Coin_Studies_-_RFI.docx

RFI –COIN STUDIES

UNITED STATES MINT

Request for Information (RFI)

DESCRIPTION:

Congress recently enacted the Coin Modernization, Oversight, and Continuity Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-302) to provide the Secretary of the Treasury research and development authority for alternative metallic coinage materials. Specifically, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to—(1) conduct any appropriate testing of appropriate coinage metallic materials within or outside of the Department of the Treasury; and (2) solicit input from or otherwise work in conjunction with Federal and nonfederal entities, including independent research facilities or current or potential suppliers of the metallic material used in volume production of circulating coins. In accordance with Public Law 111-302, Section 2(b), in conducting research or soliciting input, the Secretary of the Treasury shall consider the following:

(A) factors relevant to the potential impact of any revisions to the composition of the material used in coin production on the current coinage material suppliers;

(B) factors relevant to the ease of use and ability to co-circulate of new coinage materials, including the effect on vending machines and commercial coin processing equipment and making certain, to the greatest extent practicable, that any new coins work without interruption in existing coin acceptance equipment without modification; and

(C) such other factors that the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with merchants who would be affected by any change in the composition of circulating coins, vending machine and other coin acceptor manufacturers, vending machine owners and operators, transit officials, municipal parking officials, depository institutions, coin and currency handlers, armored-car operators, car wash operators, and American-owned manufacturers of commercial coin processing equipment, considers to be appropriate and in the public interest.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this RFI is to seek potential sources from the public, industry, academia, and research laboratories related to assessing opinions of the U. S. public and other stakeholders regarding the selection of alternative metals for use in the nation’s circulating coins.

DELIVERY PERIOD:

At a minimum the survey/research should be planned and executed to provide a preliminary report by May 28, 2014 a second report June 20, 2014, with a possible final report, July 9th.

KNOWN REQUIREMENTS:

The RFI response should recommend and support diverse survey/research methods providing the advantages and disadvantages of each. The surveys and research will be used to gather public opinion and stakeholder feedback. The use of technology is welcomed to expand the reach of timeliness and the survey feedback.

The RFI response should include the cycle time from initiating the survey/research feedback to providing feedback to the Mint.

The RFI response should include a comprehensive stakeholder/feedback plan.

The RFI response should consider multiple reports of feedback between contract award and final report.

The response should include the depth and breadth of the respondent’s experience gathering public opinion and stakeholder feedback.

The response should include the depth and breadth of the respondent’s experience gathering feedback for Federal and State government agencies.

The response should include the depth and breadth of experience gathering public opinion and stakeholder feedback regarding a consumer product.

The respondent should include the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of five ( 5) references.

The respondent should explain how the privacy of the survey participants will be protected.

The respondent should describe the final deliverable for the U. S. Mint.

RESPONSES:

Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper.

White papers in Microsoft Word for Office 2000 compatible format are due no later than October 7th, 2013, 3:00 pm EDT. Responses shall be limited to 10 pages and submitted via email only to Josephine Stanton (jstanton@usmint.treas.gov.)

Responses must be provided as attachments to an email. It is recommended that attachments with file sizes exceeding 25MB be compressed (i.e., zipped) to ensure message delivery. Only electronic responses will be accepted. Please identify your answers by responding to a specific question or topic if possible. Any information obtained as a result of this RFI is intended to be used by the Government on a non-attribution basis for planning and strategy development. The United States Mint will review and consider all responses in its formulation of program strategies for the identified materials of interest that are the subject of this request.

The United States Mint will not pay for information provided under this Request for lnformation (RFI). This RFI is not accepting applications for financial assistance or financial incentives. The United States Mint has no obligation to respond to those who submit comments, and/or give any feedback on any decision made based on the responses received. A response to this RFI will not be viewed as a binding commitment to develop or pursue the project or ideas discussed.

Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information.

Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION RESPONSE GUIDELINES:

The white paper shall include the following as a minimum:

Administrative Information Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and email address of designated point of contact.

INDUSTRY DISCUSSSIONS

United States Mint representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential offerors. Such discussion would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risk.

QUESTIONS:

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by email to the Contracting Officer, email address. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions will be answered by email and the questions and answers will be provided to all respondents. Accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after {September, 30, 2013} will be answered.

DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES: This RFI issued solely for information and program planning purposes; this RFI does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals. Your response to this notice will be treated as information only. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the United States Mint to form a finding contract. The United States Mint will not provide reimbursement for cost incurred in responding to this RFI. Respondents are advised that the United States Mint is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. Responses to this RFI do not bind the United States Mint to any further actions related to this topic.