Request For Information Rfi Presort Mail Servi

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

Request for Information 6100065330

Summary.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Commonwealth) issues this Request for Information (RFI) to solicit information that will be used to assist with the development of a solicitation for which may be released by the Commonwealth in the future.

Specifically, this request seeks information from which the Commonwealth can formulate specifications and requirements, realistic timeframes and cost structures for the referenced procurement and project. The Commonwealth desires to produce a solicitation that promotes supplier competition and creative technical solutions. The Commonwealth is open to any and all ideas in relation to this project and encourages alternative ideas that will help the Commonwealth better define its requirements. This RFI is an earnest attempt to become aware of and knowledgeable about current solutions to support the project requirements of the Commonwealth. This RFI will also help the Commonwealth identify suppliers who are able to provide the required services to support this goal.

Background.

The Commonwealth is seeking information from qualified suppliers regarding their capabilities to provide mail pickup, transport, presort, reporting, and related operational services. This RFI consolidates all required areas of inquiry, including logistics, processing, technology, security, disaster recovery, quality assurance, customer service, equipment, pricing, and value-added services.

Suppliers are requested to provide complete and detailed responses to all sections below.

Issues to Be Addressed.

The Commonwealth is requesting feedback from suppliers with expertise in Presort Mail Services; mail pickup, transport, Presort, reporting, and related operational services, as set forth below:

1) Include a cover letter, with the RFI response, on Company Letterhead, which includes a point of contact name, phone number and email address.

2) Complete Attachment A, Presort Mail Services QUESTIONNAIRE. Please respond to the questions in the questionnaire and limit the responses to these questions only Please respond to the questions in the questionnaire and limit the responses to these questions only.

Point of Contact:

The sole point of contact for this RFI shall be Mustapha Boustta, mboustta@pa.gov

Due Date.

The Commonwealth is requesting that all responses to this RFI be submitted via email to mboustta@pa.gov by March 4, 2026 at 01:00PM with the subject line of:.

Disclaimer.

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation for future business, an offer for procurement or any other type of current or future procurement or contractual action and is only intended to gather input. The Commonwealth will not award a contract on the basis of this RFI nor will it pay for information it receives. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Commonwealth to form a binding contract. No party is bound by the information provided in response to this RFI.

Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is not liable for any costs or expenses incurred by the Respondent in the preparation of its responses.

Respondents needing confidential treatment for any proprietary information they furnish must clearly identify that in their respective Responses. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary will be handled in accordance with applicable law including the Right To Know Law, as amended.

All material submitted shall be considered the property of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and may be returned only at the Commonwealth’s option. Notwithstanding any Respondents copyright designations contained on responses, the Commonwealth shall have the right to make copies and distribute responses internally and to comply with public record or other disclosure requirements under the provisions of any Commonwealth or United States statute or regulation, or rule or order of any court of competent jurisdiction.

Respondents to this request shall not provide recommendations as to specific courses of action and shall not be deemed to be an advisor or consultant to the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth will evaluate the information presented and determine any subsequent course of action, which may consist of contracting for implementation of Commonwealth-determined work. Such work may be procured through any procurement method available, and respondents to this request may be considered for selection to perform such work.

Responses to this RFI will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the result of the review, nor will they be provided copies of it.

Commonwealth Reservation of Rights.

The Commonwealth reserves the right to consider or reject any and all responses to this request, to amend and/or reissue this request and to abandon and then recommence at any time, or not recommence, this process. All costs of any response to this request and participation in any presentations to the Commonwealth are solely the responsibility of the Respondent and the Commonwealth shall not be liable for payment of any such costs.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT A

UESTIONNAIRE

Responding suppliers are requested to provide answers to the following questions to assist PSP with understanding the current market for scanning, sequential stamping, image storage, and retrieval solutions and to assess the advantages and disadvantages of replacing its current system. Where an answer requests a “yes” or “no” response, please elaborate and explain the response. Provide responses to the following requests in the order they are presented. Each answer should be entirely self-contained; do not refer to other questions, pages, or other documents.

Section 1:

Draft Statement of Work, Draft SLAs, Draft Cost Sheet – Market Feedback Purposes Only

This section requests supplier feedback on Appendix A: Draft Statement of Work for Market Feedback Purposes Only, Appendix B: Draft Service Level Agreements for Market Feedback Purposes Only, and Appendix C, Draft Cost Sheet for Market Feedback Purposes Only. The purpose is to validate assumptions, confirm feasibility, and identify opportunities to refine the final SOW before release.

Please review Appendix A and respond to the following questions:

Feedback on Draft Statement of Work, Draft SLAs, Draft Cost Sheet, Deliverables, Requirements

1. Based on your review, please comment on whether the proposed scope of work appears realistic and achievable for a presort mail services provider. Identify any assumptions, risks, or recommended adjustments.

2. Please identify any deliverables, responsibilities, or operational elements that you believe may be missing from the draft SOW.

3. Please comment on whether any deliverables appear unnecessary, overly burdensome, or inconsistent with standard industry practices.

4. Please provide feedback on the achievability of the timelines, service levels, and performance expectations outlined in the draft SOW and SLAs, including any recommended modifications.

5. Which proposed SLA metrics, if any, may present operational challenges, and why?

6. Please comment on whether the proposed per-piece pricing structure aligns with current industry practices for presort mail services. If not, please explain.

7. Are there alternative pricing formats or structures the Commonwealth should consider to improve evaluation consistency or cost transparency across suppliers?

