36C26219Q1229-0002001.pdf

1. Question: The requirement listed below is specific to one vendor. We would like to request that the requirement be removed. This will allow for fair and open competition.

“The mail metering system shall allow for a quick receive of packages and process a delivery transaction via Tracking Assistant and workstations, allowing user to validate received count with a carrier.”

Answer: The section language will be changed to: The mail metering system shall allow for a quick receive of packages and process a delivery transaction allowing user to validate received count with a carrier via Tracking Assistant and workstations or equal tracking system.

2. Question: For the requirement listed below we would like to request that the processing speed 310 letters per minute be changed to 300 letters per minute. The specification is specific to only one vendor. We would like request the speed requirement be changed to allow for open and fair competition.

Two (2) Mail metering/postage machines capable of processing 310 letters/minute; to include 15” color display, barcode scanner, wireless keyboard, power stacker, shipping label printer and console with scale stand and extension kit.

Answer: The section language will be changed to: Two (2) Mail metering/ postage machines capable of processing 300 letters/minutes; to include 15” color display, barcode scanner, wireless keyboard, power stacker, shipping label printer and console with scale and extension kit or equal.

3. Question: "In response to the concern I have on this is “The mail metering system”. The site will not be doing any type of quick receive from the mail meter which is in a different location than the Inbound Tracking System. Scanning in bound packages is done at the warehouse from the Hand Held connected to the In-bound Tracking System.

The requirement is for the VA to have 10 hand held and they can do quick receive from the Hand Held from the PC that has the software installed on. This requirement is capable by only one vendor and does not allow for fair and open competition. Our request is to have this removed or just remove “The Mail metering System” and can replace it with “Inbound Tracking Software shall…”

Answer: The mailroom also scans incoming certified mail and scan it so that there is tracking for the certified mail. The mailroom will use the same tracking scanners as the warehouse.

4. Question: Next request would be for the Folder/Inserter. The Relay 5000 is a system only has a duty cycle of 62,500 finished envelopes per month at 4,000 per hour. The bid states “Flats Feeding Kit” which requires a heavier duty Folding/Inserter that has the capability to insert flat envelopes. Large Flat inserters are rated at higher volumes and can process 200,000 finished envelopes per month at 5,000 per hour processing speed. Our request is to remove “Flats Feeding Kit” which will allow for fair and open competition and is equal to the comparable model Relay 5000. The VA MC Los Angeles currently is not processing enough volume to justify a Flat Inserter from our experience.”

Answer: The Flats Feeding Kit will be removed.

5. Question: Can the government please confirm that the software has to be Technical

Reference Model approved?

(https://www.oit.va.gov/Services/TRM/TRMHomePage.aspx)

Answer: Yes

6. Question: Can the government please confirm that the software will be installed on the

VA server for three locations, Main Warehouse, ACC Amb Care and Mailroom?

7. Questions: Can the government please confirm that each location will have 1 VA provided PC workstation?

Hardware:

One (1) wireless wedge scanner Two (2) cordless scanners

8. Question: Can the government please clarify of they require 2 or 3 wireless/cordless 2D wedge scanners?

Two (2) Mail metering/postage machines capable of processing 310 letters/minute; to include 15” color display, barcode scanner, wireless keyboard, power stacker, shipping label printer and console with scale stand and extension kit

1 SendPro P3000 WOW Postage machines.

15” Color display, Barcode scanner, Wireless keyboard, Power stacker, Shipping label printer, Console with scale stand and extension kit

2 EA

https://www.oit.va.gov/Services/TRM/TRMHomePage.aspx

Answer: Three

9. Question: Can the government please confirm that the SendPro P3000 or equal must have the ability to create and print full service IMpb labels allowing the VA to take advantage of Commercial Based Pricing Discounts offered by the USPS?

Answer: We are asking vendors to propose the best valued products and service that match the solicitation and statement of work as it reads. It is up to the responding vendors to provide details for the features of their products.

