RFI-27-1001_Awards-Certs-Medallions QA FINAL.pdf

Number Paragraph / Page / attachment reference

Potential Offeror Comments/ Questions USPTO Response

1 Technical Specifications

For those certificate/frame items, could you provide item-level drawings and specifications for dimensions, paper/stock, printing, seals, gold/silver finishes, frames, glazing, mats and packaging?

Which artwork, templates, signatures, certificate stock or seals would USPTO furnish? In particular, must the metallic seals use a specified foil-stamping or embossing process, or may an equivalent UV/gold-leaf process be evaluated against a sample? We would not assume process equivalence without your approval. Please also identify the item specifications and quantities for the third Leadership in Action tier and the Distinguished/Exceptional Career Awards where these involve certificate/frame work.

1) USPTO will provide specifications for dimensions, seals, frames, artwork and signature.

2) USPTO will not provide paper/stock, printing, gold/silver finishes, frames, glazing, mats and packaging, templates

3) USPTO is willing to evaluate a sample that is equivalent.

4) Leadership in Action - 18" x 14"; Distinguished/Exceptional Career - 18" x 14"

2 Award Volume and Delivery Requirements

What are the typical and largest order batches, required turnaround times, and approximate split between individual-recipient and agency-office shipments? Do the sample attachment's 36-day delivery notes apply to the supervisor/finalist orders generally?

1) Varies based on type of award.

2) Yes - the sample attachment's 36-day delivery notes apply to the supervisor/finalist orders.

3 Technical Specifications

Bronze medal embedment What size is the cert? What size is the medallion that will be embedded?

1) Bronze Cert - 3.5" X 4.5 "

2) Material: 85/15 Brass Finish:

Gold: 2-tone Gold plated 24kt, polished edge Silver: Antique Silver, polished edge Bronze: Antique Bronze, polished edge Dimensions Thickness: 0.125 inch, 2-sided Medal Diameter: 1.625 inch round Acrylic blocks - Dimensions (see attached photograph) Thickness: 1 inch Acetate strips: Text provided by DOC Simulated Leather Presentation Box (see attached photograph) Dimensions: 5.875" x4.875" x 1.75" (overall box) Dimensions: 3.5" x4.58" (inside lid of box for insert of card in four slits) Box exterior is simulated black leather with the DOC seal imprinted/embossed on top of the cover in either Gold, Silver or Bronze lettering according to the color of each medal.

Box interior is foam insert shaped to accommodate the acrylic block and lined with black velvet.

Hinges are concealed by velvet lining so as not to be visible when box is open.

4 Technical Specifications

Length of service Certificate - What size are they? 8.5" X 11"

5 Technical Specifications

9" Director award - will you take a substitution? No - will provide the example and dimensions in RFQ

6 Scope of Work Will the Government furnish the medal and seal artwork or dies, and the certificate artwork, or must the contractor create them?

No the government will not furnish the medal and seal artwork, certificate artwork and the contractor will create them, and the government will retain ownership of the dies.

7 Technical Specifications

Is the "18 X 14" on the career award photo the outer frame size? What are the sizes of the retirement certificate frame, the medal-in-leucite case and the laser-etched crystal award?

1) Yes the 18" x14" on the career award is the outer frame size.

2) Retirement Certificate Frame - 18" X 14" outer frame with various internal matting as well as certificate.

3) The medal-in-leucite case - Thickness: 0.125 inch, 2-sided Medal Diameter: 1.625 inch round Acrylic blocks - Dimensions thickness: 1 inch

4) Laser-etched crystal award - Overall Size 3.5 x 9.25; Imprint area 2.5" x 7; Thickness .5"

8 Scope of Work

Tooling and Dies... For the die-struck Length of Service pins and the foil-stamped certificates, does the USPTO own the existing striking dies, embossing stamps, and mold tooling that will be transferred to the awardee, or is the contractor responsible for the initial tooling costs to recreate them from the provided technical drawings?

