Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), Office of Procurement, 14th & C. Streets, S.W., Washington, DC, 20228

68 -- PRE-TESTING OF NON-HEATSET SHEET-FED INTAGLIO BLACK AND GREEN CYLINDER-WIPE INKS SOL Non-heatset-Sheet-fed-Intaglio-Black-and-Green-Ink DUE 052200 POC Larry McCain, Contract Specialist, Phone (202) 874-0133, Fax (202) 874-3135, Email larry.mccain@bep.treas.gov WEB: Visit this URL for the latest information about this, http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=R&ProjID=Non-heats et-Sheet-fed-Intaglio-Black-and-Green-Ink&LocID=142. E-MAIL: Larry McCain, larry.mccain@bep.treas.gov. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is conducting pre-testing of non-heatset sheet-fed intaglio black and green cylinder-wipe inks from prospective suppliers for use in the printing of United States currency. Prospective suppliers may submit ink samples for BEP testing on production equipment. The samples shall be submitted at no cost to the Government. Interested sources must submit: (1). retain samples (0.4536 kilograms (1 pound)) of the black and green inks each; (2). 1 container (68.04 kilograms (150 pounds)) of non-heatset sheet-fed intaglio black cylinder-wipe ink; (3). 1 container (68.04 kilograms (150 pounds)) of non-heatset sheet-fed intaglio green cylinder-wipe ink (Ink samples are due at the BEP not later than 2:00 p.m. local time, May 22, 2000. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) shall be submitted for each ink formulation and each ink submitted (MSDSs must be submitted at least ten (10) days prior to the submission of the ink samples); (5). The following Environmental Certifications (as outlined in Section 3.8 of the specification) shall be submitted for each ink sample: Volatile Organic Compounds Requirement (VOCs), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste, Premanufacture Notification, Proposition 65, Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, Total Toxic Organics, and Air Toxics. Only inks that are in compliance with Safety and Environmental requirements will be tested. Each supplier is limited to one green and one black ink submission. Suppliers will only be allowed to submit up to two (2) follow-up ink formulations to improve deficiencies/weaknesses per initial black and green ink submission. All testing will be conducted around BEP production schedules. Therefore, all ink testing shall be done at the convenience of the Government. Additionally, the Government reserves the right to conduct any testing at either the BEP_s Washington, D.C. or Fort Worth, Texas facility. Testing: Phase-I of the trial process will be the Pre-Screening Evaluation,which will consist of laboratory analysis of each ink. Inks must be in conformance with all applicable Federal and District of Columbia laws and regulations. Only after fully meeting the Phase-I requirements will the ink be evaluated under Phase-II. Phase-II of the trial process will be the actual press evaluation. The press evaluation will consist of determining that the sample inks are in compliance with specification I:ICWC-1C, dated April 10, 2000. The Federal Reserve Note $1 design image carrier will be used to assess the printing and processing characteristics of the Sheet-fed intaglio ink formulations. Upon written request, the BEP will provide standard drawdowns to interested suppliers for color matching. The ink samples should meet the requirements of the BEP Statement of Work and it_s associated documents for developing Sheet-fed currency inks. All unused ink shall be returned to the supplier at the supplier_s expense. Interested parties must submit a _Letter of Intent_ to participate to the Contract Specialist not later than May 5, 2000. This pre-testing effort will be completed by July 14, 2000. However, the Government reserves the right to cease this pre-testing effort if it adversely impacts BEP production schedules and/or would delay the competitive solicitation process. A more detailed description of this developmental effort is provided in the Statement of Work which interested parties may download from the following internet site: www.eps.gov on or about April 21, 2000. No hard copies will be mailed. Questions and/or inquiries should be directed to the Contract Specialist, Larry McCain at the following: e-mail address: larry.mccain@bep.treas.gov or phone: (202) Posted 04/24/00 (D-SN447901). (0115)

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