SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE.doc

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

FEDBIZOPPS

The USPS created a standardized selection of packaging and mailing supplies imprinted with the USPS and ReadyPost® logos. Customers benefit from product standardization because they know what to expect at virtually any post office in the country. The generic product line consists of several mailing fomats printed in white with the USPS and ReadyPost logo. The decorative product line consist of different color mailing formats with diverse innovative designs.

The Postal Service intends to partner with a single supplier to provide a standardized range of USPS generic and/or decorative branded packaging and mailing supplies under the USPS registered trademark ReadyPost®. The purpose of this plan is to:

· Increase revenue contribution of branded packaging and mailing supplies

· Provide added convenience to USPS customers

· Decrease overall costs of program administration

· Contribute to a stronger, more consistent and positive USPS retail image

The Postal Service requires that:

The Supplier must have the capability to provide customer service to USPS retail channels, production, and just-in-time to sites on the Point of Sale Replenishment system (POSR) approximately 14,100 POS sites currently on the POSR system, warehousing, distribution, and transportation of USPS ReadyPost® branded shipping supplies to possibly 38,000 postal location, Contract Postal Units (CPU’s) and internet orders. Suppliers must follow the USPS Domestic Mail Manual cited in different sections of the sow, Corporate Signature Guideline and ReadyPost® Logo Sheet Guidelines included as attachments in this sow.

The Supplier must demonstrate world-class production, warehouse and fulfillment operations, comprehensive information systems, and established just-in-time inventory system capabilities, with software. The Supplier must have a commitment to quality to conduct efficient and economical retail merchandising techniques that keep items in stock and available for purchase.

The Supplier must support existing ReadyPost® displays in retail sites with merchandising back panels, plan-o-grams, and corrugated header signs. There are eleven different types of displays located in retail locations nation-wide. The Supplier must develop schematic product placement for plan-o-grams for individual size displays based on product sales by format, office category level product access, and consumer eye appeal. The larger displays (the plan-o-grams) may also serve as display back panels.

The Supplier must develop advertising concepts for seasonal product based on consumer market research, product market research, consumer segmentation, and USPS sales opportunities. The USPS and Supplier monitor sales of seasonal product lines to determine sell-thru by SKU by individual sites for future seasonal product creative development and deployment.

The Supplier is responsible for developing the creative concepts for a new decorative and license product line with the same formats, pack-ins and outside dimensions as stated in Attachment 1 (Generic and Decorative Products) upon contract award. Proposed concepts must be based on consumer market research for color, design, and marketability.

The Supplier is responsible for all creative labor (i.e., production artist, designer, etc.) related to the development of the concept art for the decorative, seasonal and license products.

The Supplier must provide the USPS revenue opportunities for each new product format design base on market research. The Supplier must secure the intellectual property rights to manufacture, distribute and display the decorative and license products, and any required promotional or advertising materials they create.

The Supplier must provide full reports on all intellectual property issues relevant to such products and materials. The Supplier must provide the USPS information for the following related to all new proposed product design, in particularly for the seasonal, new decorative and license product lines. The USPS has the final approval rights for all the designs for the ReadyPost® product lines.

· Sales opportunities analysis (high and low potential profits)

· Measure time to market

· Market segmentation

· Consumer research

· Product market research

· Retail/consumer sales appeal

· How is image distinguishable from competitors' products

· Meet legal USPS requirements for product and packaging

· Environmental compliance

· Proposed design and testing of product to determine salability

· Product shelf life

Point of difference in service and supply of product Supplier must visit their local post office and view the ReadyPost® display to have a better idea on how the products are merchandised. It is recommended that more than one post office should be visited. The USPS will not provide ReadyPost® samples.

Only U.S. domiciled companies will be entertained. The following are the basic criteria the Postal Service will consider in determining which suppliers will be considered for award:

1. Audited Financial Soundness. Upon request, suppliers may be requested to submit financial statements for calendar years 2005, 2006 and 2007. Each supplier’s Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) appraisal will be reviewed. Negative or undesirable points in the D&B report may disqualify suppliers from consideration.

2. National Capability. Suppliers must have the ability to support a national network. The supplier must demonstrate an ability to support all USPS retail channels, including, but not limited to, each of the approximately 38,000 Post Offices located throughout the country, the U.S. territories, and military installations.

3. Supplier Required USPS Systems Integration eBuy is the USPS Enterprise Tool for Ordering Goods and Services. It is an intranet-based system for the creation and approval of both on-catalog and off-catalog requisitions. eBuy is the mandatory purchase vehicle for all USPS installations with intranet access. Each ordering office must reconcile the Billing Summary Report against the orders received during the specified month.

1) Provides a process for creation of new requisitions (on-catalog and off‑catalog).

2) System routes on-catalog requisitions to the vendor.

3) Post Payment for Requisitions.

4) Certify Invoices for purchases of Utility and Telecom services without requisitions.

Facility Access and Shipment Tracking (FAST) replaced the Drop Shipment Appointment System (DSAS). FAST enhances the drop shipment process by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of appointment creation and management capabilities for both customers and USPS.

Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW)

1. Point of Service (POS) system used by the Postal Service automates retail transactions.

2. Retail DataMart (RDM) captures transactional data related to products and services to the unit level.

Enterprise Data Interchange (EDI). The USPS provides an AFT site for business partners to PUT/deposit and GET/pick-up files. Files transmitted via this method must be encrypted with PGP.

Point-of-Sale-Replenishment (POSR). Supplier will receive sales data transmission AFT file for product replenishment for offices on the POS system.

Contract Postal Unit (CPU). A post office located inside a retail establishment and operated by the retailer’s employees. CPUs provide postal services to remote, under-served, and seasonal locations where traditional post offices are not available or are over burdened. This alternative access channel is one of the Postal Service’s lowest cost-to-serve programs. The goal of the CPU program is to provide alternate access to all customers that will reduce customer wait times in post offices, retain and increase our market share, reduce operational costs, and improve customer satisfaction. There are two types of CPUS, firm-fixed and performance-based.

Contract Access Retail System (CARS). A CARS mailing system is provided by the Postal Service to the CPU for weighing, metering and calculating postage on mail pieces. Only CPUs under a performance-based contract that do not have post office boxes or sell postal money orders will qualify for the mailing system.

Contract Postal Unit Technology (CPUT) is a user-friendly web-based application that generates reports and invoices for all CPU contracts. CPUT calculates the correct supplier payment each month by capturing and transmitting from retailer and supplier CPU locations. It allows the retail specialist to pull reports on revenue and compensation for all CPUs.

Delivery Confirmation. Large-volume mailers who have completed a certification process, apply an identifying barcoded label, and provide an electronic manifest can retrieve delivery information electronically through electronic file transfer.

Interested and capable supplier may collaborate with other supplier’s to meet the total requirements of this solicitation. Proposed partners must independently demonstrate their abilities to meet the minimum performance standards of the work for which they re being proposed. They will be evaluated for selection accordingly.