99 -- Direct Accountability - Mail Metering Equipment & Support Services

SSA-OPLM-03-01: DIRECT ACCOUNTABILITY/MAIL METERING EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES: SSA has a requirement for ongoing maintenance, rate change coverage, postage meter leases and equipment upgrades for all Pitney Bowes(PB) mail metering systems currently owned or leased by the Social Security Administration nationwide. The United States Postal Service's (USPS) final rule issued on November 27, 1992 calls for all federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration (SSA), to establish a system of direct accountability (DA) of the Agency's actual postage expenditures. SSA's primary method of DA has been the metering of all outgoing mail at all Agency mail sites nationwide. SSA intends to negotiate and award a contract for the ongoing services and equipment with PITNEY BOWES CORPORATION, 7630 Little River Turnpike, 8th Floor; Annandale, VA 22003-2610 This will be a follow-on contract to contract 600-98-34485 awarded to Pitney Bowes in December of 1997. Requirements include MAINTENANCE: The contractor will maintain all equipment, will make one preventative maintenance visit per year to each mail site, will provide on site response within 4 working hours, restore equipment to full operation within 8 working hours or provide replacement, and guarantee replacement parts for the systems will be available for the term of the contract. RATE CHANGE INSURANCE: The contractor will provide rate change coverage for all USPS rate changes, provide materials necessary to reprogram the equipment with either a new chip/cartridge, new software or online direct conversion. METER RENTALS: Provide for renewal of all meters currently leased and provide new and/or replacement meters with remote setting capability. If during the contract period the USPS requires SSA to switch to commercial postage meters, the contractor will replace existing meters with commercial meters at no charge to the government. EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS: All purchased equipment will be new, include effective interfacing, delivery, installation, training, maintenance and rate change coverage and start-up supplies. TECHNOLOGY SUBSTITUTION: The Government may require the contractor to substitute equipment (new technology) provided that the item(s) are fully compatible with existing equipment, be field proven and off the shelf configurations,and the price of the items(s) including maintenance shall be equal to or lower than that originally proposed . DOCUMENTS, REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION WITH CONTRACTOR: The contractor will be responsible for delivering the following: Monthly Reports of Postage Activity, Service History and Equipment Inventory. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The period of performance under this contract will be from January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003 with four one-year options. Any responsible business who believes it has the necessary staff and resources to provide the described services should submit a complete capability statement, including documentation clearly demonstrating they can provide Pitney Bowes equipment, parts and maintenance support services; to the Contracting Officer (at the address above) within 15 business days from the date of this notice. This is Not a request for proposals. SSA will not respond to, nor pay for requests for solicitations.