36C25620Q0040-011.docx

The purpose of this amendment is to answer vendors’ questions and revised the Statement of Work (See attached Statement of Work).

The Closing date is on this solicitation is extended to 4:30 PM Friday, November 22, 2019.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Question: The RFQ does not state any mention of "Name Brand or Equal to products are to be provided in accordance with FAR 52.211-6". Please modify to include Equal products with similar characteristics.

Answer: This is not a brand-name or equal requirement. Any reference to a specific product’s characteristics is for reference only.

Question: The website listed for "USPS-approved manufacturer via authorized distribution channels (http://www.usps.com/postagesolutions/post_mtr.htm)" is not valid and cannot be used to verify whether or not a manufacturer is authorized by the USPS. Please remove this requirement.

Answer: Website removed.

Question: The condition of the mailing system being able to process up to 500 lpm is restrictive, and cannot be met by any mailing system provider. Please remove this requirement or modify it to 300 lpm.

Answer: See revised Statement of Work.

Question: The condition of the mailing system being able to process up to 250 lpm with "Weigh On the Way Technology" is restrictive, and cannot be met by any mailing system provider. Please modify this requirement to 160 LPM to allow competition.

Answer: There are other vendors using this technology.

Question: The requirement to have "1200 dpi printing quality" is restrictive and an exclusive feature to Pitney Bowes systems. Please modify this requirement to industry standard printing quality.

Answer: No. There are other venders using are this technology.

Question: The requirement of the system to process an envelope flap depth of up to 3 7/8 is restrictive to one vendor only, and is not a envelope flap size that the VA utilizes. Please either remove this requirement or modify to 3 inch.

Answer: The VA requires a system that processes an envelop flay depth up to 3 7/8 for invitation letters.

Question: The requirements of "Address correction feature, USPS tracking feature, USPS Postal Advisor feature, Order supplies from mail machine, View and print details of the account, Set up service calls from mail machine, Remote diagnostics and support" are not relevant to the daily operations of the Gulf Coast VAMC facility’s Mail Room. These requirements are restrictive to one vendor and intended to eliminate competition. Vendors offer these type of services using a different technology. Vendors offer various other methods to order supplies, place service calls, and detailed printing and reporting of mail operations. Also the VA IT department will not all any vendor to provide Remote Diagnostics on the unit. Please modify this requirement to allow vendors standard process to be utilized.

Answer: We're connected to the USPS SYSTEM.

Question: "Self-aligning feed deck" is restrictive to the Pitney Bowes mailing systems. Other vendors accomplish the same task using different technology. Please remove this requirement or modify to allow vendor technology to accomplish the same requirement.

Answer: No. We need this technology, to ensure that this alignment of the letters flow properly throughout the process.

Question: "Mixed Mail Feeder that processes nested and non-nested envelopes of any size or thickness" is contradictory of other thickness and size specification listed is section 4.A. Please modify this requirement to match section 4.A.

Answer: No. We have patient that have multiple appointments that need to be placed in one envelope and over count letters.

Question: The ability of the mailing system to "print return address and misc. messages and logos in color simultaneously while printing postage" is restrictive and exclusive to Pitney Bowes mailing systems and restricts competition. This is not a feature or function that the VA needs or utilizes. This is a specification that the competitor utilizes to eliminate all competition. Please remove this requirement.

Answer: No. We need this to print the return address on to blank envelopes, should we run out of printed addressed envelopes.

Question: "Reserve advanced payment with interest earned and Easy Permit" are restrictive and exclusive Pitney Bowes features, and eliminates competition. This is a specification that the competitor utilizes to eliminate all competition. Please remove this requirement.

Answer: No. We need this, should we need to load funds on to the account in advance.

Question: Please clarify the requirement to "Provide Presort Report" as presort mail will not be prepared on the mailing system.

Answer: We need a system that will allow us to print reports from the many accounts.

Question: The requirement to provide a "Presort pick up service" is restrictive and not relevant to the mailing system. Please remove this requirement.

Answer: See revised SOW.

Question: The listing of the requirements of the "Arrival Inbound Receiving and Tracking System" are a duplication of the "Inbound Receiving and Tracking System" requirement specified in section 4.D. Remove the item 4.A Arrival Inbound Receiving Tracking System being that it is already a requirement in 4.D.

Answer: This is needed for tracking pharmacy, prosthetics packages.

Question: The requirement for the Hand Held scanner to be Windows CE based is restrictive and not relevant to the function of the solution. Other vendors utilizes different operating systems that are approved by the VA to accomplish the requirement. Please modify or remove this requirement as stated.

Answer: This is needed for tracking pharmacy, prosthetics packages.

Question: Please clarify how "Access to tracking data" will be granted through the network.

Answer:

Question: Requirement of "Double Document Detection w/Electromechanical & infrared light" is restrictive to one vendor only. Other vendors accomplish the same task with different technology. Please modify to also allow Double Document Detection w/Electromechanical OR infrared light.

Answer: We need this because a patient may have more than one appointment letter to go into one envelope.

Question: "Vertical power stacker that holds up to 500 envelopes" is restrictive and not required since the Folder/Inserter is required to have a "Postage meter interface for output into high volume mailing system". Please remove this requirement.

Answer: No. This is needed due to processing the amount of mail work load.

Question: Please clarify the requirement of the Postal Barcoding and Address Correction Software to "Corrects misspelled words" Is this requirement for address correction or verification? or just checking for misspelled words? Which does not make sense.

