2031ZA26N00015 Currency Inks.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT

Type of Notice: Sources Sought

Notice Number: 2031ZA26N00015 Currency Inks

Short description of supply or service: Offset, non-feature intaglio inks and letterpress inks, to support the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) manufacture of U.S. Currency.

PCS or FSC Code: 6810 Chemicals

NAICS Code: 325910 - Printing Ink Manufacturing

Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No

Point of Contact:

Wesley Rankins Contracting Officer Bureau of Engraving and Printing Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) Email: wesley.rankins@bep.gov

Description: PLEASE READ ENTIRE NOTICE.

This is a Sources Sought notice (hereinafter Notice). This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, request for bids or quotations, nor a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. The purpose of this Notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. Responses to this Notice will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method and determining interest and capability of potential vendors for this type of requirement. All costs associated with responding to this Notice are solely at the responding parties' expense. Respondents are solely responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying any trade secrets and commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential contained within their response. The U.S.

Government will neither be liable for nor suffer any consequential damages resulting from any commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential not properly marked and clearly identified. Information received in response to this Notice will be safeguarded and handled in accordance with applicable statutes, including the Freedom of Information Act and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) policy. Respondents may execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Engraving & Printing

(BEP).

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has interest in and is seeking information regarding the capability to supply offset, intaglio, and letterpress inks for the printing of Federal Reserve Notes. There are currently multiple offset inks for every denomination except $1 and $2. In addition, there are multiple green opaque or transparent intaglio as well as magnetic or non-magnetic black inks. Letterpress inks are also used.

mailto:wesley.rankins@bep.gov

Respondents are to understand that the ink to be manufactured and supplied shall meet all specification requirements. Specifications for these materials are available upon submission of a written request with a letter of intent to the point of contact identified above. Companies requesting specifications may be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Statement (NDA) before receipt of specifications. The BEP reserves the right to deny the request for copies of the specifications.

Response to this Notice should at a minimum include the following:

1. The Sources Sought number;

2. Information regarding capabilities for planning purposes;

3. Respondent's DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc.); pursuant to the applicable NAICS code; and

4. Respondent's technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses;

5. Literature demonstrating the Respondents capability to supply offset inks, opaque or transparent intaglio inks, magnetic or non-magnetic intaglio inks, and letterpress inks, and test ink samples;

6. Information on how many products have been delivered and a reference list of customers currently using these products/systems for similar applications; and

7. A statement of whether the Respondents capability to supply offset inks, opaque or transparent intaglio inks, magnetic or non-magnetic intaglio inks, and letterpress inks meets the definition of a commercial product in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 2.101.

Commercial product means—

(1) A product, other than real property, that is of a type customarily used by the general public or by non-governmental entities for purposes other than governmental purposes (i.e., purposes that are not unique to a government), and—

(i) Has been sold, leased, or licensed to the general public; or

(ii) Has been offered for sale, lease, or license to the general public;

(2) A product that evolved from a product described in paragraph (1) of this definition through advances in technology or performance and that is not yet available in the commercial marketplace, but will be available in the commercial marketplace in time to satisfy the delivery requirements under a Government solicitation;

(3) A product that would satisfy a criterion expressed in paragraph (1) or (2) of this definition, except for—

(i) Modifications of a type customarily available in the commercial marketplace; or

(ii) Minor modifications of a type not customarily available in the commercial marketplace made to meet Federal Government requirements. A minor modification does not significantly alter the function or essential physical characteristics of an item or component or change the purpose of a process.

(4) Any combination of products meeting the requirements of paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this definition that are of a type customarily combined and sold in combination to the general public;

(5) A product, or combination of products, referred to in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this definition, even though the product, or combination of products, is transferred between or among separate divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliates of a contractor; or

(6) A non-developmental item developed exclusively at private expense and sold in substantial quantities, on a competitive basis to multiple State and local governments or to multiple foreign governments.

Commercially available off-the-shelf item or COTS item —

(7) Means any item of supply that is—

(i) A commercial product (as defined in paragraph (1) of the definition of “commercial product” in this section);

(ii) Sold in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace; and

(iii) Offered to the Government without modification, in the same form in which it is sold in the commercial marketplace;

8. Respondent's GSA Schedule number if available;

9. Which of the following contract lengths will your company accept? Select all that apply.

60 Months ☐ 72 Month ☐ 84 Months ☐ 96 Months ☐ 108 Months ☐ 120 Months ☐

Email responses to this Notice shall be sent to the attention of point of contact identified above.

Due date for responses is no later than stated open response period.

Thereafter the BEP anticipates issuing a solicitation, which incorporates the responses to the industry questions, comments, and concerns, to be issued on or about TBD. Offerors will be required to submit material samples of production ready material for BEP testing and evaluation with their proposals. BEP tentatively anticipates a period of performance for 5 (five) years. BEP is interested in developing an alternate source if capable alternative source(s) is (are) identified that can submit a proposal including a material sample for at least any of the following: offset inks, opaque or transparent intaglio inks, magnetic or non-magnetic intaglio inks, and letterpress inks.

This Notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. All costs associated with responding to this Notice are solely at the responding party's expense. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Further, the Government may contact the vendor for additional information regarding the information submitted as part of this market research effort. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in System for Award Management (SAM.gov). However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. The BEP will not be obligated to pursue any acquisition alternative as a result of this notice. Responses to the notice will not be returned. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future solicitation if one is issued.

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s). If so, respondents are solely responsible for properly marking and identifying such information within their response.