D -- BROWSER-BASED HTTP OVER XML PAYMENT AND INDICIA SOLUTION

Notice Date

February 16, 2001

Contracting Office

U.S. Postal Service, Headquarters Purchasing, Room 4541, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20260-6230

ZIP Code

20260-6230

Response Due

February 23, 2001

Point of Contact

Jim Schank: jschank@email.usps.gov NO PHONE CALLS

E-Mail Address

contact Jim Schank, USPS Information Technology Purchasing (jschank@email.usps.gov)

Description

This is a Pre-Qualification Notice. USPS plans to initiate a pilot program to offer our customers web-based application for shipping international documents/packages. Our goal is to launch a transactional web application that will allow retail consumers, and small office/home office (SOHO) customers to ship documents and non-documents (packages). We are asking suppliers to provide a browser-based http over XML payment and indicia solution that the USPS can integrate with our shipping application, which will be offered on usps.com. Currently, there are solutions available that allow merchants/consumers to print postage on their shipping labels. For example, this can be accomplished through postage meters or PC postage. The drawback with these types of postage is they can only be printed from the location where the physical device (approved/certified to print postage) resides. This limitation does not allow us to offer our customers a means to directly print our labels with postage. The business need is to integrate a payment and postage application through an Application Programming Interface (API) to our web ship application. This will allow consumers, and small office/home office businesses to come to usps.com, to ship a package with evidence of postage. The international web ship pilot will begin testing in April 2001 and continue for a one-year period. If proven successful, we will initiate a competitive process to award on-going business. REQUIREMENTS 1. Certification Supplier must have a browser-based indicia certification by the USPS Postal Technology Management. 2) Supplier must establish and API interface using http over xml for a browser based indicia. 3) To meet FAA known shipper requirements, supplier is required to provide a solution process that will validate a customer as a "known shipper" by their credit card information prior to charging the credit card account. 4) Supplier must support initial 24-hour usage of the customer's credit card information pending" known shipper" validation. 5) Supplier must demonstrate a process to refund customers for printing errors (spoilage) 6) Supplier must demonstrate process to credit customers for unused postage 7) Suppliers must demonstrate they can provide a web based indicia to USPS web shipping application so the customer can print a USPS International Shipping Label with the indicia printed directly upon the label. 8) Supplier must demonstrate they can provide a web based payment engine that processes credit and ACH debit charges. 9) Supplier must demonstrate they can provide the capability to provide a link into the USPS (First Data Merchant Service (FDMS) system which is the USPS designated credit card processor for all financials. 10) The supplier must be Information Based Indicia Program (IBIP) performance criteria compliant. The supplier can obtain a copy of the specifications from www.usps.com/ibip. 11) The application must meet or exceed minimum accessibility standards for people with disabilities as specified in Section 508a of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the FY 2001 Appropriation for Military Construction (Public Law 106-246 July 13, 2000). 508 standards can be found at www.access-board.gov EVALUATION FACTORS (descending order of importance) 1. Supplier Capability/Demonstration of Meeting Mandatory Requirements. Suppliers must clearly demonstrate that they meet all mandatory requirements. Provider Capability will be evaluated to determine a provider's ability to perform upon award of a contract. For providers having a teaming arrangement with other suppliers, each party must be deemed capable 2. Past Performance of Similar Browser-Based Technology 3. Financial Capability SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 1) Providers shall submit a capability statement that clearly demonstrates that their service/product meets all the program requirements, while providing the best value to the USPS. 2) The USPS is particularly interested in translating the value it brings as a Trusted Third Party into a financial benefit and applying it towards a partnership for offering these services. Financial Terms should include a discussion of how we can apply and share the value and economic potential created by this proposition. Alternative structures for financial terms will be considered. 3) Providers shall provide three client references for USPS verification that demonstrates their experience in similar browser-based technology. For each of the provider's client references, the provider shall include the name, phone number and email address. Providers are to advise each client reference to expect a USPS phone call or email regarding past performance. 4) Providers must demonstrate financial capability and stability for at least three years by providing current financial statements and an interim statement reflecting financial activity for the last six months (Balance and Income). These statements are not included in the 12-page limit. 5) Providers shall indicate in their proposal which, if any, services are provided through a sub-contractor(s). Subcontractors shall be identified by name(s) and USPS may request more information from the provider concerning its subcontractor(s). 6) The provider must submit a comprehensive quality assurance plan indicating the results of any quality assurance audits and any awards or recognition they have received for their quality assurance process. 7) Total proposal is not to exceed 12 pages (exclusive of financial statements). Any other brochure or marketing data will not be reviewed or evaluated. 8). Providers must submit proposals (or questions) to the USPS Contracting Officer through email or the USPS mail stream. Telephone calls will NOT be accepted. Hard copy proposals are to be submitted with one signed original and two copies and on disk. Submissions are due to Jim Schank, at jschank@email.usps.gov by COB Feb 23, 2001. Not all suppliers who appear to meet the minimum qualifications will be selected to participate. Only the suppliers that represent the best value to the USPS will participate.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010221/DSOL002.HTM (W-047 SN50D952)