1) No the USPTO does not own the existing striking dies, embossing stamps and mold tooling that can be transferred.

2) The contractor is responsible for the initial tooling costs to recreate them from the provided technical drawings which the USPTO will pay a one-time set-up fee and will retain ownership of the dye.

9 Workflow Management

Fulfillment... The Length of Service awards require approximately 2,600 units per year, issued monthly. Does the USPTO provide a consolidated monthly roster for batch manufacturing and fulfillment, or are orders submitted dynamically requiring continuous daily assembly and direct shipping?

Yes - we will provide a consolidated monthly roster for each batch.

10 Scope of Work May a capability response cover selected categories or individual items, such as Retirement Certificates, selected Length of Service certificate/frame work, and Leadership in Action Supervisor of the Year/finalist awards, or must a respondent cover all seven categories?

Companies may choose how they want to respond. The government will consider all submissions to help determine what exists in the marketplace and the best procurement startegy moving forward.

11 Award Specifications May a contractor purchase frames, finished award blanks and pins, or use specialist subcontractors, while performing personalization, assembly, inspection and fulfillment in-house?

Companies determine their own manufacturing and supply methods, but they must comply with government policy and regulations (for example, the Buy American Act)

12 Contract History Is there a publicly releasable incumbent contract number, item-level pricing schedule, or budget range available to help assess production and fulfillment costs? We are requesting only information that may be shared publicly.

The current contract vehicle is BPA 1333BJ23A00270001 and orders issued underneath it. Contractors may search public databases such as SAM.gov for additional information.

13 Contract Compliance May a contractor purchase the blanks (crystal, medals, frames, display boxes) and perform the etching or engraving, certificate printing, assembly, packaging and direct shipping, or must the contractor fabricate every component itself?

Companies determine their own manufacturing and supply methods, but they must comply with government policy and regulations (for example, the Buy American Act)

14 Contract Compliance Will the solicitation be one award covering all seven award types, or may a firm be considered for some types only?

The USPTO seeks a award BPA to one contractor.

15 Scope of Work Is there an estimated annual dollar value for the requirement?

The amounts will vary from year to year. The current contract vehicle is BPA 1333BJ23A00270001 and orders issued underneath it. Contractors may search public databases such as SAM.gov for additional information.

16 Contract Compliance May a responding small business utilize an established specialty manufacturing partner for certain award components or products, while the prime contractor retains responsibility for quality control, fulfillment, and distribution of the completed products?

Companies determine their own manufacturing and supply methods, but they must comply with government policy and regulations (for example, the Buy American Act)

17 Contract Compliance

For the RFI requirement requesting photos and specifications of awards the company manufactures, may a respondent include comparable products produced through an established specialty manufacturing partner, provided the respondent clearly identifies the partner relationship and the prime contractor’s role in quality control, fulfillment, and distribution?

Yes. The existing awards are fulfilled by the current contractor. However, this RFI is part of our market research to understand what is available in the marketplace. And that includes other models and types of awards that are either currently manufacturered or could be manufactured.

18 Will this be awarded as all or nothing, or could there be separate awards for each item? The USPTO intends to make this a single award BPA.

19 Will the shipping be against a government shipping account or contractor account?

Contractor has responsibility for manufacturing and providing items to the USPTO, including any shipping or delivery charges.

20 How will returns be handled? Who will be responsible for extra shipping charges on returns? Can all returns be consolidated and sent to a central location?

Returns will be handled on a case by case basis. Generally, if the contractor is at fault, the contractor will be responsible for return costs.

RFI-27-1001_Awards-Certs-Medallions QA FINAL page 1/2

21 Would a company other than a small business be considered for this award?

USPTO will consider all responsive replies to this RFI to help in determining the procurement startegy moving forward. The USPTO is a supporter of Small Business so ideally we would do a SB set-aside but sometimes that is not feasible.

RFI-27-1001_Awards-Certs-Medallions QA FINAL page 2/2