SOURCES SOUGHT
T -- Request for Information, Postal Lab - Printing, Duplicating Services and Office Supplies
- Notice Date
- 6/14/2007
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 453998
— All Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers (except Tobacco Stores)
- Contracting Office
- United States Postal Service, Supplies and Services Purchasing, Travel, Retail, & Temporary Services CMC, 3300 S Parker Rd Ste 400, Aurora, CO, 80014-3500, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- 2BRPSR-07-RFIPOSTALLAB
- Response Due
- 7/27/2007
- Archive Date
- 8/31/2007
- Description
- United States Postal Service Request for Information Postal Lab - Printing, Duplicating Services and Office Supplies Request for Information Process The United States Postal Service (USPS) requests information from companies that are interested in participating in an experimental retail arrangement. The USPS has created dedicated leased space in a postal retail center(s) for the shared use by multiple vendors who will service small businesses and home-based businesses, the business traveler and walk-up postal retail customers. The interior of this space uses non-traditional colors, finishes, signage and casework and has a more contemporary feel when compared to traditional Post Offices. The postal center(s) is located in Chicago's suburb of Schaumburg near the area's largest shopping mall and a possible second site is located in a suburb of Washington, DC. The USPS seeks general information from companies that support direct mail creation photocopying, faxing, mimeographing, laminating, other duplicating services including office supplies or other business related services such as binding and finishing services/materials. Purpose USPS is interested in exploring an environment that provides our customers convenient access to a variety of business and related retail services co-located within selected postal retail lobbies. The design of new or possibly converted postal retail offices could be an outcome of the experiments in the Chicago site and possible Washington DC site. The experimental site provides a contemporary USPS environment featuring; stand-alone checkouts, self-service options, open merchandising, a conference room and consumer/visitor work area, and participants providing complimentary services geared toward the small business owner, offering the products and services germane to their needs. Areas of Concentration Businesses classified within the following designations listed below are invited to submit information about their capabilities to the USPS: US SIC Code 7324 - Photocopying and Duplicating Services 2759 - Commercial Printing 5943 - Stationery Stores 5112 - Stationery and Office Supplies US NAICS Codes 453210 - Office Supplies and Stationery Stores 561439 - Other Business Service Centers (including Copy Shops) 323119 - Other Commercial Printing The USPS is interested in obtaining information from recognized national or regional companies and locally owned and operated businesses within the above classifications. Location of US Postal Retail Office: Chicago, IL Metro Area United States Postal Service Woodfield Station 651 Mall Drive Schaumburg, IL 60173-5911 Hours of Operation - Schaumburg, IL Core Days: Monday through Saturday except for Postal Holidays Core Hours: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM - Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM - Saturday Possible second site: Washington DC Metro Area Duration The experiment at the Chicago location and possible second location will be a period of time not to exceed 2 years at each location. USPS Provisions The USPS will provide non-exclusive use of retail space to various consumer/small business companies whose main business fits into the above referenced areas of concentration. A negotiated lease arrangement for the first year experiment with the USPS will be required prior to build out activities. The term is for one year with a possible extension for a second year after which both parties may at their choosing negotiates a new lease arrangement for a specified term and cost. The USPS will provide facility access for additional hours than those noted above (consensus of USPS and vendor) to allow for stocking/service of vendor space. The USPS will provide 300 square feet of dedicated open retail space at the experimental site for a copy and print center operation which does not include common traffic area space between the various participant locations. The USPS will provide on site storage as available and required. The USPS will provide lease space to more than one business entity but only secure one photocopying and duplicating company per location. The USPS will be a participant within the same environment providing for access to multiple Automated Postal Center kiosks selling postal services and control of the hourly rental of public conference meeting room space. The USPS will provide casework or fixtures common to the operations of a company who is interested in participating in this experiment. The USPS will provide access to a locked fixture storage area/room for a small quantity of on-the-floor inventory. It will be a community storage area for all participants. The USPS will provide for a central common work/seating area. The USPS will provide access to common sanitary restroom facilities, ambient lighting, power, telecommunication services for each participating vendor's on-site employees however the participant will reimburse the USPS for costs incurred in accommodating any specialized setup at the vendor location. The USPS contemplates offering free third party wireless fidelity internet connection service (Wi-Fi Certified) for use only by consumers during the experiment's term. The USPS will request that each participating vendor arrange for services with their own internet services provider. The USPS will also provide for building maintenance, utilities and trash removal activities in the areas designated for vendor activities. The USPS will allow a company to utilize branding, logos, intellectual property icons or color schematics at experimental locations with USPS approval. The USPS does not contemplate at this time to allow for external retail signage that conflicts with the look and feel of a US Postal Service Retail location. However, the USPS is seeking suggestions and information on how external signage could be complimentary to our present look and feel. The USPS does not seek any share in revenues for services provided or products sold during the experiment?s term. Items USPS Will Not Support The USPS will not partake in any support of retail transactions or staffing actions of a copy and print center on behalf of a company who is interested in participating in this experiment. The USPS will not support business retail site security on behalf of a company who is interested in participating in this experiment. The USPS does not supply operational equipment (i.e. printers, copies, etc.) for the company participating in the experiment. Liability insurance of any type for participant employees, equipment or company owned fixtures will not be provided by the US Postal Service. Submission Instructions Please identify the name, title, business, phone, fax, e-mail, and mailing address of the