Answer: Address correction/barcoding is needed because of multiple appointment letters for one patient.

Question: Please clarify the requirement of "Address maintenance – add, delete or edit database".

Answer: This is used for the USPS system to add or delete addresses that are being updated in the system.

Question: "Mailing Assistant – built in checklist that organizes you regular mailings and projects" is a restrictive requirement only offered by one vendor. Please remove this specification being that it is not utilized or needed by the VA.

Answer: No. This will assist us when pulling reports for different accounts.

Technical Specifications -The Contractor shall provide:

4.A One (1) high-volume mailing system capable of handling the current mail and projected mail volume requirements for the Gulf Coast VAMC with:

· Process speeds of up to 500 letters per minute auto feed letters of same size and weight Question 1: The fastest speed in the market is 310 letter per minute. Can this requirement be changed to 300 letter per minute based on standard #10 envelope <1oz?

Answer: See revised SOW.

· Process speeds of up to 250 letters per minute auto feeder Weigh on the Way (WOW) technology

Question 2: The fastest speed in the market is 205 letter per minute. Can this requirement be changed to 200 letter per minute based on standard #10 envelope <1oz?

Answer: See revised SOW.

· Jet spray envelop sealer Question 3: To allow for fair and open competition will the government also accept pump-fed pad sealing?

Answer: Yes

· Postage payment options – Reserve advanced payment with interest earned, Purchase Power, ACH, Easy Permit The Department of Treasury’s financial manual states “a Federal agency must make payments directly to the USPS for postage and may not place public money in a postal vendor’s account to be used for postage payments.”

Question 4: Is it a requirement that all USPS transaction be funded through the USPS prepaid trust account per Chapter 4100, Requirements for using Depositaries to Hold Public Money, Section 4131 – Accounts of Agency Contractors of the Treasury Financial Manual?

Answer: Yes.

· Commercial Based discounted USPS rates

Question 5: Is it a requirement that the equipment and associated technology be able to take advantage of the lowest prices offered to federal agencies pursuant to the US Postal Service GSA Schedule 48 Contract, United Parcel Service GSA Schedule 48 Contract and FedEx GSA Schedule 48 Contract rates including but not limited to Commercial Plus Pricing?

Answer: Yes Question 6: In order to reduce Government administrative costs in funding of metering systems, does the Government requires that the proposed equipment and associated technology allow the Government to fund one postage metering account to cover all US Postal Service transactions processed by the equipment?

Answer: No. We have two locations and need two meters.

Folder/Inserter:

· Feed, fold and insert up to 10 pages into 6 x 9.5, 9” x 12” (landscape), 10” x 13” (landscape) envelope at a speed of up to 5400 pieces an hour

Question 7: In order to allow for fair and open competition will the government accept envelopes landscape or portrait?

Answer: No. We never use portrait.

· Total of 11 sheet feeders available for large jobs

Question 8: In order to allow for fair and open competition will the government please remove this requirement or reduce it to 8?

Answer: Yes

· Envelope feeder that holds 800 #10 envelopes and up to 500 9” x 12” (landscape), 10” x 13” (landscape) envelopes

Question 9: In order to allow for fair and open competition will the government accept an envelope feeder that can hold 500 envelopes and can be feed on the fly allowing for unlimited envelopes without having to stop the inserter?

Answer: Yes

· Flats inserting feature up to 72 sheets

Question 10: In order to be restrictive to one vendor and allow for fair and open competition will the government please reduce this to 50 sheets?

Answer: No.

· Monthly volume of up to 300,000 per month

Question 11: In order to allow for fair and open competition will the government please reduce this requirement to 200,000 per month?

Answer: No. We process more than 200,000 a month.

4. B One (1) high volume mailing systems capable of handling the current mail and projected mail volume requirements within the Pharmacy with:

· Windows 10 or higher PC w/21.5” Touch Screen Monitor – 64 bit

· Minimum 21.5” Touch Screen Monitor

Question: Is it a requirement that the vendor supply the PC or does the VA IT prefer to supply a PC that is imaged and approved to connect to the VA network? VA supply the PC In order to allow for fair and open competition will the government please remove the screen size and touch screen requirements?

Answer: No. We need the larger screen size.

Question: Is it a requirement that the proposed solution have the ability to interface into the VA National Postal Management System?

Answer: YES

4.C One (1) high-volume mailing system capable of handling the current mail and projected mail volume requirements for the Gulf Coast VAMC (Pensacola) with:

· Ink Cartridge capable of yielding up to 26,000 impressions

Question: This requirement is restrictive to one vendor. Different vendors ink yield different amounts. Will the government please remove it in order to allow for fair and open competition?

Answer: No. We need quality products and supplies.

· Postage payment options – Reserve advanced payment account, NeoFunds or equivalent service, or ACH The Department of Treasury’s financial manual states “a Federal agency must make payments directly to the USPS for postage and may not place public money in a postal vendor’s account to be used for postage payments.”

Question: Is it a requirement that all USPS transaction be funded through the USPS prepaid trust account per Chapter 4100, Requirements for using Depositaries to Hold Public Money, Section 4131 – Accounts of Agency Contractors of the Treasury Financial Manual?

Answer: No. This service allow us to have funds placed into our account in advance, if needed.

Question: May I please know if this involve cloud services?

Answer: Requirement does not involve cloud services.