432986.pdf

Jacket 432-986 Page 1 of 44 Requisition 5-00206 Specifications by MRN

BID OPENING: Bids shall be opened virtually at 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET), on October 10, 2025, at the U.S.

Government Publishing Office. All parties interested in attending the bid opening shall email bids@gpo.gov one

(1) hour prior to the bid opening date and time to request a Microsoft Teams live stream link. This must be a separate email from the bid submission. The link will be emailed prior to the bid opening.

BID SUBMISSION: Bidders must email bids to bids@gpo.gov for this solicitation. No other method of bid submission will be accepted at this time. The program number and bid opening date must be specified in the subject line of the emailed bid submission. Bids received after the bid opening date and time specified above will not be considered for award.

GENERAL TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND SPECIFICATIONS

For the Procurement of

2026 Census Test as requisitioned from the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) by the

Department of Commerce U.S. Census Bureau

BIDDERS, PLEASE NOTE: Bidders must have the required paper samples ready to submit at the time of the bid opening date (specified above); however, only the awarded contractor will be required to submit their paper samples for testing (see “POSTAWARD PAPER SAMPLES” specified herein for more information).

For any questions concerning these specifications, contact Carrie Guasto at cguasto@gpo.gov or (202) 512-0866.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

GPO CONTRACT TERMS

SUBCONTRACTING

QUALITY ASSURANCE LEVELS

AND STANDARDS

QUALITY ASSURANCE

SPECIFICTIONS

SPECIFICATIONS FOR COLOR MATCH

CRITICAL: CENSUS IDENTIFICATION

DEFECTS PURGING (ALL PRODUCTS)

PHYSICAL SECURITY

CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY

POLICY COMPLIANCE

ASSUMPTIONS AND CONSTRAINTS

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

SECURITY WARNING

PERSONNEL SECURITY

GOVERNMENT ON-SITE

REPRESENTATIVE

PREAWARD SURVEY

PREAWARD PRODUCTION PLANS

POSTAWARD CONFERENCE

PRIVACY ACT NOTIFICATION

PRIVACY ACT

PAYMENT

ADDITIONAL EMAILED BID

SUBMISSION PROVISIONS

SCOPE

TITLE

PRODUCTS, QUANTITIES, AND

TRIM SIZES

GOVERNMENT TO FURNISH

EXHIBITS

CONTRACTOR TO FURNISH

ELECTRONIC PREPRESS

PROOFS

INK DRAWDOWNS FOR ALL INKS

POSTAWARD PAPER SAMPLES

STOCK/PAPER

PRINTING

PRESS SHEET INSPECTION

VARIABLE COMPUTERIZED IMAGING ... 25

QUESTIONNAIRE SERIALIZATION

BARCODING

PLACEMENT OF SERIALIZED

BARCODES AND HRIs ON

DESIGNATED PAGES

LINKING ADDRESS DATA TO

SERIALIZED PAGES

BARCODE LAYOUT FOR INDIVIDUAL

CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRES

MARGINS

BINDING

CONSTRUCTION

BINDING AND CONSTRUCTION

INSPECTIONS

ASSEMBLING AND PACKAGING

CONFIGURATIONS

ADDRESS AND BARCODE

LAYOUTS (GENERAL)

ADDRESS AND BARCODE LAYOUTS

(MAILING ADDRESSES)

PACKING

PALLETS

LABELING AND MARKING

PACKING, LABELING AND MARKING,

AND MAILING INSPECTIONS

QUALITY ASSURANCE RANDOM

COPIES

CENSUS QUALITY ASSURANCE

RANDOM COPIES (QARC)

DISTRIBUTION

SCHEDULE

DAILY PRODUCTION REPORTS

SCHEDULE OF PRICES

SHIPMENTS

DISCOUNTS

AMENDMENTS

BID ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

BIDDER’S NAME AND SIGNATURE

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GPO CONTRACT TERMS: Any contract which results from this Invitation for Bid will be subject to the applicable provisions, clauses, and supplemental specifications of GPO Contract Terms (GPO Publication 310.2, effective December 1, 1987 (Rev. 01-18)) and Quality Assurance Through Attributes Program for Printing and Binding (GPO Publication 310.1, effective May 1979, (Rev. 09-19)).

GPO Contract Terms (GPO Publication 310.2) – https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/forms-and-standards-files-for-vendors/contractterms2018.pdf.

GPO QATAP (GPO Publication 310.1) – https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/forms-and-standards-files-for-vendors/qatap-rev-09-19.pdf.

SUBCONTRACTING: Subcontracting is allowed only for the required printing and construction of envelopes.

The contractor is responsible for enforcing all contract requirements outsourced to a subcontractor.

QUALITY ASSURANCE LEVELS AND STANDARDS: For each attribute, QATAP indicates either a specified standard or a nominal value along with tolerances that specify the range of acceptability. The following levels and standards were chosen based on the reliability of reproduction required, the desired aesthetic appearance, and the intended durability of the final usage of the product:

Product Quality Levels for all items:

(a) Printing Attributes – Level II.

(b) Finishing Attributes – Level II.

