99 -- Storage and Distribution Services

This synopsis is issued for informational and planning purposes only! The U.S. Government Printing Office’s (GPO) Information Dissemination (ID) organization is currently evaluating its storage and distribution services. These include pallet and bin storage, order picking, packing and shipping, mailing list distributions, and claims shipping. GPO is requesting information in order to benchmark the types of services that private vendors provide as well as how much is charged for each type of service. This information will be used to determine which direction is the most efficient for the future of ID’s distribution services. ID’s current distribution facilities include: Warehouse in Laurel, MD; the Pueblo Documents Distribution Center in Pueblo, CO; the Depository Distribution Division at our Washington, DC headquarters. Information Dissemination’s Current Distribution Facilities Laurel: The Laurel Distribution Center receives, stores, processes and ships publications and subscriptions for GPO customers through ID’s Sales and Reimbursable Programs. Stock is stored in anticipation of orders that are received at our Headquarters in Washington DC via phone, fax, mail, or online from the general public. Pueblo Documents Distribution Center: ID’s Pueblo Documents Distribution Center (PuDDC) provides storage and distribution services for Federal agencies including the Federal Consumer Information Center (General Services Administration). Most of the stock is stored in anticipation of requests from the general public, which are received via phone, fax, mail, or online through the Federal Consumer Information Center. Depository Distribution Division: ID’s Depository Distribution Division is responsible for receiving and distributing government publications to Federal Depository Libraries and processing library claims. There are approximately 1,280 depository libraries throughout the United States. Each library determines which publications they receive through an item selection process. Once stock is received, the selected items are sent out to the requesting libraries. Residual copies are kept on-hand to satisfy claims for a period of 60 days after original ship date. Table A: FY 2003 Distribution Statistics Background Information Depository Dist. Laurel Pueblo Shipments Received 14,238 items 1,969 items 135 shipments Quantity Received 4,998,527 3,371,987 24,300 (Note: Depository and Laurel are receiving copies; Pueblo is receiving cartons) Frequency of Shipments Daily Daily 2-6 full truckloads/week2-10 partial truckloads/week Orders Processed Annually 62,000 210,246 61,811 (Depository is processing shipments; Laurel is processing sales orders; and Pueblo is processing orders) Copies Distributed 5,546,198 9,978,566 15,389,305 Number of Titles Avail. 8,879 *7,381 329 (*refers to Sales Titles) Single-line vs. Multi-line Fulfillments: Depository: All 280 shipping lists have multi-line items(usually averaging 20-35 titles per shipping list); Laurel: Most line items are shipped individually; Pueblo: Orders over 9 line items are consolidated.1,187,078 single-line 143,828 multi-line Mail Carriers: Depository: 5% USPS, 95% FedEx; Laurel: 87.9% USPS 5.62% FedEx, 6.24% UPS, 0.2% GBL; Pueblo: 98.7% USPS, 1.3% FedEx Average weight Depository: 20 lbs.; Laurel: 4.48 lbs.: Pueblo: .83 lbs. Average weight (By Carrier) Depository: 20 lbs. USPS, 20 lbs. FedEx; Laurel: 3.82 lbs. USPS, 2.42 lbs. UPS, 313.29 lbs. GBL; Pueblo: 3.96 oz USPS (under 1 lb average weight), 2.47 lbs. USPS (over 1 lb average weight), 23.20 lbs. FedEx Requested Information from vendors: Please outline how your organization would perform the services provided by each of these three facilities. Provide rate estimates (see table B) for the services that you can perform and a breakdown of any additional charges that may apply. We are moving towards more electronic distribution, subscription distribution directly from the printer, Print-On-Demand, and Just-In-Time inventory, so our distribution volumes will be decreasing in the future. However, please submit estimates based on information for each facility as pertaining to FY 2003 distribution levels (please refer to table A). Please also indicate if your services are listed on the GSA schedule, and identify the appropriate Schedule numbers. In