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

74 -- MAIL PROCESSING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES SOL DTCG23-99-R-TPMB24 DUE 092299 POC Contract Specialist, Linda Mullen, (202)267-1512, Contracting Officer, Jerome Hensley, (202)267-6211 The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) posted a notice of intent to award a sole source contract to Pitney Bowes, Inc., Alexandria, VA 22312, for the purchase of 70 Electronic Scales and Interface Equipment and through rental, 70 low-volume Penalty Postage Meters. That notice of intent is cancelled. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; a proposal is being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This is Request for Proposal Number DTCG23-99-R-TPMB24. This solicitation document will incorporate provisions and clauses that are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-12. The standard industrial classification code is 3579 and the size standard is 500 employees. The basic contract consists of the delivery of 70 electronic scales and associated electronic interface equipment. The interfaceequipment consists of cables, software and hardware that enable an accurate connection between the penalty postage meters and electronic scales and mailing machines. The delivery of the 70 electronic scales and associated electronic interface equipment shall be 30 days after contract award. There are two one-year option periods for 70 penalty postage meters, through rental, subject to the availability of funds. Since this equipment is designated for installation and use throughout the U.S. Coast Guard, the burdens placed upon mail center personnel must be minimal. Unlike DoD mail clerks, who are assigned this duty on a full-time basis, the majority of Coast Guard personnel perform these duties on a part-time basis since the Coast Guard does not have a qualification code designating a person a mail clerk. Consequently, any time spent processing mail is considered time away from an individual's primary duty. The mailing equipment must be easy to operate and capable of performing as many functions, completely automated, as possible. The Contractor shall provide all necessary management, supervision, personnel, labor, materials and equipment (except for Government Furnished Items) required to install penalty postage meters, electronic scales and electronic interface equipment at 70 Coast Guard locations throughout the United States, as indicated in Attachment 1. (Attachment 1 will be provided via fax as requested.) Specific Tasks: Inspection of the equipment and supplies to be furnished herein shall be made at time and place of installation by the unit Postal Officer or representative of the receiving unit. The Contractor is responsible for installation of the mailing equipment. The Contractor or designated representative shall set up, install, and thoroughly test all equipment provided herein at destination to ensure it is in good working order and operating to required specifications. The representative shall then demonstrate this to the satisfaction of the receiving unit's Postal Officer or representative. The Contractor shall ensure the license required for the installation of each penalty postage meter contains the Coast Guard unit's correct 3-digit federal agency code and 5-digit cost code. These codes may be obtained from the Coast Guard's Mail Manager on 202/267-2313 or by e-mail at esias@comdt.uscg.mil. The original of each meter license shall be provided to the Postal Officer or designated representative at the Coast Guard unit where that meter is installed. A copy of each meter license shall be provided as indicated in Attachment 2. (Attachment 2 will be provided via fax as requested.) The Contractor shall list all equipment and supplies furnished herein, including applicable serial numbers on the unit's inspection or receiving report. Additionally, obtain the receiving unit's Postal Officer's signature certifying all equipment and supplies listed thereon have been received, are in good working order, and are operating to required specifications. The electronic scales shall: Weigh mail up to at least 70 pounds, with the weight displayed in increments of one-half ounce up to 5 pounds. Automatically convert ZIP codes to the correct USPS zone for that location. Automatically compute the correct USPS fees and automatically set the postage meter to the correct amount. Compute USPS rates for Express Mail; First-Class; Priority; Standard (A); Standard (B); Special Standard (B); First-Class automation; Standard (A) presorted and automation; and international air and surface rates. Compute USPS registered, insured, certified, merchandise return receipt, and return receipt requested fees. Accommodate future USPS postage rate changes. The electronic interface equipment shall: Interact with the electronic scale and meter so that the required postage is set on the meter; then upon instructions by the operator, cause the equipment to dispense a postage meter tape or place a postage meter imprint on the envelope in the required amount. Allow a meter operator to instruct an electronic scale to automatically set the meter for thecorrect postage. The meter operator then applies the postage meter tape (s), in the correct denomination, in accordance with the USPS DMM or IMM, on all mail matter that the electronic scale programmed, directly onto the mail piece. Penalty Postage Meters: As required by the U.S. Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual, the U.S. Coast Guard will rent seventy (70) stand alone penalty postage meters. The penalty postage meters shall be capable of being set for any class of postage, in any denomination up to at least $99.99. The meter resetting equipment shall allow Coast Guard personnel to add (reset) postage, in any amount, to their postage meter(s) via a toll free phone call to the manufacturer. The resetting process shall not take more than 3 minutes nor require any extra expenses, such as adding extra phone lines, computers or software, to accommodate this process. The Contractor shall provide a monthly postage activity summary containing every postage transaction as described in Attachment 3. (Attachment 3 will be provided via fax as requested.) The Contractor shall provide to each Coast Guard unit, a functionally equivalent (loaner) piece of equipment in good working condition should the original postage meter, mailing machine, scale or interface equipment malfunction during the warranty period for more than eight (8) continuous hours. When/if the equipment requires servicing or a malfunction occurs, there must be a service representative nearby and able to respond within 8 hours after a cutter with the malfunctioning meter docks at any location within the 50 United States, Puerto Rico, St Thomas VI and Guam, or within four (4) hours after a land based unit within the 50 United States reports their meter problem to the Contractor. If the malfunction is due to defective equipment parts, the Contractor shall complete all repairs during the period of the warranty. Electrical Specifications: All equipment requiring electrical power shall include automatic protection (i.e., surge protector) against voltage (current) fluctuations that may cause brownouts, power surges, and/or any damage to the equipment. Shall include adequate line filtering to protect volatile memory systems. Shall be in compliance with Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certified standards, or other nationally recognized testing laboratory's certified standards. Consumable Supplies: The contractor shall provide two units of consumable supplies for each mailing system, at no cost to the Coast Guard. A unit of consumable supplies will consist of ten rolls of meter tape or an equivalent number of meter strips; two ink cartridges or an equivalent number of bottles of ink; and at least two units of any other supplies necessary to begin operation of the mailing equipment. Other requirements are described in Attachment 4. (Attachment 4 will be provided via fax as requested.) The following documents are attachments to this RFP and will be forwarded upon request: Attachments 1, 2, 3, and 4. The following provisions are incorporated by reference: 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items; 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items (Reps and Certs must be submitted with offer. Copies will be provided upon request.); 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items. An addendum to this clause is included in Attachment 4. 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses cited in Paragraph (b) of this clause are applicable to this acquisition: 52.203-6 Alternate I, 52.219-8, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, and 52.222-37; 52.225-3; 52.232-18 Availability of Funds. 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 U.S. Coast Guard intends to enter into a firm-fixed price contract. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous tothe Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Technical capability of the equipment offered to meet the Government requirement, management capability, past performance and price. Technical, management and past performance are of equal value, and when combined, they 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 anoffer, whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. Offers are due by 3:00 p.m. on September 22, 1999, 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 concerning the STLP, call the OSDBU at (800) 532-1169. For information concerning this acquisition, contact the contracting official listed above. Posted 09/10/99 (W-SN379064). (0253)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0300 19990914\74-0001.SOL)