Specified Standards: The specified standards for the attributes requiring them shall be:

Attribute Specified Standard

P-7. Type Quality and Uniformity O.K. Press Sheets

P-8. Halftone Match (Single and Double Impression) O.K. Press Sheets

P-9. Solid and Screen Tint Color Match O.K. Press Sheets

P-10. Process Color Match O.K. Press Sheets

Special Instructions: In the event that inspection of press sheets is waived by the Government, the following listed alternate standards (in order of precedence) shall become the Specified Standards:

P-7. Average Type Dimension.

P-9. Approved Ink Drawdowns; Pantone Matching System.

QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIFICATIONS:

Questionnaire Tolerances:

Solid and Halftone Density Match: All tolerances are from the nominal values. The following tolerances apply after the nominal values have been established at the press sheet inspection. These tolerances include equipment variation of ± 0.02 for the densitometer.

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Ink Nominal Values Solid:

Process Cyan

Pantone 368U

Black

Cyan (red filter) Density

0.70 to 0.90 N/A N/A

Yellow (blue filter) Density

N/A 0.70 to 0.90 N/A

Magenta (green filter) Density

N/A N/A N/A

Visual Density N/A N/A 0.95 to 1.05

Flat Tone Nominal Value:

Process Cyan (Cyan or Red Filter Density)

Pantone 368U (Yellow or Blue Filter Density)

20% (Highlighted Area) 0.10 to 0.20 0.10 to 0.20

10% (Background) 0.05 to 0.15 0.05 to 0.15

For Information Only: The densities are intended to be consistent with the Specification of Web Offset Publication (SWOP) Tone Value increase (Total Dot Gain) target value of 20%.

Characteristic Tolerance Solid Process Cyan Ink Density: Cyan Filter +0.05 / -0.08 Solid Pantone 368 Ink Density: Yellow Filter +0.05 / -0.08 Black Solid Density: Visual Filter +/- 0.06

Classification of Defects:

Defect Class of Defect Exceeding tolerance for Solid Process Cyan or Pantone 368 (Green), ink Measurements:

Cyan, Yellow, or Magenta Density by less than 30% Cyan, Yellow, or Magenta Density equal to or more than 30%

Major Critical

Exceeding tolerance for black solid on Questionnaires (Items 1 through 4) Major

A visible density shift in a flat tone of Process Cyan or Pantone 368 (Green) ink on Questionnaires (Items 1 through 4)

Major

Any unspecified black, process Cyan or Pantone 368 ink image bleed shall be classified as a Critical defect.

Image Size: The printed image on any page shall not vary more than 1/16” from the specified dimensions.

Nonconformance with this requirement shall be classified as a critical defect.

Damaged Questionnaires (Items 1 through 4): There shall be no tears longer than 1/32”, no dog-ears, and no creased or folded over wrinkles. There shall be no wrinkles displacing the lead edge of the Questionnaires (Items 1 through 4) more than 1/16” from a flat surface on which an unfolded sheet is laid. Nonconformance with this requirement shall be classified as a Major defect. Other wrinkles shall conform to GPO Publication 310.1, Attribute F-8. Product Quality Level II.

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Spots and Extraneous marks on Questionnaires (Items 1 through 4) shall not exceed 0.20 square mm in size within the inside of variable content areas (check boxes and answer zones) and shall not exceed 0.40 square mm in size anywhere else on the item. This requirement does not supersede the barcode specification.

Nonconformance with this requirement shall be classified as a Major defect. Strike-through (bleed-through) shall be evaluated as spots or extraneous marks. When evaluating strike-through, Questionnaires (Items 1 through 4) shall be placed printed side down on a black backing per ANSI CGATS.4-1993 and measured under standard viewing conditions.

Spots and extraneous marks on the remainder of products (Items 5 through 33) shall conform to GPO Publication 310.0, Attributes P-1 and P-2 with the exception that Category 2 extraneous marks shall be no larger than 5.00 square mm in total area. Nonconformance with this requirement shall be classified as a Major defect.

NOTE: The contractor is responsible for excess processing costs incurred for furnishing products that do not meet specifications.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR COLOR MATCH:

Questionnaires Only: The color match for Process Cyan and Pantone 368 (Green) inks is a specifically identifiable color termed a “dropout color” for these items only. The dropout ink shall not contain any black pigment.

The data capture system being used for the questionnaires is a highly efficient system using scanned images of completed census questionnaires and a combination of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to tabulate entries. Questionnaires must be printed with strict adherence to specifications on color, halftone, and color-to-black registration.

Density: Measurements shall be made with a spectral response ISO/ANSI Status T, D50 illumination, following ANSI CGATS.4-1993 Graphic Technology - Graphic arts reflection densitometry measurements - Terminology, equations, image elements and procedures, and following manufacturer’s recommendations for calibration and operation of the instrument.

All density measurements shall be relative measurements (substrate excluded). All density measurements to determine conformance to specifications must be made to dry ink film. When measurements relative to wet ink films are made (e.g., for process controls), the correlation between wet and dry shall be established.

