PROGRAM 1735S

TITLE: VARIOUS VA MAILERSITEM NO. DESCRIPTION BASIS OF

AWARD

UNIT RATE COST UNIT RATE COST UNIT RATE COST U

I. PRINTING

(a) Letters:..............................................................................................per side/per 1,000 leaves 40904 $12.50 $511,300.00 $12.65 $517,435.60 $12.00 $490,848.00 

(b) Inserts:...............................................................................................per side/per 1,000 leaves 12 $100.00 $1,200.00 $12.65 $151.80 $15.00 $180.00 

(c) Return Envelope (No. 9) NO Window............................................................per 1,000 envelopes 2880 $9.31 $26,812.80 $13.46 $38,764.80 $0.00 $0.00 

(d) Return Envelope (No. 9) One Window:.........................................................per 1,000 envelopes 12 $9.31 $111.72 $16.78 $201.36 $0.00 $0.00 (d) Mail-Out Envelope (No. 10) One Window:.....................................................per 1,000 envelopes 4202 $9.31 $39,120.62 $17.53 $73,661.06 $0.00 $0.00 

(f) Mail-out Envelope (No. 10)Two Windows:....................................................per 1,000 envelopes 2841 $9.31 $26,449.71 $18.87 $53,609.67 $0.00 $0.00 

(g) Mail-Out Envelope (6 X 9-1/2") One Window:.................................................per 1,000 envelopes 1813 $9.31 $16,879.03 $22.68 $41,118.84 $0.00 $0.00 

(h) Mail-Out Envelope (6 X 9-3/4") One Window:.................................................per 1,000 envelopes 350 $32.46 $11,361.00 $25.68 $8,988.00 $0.00 $0.00 

II. PAPER: 

(a) Letters/Inserts: White High-Quality Xerograhic copier, Laser Printer (24-lbs.)............per 1,000 leaves 22305 $9.45 $210,782.25 $9.85 $219,704.25 $7.00 $156,135.00 

 (b) Return Envelope (No. 9): White Writing Envelope (24-lb.)..................................per 1,000 envelopes 2892 $11.76 $34,009.92 $11.20 $32,390.40 $14.00 $40,488.00 

(c) Mail-out Envelope (No. 10): White Writing Envelope (24-lb.)..............................per 1,000 envelopes 7043 $13.87 $97,686.41 $12.58 $88,600.94 $17.00 $119,731.00 

(d) Mail-out Envelope (6 x 9-1/2"): White Writing Envelope (24-lb.)..........................per 1,000 envelopes 1813 $19.57 $35,480.41 $15.12 $27,412.56 $22.00 $39,886.00 

(e) Mail-out Envelope (6 x 9-3/4"): Light-Brown (Kraft Shade) (24 lb.)........................per 1,000 envelopes 350 $25.59 $8,956.50 $17.15 $6,002.50 $32.00 $11,200.00 

III. ADDITIONAL OPERATIONS (a) Perforation..........................................................................................per 1,000 leaves 3120 $2.00 $6,240.00 $0.54 $1,684.80 $10.00 $31,200.00 

(b) Programing time/testing..........................................................................per hour 5 $250.00 $1,250.00 $150.00 $750.00 $100.00 $500.00 

IV. INSERTING, PACKING AND DISTRIBUTION

(a) No. 10, 6 x 9-1/2", and 6 x 9-3/4" Envelopes:

1. Folding and inserting letter(s) only..............................................................per 1,000 letters 7436 $25.00 $185,900.00 $45.43 $337,817.48 $12.00 $89,232.00 2. Folding and inserting letter(s) and required inserts/return envelopes........................per 1,000 letters 1172 $30.00 $35,160.00 $51.30 $60,123.60 $12.00 $14,064.00 

(b) Packing and sealing shipping containers........................................................per container 812 $10.00 $8,120.00 $25.00 $20,300.00 $55.00 $44,660.00 

SUBTOTAL $1,256,820.37 $1,528,717.66 $1,038,124.00 

STOCK/PAPER $386,915.49 $374,110.65 $367,440.00 

SUBTOTAL MINUS STOCK/PAPER $869,904.88 $1,154,607.01 $670,684.00 

CONTRACTOR DISCOUNT 1.00% $12,568.20 2% $30,574.35 1.00% $10,381.24 0

DISCOUNTED TOTAL $1,244,252.17 $1,498,143.31 $1,027,742.76 

AWARDED

Corporate Communications Group 

190-23661

Pinnacle Data Systems

100-69288

DG3 - North America

290-25473
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE | Keeping America Informed | OFFICIAL | DIGITAL | SECURE

