SOUCES SOUGHT RFI DOL122J11534.doc

U.S. Department of Labor

THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS –PROCUREMENT OFFICE

Washington, D.C. 20212-0022

RFI DOL122J11534 QUESTIONS

Questions:

Under the requirements section, item 1, you mention paper weight ranges of 16lb to 110lb index. Question: Can you clarify if 16lb is bond, index, etc. and if it is 16lb bond will 17lb bond be acceptable?

Answer:

16lb is bond paper and is the lightest weight that we might use. The proposed printer should be able to support the use of 16 lb paper.

Under the requirements section, item 3, you talk about finishing capabilities and the addition of supporting third party finishing devices.

Question: Does BLS already own 3rd party devise you are planning on using on the new unit and if so can you provide the make and model of the third party devices owned?

Answer:

BLS own a Horizon Color Works 8000 Booklet maker that we would like to attach to the next machine .

Under the requirements section, item 5 you talk about ppm speed and full process color per hour. Question: Can you clarify the paper weights mentioned. Is it 16lb bond, index, etc.

Answer: This requirement is as clear as we can be. “Speed of no less than 80 pages per minute (8.5x11, 16lb to 90lb text) and no less than 4,800 full process color (8.5x11) per hour.”

Under the additional questions section, item 5.1 you ask about availability of a demo of hardware and software by the vendor. KMBS would be able to provide BLS with a hardware and software demonstration and would also encourage a site assessment to be done. Question: Would BLS be open to participating vendors coming onsite and doing a site assessment prior to the release of any RFP?

Under the additional questions section, item 5.1 you ask about availability of a demo of hardware and software by the vendor. KMBS would be able to provide BLS with a hardware and software demonstration and would also encourage a site assessment to be done.

Question: Would BLS be open to participating vendors coming onsite and doing a site assessment prior to the release of any RFP?

Answer: YES Question: Under your requirements #3 Finishing Capabilities: Binder. Other than a Booklet Maker is DOL also looking for in any other type of binding, such as Ring Binding? Or Glue Binding?

Answer: No. Just the Booklet Maker

Question: To allow for full an open competition can DOL clarify the other part of requirement #3, “System must allow addition of any supporting third party finishing device”, are you asking if our product can support third party finishing devices in-line or off-line? Can you describe which finishing devices and third parties you have in mind?

Answer: We own a Horizon Color Works 8000 Booklet maker that we would like to attach to the new machine we Question: There is no mention in this requirement of a trimmer unit for a flush finished edge, is this something that DOL will be looking for? (3 sided trimming for full bleed in-line finishing) Answer: No.

Question: Item #3.1: Clear Ink is a proprietary product to one manufacturer, so to allow for full and open competition, will DOL remove this requirement from the RFQ or accept and alternate product that will meet their requirements, and please specify what your requirement/benefits of clear ink are?

Answer: The instructions above 3.1 state: “In addition to the above requirements, please respond to the questions below. Reference the question number in the response.” This is not a requirement, but a question to find out if proposed machines use clear ink.