Target Ink Densities: Process Cyan and Pantone 368 (Green) inks status T density, cyan or magenta filter nominal value for questionnaires shall be set by measurements of the specified standard (“O.K. Press Sheet”). The target nominals will be set at the press sheet inspection.

The black solid status T density, visual filter, nominal value for questionnaires shall be set by measurements of the specified standard (“O.K. Press Sheet”). Solid black target nominals will be set at the press sheet inspection.

CRITICAL: CENSUS IDENTIFICATION: The placement of the Auth Code (Census ID) and postal barcodes, as well as the addresses on the questionnaires and letters, is critical. The Census ID and the entire address, including postal barcodes, must be visible through the window of the outgoing envelope regardless of the shifting of the contents within the envelopes. There must be a minimum of 1/8” clear space from the left and right edges of the postal barcode and a minimum of 2/10” from the left and right edges of the Census ID barcodes and the edges of the window when the inserts are jogged in those directions. A minimum of 1/25” clearance is required from the top and bottom edges of the Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) and the edges of the window, as well as other printing, when jogged in those directions. In addition, when the contents are jogged to the bottom of the envelope, there shall be a minimum of 1/25” clearance between the bottom line of the address and the bottom edge of the window.

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For questionnaire packages, the Census ID must show through the window of the Business Reply Mail (BRM) envelope when the contents are jogged to the flap score. In addition, the IMb must show through the specially designed window of the BRM envelopes while maintaining the required clear space (i.e., 1/25” from top and bottom edges of the barcodes and 1/8” from the left and right edges of the barcodes to the edges of window).

DEFECT PURGING (ALL PRODUCTS):

The contractor shall identify spoilage and/or incorrectly printed or constructed products, as well as perform a purge and replacement of purged pieces.

All products containing one or more Critical and/or Major defect shall be classified as defective and shall not knowingly be delivered.

If a defective product is found, the contractor shall inspect 20 copies before and 20 copies after the defective product.

If a Critical/Major defect is found in any of these 40 copies, the contractor shall inspect all copies in production sequence before and after the defective product until 20 successive defect-free copies are found in each direction.

In no case shall the performance of defect purging relieve the contractor of their responsibility for conforming to the specified “Acceptable Quality Levels.”

The contractor will be required to inspect and record inspection results for each item. Comprehensive quality control (QC) records for all acceptance sampling that is performed must include machine stamped dates and times of exact time of when sampling was done. All QC samples are to be filed. At a minimum, the contractor shall inspect for:

Printing Attributes:

Type quality and uniformity Solid and screen tint color match Image position Extraneous marks in the check boxes and answer zones

Finishing Attributes:

Trim Size Missing, duplicate, or blank pages

The Government has the option of either: 1) having the contractor forward copies of the completed QC records to the appropriate Government office; or, 2) requiring the contractor to allow appropriate Government representatives to review these records during visits to the contractor’s site.

PHYSICAL SECURITY: After award, but prior to processing Title 13 data, the contractor shall be in accordance with the following (to be verified by Census Bureau):

a) Contractor’s facilities must meet requirements outlined by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Interagency Security Committee (ISC) Risk Management Process for Federal facilities. This process provides the method for determining the facility security level (FSL) based on the characteristics of each facility and the Federal occupant(s). Once this phase is complete, it is followed by an appropriate application of countermeasures based on the FSL to mitigate the impact of an undesirable event.

b) The contractor shall provide for site-specific physical security at all contractor facilities used in the production of this contract. The contractor shall work with the Office of Security at the Census Bureau to determine the appropriate security controls for each site based on the facility’s security level determined by the Office of Security.

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c) The contractor shall ensure that the space used in the production of this contract is kept separate from other operations in the contractor’s facilities. The contractor shall develop physical and logical barriers (as determined by the Office of Security based on the level of classification given to the facility) to ensure that only authorized personnel work in spaces reserved for the Census Bureau. The contractor shall restrict access to locations where census data are handled to avoid unintentional or accidental disclosure.

d) At any time during the term of the contract, the Census Bureau reserves the right to inspect contractor facilities to ensure compliance with the DHS Interagency Security Committee guidelines.

e) Site Specific Security Requirements:

1) Materials printed with Title 13 information must be protected at all times utilizing barriers approved by the Office of Security. Temporary physical controls may be erected to protect the designated secure area but must be approved by the Office of Security before Title 13 materials are present in the area. All temporary physical controls must comply with applicable life safety codes and standards.

2) All emergency exit doors shall be equipped with panic-bar type hardware (e.g., crash bars), allowing exit without the use of a key. Additionally, the emergency exit device will have a local alarm feature (with disabling key) that sounds when the door is opened.

3) Site exterior lighting shall be present at entrances, exits, parking lots, garages, and closed-circuit television

(CCTV) locations. For minimum lighting levels, refer to the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Lighting Handbook. Lighting should be sufficient to illuminate potential areas of concealment and provide for the safety of personnel moving between adjacent parking areas, streets, alleyways, and around the facility. Site lighting should be coordinated with the CCTV system.

4) Blinds, curtains, or other window treatments in production areas shall be installed to prevent visual observation.

5) Require photo ID that is worn and is visible at all times when in controlled space.

