This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This is solicitation number HQ0423-07-T-0004 and is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular, Fac 2005-14, Effective 22 Nov 2006 & Class Deviation 2005-o0001. This requirement is UNRESTRICTED. Requirement: Supply a mailing machine, meter rental and maintenance support in accordance with the Statement of Work. Description of items/services: STATEMENT OF WORK 1. SCOPE The contractor shall furnish and install a Mail Metering System and related equipment at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service - Rome, 325 Brooks Road, Rome, NY 13441-4527. In addition, preventative and full service comprehensive maintenance shall be required and include all necessary labor, parts and material required to provide this service. Service includes the rental of (1) Digital Postage Meter. 2. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE Installation shall be at the site noted above. Repairs shall be accomplished on-site at the location of the equipment. 3. GENERAL 3.1. Unless otherwise coordinated with the Government Point of Contact (GPOC) maintenance/repair services shall be provided during normal working hours, 0730 to 1600, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays. 3.2. Installation of the Mail Metering System and related equipment shall be completed no later than 31 Dec 06. 3.3. Existing postage to be securely withdrawn and transferred from existing meter to the replacement Postal Security Device, also known as the meter head. 3.4. Vendor?s standard commercial warranty will apply to equipment supplied. 3.5. The GPOC will act, on-site, as the technical point-of-contact for the Government, initiate service calls, and perform acceptance of the equipment, maintenance, and repairs. The GPOC?s authority is limited to technical issues and he/she is not authorized to make contractual decisions. The authority to resolve monetary issues and contractual interpretation is the responsibility of the Contracting Officer. 4. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 4.1. Mailing Machine: 4.1.1. General: Automatic feed Digital Meter Mailing System for metering, sealing, and digitally imprinting postage. The system shall contain a mailing machine processor base with integrated feeder that has the ability to transport one piece through the mailing system with no operator intervention. An integrated internal 16 oz weighing digitally interfaced postage computing scale used for determining the correct United States Postal Service (USPS) charge for outgoing office letters, cards and parcels. The mailing machine base must accept a digital meter or Postal Secure Device that meets all published USPS Secured Postage Meter Technology (SPMT) requirements. 4.1.2. Digital, IBI Compliant, and Ink Jet printing with auto date change, date advance up to 30 days and no ability to back date. 4.1.3. Mail Piece Size (Length, Height, Thickness) - System must automatically process envelopes at least 5? in length up to a maximum of 13? with internal integrated weighing platform on and up to 15? without internal integrated scale on. Automatic processing of envelopes shall be at a minimum no smaller than post card size (3 1/2? x 5?), and no larger than 13?x 15? without internal integrated weighing scale (16 oz.) feature, and 13?x13? with internal integrated weighing feature, with an envelope thickness up to ??, and no less than .007?. 4.1.4. Continuous feeding of envelopes that are nested open for automatic sealing and pre-sealed of different weights and sizes up to ?? thick and 16 oz in the same mail stream. 4.1.5. Process mail of inter-mixed size, weight and thickness in one processing stream without operator separation of mail pieces or stacking mail pieces by sizes. 4.1.6. Process sealed and non-sealed envelopes automatically in the same processing stream. 4.1.7. Self-aligning feed system to insure proper indicia registration, ensuring postage is not lost. 4.1.8. Display missed mail pieces to prevent outgoing mail from not being metered. 4.1.9. ?Auto oversize? USPS class feature to prevent mail from being returned for incorrect postage. Must have automatic sensor for selected class and automatically select correct mail class. 4.1.10. Able to seal envelopes with flap depths of 1? to 3 7/8?. 4.1.11. Have a power stacker with the capability of holding up to 600 pieces of mail in a stream for removal to postal trays or tubs. 4.1.12. Able to print and process standard postal cards 3? x 5? minimum. 4.1.13. One operator control panel or screen to control all components. 4.1.14. Include free standing ?table or console? that can be placed anywhere in a room and is designed specifically for the processor, placing the machine at a proper ergonomic height for operation and prevention of work place injury. 4.1.15. Mail processing speed shall be a minimum of 240-260 letters per minute based on a standard # 10 mailing envelope with the scale turned off and 130 letters per minute with the integrated 16 oz scale on. This must include a fully automatic in-line weight-metering feature. 