Seating Components
Request for Information/Proposal (Market Research)
FPI-RFI-Transportation Services # RFI0002-18
Issue Date: June 8, 2018
Submittal Due Date: June 19, 2018 @10:00 am EST
Issuing Company: UNICOR, Federal Prison Industries, Inc.
Office Furniture Group
400 First Street, NW
Washington, DC 20534
POC: Tatea Cavanaugh, Sr. Contracting Officer
Tatea.cavanaugh@usdoj.gov
SUBJECT: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR SEATING COMPONENTS
All information in this request is considered confidential and shall not be used by the Respondent for any reason other than responding to this request. This is a Request for Information (RFI) and your response is NOT an offer. The results of this Request for Information (RFI) will be used to develop an Acquisitions Strategy, AND WILL NOT RESULT IN A CONTRACT OF ANY TYPE.
This request does not obligate UNICOR OFG to pay any cost that any Respondent incurs in the preparation of its response. All cost associated with the preparation of a response to this request will be borne solely by the Respondent. All submitted responses shall become the property of UNICOR OFG and will not be returned.
UNICOR, Federal Prison Industries (FPI) is soliciting proposals for potential contractors to provide seating components to two (2) FPI seating plants .
Current Locations:
UNICOR, Federal Prison Industries
Route 15, 2 Miles N. of Allenwood
Allenwood, PA 17810
UNICOR BECKLEY
1600 Industrial Park Road
Beckley, WV 25813
DESCRIPTION/STATEMENT OF WORK
Offerors will provide a comprehensive ergonomic Office style seating line components and must demonstrate a record of actual performance or accomplishment in the manufacturing of seating. UNICOR defines ergonomic seating as office furniture that is designed and intended to maximize productivity by minimizing operator fatigue and discomfort with either passive or dynamic ergonomic features. This seating line will become part of FPI's office seating program. As such it is critical that these chairs offer a marketable combination of price, aesthetics, comfort and features to be used in offices, systems work stations, lab areas and conference rooms. The chairs should successfully maintain a family appearance, be attractive and contemporary with today's design, features and adjustability, and be compatible with the commercial office industries marketplace of seating products lines and offer long term comfort and durability. Please note: customers will utilize some of these chairs as their primary seating so the chair must be comfortable and rated for a minimum of an 8 shift hour shifts. Will also entertain heavy duty use options if available for 24/7 use and performance.
In addition, offerors manufacturing facilities including any subcontractors must be ISO 9001 certified or equivalent at time of submission of offers. All processes involved in the seating lines production shall be completely documented by providing the ISO certification with written proposal or equivalent at time of submission.
The various styles of seating should have a minimum structural integrity of 10 -15 years. Seating shall have at a minimum of 10 years parts and durability warranty. The definition of Structural Integrity shall also apply for purposes of the warranty under "parts and durability." Under no circumstance will Structural Integrity be considered adequate or even tolerable if the structure has a known history of failure in a manner that could contribute to injury (or has actually caused or contributed to injury) of anyone.
Offerors shall have the ability to provide components for the following seating categories:
Task Seating
Petite / Medium & High Cylinders option if available
Medium and High Back Models if available
Guest / Multi-purpose / Stackable Seating
Conference Room Seating
Executive / Managerial Task Seating (5 star Base)
Heavy Duty / 24/ 7 Use Seating (5 star Base)
Big and Tall Seating (5 star Base)
Stool style Seating
The ANSI/BIFMA standards are intended to provide manufacturers, specifiers, and users with a common basis for evaluating safety, durability, and the structural adequacy of the specified furniture, independent of construction materials.
Components shall meet the Standard for General Purpose Office Chairs X5.11-2015 provides the basis for the evaluation of Office Seating product performance.
The assembled chair and all components must meet or exceed appropriate ANSI/BIFMA X5.1-2017 Standards for Office Chairs.
The ANSI/BIFMA X5.1-2017Standard makes reference to worst-case-condition as well as excessive, heavy, and abusive forces. Therefore testing shall be conducted at the limits of tolerances and using worst-case conditions as allowed within the ANSI/BIFMA X5.1-2017 Standard. UNICOR shall be provided copies of testing procedures, photographs of equipment setups, calibration records, raw test data, test results, test samples, and any other information requested. In the case of a difference of opinion regarding ANSI/BIFMA X5.1-2017 UNICOR/OFG will make the final determination.
