The Social Security Administration has a requirement (SSA-RFQ-04-0237) for ROLLED PAPER - 50-inch diameter rolls of 18-INCH wide paper, white SEAMLESS bond, to be used on an OCE 500/250 printer. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items (as defined by FAR 2.101) prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Offers are being requested; however, a written request for offers will not be issued. This acquisition is subject to FAR Subpart 13.5, regarding the application of simplified acquisition procedures. This is a 100% small business set-aside, issued as Request for Quotation Number SSA-RFQ-04-0237. FAR 52.219-6 applies to this RFQ. Quotations submitted from other than small business sources will be rejected. The small business size standard is 750 employees. The North America Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 322121. REQUIREMENTS/ SPECIFICATIONS: 1) Fifty (50) Rolls of seamless paper, 18 inches wide including pin holes. Rolls shall measure fifty inches (50”) in diameter to be used on an OCE Pagestream 500/250 printer with feeder holes factored into the 18 inch width and with a 6-inch hollow core. Paper weight: 20# book/50# offset. Specific volume: 0.079-0.089 inch (1.3-1.45 cm). Smoothness: 115-265 cm X 10 = Sheffield Units TAPPI Test Methods #T 538 om-88. Opacity: >60% - TAPPI Test Methods #T 519 om-86. Moisture content: Equilibrium Relative Humidity 45_707. Dimensional Stability: Longitudinal <0.06% Transversal <0.14%. Electrical Properties: Electrical Surface Resistance: 18-10 Ohms; Electrical Volume Resistance: <10 Ohms Keithley Electrode. Rolls must have at least 30% post consumer fiber content and 30% recovered fiber content, and must consist of at least 80% chemically pulped wood, free from any contaminants that may have been added to the paper in its previous application. The contractor shall replace, at no additional cost to the government, any roll that cannot be used within 10 inches of the core, or for which the core does not function properly. PACKAGING AND MARKING: The rolls must be packaged to a pallet, paper or shrink-wrapped, and secured to the pallet with inch-wide nylon strapping. The pallets must have dimensions of 36 inches x 52 inches x 5.25 inches high, with stops at the rear of the pallet to prevent dropping of the rolls during loading onto the carts. Pallets must accommodate a standard pallet jack lifting mechanism with forks measuring 42 inches long x 4 inches wide x 1.75 inches high. Each pallet must be marked with NSN 7530-00-000-0465, ICN 668541 and the Purchase Order number(SS00-04- ). DELIVERY: lst Article Approval (2) rolls within 10 calendar days from the date of the order. Balance of the order within 20 calendar days following government acceptance of the First Article product. All rolls shall be delivered F.O.B. Destination to the Social Security Administration, Middle River Warehouse, Receiving Clerk, 2800 Eastern Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21220. Telephone number 410-962-7477. Delivery of all shipments shall be made between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Maximum height clearance is 13115". FIRST ARTICLE APPROVAL: FAR 52.209-4 FIRST ARTICLE APPROVAL - GOVERNMENT TESTING (SEP 1989)--ALTERNATE I (JAN 1997)(a) The Contractor shall deliver (3) rolls within 10 calendar days from the date of the award to the Government at the delivery address specified above for first article testing. The shipping documentation shall contain this order number and all Lot/Item identifications. The characteristics that the first article must meet and the testing requirements are specified elsewhere in this order. (b) Within 15 calendar days after the Government receives the first article, the Contracting Officer shall notify the Contractor, in writing, of the conditional approval, approval, or disapproval of the first article. The notice of conditional approval or approval shall not relieve the Contractor from complying with all requirements of the specifications and all other terms and conditions of this order. A notice of conditional approval shall state any further action required of the Contractor. A notice of disapproval shall cite reasons for the disapproval. (c) If the first article is disapproved, the Contractor, upon Government request, shall submit an additional first article for testing. After each request, the Contractor shall make any necessary changes, modifications, or repairs to the first article or select another first article for testing. All costs related to these tests are to be borne by the Contractor, including any and all costs for additional tests following disapproval. The Contractor shall furnish any additional first article to the Government under the terms and conditions and within the time specified by the Government. The Government shall act on this first article within the time limit specified in paragraph (b) of this clause. The Government reserves the right to require an equitable adjustment of the order price for any extension of the delivery schedule or for any additional costs to the Government related to these tests. (d) If the Contractor fails to deliver any first article on time, or the Contracting Officer disapproves any first article, the Contractor shall be deemed to have failed to make delivery within the meaning of the Default clause of this order. (e) Unless otherwise provided in the order, the Contractor (1) may deliver the approved first article as a part of the order quantity, provided it meets all order requirements for acceptance and was not consumed or destroyed in testing; and (2) shall remove and dispose of any first article from the Government test facility at the Contractor's expense. (f) If the Government does not act within the time specified in paragraph (b) or (c) of this clause, the