Dallas Regional Office | 1100 Commerce Street, Room 731, Dallas, TX 75242-1027

http://www.gpo.gov | www.facebook.com/USGPO | twitter.com/USGPO

October 14, 2021

This is Amendment No. 1. The specifications in our invitation for bids on Program 1735-S, scheduled 

for opening at 1:00 pm Dallas, TX time on October 25, 2021, are amended as follows. The bid opening 

date is not extended.

On Page 25, under “PREMIUM PAYMENTS:: remove the entire section (5 paragraphs). There 

are no premium payments allowed on this contract.

On Page 25, under “I (d)” replace the first (d) with (c).

All other specifications remain the same.

Acknowledge on bid or amend bid by e-mailing bid and/or Amendment #1 to bidsdallas@gpo.gov. 

Telephone submission is not acceptable.

BIDDER MUST ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS AMENDMENT PRIOR TO BID OPENING. Failure 

to acknowledge receipt of amendment, by amendment number, prior to bid-opening time, may be reason 

for bid being declared nonresponsive.

Sincerely,

ELIZABETH B. RICH

Contracting Officer
Program 1735-S Page 1 of 45

Specifications by MRN

U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

Dallas, Texas

GENERAL TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND SPECIFICATIONS

For the Procurement of

Various VA Mailers

as requisitioned from the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) by the

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Single Award

CONTRACT TERM: The term of this contract is for the period beginning Date of Award and ending October 31, 

2022, plus up to four (4) optional 12-month extension period(s) that may be added in accordance with the “OPTION 

TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT” clause in SECTION 1 of this contract.

NOTE: Immediately upon award of this contract, the VA will conduct extensive on-site security checks and testing.

Live production will commence upon completion of the on-site security checks and testing.

BID OPENING: Bids shall be opened at 1:00 p.m., prevailing Dallas, TX time, on October 25, 2021, at the 

Government Publishing Office, Dallas, TX. (Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this will NOT be a public bid 

opening.)

BID SUBMISSION: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the physical office will NOT be open. Based on this, bidders 

must submit email bids to bidsdallas@gpo.gov for this solicitation. No other method of bid submission will be 

accepted at this time. The program number and bid opening date must be specified in the subject line of the emailed 

bid submission. Bids received after 1:00 p.m. on the bid opening date specified above will not be considered for 

award. 

BIDDERS, PLEASE NOTE: These specifications have been extensively revised; therefore, all bidders are 

cautioned to familiarize themselves with all provisions of these specifications before bidding.

Please note this contract is a replacement for Program 1730-S. Abstracts of contract prices are available at: 

https://www.gpo.gov/how-to-work-with-us/vendors/contract-pricing.

Questions of a technical nature concerning this contract should be directed to Jim Hunt, telephone (214) 767-0451, 

ext. 5, or email jhunt@gpo.gov.
Various VA Mailers Page 2 of 45

1735-S (10/22) 

SECTION 1.- GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

GPO CONTRACT TERMS: Any contract which results from this Invitation for Bid will be subject to the 

applicable provisions, clauses, and supplemental specifications of GPO Contract Terms (GPO Publication 310.2, 

effective December 1, 1987 (Rev. 01-18)) and GPO Contract Terms, Quality Assurance Through Attributes 

Program for Printing and Binding (GPO Publication 310.1, effective May 1979 (Rev. 09-19)).

GPO Contract Terms (GPO Publication 310.2) – 

https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/forms-and-standards-files-for-vendors/contractterms2018.pdf.

GPO QATAP (GPO Publication 310.1) – 

https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/forms-and-standards-files-for-vendors/qatap-rev-09-19.pdf.

SUBCONTRACTING: The contractor may subcontract the printing of the contractor-produced inserts and the

manufacturing and printing of all envelopes only. 

The contractor shall be responsible for enforcing all contract requirements outsourced to a subcontractor. 

GPO IMPRINT REQUIREMENTS: The GPO imprint requirement, GPO Contract Terms, Supplemental 

Specifications, No. 9, is waived.

