Burkett Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 320 First Street, NW, Bldg. 400-8 Washington, DC 20534 Telephone: (202) 514-1898 Fax: (202) 305-7356 E-Mail: tburkett@central.unicor.gov Posted 10/05/98 (W-SN258279).

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