6) Provide a means to secure employee entrance doors and to verify the identity of persons requesting access prior to allowing entry in the facility by physical or electronic means.

7) Use signage to designate nonpublic areas and establish procedures to prevent unauthorized access. Require visitors to nonpublic areas be sponsored by an authorized employee and be escorted at all times.

8) Secure perimeter doors with non-removable hinges and high-security mechanical or electronic locks.

9) Secure emergency exit doors using an automatic door closer and exit hardware that are compliant with applicable life safety codes and standards. Monitor all emergency exits via visual, electronic, or audible means.

10) Provide CCTV coverage of personnel entrances and exits. Record CCTV views using a digital medium and retain recordings for at least 60 calendar days. Post signage at the entrance of the location for surveillance.

11) Provide an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) (e.g., motion/door contacts) on perimeter entry and exit doors, and operable ground-floor windows. The IDS shall report all conditions (alarms, troubles, tests, etc.) to an alarm monitoring service. The contractor will ensure that the appropriate monitoring service has uploaded the alarm system program and that all zones have been fully tested and communicate.

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12) Provide uninterruptable emergency power to essential electronic security system for a minimum of four (4) hours.

13) Develop, publish, and maintain an Occupant Emergency Plan (OEP) and conduct annual training/exercises.

14) Inspect all mail/packages and deliveries visually prior to distribution throughout the facility. Refer to the

DHS ISC Safe Mail Handling procedures which can be accessed at:

https://www.fbiic.gov/public/2010/nov/safe_Mail_Handling.pdf.

CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY POLICY COMPLIANCE:

a) The contractor shall comply with the Department of Commerce and Census Bureau enterprise cybersecurity policies and implement the requirements of the organizations cybersecurity governance framework, comprised of policies, controls based on NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5, Standards, and Handbooks that guide the implementation of processes supporting policies and using the NIST Risk Management Framework.

The contractor’s solution will need to be categorized, controls selected, controls implemented, assessed for control effectiveness, prepared with a recommendation to authorize based on risk, and continuous monitoring is in place, ensuring identified weaknesses are remediated timely and effectively.

The Census Bureau Authorizing Official(s) then makes a Risk Based Decision in approving or disapproving an authorization. Once the solution receives authorization, the contractor shall perform continuous monitoring activities in accordance with Federal policies. The contractor is required to address the following areas:

1) Assessment & Authorization Process

2) Assessment & Authorization Package Documentation

3) Continuous Monitoring

4) Vulnerability and Compliance Scanning

5) Management and Remediation of Weaknesses

b) The contractor shall obtain an approval of a Federal Authority to Operate (ATO) PRIOR to receiving and processing any of the Government provided Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) data that contains Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Business Identifiable Information (BII), or Title 13 Information.

Test data may be used on the system prior to ATO.

ASSUMPTIONS AND CONSTRAINTS:

The contractor shall comply with all IT security policies, procedures, and methodologies in use by the Census Bureau. Requirements set forth by the Census Bureau incorporate and supersede any general guidance published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and will be in full compliance with Department of Commerce directives.

Any proposed cloud solution must be FedRAMP certified, and all applicable Customer Responsibility

Controls (CRC) shall be addressed by the contractor through the Risk Management Framework Assessment and Authorization process.

All information systems used within the solution shall have a Census Bureau approved ATO in order to store, process, or transmit U.S. Government PII, BII, or Title 13 information.

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SECURITY REQUIREMENTS: Protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI):

(a) The contractor shall restrict access to all CUI (including Title 13 data) obtained from the Census Bureau in the performance of this contract to those employees and officials who need it to perform the contract.

Employees and officials who need access to CUI for performance of the contract will be determined at the postaward conference between the Contracting Officer and the responsible contractor representative.

(b) The contractor shall process all CUI obtained from Census Bureau in the performance of this contract under the immediate supervision and control of Special Sworn Status authorized personnel, and in a manner that protects the confidentiality of the records in such a way that unauthorized persons cannot retrieve any such records.

(c) CAR 1352.209-75 TITLE 13 AND NON-DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS (APR 2010) – The Census

Bureau’s data are protected by Title 13 of the United States Code. The contractor may not use Title 13 data for any purpose other than the intended purpose for which it is supplied or obtained. All contractor personnel who will have access to Title 13 data must take an oath and complete the Census Bureau Form BC-1759 (Special Sworn Status) that requires nondisclosure of Title 13 data. An authorized Census employee or a Notary Public must administer the oath of nondisclosure.

(d) Contractors working with Title 13 data must adhere to all applicable Census Bureau Data Stewardship and

IT Security Policies and must complete Data Stewardship and IT Security Awareness training as required.

(e) All CUI from Census Bureau for use in the performance of this contract shall, at all times, be stored in an area that is physically safe from unauthorized access.

(f) The contractor shall not allow the transfer of Census Bureau CUI information to laptop computers and/or personally assigned devices.

(g) The contractor shall work with the Census Bureau to produce and maintain remedial plans that may be required to meet an acceptable level of risk.

(h) The Government reserves the right to conduct on-site visits to review the contractor’s documentation and in-house procedures for protection of CUI at any time during the term of this contract.