person at your company to whom all future correspondence from USPS regarding this potential business opportunity should be directed. Interested companies should submit 7 bound hard copies of their response package to this RFI via a USPS First Class Mail service or an electronic copy utilizing the USPS Electronic Postmark (EPM) service to arrive no later than July 27, 2007, to the following address: John K. Schwarz U.S. Postal Service 475 L?Enfant Plaza, SW Room 2P660 Washington DC 20260-0660 Or by USPS EPM to john.k.schwarz@usps.gov Please do not exceed 10 pages for your company's RFI submission (excludes financial statements or marketing materials). Questions regarding responses to this RFI or general questions from interested companies regarding the content, objectives, or nature of this RFI may be addressed by email only to john.k.schwarz@usps.gov by close of business July 6, 2007. No telephone inquiries will be entertained. Firms that include in their responses information or data they do not want used or disclosed by the Postal Service for any purpose other than evaluation of the response may mark the document as follows: a. "This response includes data that may not be duplicated, used, or disclosed outside the Postal Service - in whole or in part - for any purpose other than to evaluate this response. If, however, a business agreement is entered into with this firm as a result of - or in connection with - the submission of such data, the Postal Service will have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting business agreement. This restriction does not limit the Postal Service's right to use information contained in the data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets (respondents to the RFI insert numbers or other identification of sheets)." b. Mark each sheet of data they wish to restrict with the following legend: "Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this response." The Postal Service's evaluation and possible selection of companies for further discussions is a business decision and will be based upon a composite of the company's response to the factors set forth under "Information Requested" below. In submitting a response to this RFI, companies agree that the USPS will not provide its rationale for the selection or non-selection of a prospective business partner(s) for possible further discussions with the USPS. However, all companies will receive an acknowledgement as to their selection for, or removal from, further consideration. Furthermore, in submitting a response to this RFI, companies agree that any selection or non-selection of a business partner(s) by the USPS is final and unreviewable. Companies agree and acknowledge that a potential result of this RFI is a written agreement(s) to pursue a business arrangement(s) and such potential business arrangements. Information Requested (Topic areas to include are listed below) Operational Capability o Describe in detail the operational capabilities of your company at existing locations. o Describe in detail those operational capabilities that you envision can be created at either one or both of the experimental postal retail sites. o Describe any potential operational or site construction issues that may influence your ability to participate in this experiment. o Describe how your company would plan to inventory and re-supply a print and copy location within the environment that has limited storage space. Business Community Activity o Describe your Nation-wide/Region-wide/Local Service retail network. o Identify the distance in a radius of no more than five miles to your nearest Company/Franchise Location(s) from either of the two postal locations where you are interested in participating. o Describe your company's preferences or necessities for street/location signage or internal lobby signage. Can you provide examples? o Describe any participation in local business community advertisements that as a company you normally participate in. Would any advertisements be planned or anticipated for use with the complementary services of the USPS? Services o Describe in detail those copy and print products and services that are normally provided at a company retail location. Which of these product and services would be most likely to succeed in this experiment? Why? o Describe the normal staffing requirements for your company?s current retail copy and print operation. What staffing requirements would be applicable to the experiment? Office Products and Associated Services o Describe or provide a listing of those associated office products or services that are normally provided at a company retail location. Which of these product and services will most likely succeed in this experiment? Why? Vendor Space o The USPS has designated 300 square feet for a print and copy operation. Is this space sufficient and if not, what is the minimum square footage space needed to accommodate your company?s operation? o In your estimation, what adjacent small business or consumer service offerings would best compliment your company?s design in Chicago or in the possible second site in Washington? o In your estimation, what national or regional vendor operations [not copy and print] would not complement your operational design for this proposed experiment? Mock-Up Design o If interested in participating in this experiment, could your company provide within the time constraints a draft architectural drawing of your standard operational layout? If not, in what time frame could a drawing(s) be provided? Do you have an appropriate sample that you can provide with this informational request? Preferences of Space in the facility and Choice or Selection o Identify which location would be your primary choice. A preference with Schaumburg, IL or the possible second site in Washington DC Metro Area? o Is there interest in more than one location? o Do you have any other recommended co-located facilities or possible space designs? Estimated Revenue(s) by Product/Service Line and Associated Letter of Intent o Can your company provide an estimate of an annual revenue stream for each preferred location? In an effort to assist in this estimate the USPS can provide actual retail customer transactions based on retail sales on a monthly basis for each location. Interested companies should contact John K. Schwarz as directed previously. o Will your company provide a signed letter of intent to submit all the requested information in order to obtain the appropriate customer traffic information? Also included would be a non-disclosure agreement for data submitted. Security Plans o What are your company's plans to secure the operational retail site placed in one or more of the experimental lobby locations during non-business postal hours? o In your estimation, what security requirements/services other than your plans would you prefer the USPS to provide during the term of the experiment?
- Place of Performance
- Address: Chicago, IL Metro Area, United States Postal Service, Woodfield Station, 651 Mall Drive, Schaumburg, IL
- Zip Code: 60173-5911
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 60173-5911
- Record
- SN01319453-W 20070616/070614222053 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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