4.1.16. Must indicate low ink, low postage, and low sealant prior to running out to prevent downtime. System must shut down if ink jet cartridge runs out. Sealant reservoir must be at least 1.0 L to 1.4 L to insure optimal efficiency. 4.1.17. Have an integrated drop-in roll tape system and provide postal tapes from a cost effective roll for mail and parcels on demand or automatically from external weighing platform. Roll tape dispenser must accommodate either pressure sensitive or, gummed tape, selectable by the operator depending on the application. The system must produce multiple tapes - up to 99 identical postage tapes for like weight pieces and have the ability to produce wet or dry in the same unit. Tape should be easy to load and cut to length of indicia. These tapes are to be dispensed via an internal tape roll. 4.1.18. Automatically adjust the meter imprint based on the size and thickness of the mail piece. For larger material (flats), the indicia must automatically move 2" to the left to avoid the possibility of fall-off and wasted postage. 4.1.19. Have the ability to retain up to 10 commonly run mail jobs. 4.1.20. Update U.S.P.S. rate changes, software upgrades and enhancements via modem download to eliminate service calls for software updates and potential loss/delay of rate cards or chips. 4.1.21. Electronically integrate with Postage Computing Platform or Scale. 4.1.22. The Digital Mailing System shall be new and the latest model in current production. 4.2. Interfaced Flat Platform External Scale: 4.2.1. Automatic meter and ability to weigh mail pieces less than one ounce to a maximum of no less than 70 pounds in ? oz increments. 4.2.2. Full USPS rating structure including International services and fees. Control panel on base must prompt for correct zip code and zone for correct postage. 4.2.3. Weighing capability to expedite processing of flats thicker than ?? and parcels. 4.2.4. Ability to upgrade to heavier scale if required in future (100 lbs., or 149 lbs.) or be replaced with a multi-carrier parcel processing system. 4.3. Secured Digital Postage Meter (Postal Secure Device): 4.3.1. Monthly rental of a Secured Digital Postage Meter meeting all requirements of the USPS, SPMT. 4.3.2. Ability to be refilled with postage via built in modem for analog fax telephone line to secured postal refill system. This will be for 24 hour, seven day a week postal replenishing. Postal Security Device must provide invoice for unlimited postage refills at no extra fee. 4.3.3. Meter/PSD inspections are to be done on line without operator intervention. 4.3.4. Removable from the base unit to use on another compatible mailing machine or allow it to connect to a telephone or internet cable for refilling of postage or software/USPS updates 24/7. 4.3.5. Capability to electronically submit certified, delivery confirmation, electronic return receipt, and signature confirmation services. System must have the capability to track Electronic Return Receipt through the USPS database. 4.3.6. Have at least three levels of password security. 4.4. Standard and Code Compliance: Equipment shall comply with or meet the safety requirements. The system shall comply with Information Based Indicia (IBI), USPS, and SPMT technology regulations for digital printing technology and security encryption. All electrical and mechanical equipment furnished must comply with FCC and OSHA rules. All electrical equipment furnished shall be grounded except as provided in these codes. 4.5. Preventive Maintenance. The contractor shall perform preventive maintenance two (2) times per 12-month period. The contractor shall provide a tentative preventive maintenance schedule to the GPOC within fifteen (15) days after contract award. Work performed shall include, but not be limited to, cleaning, adjusting, aligning of each electronic and mechanical component, replacing parts where needed to maintain the machine in good operating condition. 4.6. Maintenance. The contractor shall provide on-site call maintenance to include all labor and replacement parts (excluding expendable operating supplies). Repairs shall be made in accordance with manufacturer specifications. The contractor shall respond within two hours via a phone call from the service representative who is assigned the call and have a service representative on-site within four (4) working hours after notification of the repair call. The contractor shall be responsible for assuring repair is accomplished within twelve (12) working hours of the repair call. 4.7. Remote Customer Support. The contractor shall provide online software support to troubleshoot and resolve problems. The contractor must provide the GPOC a phone number for remote support service calls. This number must be monitored during normal working hours, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. In the event the problem cannot be corrected via the phone, the contractor shall respond in accordance with paragraph 4.6. 