(i) The contractor shall contact the Census Bureau CIRT at (301) 763-3333 (Option 1) within one (1) hour whenever a system security violation is discovered or suspected.

(j) If a subcontractor(s) is used in the performance of this contract, the subcontractor(s) shall conform to all security requirements of the contract. (See “SUBCONTRACTING.”)

(k) The contractor shall demonstrate the ability to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information provided to or by the contractor. The contractor shall demonstrate such ability by providing the applicable documentation in the proposed preaward production plans described herein.

SECURITY WARNING: It is the contractor’s responsibility to properly safeguard CUI from loss, theft, or inadvertent disclosure and to immediately notify the Government of any loss/theft/disclosure.

Applicability –

The responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of CUI data that contains PII, BII, or Title 13 information is a lifetime obligation, continuing even if the contractor is no longer affiliated with the Census Bureau. These policy provisions include, but are not limited to, the following:

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Contractor is required to have locking file cabinets or desk drawers for storage of confidential material, if applicable.

Material is not to be taken from the contractor’s facility without express permission from the Government.

Contractor must safeguard and protect all Government records from theft and damage.

The following list provides examples of situations where CUI is not properly safeguarded –

Leaving an unprotected computer containing Government information in a non-secure space (e.g., leaving the computer unattended in a public place, in an unlocked room, or in an unlocked vehicle).

Leaving an unattended file containing Government information in a non-secure area (e.g., leaving the file in a breakroom or on an employee’s desk).

Discussing sensitive data in a non-secure area.

Storing electronic files containing Government information on a computer or access device (flash drive, CD, etc.) that other people have access to (not password-protected).

This list does not encompass all failures to safeguard CUI but is intended to act as an alert to the contractor’s employees to situations that must be avoided. Misfeasance occurs when an employee is authorized to access Government information that contains CUI and, due to the employee’s failure to exercise due care, the information is lost, stolen, or inadvertently released.

Whenever the contractor’s employee(s) has doubts about a specific situation involving their responsibilities for safeguarding CUI, they should consult the Contracting Officer or the contract administrator.

PERSONNEL SECURITY: The Government will develop and execute processes required to adjudicate security clearances for the proposed contractor staff. All contract personnel who will have access to CUI data that contains PII, BII, or Title 13 information shall have a Government-approved background investigation prior to gaining access to the data.

All contractor personnel assigned to tasks associated with the 2026 Census Test shall have successfully passed the Census Bureau security screening prior to accessing or working with Title 13 protected data.

The contractor shall obtain Government approval for each staff member before he/she can start the work.

The contractor shall identify candidates, execute processes associated with selecting individuals for the clearance process, and ensure the candidates respond to communications from Government representatives in a complete and timely manner.

The Government uses the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Position Designation Tool to determine the position’s risk level.

Government-approved background investigations may include the Applicant Name Check, the National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI), and/or other Government-approved investigation(s). The extent of the background investigation will be based upon the risk designation assigned by the Personnel Designation Record using the OPM’s Position Designation Tool. The result will be a Low, Moderate, or High risk level, which will determine the nature of the required background check and the level of clearance granted by the Census Bureau’s Office of Information Security (OIS). The Government will utilize the tool and provide the risk level designation results to the contractor. A portal to the tool can be found here:

https://www.opm.gov/suitability/suitability-executive-agent/position-designation-tool/.

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GOVERNMENT ON-SITE REPRESENTATIVES: One (1) or more Government representatives may be present at the contractor’s production facility to provide oversight, surveillance, and coordination, for the duration of each shift, to monitor the production - reviewing quality of products, reviewing labeling and configuration of mailing packages, etc.

These representatives do not have contractual authority and cannot make changes in the specifications or contract terms but are to bring any and all defects they see to the contractor’s QC official. It is the responsibility of the contractor to identify points of contact for the Government Representatives. These representatives shall have access to all production areas, escorted if necessary, where the Census work is being produced. The contractor/subcontractor(s) must provide office space for the Government representatives. The office must be in an enclosed, secured area adjacent to the production operation(s).

PREAWARD SURVEY: In order to determine the responsibility of the prime contractor or any subcontractor, the Government reserves the right to conduct an on-site preaward survey at the contractor’s/subcontractor’s facility(ies) or to require other evidence of technical, production, managerial, financial, and similar abilities to perform, prior to the award of a contract.

As part of the financial determination, the contractor in line for award shall be required to provide the following financial documents:

1) Most recent profit and loss statement

2) Most recent balance sheet(s)

3) Statement of cash flows

4) Current official bank statement

5) Current lines of credit (with amounts available)

6) Letter of commitment from paper supplier(s)

7) Letter of commitment from any subcontractor

The documents will be reviewed to validate that adequate financial resources are available to perform the contract requirements. Documents submitted will be kept confidential and used only for the determination of responsibility by the Government. Failure to provide the requested information in the time specified by the Government may result in the Contracting Officer not having adequate information to reach an affirmative determination of responsibility.

Additionally, the preaward survey will include a review of all subcontractors involved, along with their specific functions; and the contractor’s/subcontractor’s security, quality control, production, production area, and disposal of waste materials plans as required by this specification.