QUALITY ASSURANCE LEVELS AND STANDARDS: The following levels and standards shall apply to 

these specifications:

Product Quality Levels:

(a) Printing (page related) Attributes – Level III.

(b) Finishing (item related) Attributes – Level III.

Inspection Levels (from ANSI/ASQC Z1.4):

(a) Non-destructive Tests – General Inspection Level I.

(b) Destructive Tests – Special Inspection Level S-2.

Specified Standards: The specified standards for the attributes requiring them shall be:

Attribute Specified Standard

P-7. Type Quality and Uniformity Electronic media

P-9. Solid and Screen Tint Color Match Pantone Matching System

Prior to award, contractor may be required to provide information related to specific equipment that will be used 

for production.

OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT: The Government has the option to extend the 

term of this contract for a period of 12 months by written notice to the contractor not later than 30 days before the 

contract expires. If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this 

clause, except, the total duration of the contract may not exceed five (5) years as a result of, and including, any 

extension(s) added under this clause. Further extension may be negotiated under the “EXTENSION OF 

CONTRACT TERM” clause. See also “ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT” for authorized pricing 

adjustment(s).
Various VA Mailers Page 3 of 45

1735-S (10/22) 

EXTENSION OF CONTRACT TERM: At the request of the Government, the term of any contract resulting 

from this solicitation may be extended for such period of time as may be mutually agreeable to the GPO and the 

contractor.

ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT: The pricing under this contract shall be adjusted in accordance with this 

clause, provided that in no event will any pricing adjustment be made that would exceed the maximum permissible 

under any law in effect at the time of the adjustment. There will be no adjustment for orders placed during the first 

period specified below. Pricing will thereafter be eligible for adjustment during the second and any succeeding 

performance period(s). For each performance period after the first, a percentage figure will be calculated as 

described below and that figure will be the economic price adjustment for that entire next period. Pricing 

adjustments under this clause are not applicable to reimbursable postage or transportation costs, or to paper, if paper 

prices are subject to adjustment by separate clause elsewhere in this contract.

For the purpose of this clause, performance under this contract will be divided into successive periods. The first 

period will extend from Date of Award and ending October 31, 2022, and the second and any succeeding 

period(s) will extend for 12 months from the end of the last preceding period, except that the length of the 

final period may vary. The first day of the second and any succeeding period(s) will be the effective date of the 

economic price adjustment for that period. 

Pricing adjustments in accordance with this clause will be based on changes in the seasonally adjusted “Consumer 

Price Index For All Urban Consumers - Commodities Less Food” (Index) published monthly in the CPI Detailed 

Report by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The economic price adjustment will be the percentage difference between Index averages as specified in this 

paragraph. An index called the variable index will be calculated by averaging the monthly Indexes from the 12-

month interval ending three (3) months prior to the beginning of the period being considered for adjustment. This 

average is then compared to the average of the monthly Indexes for the 12-month interval ending June 30, 2021,

called the base index. The percentage change (plus or minus) of the variable index from the base index will be the 

economic price adjustment for the period being considered for adjustment.

The Government will notify the contractor by contract modification specifying the percentage increase or decrease 

to be applied to invoices for orders placed during the period indicated. The contractor shall apply the percentage 

increase or decrease against the total price of the invoice less reimbursable postage or transportation costs and 

separately adjusted paper prices. Payment discounts shall be applied after the invoice price is adjusted.

PAPER PRICE ADJUSTMENT: Paper prices charged under this contract will be adjusted in accordance with 

“Table 9 - Producer Price Indexes and Percent Changes for Commodity Groupings and Individual Items” in 

Producer Price Indexes report, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as follows: 

1. BLS code 0913 All Paper will apply to all paper required under this contract.

2. The applicable index figures for the month of October 2021, will establish the base index.

3. There shall be no price adjustment for the first three production months of the contract.

4. Price adjustments may be monthly thereafter, but only if the index varies by an amount (plus or minus)

exceeding 5% by comparing the base index to the index for that month which is two months prior to the

month being considered for adjustment.
Various VA Mailers Page 4 of 45

1735-S (10/22) 

5. Beginning with order placement in the fourth month, index variances will be calculated in accordance with

the following formula:

X - base index

______________ x 100 = ____% 

base index

where X = the index for that month which is two months prior to the month being considered for adjustment.