addition, respondents are requested to submit a capability statement (10 pages or less and no marketing material) that addresses their ability to perform the services described above, company points of contact, and GSA Schedule number (if applicable). This announcement is a request for information only and does not obligate the GPO in any way. This is not a request for proposal and the GPO will not pay for any information submitted or for any expenses associated with providing information. Table B: Price Points Facility Cost Order Preparation Depository Distribution: _____Per line item, _____Per order (minimum charge) Laurel: _____Per line item _____Per order (minimum charge) Pueblo: _____Per line item _____Per order (minimum charge) Label Production: 4 up labels: Depository: _____Per 1,000; Laurel: _____Per 1,000; Pueblo: _____Per 1,000 3 x 5 Labels: Depository: _____Per 1,000; Laurel: _____Per 1,000; Pueblo: ______Per 1,000 Handwork: Labeling only (self mailers & envelopes) Depository: ___ Per Envelope; Laurel: ____ Per Envelope; Pueblo: _____ Per Envelope Picking Line Items from Shelves: Depository: ____Per Line Item; _____Per Order (minimum charge); Laurel: ____Per Line Item; ____ Per Order (minimum charge);Pueblo: _____Per Line Item; ____Per Order (mimimum charge) Insert Seal and Label line items (envelopes or bags): Depository: ____Per Line Item; _____Per Env/bag (minimum charge); Laurel: ____Per Line Item; _____Per Env/bag (minimum charge); Pueblo: ____Per Line Item; ____Per Env/bag (minimum charge) Pack, Seal and label line items in Carton: Depositiory: _____Per Line Item; Per carton (minimum charge); Laurel: ____Per Line Item; Per carton (minimum charge); Pueblo: Per Line Item; Pe5r carton (minimum charge) Pack, seal and label misc. large items (more than 3 copies per line): Depository: ____ Per line item; Laurel: _____Per Line Item; Pueblo: ______Per Line Item Machine Work: Labeling (self mailers and envelopes) Depository: _____ For First 100, ____Base rate for each additional 100; Laurel: ______ For First 100, ____Base rate for each additional 100; Pueblo: ______ For first 100, _____ Base rate for each additional 100. Inserting (additional material- lists, catalogs, ads) Base Charge (all sizes for first 100) Depository: ______for first 100, _____base rate for each additional 100; Laurel: _____for first 100, _____ base rate for each additional 100; Pueblo: _____for first 100, _____base rate for each additional 100 Receiving Items Depository: _____ per receipt Laurel: ____ per receipt Pueblo: _____ per receipt Receiving Bulk Stock Depository: ______per line item/per pallet Laurel: ______ per line item/per pallet Pueblo: _____ per line item/per pallet Processing Mail Returned by Customer Depository: _____ per line item Laurel: _____ per line item Pueblo: _____ per line item Palletizing (including wrapping, banding and pallet cost) Depository: ____ per pallet Laurel: _____ per pallet Pueblo: ____ per pallet Storage: Pallets (1-40 cartons) Depository: _____ pallet per month Laurel: ______ pallet per month Pueblo: ______ pallet per month Retail Bins Depository: ____ per bin per month Laurel: ______ per bin per month Pueblo: _____ per bin per month Labor (hand counting, preparing reports, assembling sets, hand folding and return of surplus stock) Straight Time Depository: ______ per hour Laurel: _____ per hour Pueblo: _____ per hour Overtime Depository: ______ per hour Laurel: _______ per hour Pueblo: _______ per hour Minimum Billing; Depository: _____ per billing Laurel: _____ per billing Pueblo: ______ per billing Mailing Supplies: Kraft Envelopes Depository: ______ each Laurel: _____ each Pueblo: _____ each Plastic Envelopes Depository: ____ each Laurel: _____ each Pueblo: _____ each Padded Mailing Bags Depository: _____ each Laurel: ______ each Pueblo: ______ each Cartons (10-20 pounds) Depository: _____ each Laurel: ______ each Pueblo: _____ each Cartons (20-40 pounds) Depository: _____ each Laurel: _____ each Pueblo: _____ each Mailing Tubes Depository: ____ each Laurel: _____ each Pueblo: _____ each Postage Depository: _______ Laurel: _______ Pueblo: ______ List other services for each area, not described above. Interested parties should contact the Contracting Officer, Herbert H. Jackson, Jr. at [email protected]. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.