If the Government, during the preaward survey, concludes that the contractor does not or cannot meet all of the requirements as described in this contract, the contractor will be declared non-responsible.

PREAWARD PRODUCTION PLANS: As part of the preaward survey, the contractor must present, in writing, to the Contracting Officer within three (3) workdays of being notified to do so by the Contracting Officer or his/her representative, detailed plans for each of the below activities. The workday after notification to submit will be the first day of the schedule. If the Government requests additional information after review of plans, the contractor must submit updated plans within two (2) workdays of request.

The Preaward Production Plans must be formatted so that each plan, as specified below, is its own section, and all information required for that plan is specified in that section. At contractor’s option, each plan can be a separate document or one document with each plan separately identified.

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Security Plan - The contractor must submit a comprehensive Security Plan that meets the requirements specified in “SECURITY REQUIREMENTS” specified herein and also found in NIST Special Publication 800-18.

In addition, the Security Plan must contain the following, at a minimum:

This plan must include a detailed listing of the contractor’s operating software platform.

The contractor shall use encryption for all electronic transmissions of address file information utilizing a Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 compliant encryption package while in transit.

How Government files (data) will be secured to prevent disclosure to a third party.

How the disposal of waste materials will be handled and how printed material will be prepared for and maintained in post-print storage (see “Disposal of Waste Materials Plan”).

How all applicable Government-mandated security/privacy/rules and regulations as cited in this contract shall be adhered to by the contractor and/or subcontractor(s). (See “SECURITY REQUIREMENTS,” paragraphs a) through k)).

A floor plan detailing the area(s) to be used, showing existing walls, equipment to be used, and the printing and finishing locations.

Quality Control Plan: A Quality Control Plan from the contractor and each subcontractor is required and shall encompass all phases of production for all items in the contract. The minimum system elements to be included in the Quality Control Plan are:

Identify the Government’s primary point of contact (company name, individual name, and title of person(s)) on all quality matters during the life of the contract. The name of the official shall be provided in the plan along with title, position, and telephone number.

The plan for QC staffing.

The plan for how samples will be pulled and measured.

The plan for how quality metrics are gathered and communicated to the Government.

Evaluation of Government-furnished material.

Assurance that materials (e.g., paper and ink) meet requirements.

Assurance that components from different sources (subcontractors and subsidiary plants) will be compatible BEFORE the start of production.

Process controls, inspections, and tests.

Quality information, including records of process controls, inspections, tests, management reports, and defect elimination procedures. Records of process controls, inspections, and tests shall be maintained, dated and time stamped, and made available to the Government until six (6) months after the expiration of the warranty period of this contract. Copies of the forms used to record the inspections and test results shall be submitted with the plan.

Procedures for ensuring that all variable data (e.g., serialized barcodes, addresses, and Postal barcodes) are accurately and completely imaged in the correct location, on the correct item, and that all addressed items are mailed or distributed accordingly. These procedures shall explicitly describe the methods to be used to ensure that no records are missed or duplicated when an interruption of variable imaging occurs (e.g., due to equipment malfunction).

Methods for ensuring that packages are complete and contain the correct item according to specified package descriptions. These procedures also, shall explicitly describe the methods to be used to ensure that no records are missed or duplicated when an interruption occurs (e.g., due to equipment malfunction).

The plan for identifying defective product, purging defective materials, and segregating defective materials so that they do not get mailed or distributed.

The written plan shall also contain an outline description of how, where, and when in the production process each system element will be performed. The plan shall consist of sections in accordance with the elements described above.

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Special Characteristics: For each of the Special Characteristics listed below for Questionnaires (Items 1 through

4) only, the plan shall describe the method(s) to be used for process controls, inspections, and tests.

The following include a minimum number of characteristics (contractor may add more as necessary) –

1. Damaged questionnaires (Items 1 through 4)

2. Offset image position

3. Color and Cyan ink

4. Integrity of Questionnaires (Items 1 through 4) content - Barcodes must be scanned to ensure that the barcode data matches the eye-readable Human Readable Interpretations (HRI) on each page.

5. Variable Computerized Serial Numbers on Questionnaires (Items 1 and 2) - Unique serial numbers shall be generated and then printed on questionnaire pages to ensure that each questionnaire displays the same generated serial number on all of its designated pages and that no two or more questionnaires display the same serial number.

For each special characteristic, the plan shall include –

1. How and with what equipment the process controls, inspections, and tests will be performed.

2. Where, when, how often, and on how many components in the production process the process controls, inspections, and tests will be performed.

3. The name and title of the person(s) at the prime contractor and subcontractor(s) (as applicable) who will perform the process controls, inspections, and tests.

Contamination of products with a material that is harmful, or may be perceived by recipients as harmful, poses a potentially significant risk to the success of the Census operations. Therefore, the use of any powders in printing and finishing processes is not permitted. The contractor also shall minimize excess dust and paper fibers through the control of dust causing agents from dull slitters, dull cutter knives, etc. The contractor shall change cutters and knives at regular intervals to ensure paper dust is not generated and shall ensure all such measures are addressed in the contractor’s Quality Control and Production Plans.