6. The contract adjustment amount, if any, will be the percentage calculated in 5 above less 5%.

7. Adjustments under this clause will be applied to the contractor’s bid price(s) for Item II., “PAPER” in the

“SCHEDULE OF PRICES” and will be effective on the first day of any month for which prices are to be

adjusted.

The Contracting Officer will give written notice to the contractor of any adjustments to be applied to invoices for 

orders placed during months affected by this clause.

In no event, however, will any price adjustment be made which would exceed the maximum permissible under any 

law in effect at the time of the adjustment. The adjustment, if any, shall not be based upon the actual change in cost 

to the contractor, but shall be computed as provided above.

The contractor warrants that the paper prices set forth in this contract do not include any allowance for any 

contingency to cover anticipated increased costs of paper to the extent such increases are covered by this price 

adjustment clause.

SECURITY WARNING: It is the contractor’s responsibility to properly safeguard personally identifiable 

information (PII) from loss, theft, or inadvertent disclosure and to immediately notify the Government of any loss 

of personally identifiable information. Personally identifiable information includes but is not limited to a person’s 

name, date of birth, Social Security Number, address, or financial data.

The contractor shall assure that each contractor’s officers and employees with access to confidential information 

knows the prescribed rules of conduct, and that each contractor employee is aware that he/she may be subject to 

criminal penalties for violations of the Privacy Act.

Incident Reporting Requirements: If there is a breach, or a suspected breach, of PII, the incident must be reported 

to the GPO contract administrator within one (1) hour of discovery.

RIGHTS IN GOVERNMENT FURNISHED DATA AND MATERIALS: The VA shall retain all rights and 

privileges, including those of patent and copy, to all Government-furnished data. The contractor shall neither retain 

nor reproduce for private or commercial use any data or other materials furnished under this contract. The contractor 

agrees not to assert any rights at common law or in equity or establish any claim to statutory copyright in such data. 

These rights are not exclusive and are in addition to any other rights and remedies to which the Government is 

otherwise entitled elsewhere in this contract.

LIMITED USE OF DATA AND INFORMATION: The presentation of any report of analytical material based 

on information obtained from this contract will be subject to review by the VA before dissemination, publication, 

or distribution. Presentation includes, but is not limited to, papers, articles, professional publications, speeches, 

testimony, or interviews with public print or broadcast media. The VA will review the materials for accuracy, 

content, and manner of presentation with an eye toward the protection of the privacy of individuals.
Various VA Mailers Page 5 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

Performance of this contract may require that the contractor access and use data and information proprietary to the 

VA or another Government agency or Government contractor. Should the release of proprietary information such 

as that described above become necessary, the contractor’s personnel shall execute disclosure statements indicating 

their awareness of the receipt of such proprietary information and the proper care and handling of same. The 

contractor and the contractor’s personnel may not divulge or release data or information developed or obtained in 

performance of this contract without the written approval of the Contracting Officer. The contractor will not use, 

disclose, or reproduce proprietary information or data other than as required in the performance of this contract. 

This does not preclude the use of any data independently acquired by the contractor without such limitations or 

prohibit in agreement (at no cost to the VA) between the contractor and the data owner, which provides for greater 

rights to the contractor.

NON-PUBLICITY: It is a specific condition of this contract that the contractor shall not take any photographs on 

or of the contractor’s facility or personnel therein, nor use or allow to be used any aspect of this contract for publicity 

or advertising purposes without specific written approval of the VA’s Chief of Security Services.

NETWORK AND TECHNICAL SECURITY CONTROLS: The sensitivity level of data that is transmitted to 

the contractor’s site has been categorized under FIPS Publication 199 (FIPS 199) as moderate. 

The minimum required security controls that must be in place and show a demonstrated use are outlined in NIST 

Special Publication 800-53 (NIST 800-53) for each of the security categorizations. Although NIST 800-53 indicates 

these controls are “guidelines,” they are required for this contract. NIST SP 800-53 is available at 

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsSPs.html.

In addition, the data being transmitted must meet the guidelines for the encryption of sensitive Federal information 

found in FIPS Publication 140-2 (FIPS 140-2). The contractor shall provide the necessary encryption device and 

configure it to communicate in FIPS 140-2 mode with the VA’s encryption device. FIPS 140-2 is available at 

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsFIPS.html.