4.8. Parts and Materials. Parts and materials used for repairs /maintenance shall be new and meet manufacturer specifications. The contractor shall maintain an adequate inventory of spare parts to accommodate the repair of equipment within the time limits specified in para. 4.6. 4.9. The contractor shall not be responsible for repairs caused by accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, theft, riot, vandalism, electrical power failure, fire, water, or other casualty. 4.10. Inspection/Certification. The equipment shall be fully operational and serviceable after installation and completion of maintenance and repairs. Prior to leaving the area, the contractor shall demonstrate to the GPOC or designated representative that the equipment is operational. The GPOC or designated representative will certify that the equipment is performing satisfactorily. 5. TRAINING The contractor will provide four hours of on site basic operator training upon installation of the equipment. Training will also be provided to new employees as requested. 6. FACILITY ACCESS and SCHEDULING 6.1. Compliance with the security procedures of DFAS Rome will be required. Access to the facility will be coordinated with the GPOC. 6.2. Unless otherwise coordinated with the GPOC, all work will be performed during normal business hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Provisions and clauses: The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial, applies to this acquisition. Offerors are to include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, with their offer. The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The clause at 52.212-5 , Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes Or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items (Deviation), applies to this acquisition. Addendum: 52.217-8 -- Option to Extend Services (Nov 1999) The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 14 days prior to the expiration of the contract. 52.217-9 -- Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000) (a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within 14 days prior to the expiration of the contract; provided, that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 15 days [60 days unless a different number of days is inserted] before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension. (b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause. (c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 4 years and 9 months* (months)(years). *ESTIMATED. Based on actual award date, duration will be adjusted accordingly. Basis for Selection: The Government will award to the contractor whose proposal is determined to be the ?best value? to the Government, price and other factors considered. The factors that will be considered are Price and Past Performance. Offerors should address the following: ? Past Performance: Offerors are allowed to submit up to a maximum of 5 pages of past performance information for previous work experience on similar projects, including outcomes and points of contact. All pages after the first 5 pages, regardless of whether they are title pages, tables of content, etc., will not be evaluated. These pages shall be properly identified at the top of each page a Past Performance Information. ? Price: Evaluation of price will be based on the total quoted price, including the option periods. Offerors are allowed to submit up to a maximum of 1 page of supporting information on their price; however this is not required. All pages after the first page, regardless of whether they are title pages, tables of content, etc., will not be evaluated. These pages shall be properly identified at the top of each page as Pricing Support Information. Provide in the following or similar format. Monthly Price Total Price Award - 30 Sep 07 Mailing Machine & Associated Equipment N/A Meter Rental Maintenance Option Yr. One Meter Rental Maintenance Option Yr. Two Meter Rental Maintenance Option Yr. Three Meter Rental Maintenance Option Yr. Four Meter Rental Maintenance Quotes should NOT include more than 7 total pages of information ? five (5) pages for Past Performance, one (1) page for Pricing Support information, and one (1) additional page of basic quote information (eg. CAGE, Taxpayer ID Number (TIN), point of contact, term of quote validity, etc.).. Any additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions: None. The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) applies and the assigned rating for this requirement is DOC9. Offers are due by 3:00 p.m. Eastern on 19 Dec 06. Point of Contact (POC): William Mark Mayo Phone Number: 614-693-1972 Fax Number: 614-693-5674 e-mail address:
[email protected] Offers may be submitted by mail to: DFAS Columbus Contract Services Directorate Attn: Bldg. 21 / 2B218 / Mayo 3990 E. Broad Street Columbus, OH 43213-1152 Facsimile and e-mail quotes are acceptable and preferred. Furnish quotes to the POC on or before the closing time listed in this RFQ.