Dust and Paper Fibers on Questionnaires (Items 1 through 4): The plan shall describe the method(s) for controlling dust and loose paper fibers on items due to causes such as dull slitter or cutter knives.

Ink Quality Assurance: The plan shall describe the method(s) for ensuring that the densitometer values of the ink on the specified paper are within tolerance. Density tests of ink shall conform to the requirements of the “SPECIFICATIONS FOR COLOR MATCH” herein.

Production Plan: A production plan for the contractor and each subcontractor (as applicable) is required and shall include and describe, at a minimum, the following –

A detailed flow chart containing the proposed step-by-step methods of production, including all subcontractors, for all phases of production.

The name and address of all facilities (including all subcontractors) used for each phase of production.

The company name, individual name, and title of person(s) in charge of or leading this project.

The company name, individual name, and title of person(s) responsible for each production phase.

Purchase and delivery dates for paper and ink supplies and other raw materials.

The proposed master schedule of all startup dates of all phases of production for all items which will show the operation (i.e., printing, computerized imaging, binding, construction, package assembly, storage, transportation, etc.), length of the production period for each operation, anticipated quantity, and completion rate per production day for each item and operation.

The proposed schedule of shifts and times to be worked to complete all phases of production (including days of the week and calendar dates to be worked).

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The number and types of printing presses and other equipment used for production of each item, including the hourly and daily output capacity of each press and/or machine.

The proposed method of variable computerized imaging as well as the proposed location for all questionnaire serialized barcodes on Items 1 and 2 (i.e., page location and page numbers).

How the coordination will be handled from one production phase to the next.

How the contractor intends to control contaminates from entering the mailstream (i.e., dust, paper fibers, etc.).

How production phases performed by subcontractors (as applicable) will be coordinated and who (name, title, and company name) will be responsible for these phases.

Transportation and storage of each product, including the storage of the final product until final shipment is made.

How the final products will be staged/shipped, and who is responsible for this phase.

How the contractor will replace spoiled/destroyed products and meet product delivery schedules.

The plan for how production and purge information will be communicated to the Government.

Any other special requirements that the contractor deems necessary to successfully perform the contract.

Production Area Plan – The contractor must provide a secure area(s) dedicated to the processing and storage of CUI data that contains PII, BII, or Title 13 information, either a separate facility dedicated to this product, or an enclosed, limited-access area within the contractor’s existing facility. Access to the area(s) shall be limited to security-trained employees involved in the execution of this contract, as described in “PHYSICAL SECURITY” and “PERSONNEL SECURITY” specified herein.

Part of the Production Area Plan shall include a floor plan detailing the area(s) to be used, showing existing walls, proposed temporary barriers (if needed), equipment to be used, and the printing and finishing locations.

Disposal of Waste Materials Plan – All printing plates, paper waste, and erroneous copies produced by the contractor are to be definitively destroyed by means of abrasive destruction, burning, shredding, or other method that guarantees complete protection against access. The contractor, at a minimum, must crosscut shred all documents into squares not to exceed 1/4 inch. All documents to be destroyed cannot leave the security of the building and must be destroyed at contractor’s printing site. The contractor must specify the method planned to dispose of the material. The contractor is required to demonstrate how all waste materials used in the production of Census Bureau records will be definitively destroyed (ex., burning, pulping, shredding, macerating, or other suitable similar means). Electronic Records must be definitively destroyed in a manner that prevents reconstruction.

Definitively destroying the records means the material cannot be reassembled and used in an inappropriate manner in violation of law and regulations.

POSTAWARD CONFERENCE: Unless waived by the Contracting Officer, the total requirements of the job as indicated in these specifications will be reviewed by Government representatives with the contractor’s representatives, (to include at least one (1) mailing representative), at the Government Publishing Office, Washington, DC, at a date and time determined by the Government. At the Government’s option, the postaward conference may be conducted via teleconference.

Person(s) that the contractor deems necessary for the successful implementation of the contract must be in attendance.

PRIVACY ACT NOTIFICATION: This procurement action requires the contractor to do one or more of the following: design, develop, or operate a system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, Public Law 93-579, December 31, 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) and applicable agency regulations. Violation of the Act may involve the imposition of criminal penalties as stated in 5 U.S.C. 552a (i)(1) CRIMINAL PENALTIES. It is incumbent upon the contractor to inform its officers and employees of the penalties for improper disclosure imposed by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, specifically, 5 U.S.C. 552a (i)(1) CRIMINAL PENALTIES and m(1) GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS.

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PRIVACY ACT

(a) The contractor agrees:

(1) to comply with the Privacy Act of l974 and the rules and regulations issued pursuant to the Act in the design, development, or operation of any system of records on individuals in order to accomplish an agency function when the contract specifically identifies (i) the system or systems of records and (ii) the work to be performed by the contractor in terms of any one or combination of the following: (A) design, (B) development, or (C) operation;

(2) to include the solicitation notification contained in this contract in every solicitation and resulting subcontract and in every subcontract awarded without a solicitation when the statement of work in the proposed subcontract requires the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function; and

(3) to include this clause, including this paragraph (3), in all subcontracts awarded pursuant to this contract which require the design, development, or operation of such a system of records.

