D -- USPS ELECTRONIC POST MARK ALLIANCE OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

Notice Date

October 17, 2001

Contracting Office

United States Postal Service, Supplies and Services Purchasing, Alliance and Innovations Group, Room 4541, 475 L'En fant Plaza SW, Washington, DC, 20260-6230

ZIP Code

20260-6230

Solicitation Number

106590-001

Response Due

November 7, 2001

Point of Contact

Mark Guilfoil, Manager, Alliance & Innovations, Headquarters Purchasing, Phone 202-268-8951, Fax 202-268-3677, Emai l mguilfoil@email.usps.gov

Description

United States Postal Service T&DS / EPM Alliance Opportunity Announcement. This notice serves as public announcement that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is commencing a business alliance pro cess focused in the product area of Time and Date Stamp (T&DS) Technology. The USPS is seeking firms with existing T&DS tec hnology solutions to extend the functionality or offer an alternative to our current USPS Electronic Postmark? (EPM) service . Interested parties may obtain detailed information concerning our current USPS EPM at www.usps.com and searching under EP M. Such a developed solution might include additional functional components of electronic mail (email) software for electro nic content delivery, Internet service for business or home consumers, or other developed Internet services or products. USPS customers confidently count on the delivery of secure correspondence through our traditional paper mail systems. Today the USPS is expanding this same trust and security in the electronic world. Our USPS EPM has been targeted to addresses In ternet security and privacy concerns while supporting the USPS in our trusted third-party status and brand name. The specif ic USPS business purpose of the initiative announced herein is to mutually expand both a USPS product and the supplier?s ser vice to provide and/or complement authentication, privacy, and non-repudiation of electronic content delivery. Suppliers should note that this announcement and its next steps will not result in a request for proposal (RFP), but rather initiation of alliance activities which may result in the identification and implementation of a contractual relationship wi th an alliance partner. The USPS alliance process is not equivalent to a procurement process, and will not be conducted und er the USPS Purchasing Manual. If you have questions about the T&DS / EPM alliance process, please contact Mr. Mark A. Guil foil, Headquarters Purchasing, Alliance and Innovations Group, 475 L?Enfant Plaza, Washington, D.C. 20260-6230, Tel: (202) 268-8951. The USPS anticipates a two phased technology review process consisting of a pilot test, and if successful, market implementa tion with a selected alliance partner. Should an internal pilot phase successfully demonstrate commercial viability and a c lear potential for mutual financial benefit, the USPS would expect to proceed with alliance discussions with the identified supplier. Any resulting alliance instrument would provide for a nonexclusive business relationship which would require mutu al risks and rewards, including revenue sharing of the jointly offered product(s) or service(s). If your firm is interested in participating in this T&DS alliance selection process with the USPS, please provide informatio n concerning your product, service, and business. Respondents should state how their product(s) or service(s) would enhance the USPS EPM?. Additionally, the following list of criteria should be addressed for purposes of USPS review of organizatio nal compatibility and strength. These criteria will form the basis for further discussions and issuance of a Request for In formation (RFI) to identified participants. Criterion  Demonstration of an existing product solution, current usage, and market potential.  Information concerning corporate history, current customer base, and product deployment.  Brief introductory discussion of the applicable technology platform, and how it meets emerging Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Standards for Date/Time Stamps.  Provide product history, number of customers, average number of transactions per day, and plans for future enhancem ents and releases.  Discuss number of dedicated staff for your product.  Describe the competitive advantages your company and current product(s) can provide to the USPS vis-?-vis other com petitors. This should include a discussion on speed to market and short/long term solutions.  Show security standards in use and any assessment concerning penetration testing. Submissions should be limited to 30 pages and provided to Ms. Priscilla A. Hicks, EPM Program Manager, E-Business Technology Solutions, Room 2140, L?Enfant Plaza S.W., Washington, D.C. 20260-1530 no later than 2:30 p.m. on November 7, 2001. One o riginal and two copies of all materials submitted are requested.

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (http://www.eps.gov/spg/USPS/SSP/AIHQ/106590-001/listing.html)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20011019/DSOL013.HTM (A-290 SN510876)