Feedback on Operational Approach & Alternatives

8. Are there alternative approaches, workflows, or service models the Commonwealth should consider to improve efficiency, reduce cost, or enhance service quality?

9. Are there industry innovations, technologies, or best practices not reflected in the draft SOW that may be appropriate for consideration?

10. Do you foresee any operational, logistical, or regulatory considerations associated with the draft SOW as currently written?

11. What clarifications or refinements would help promote consistent interpretation of the SOW across potential respondents?

Section 2:

Mail Pickup, Transportation, Safety & Material Handling

12. Describe your organization’s standard mail pickup process, including chain-of-custody documentation.

13. Identify the types of mail transport equipment your organization is capable of accepting at pickup (e.g., APCs, wooden pallets, plastic pallets).

14. Describe your standard practices related to the return of empty transport equipment.

15. Describe typical pickup environments supported by your organization (e.g., loading docks, entry into Mail Distribution Centers when required).

16. Describe your organization’s ability to support scheduled pickup times and multiple daily pickups across different locations.

17. Describe the material handling equipment typically provided by your organization (e.g., pallet jacks, power lifting equipment).

18. Describe your vehicles’ general compatibility with dock access, dock levelers, and standard dock height requirements.

19. Describe contingency approaches used when a vehicle or driver becomes unavailable.

20. Describe practices used to support secure transport of sensitive or confidential mail (e.g., checks, medical data).

21. Describe whether your organization typically assigns a dedicated account or operational contact for coordination during schedule changes, emergency closures, or early dismissals.

22. Describe general practices for addressing mail incidents during pickup or transport, including recovery procedures.

23. Describe how your organization supports the safety of supplier and agency personnel during pickup, loading, and transport activities.

24. Provide general information regarding the qualifications and experience of personnel who typically perform pickup duties.

25. Describe your organization’s general requirements related to employee background checks and building access credentials.

Reporting, Job Integrity, Labeling & Tracking

26. Describe reporting typically provided to clients, including visibility into mail volumes, job-level costs, and performance indicators.

27. Describe practices used to maintain separation of job accounts and mail types during processing.

28. Describe labeling and tracking methods used at the job level.

29. Identify systems commonly used for billing, reporting, and job-level tracking.

30. Describe whether real-time or near-real-time visibility into mail processing status is available.

Mail Quality, Postage Handling & Processing Controls

31. Describe how mail with insufficient postage, incorrect indicia, or addressing issues is typically handled.

32. Identify any common surcharges or cost considerations associated with mail that impacts presort processing efficiency.

33. Describe standard procedures for returning defective or undeliverable mail to originating clients.

34. Describe how clients are typically notified of processing delays, including timing and communication methods.

35. Describe quality control practices used to support accurate presort levels (e.g., 5-digit, 3-digit)

36. Describe how errors, mis-sorts, or mail that does not qualify for discounts are typically addressed.

SLA Compliance, Performance Monitoring & Historical Results

37. Describe how performance against service expectations is typically monitored and documented for time-sensitive mail. (i.e. cutoff times, cycle time, USPS induction, IMb scan compliance, throughput accuracy.)

38. Identify systems or reporting tools commonly used to monitor and validate performance.

39. Provide examples of similar presort engagements and general performance outcomes.

Processing Capacity, Turnaround Times & Peak Performance

40. Describe typical daily processing capacity for letters, flats, and postcards.

41. Describe average turnaround times commonly achieved for same-day and next-day processing.

42. Describe approaches used to maintain consistent performance during peak volume periods.

43. Describe general staffing, equipment, and contingency practices used to support continuity during peak or emergency conditions.

44. Identify USPS certifications or quality programs in which your organization participates.

Technology, Software, IMB & Data Handling

45. Identify presort and address hygiene software commonly used and update frequency.

46. Describe Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) capabilities and tracking options.

47. Describe how missing or unreadable barcodes are typically addressed.

48. Describe whether dashboards or analytics are available to clients.

Security, Compliance & Confidential Mail Protection

49. Provide an overview of physical and digital security controls commonly implemented at your facilities.

50. Describe general approaches used to support compliance with USPS and governmental requirements.

51. Describe safeguards used to protect sensitive or confidential mail.

52. Describe your employee background screening approach.

Disaster Recovery, Continuity of Operations & Redundancy

53. Describe your organization’s general approach to emergency operations and continuity planning.

54. Describe how service continuity is supported if a primary facility becomes unavailable.

55. Describe redundancy practices related to equipment, staffing, and transportation.

56. Describe how often continuity or recovery plans are reviewed or tested.

Equipment, Maintenance & Reliability

57. Describe the types of sorting equipment used and general reliability considerations.

58. Describe maintenance and replacement practices for key equipment.

59. Describe availability of backup equipment or alternate processing options.

Customer Service, Communication & Escalation

60. Describe typical escalation processes used to address service issues.

61. Identify the types of client points of contact typically assigned.

62. Describe typical response time expectations for inquiries or issue resolution.

Pricing Structure, Postage Savings & Additional Fees

63. Describe common pricing models used for presort mail services and factors that may influence cost.

64. Describe how mail that does not qualify for automation discounts is typically handled.

65. Describe reporting commonly provided to support validation of postage savings.

66. Identify any common additional fees or cost considerations clients should be aware of.

Value-Added Services

67. Describe any value-added services offered, such as address correction, NCOA, ACS, or other address hygiene services.

68. Describe the ability to support drop shipments to alternate USPS locations, if applicable.

69. Describe availability of tracking dashboards or analytics tools.