Contracting Officer shall, upon timely written request from the Contractor, equitably adjust under the Changes clause of this order the delivery or performance dates and/or the order price, and any other contractual term affected by the delay. (g) The Contractor is responsible for providing operating and maintenance instructions, spare parts support, and repair of the first article during any first article test. (h) Before first article approval, the acquisition of materials or components for, or the commencement of production of, the balance of the order quantity is at the sole risk of the Contractor. Before first article approval, the costs thereof shall not be allocable to this order for (1) progress payments, or (2) termination settlements if the order is terminated for the convenience of the Government. (i) The Government may waive the requirement for first article approval test where supplies identical or similar to those called for in the schedule have been previously furnished by the Contractor and have been accepted by the Government. The Contractor may request a waiver. (j) The contractor shall produce both the first article and the production quantity at the same facility. [End of clause]. TESTING REQUIREMENTS: Test rolls will be inspected to ensure compliance with specifications. Test rolls will be held in SSA's printer area for three calendar days to allow for proper acclimatizing. The rolls will then be used on the appropriate machinery to ensure that the paper meets all requirements for surface stability, vapor emissions, print quality maintenance and fusing quality. The core must function properly without shifting of the paper or jamming. More than one non-compliant roll in the test group constitutes failure. If the test rolls pass these requirements, SSA will give "conditional approval of the test rolls. The Government will have an additional 30 days to ensure that the paper has no detrimental effects on the printing equipment. Additional criteria that may be assessed during this period are: (1) the continued use of the paper must not result in the emission of odor-causing compounds such as sulfur compounds, chlorides, rein-based aerosols or organics; 2) any coatings on the paper must not cause fusing failures; 3) the paper must not cause fusing failures due to the inclusion of synthetic resins synthetic sizing agents or plastics; 4) the paper must not create excessive dust. The amount of paper dust generated must not exceed 75-260 micrograms per cubic meter (SSA Health code standard) or cause printer malfunctions and operator interventions; and, 5) paper must not have additives or other conditions that reduce print quality. If the paper fails to meet these criteria during this period, SSA reserves the right to cancel the order.(see attached test process) TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Far Part 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items (Feb 2002) is applicable to this order. The following provisions at FAR Part 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders--Commercial Items July 02 apply to this acquisition: (b)(11), (b)(12), (b)(13), (b)(14), (b)(15), (b)(16), (b)(18), (b)(21), (b)(25). INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS: The following provisions at FAR 52.212-1, Instruction to Offerors--Commercial Items, (tailored) apply to this acquisition: (b)(1) - (b)(11), (c), (f), (g), (h) and (j). Paragraph (b)(4) is tailored as follows: a technical description of the product is not required. However, the offeror must submit a written statement as to the percentage of post-consumer recovered material, the percentage of chemically pulped wood free from contaminates; and the smoothness of the paper in Sheffield units. Offerors are to submit three (3) references in accordance with FAR Part 52.212-1(b)(10). Note: these references must be current or work must have been completed within the last three (3) years. All offers shall be clearly marked with quotation number SSA-RFQ-03-0398. EVALUATION: The provisions at FAR Part 52.212-2, Evaluation--Commercial Items (tailored) apply to this acquisition. Paragraph (a) is tailored as follows: the government will award an order resulting from this request for quotation to the offeror whose quote represents best value to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate quotes: price and technical compliance. Technical compliance is considered more important when evaluating quotes. In the event of a tie, award will be made to the contractor quoting the greatest percentage of recovered materials. To be considered for an award under this solicitation, quoters must provide a firm- fixed unit price per roll. Price increases from the manufacturer cannot be passed on after award. REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS: Quoters must include a completed copy of the provisions at FAR Part 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, with their quote. Interested parties can get the document from http://www.ssa.gov/oag/.htm (click on: Acquisitions, then click Clauses and Provisions and then Reps and Certs (1) for Commercial Items). SSA is requesting that all bids be submitted Electronically. Email it to
[email protected]. Sunject SSA-RFQ-04-0237 Attachments may be MSWord, MSExcel or PDF format. RESPONSE DATE: Responses must be submitted by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, April 2, 2004, OR hard copies should be addressed to the Social Security Administration, Office of Acquisition and Grants, Attn: A. R. Tokosch 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, 21207, OR faxed to (410) 966-9310. All responsible small business sources may submit a quotation that shall be considered by the Agency. Quotations submitted from other than small businesses will be rejected.