(b) In the event of violations of the Act, a civil action may be brought against the agency involved where the violation concerns the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function, and criminal penalties may be imposed upon the officers or employees of the agency where the violation concerns the operation of a system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function. For purposes of the Act when the contract is for the operation of a system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function, the contractor and any employee of the contractor is considered to be an employee of the agency.

(c) The terms used in this clause have the following meanings:

(1) “Operation of a system of records” means performance of any of the activities associated with maintaining the system of records including the collection, use, and dissemination of records.

(2) “Record” means any item, collection or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by an agency, including, but not limited to, his education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and that contains his name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a finger or voice print or a photograph.

(3) “System of records” on individuals means a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual.

PAYMENT: Submitting invoices for payment via the GPO fax gateway (if no samples are required) utilizing the GPO barcode coversheet program application is the most efficient method of receiving payment. Instruction for using this method can be found at the following web address:

http://winapps.access.gpo.gov/fms/vouchers/barcode/instructions.html.

Invoices may also be mailed to: U.S. Government Publishing Office, Office of Financial Management, Attn:

Comptroller, Stop: FMCE, Washington, DC 20401. For more information about the billing process, refer to the General Information of the Office of Finance web page located at: https://www.gpo.gov/how-to-work-with-us/agency/billing-and-payment.

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ADDITIONAL EMAILED BID SUBMISSION PROVISIONS: The Government will not be responsible for any failure attributable to the transmission or receipt of the emailed bid including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Illegibility of bid.

2. Emails over 75 MB may not be received by GPO due to size limitations for receiving emails.

3. The bidder’s email provider may have different size limitations for sending email; however, bidders are advised not to exceed GPO’s stated limit.

4. When the email bid is received by GPO, it will remain unopened until the specified bid opening time.

Government personnel will not validate receipt of the emailed bid prior to bid opening. GPO will use the prevailing time (specified as the local time zone) and the exact time that the email is received by GPO’s email server as the official time stamp for bid receipt at the specified location.

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SCOPE: These specifications cover the production of various mailing packages (consisting of questionnaires, letters, inserts, Business Reply Mail (BRM) envelopes, return envelopes, and outgoing envelopes) and postcards requiring such operations as electronic prepress, printing (in multiple ink colors and four-color process), variable imaging, binding, construction, assembling and packaging, and distribution.

TITLE: 2026 Census Test.

PRODUCTS, QUANTITIES, AND TRIM SIZES:

Items 25 and 26 (specified in the below table) may print in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

The total requirement for this project is 610,400 questionnaires, 1,731,800 letters, 1,093,400 postcards/EDDMs, 1,729,600 inserts, and 2,350,200 envelopes (see below tables for quantities for the individual items).

NOTE: The quantities specified in the below tables are approximates. It is anticipated that total overall quantities will be adjusted after award but prior to production. The adjustment will be dependent on final Census Bureau testing requirements and may result in a decrease or increase of total production quantities by approximately 15%.

Adjustment to purchase order price for increases may be made in accordance with contractor’s supplied additional rates for the affected item(s). The quantities in the below tables do not include spoilage from the manufacturing process; contractor is expected to adjust quantities as needed to meet quantity and distribution requirements.

Additionally, quality control samples are not included in the quantities specified in the below tables. NO SHORTAGES ALLOWED. The contractor is cautioned that they will be required to make up any shortages at no additional cost to the Government.

QUESTIONNAIRES:

Item No. Form ID Title Quantity No. of Pages Trim Size

1* D6-Q1 Self-Response Questionnaire (English)

282,600 8 pages 18 x 11” flat (folds down to 9 x 11”)

2* D6-

Q1(E/S)

Self-Response Questionnaire (English/Spanish)

311,600 16 pages 18 x 11” flat (folds down to 9 x 11”)

3* D6-Q-GE

Individual Census Questionnaire for GQ (English)

15,400 Face and back 8-1/2 x 11”

4* D6-Q-

GE(S)

Individual Census Questionnaire for GQ (Spanish)

Face and back 8-1/2 x 11”

LETTERS:

D6-

LF1(E/S)

Invitation Letter (Internet First)

347,700 Face and back 8-1/2 x 11”

D6-LF1-

XA(E/S)

Invitation Letter (Internet First for PQF Panel 1, 2 )

44,900 Face and back 8-1/2 x 11”

D6-LF1-

XC(E/S)

Invitation Letter (Internet First for Priority Mail Panel 3)

107,400 Face and back 8-1/2 x 11”

8* D6-

LC1(E/S)

Invitation Letter (Internet Choice)

127,300 Face and back 8-1/2 x 11”

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D6- L2(E/S)

Reminder Letter 444,700 Face and back 8-1/2 x 11”

D6-L2-

XA(E/S)

Reminder Letter (PQF Panel 1, 2)

44,900 Face and back 8-1/2 x 11”

D6-L2-

XC(E/S)

Reminder Letter (Priority Mail Panel 3)

137,600 Face and back 8-1/2 x 11”

12* D6- L4(E/S)

Final Letter…