Specific ANSI/BIFMA X5.1-2017 tests:
BACKREST STRENGTH TEST STATIC TYPE I
BACKREST STRENGTH TEST STATIC TYPE II AND III
BASE TEST STATIC TYPE I, II AND III
DROP TEST DYNAMIC TYPE I, II AND III
SWIVEL TEST CYCLIC TYPE I, II AND III
TILT MECHANISM TEST CYCLIC TYPE I AND II
SEATING DURABILITY TEST CYCLIC TYPE I, II AND III
STABILITY TEST TYPE I, II AND III
ARM STRENGTH TEST VERTICAL STATIC TYPE I, II AND III
ARM STRENGTH TEST HORZONTAL STATIC TYPE I, II AND III
BACKREST DURABILITY TEST- CCYCLIC TYPE I
BACKREST DURABILITY TEST CYCLIC TYPE II AND III
CASTER/CHAIR BASE DURABILITY TEST CYCLIC TYPE I, II AND III
LEG STRENGTH TEST FRONT AND SIDE APPLICATION TYPE I, II AND III
FOOTREST DURABILITY TEST- VERTICAL CYCLIC TYPE I, II AND III
ARM DURABILITY TEST CYCLIC TYPE I, II AND III
OUTSTOP TESTS FOR CHAIRS WITH MANUALLY
ADJUSTABLE SEAT DEPTH TYPE I, II AND III
Product Warranty: All products shall be warranted for 10 years and fabrics for 5 years to be free from defect in material or workmanship.
Lot Identification
Lot identification: The manufacturer and their component suppliers will be responsible for developing a scheme for uniquely and systematically identifying production lots and factory ID-ing at the time of manufacture or assembly (typically a Date Code). The lot identification must be permanently engraved, embossed, stamped, molded, or otherwise marked into the product in a location not visible during normal usage and that will not affect form, fit, or function. It will also assure accurate identification and control of the lot during its entire lifecycle including reasonably foreseeable post-processing or assembly by UNICOR. A lot is defined as a quantity of product which has been manufactured or assembled by one producer during one setup or, should one setup be used for more than 24 hours, during one day in which case each day will be identifiable as a separate lot. Changes in production methods, equipment, or materials also necessitate a change in lot number.
Training
Training: Respondants will be required to provide, at no cost to FPI, product training to factory and inmate staff to enable FPI to assemble the products at multiple locations. Respondants will provide, at no cost to FPI ongoing product services to incorporate product changes and/or enhancements thru notification and instruction of implementation with ample ramp up time for manufacturing changes.
Additionally, respondants should offer FPI the option to upgrade the products it offers in the future to maintain the marketability of UNICOR's seating lines.
Future Option to Vertically Integrate: FPI reserves an option to vertically integrate including the manufacture of any chair components or subcomponents subject to any patent rights the contractor may hold. Chair components and subcomponents are all the parts and materials that make up a chair.
UNICOR, FPI is seeking information about the Contractor's capability to provide seating components. All interested parties shall furnish the following minimum information:
1. Name of Company
2. Telephone number and email address
3. Company profile
4. Provide Business Size (ie Large, Small, Socio Economic Category)
5. Is your company ISO 9001 certified or any other certifications?
6. Can your company meet the ANSI Bifma Standard
7. Will your company be able to provide independent testing reports
8. Any other information contractor deems pertinent to this request.
Any questions as a result of this Request for Information (RFI) shall be addressed in writing to Tatea.cavanaugh@usdoj.gov no later than 10:00 am Thursday June 114, 2018. No phone calls will be accepted.
Once a solicitation is issued any prospective offeror must be registered in the Systems for Award Management (SAM) before award can be made.
Response Deadline: Tuesday June 19, 2018 at 10:00 am EST
Responses shall be sent via email only to Tatea Cavanaugh@ Tatea.cavanaugh@usdoj.gov
Tatea R Cavanaugh, Phone 202-305-7302, Fax 352-330-8162, Email tatea.cavanaugh@usdoj.gov
