Mailing equipment - Formax

The State of Michigan, Department of Technology, Management & Budget - Facilities & Safety, issued an Invitation to Negotiate on June 3, 2020, for the procurement of a Continuous High-Volume Complete Pressure Seal System with Conveyor designed specifically for print and mail services. The equipment must be capable of processing fan-folded continuous-feed forms for vehicle tabs and watercraft stickers at speeds up to 43,000 pieces per hour for one-up forms, with integrated functionality for detaching, trimming, folding, and pressure sealing while maintaining strict print order and postal compliance. Required specifications include four independent fold plates, full programmability with separation capabilities for sheet thickness, a self-contained in-line burster, and a fan-folded pin-fed continuous feed conveyor system requiring 20 Amp power. The solicitation identified Formax of Dover, New Hampshire, as the sole intended source vendor. Questions regarding the Invitation to Negotiate were due by June 5, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. EST, and formal responses contesting the sole-source designation were required by June 11, 2020, at 12:00 p.m. EST. The award will result in a one-time purchase order under commodity code 60063.

The State established mandatory minimum requirements restricting eligibility to vendors offering new equipment only—no refurbished hardware—with sales and installation performed directly by the manufacturer or an authorized technician without the use of subcontractors. Equipment must be manufactured in the USA by a single-source vendor and supported by ongoing service with a guaranteed four-hour response time. The solicitation documents do not specify pricing information, funding sources, budget ranges, or contract term details, as this procurement is structured as a negotiation with a single provider based on the State's determination that no viable alternatives exist for meeting the specialized operational requirements. No set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or other restricted vendor categories were indicated in the available documentation.