10. Question: Can the government please confirm that the SendPro P3000 or equal must include at least 100 department web accounting where accounting data including account name, class, weight, cost and any other service are able to be downloaded into excel directly from the internet?

Answer: We are asking vendors to propose the best valued products and service that match the solicitation and statement of work as it reads. It is up to the responding vendors to provide details for the features of their products.

11. Question: Can the government please confirm that the SendPro P3000 or equal must include an interfaced 70lb scale?

12. Question: Can the government please confirm that the SendPro P3000 or equal must have a in-line weighting or W-O-W speed of at least 200 letter per minute based on running a <1 oz standard #10 envelope?

13. Question: Can the government please confirm that the SendPro P3000 or equal must have the ability to use either adhesive or gummed roll tape for oversized packages?

14. Question: Can the government please confirm that the proposed equipment and associated technology allows the Government to fund one postage metering account to cover all US Postal Service transactions processed by all equipment at this location?

The Department of Treasury’s financial manual states in Chapter 4100, Requirements for using Depositaries to Hold Public Money, Section 4131 – Accounts of Agency Contractors of the Treasury Financial Manual “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.”

Answer: Yes.

15. 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?

One (1) Folder/Inserting System with 2D tower scanning and scanning software, vertical power stacker, special tower feeder kit, bottom address inverter kit, exit transport, flats feeding kit, sheet and insert feeder trays, 90” table, file-based processing with PC, capable of processing 4,000 letters/hour

3 Relay5000 Folder / Inserting System

2D Tower Scanning and scanning software, Vertical power stacker, Special Tower Feeder kit, Bottom Address Inverter Kit, Exit transport, Flats feeding kit, Sheet and Insert feeder trays, 90” table, File Based Processing with PC

1 EA

Answer: Yes.

16. Question: Can the government please confirm that the Relay 5000 or equal required speed of 4,000 letter an hour is based on a single 8.5” x 11”page folded and inserted into a standard #10 envelope?

17. Question: Can the government please confirm that the Relay 5000 or equal should have a month volume of at least 62,500 finished mail pieces per month.

responding vendors to provide details for the features of their products.\

18. Question: Can the government please confirm that the Relay 5000 or equal must have at least 2 sheet feeders and 1 insert feeder each sheet and insert feeder having a capacity to hold at least 300 sheets or inserts?

19. Question: Can the government please confirm that the Relay 5000 or equal must have the ability to switch automatically between stand #10 envelopes and flat 9” x 12 or 10” x 13” flat envelopes based on information included in 2D barcode (number of pages) without having to stop the machine?

20. Question: Can the government please confirm that it is a requirement to have the ability provide audit reporting post mail piece production to provide proof of mailing accuracy.

This reporting should be able to evidence that the documents were inserted into the right envelope and show which documents were processed. This reporting should be bound to a unique identifier for each Veteran so that reporting can be assessed on the recipient level?

5 PlanetPress and ConnectRightMailer software

Professional Services for barcoding and automation of documents

1 EA

21. Question: Can the government please confirm that this requirement is for Appointment Reminder letters and Lab Result letters?

Answer: We are asking vendors to propose the best valued products and service

22. Question: Can the government please confirm that the solution must be able to provision unique 2D barcodes on every document included in the mail run and be able to produce a Mail Run Datafile (MRDF) that will be imported into the folder/inserter?

Answer: We are asking vendors to propose the best valued products and service

23. Question: Can the government please confirm that to insure privacy, the proposed system must be able to import a summary information file regarding each record before that record is scanned. The intent of the 2D barcode is to verify correct order, and not to have machine functionality and pagination control determined by the barcode?

Answer: We are asking vendors to propose the best valued products and service

24. Question: Can the government please confirm that the system must be able to account for all records at a recipient level, and not just a job level and the system must also be able to reprint documents without operator intervention if at any time the system designates a document as suspect, or bad?

Answer: We are asking vendors to propose the best valued products and service