Description
The Social Security Administration has a requirement for ROLLED PAPER – 50 inch diameter rolls of 11-inch wide paper, white form bond, perforated at eight and one-half (8 ½) intervals to be used on an IBM 3900 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-04-0432. 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 American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 322121. REQUIREMENTS/ SPECIFICATIONS: One Hundred Ninety (190) 50-inch diameter rolls of 11-inch wide paper, white, form bond, perforated at eight and one-half inch intervals to be used on an IBM 3900 printer. The paper must have a minimum weight of 20 lbs., with at least 30% post-consumer recovered material. It also 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 smoothness of the paper must range between 70-150 Sheffield Units. THE PAPER MUST HAVE PINFEED HOLES AT THE SIDES (NOT FACTORED INTO THE 11-INCH WIDTH) AND BE WOUND ON SIX-INCH CORES. Rolls must be spliceless and all rolls wound in the same direction. PACKAGING AND MARKING: The rolls must be packaged three to a pallet, paper or shrink wrapped and secured to the pallet with half inch wide nylon strapping. The pallets must be marked with FSN 7530-00-000-0463, ICN 668540, purchase order number, lot number and roll number. 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. The contractor shall be responsible for replacing any roll, defective roll, or roll that cannot be used within 10 inches of the core, or for which the core does not function properly, at no additional charge to the Government. DELIVERY: First Article Approval: three (3) rolls must be delivered by the contractor within 10 calendar days from the date of the order. The balance of the order, which the contractor must ship in three (3) staggered shipments of 63 rolls each, must be delivered with the 1st delivery 20 calendar days following government acceptance of the First Article product and other shipments in 20 day increments thereafter. 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 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The maximum height clearance is 13"5". FIRST ARTICLE APPROVAL: FAR 52.209-4 FIRST ARTICLE APPROVAL - GOVERNMENT TESTING (SEP 1989)--ALTERNATE I (JAN 1997) is hereby incorporated by reference. Paragraph (a) shall read - The Contractor shall deliver three (3) rolls within 10 calendar days from the date of the award to the Government at the delivery address specified above (under “Delivery”) 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. Paragraph (b) shall read - Within 30 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. TESTING REQUIREMENTS: Test rolls will be inspected to ensure compliance with specifications. Test rolls will be inspected upon receipt at the Middle River Warehouse to ensure that the rolls have been received without obvious defects (e.g. if the paper is wet, torn, or wrinkled, it will not be accepted). Test rolls will be held in SSA's printer area for a minimum of 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. TERMS AND CONDITIONS: FAR Part 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS - COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 2003) is applicable to this order. The following provisions at FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items. (MAY 2004) apply to this acquisition: (b)(5), (b)(14), (b)(15), (b)(16), (b)(18), (b)(19),(b)(20),(b)(22),(b)(25),(b)(31). 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, (in accordance with FAR 52.223-4 “Recovered Material Certification) 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-04-0432. 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 past performance. Past performance is considered more important when evaluating quotes. 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.arnet.gov. Responses must be submitted by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, June 21, 2004, addressed to the Social Security Administration, Office of Acquisition and Grants, Attn: Phyllis Porter, 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, 21207, OR emailed to Phyllis Porter at phyllis.porter @ssa.gov. FAXED RESPONSES ARE NOT PERMITTED. 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.