PRIVACY ACT AND HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA):

The contractor will adhere to all Privacy Act regulations applicable to these statements as included in this 

solicitation. In addition to standard Privacy Act compliance, the contractor will be familiar with and abide by the 

security requirements contained in the HIPAA as well as other requirements contained in the HIPAA. Contractor 

personnel who obtain access to hardware or media which may manipulate or store any sensitive information 

protected under Title 5, USC, Section 552a, The Privacy Act, 38USC4132, 3301, or 3305, as defined by the VA, 

must not access information unless absolutely necessary to perform their contractual duties. Disclosure of any 

sensitive data obtained during performance of the particular contractual duty is prohibited. Violation of these 

statutory provisions may involve imposition of criminal penalties.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA: Any information systems involved with this contract are classified as systems 

of records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579), and some information systems may further be 

subject to the HIPAA. The contractor may, in the course of design, development, or conversion of data from existing 

systems, observe or handle information subject to the Privacy Act, the HIPAA, or other Federal regulations. 

Duplication or disclosure of data and other information to which the contractor will or may have access because of 

this contract is prohibited by law. It is understood that throughout performance of the contract, the contractor will 

or may have access to confidential data that is either the sole property of the VA or is the sole property of other than 

the contracting parties. The contractor hereby agrees to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of 

all such data to which access may be gained throughout contract performance, whether title thereto vests in VA or 

otherwise. The contractor hereby agrees not to disclose said data, any interpretations thereof, or data derivative 

there to unauthorized parties in contravention of the provisions, without the written approval of the Contracting 

Officer, or the party in which title thereto is wholly vested. Additionally, FAR 52.224-1, Privacy Act Notification, 

and FAR 52.224-2, Privacy Act, apply to this contract and all orders issued against the contract, if applicable.
Various VA Mailers Page 6 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENTS: Contractor shall be bound by confidentiality rules applicable to the 

protection of PII. Contractor shall exercise reasonable discretion in handling documents that include privileged 

materials and confidential PII.

The contractor must agree to the following security conditions:

a) Mailing lists received by the contractor are sensitive and must be properly safeguarded from unauthorized 

disclosure. When mailing lists are not being processed, they will be securely stored in a location which 

will preclude unauthorized access.

b) Individuals having access to mailing lists during pickup, transport, processing, assembly, delivery, etc., 

must be properly notified by the contractor regarding the sensitivity of the information and cautioned to 

preclude loss, theft, destruction, or unauthorized access.

SECURITY: The information provided for this contract is considered sensitive. The processing and production 

and storage of this information require the greatest possible care in handling to ensure against any copies (or any 

information therein) from reaching unauthorized persons.

During the performance of this contract, controlled items/sensitive information will be produced. Appropriate 

safeguards must be proposed by the contractor and approved by the Contracting Officer for the safeguarding from 

actual, potential, or inadvertent release by the contractor, or subcontractor, of these materials in any form. Such 

safeguards shall ensure that only Governmental and contractor parties, including subcontractors, that have an 

established need-to-know, have access in order to perform work under this contract and then only under conditions 

which assure that the information is properly protected.

The GPO reserves the right to audit contractor facilities for compliance with the above restrictions. While in use,

all working materials shall be maintained under surveillance and shall be kept secure so as to preclude access by 

any persons who do not have a legitimate need to view them. Whenever controlled/sensitive information is not 

under the personal control and observation of an authorized person, it shall be guarded or stored in a locked security 

cabinet, safe, or safe-type steel file container. When it is impractical to store working materials because of its 

nature, size, or unique characteristics, the material shall be secured in a restricted area capable of preventing 

unauthorized entry. The contractor is charged with designating an employee to perform all security checks to ensure 

compliance with these security requirements.

INTERCONNECTION SECURITY AGREEMENT (ISA): ISAs are written agreements between the 

information system owners that stipulate why and how information is to be shared, and how each party will provide 

adequate security of the information when it is under their control. One portion of the ISA describes the technical 

details of the data transmission link, including the devices used to encrypt the data. ISAs become an integral piece 

of the certification and accreditation documentation for each Federal information system. The contractor is required 

to sign an ISA with the VA before the connection may be established.

FEDERAL LAWS, POLICIES, REGULATIONS, AND GUIDANCE RELATED TO FEDERAL DATA 

MANAGEMENT: The contractor shall comply with all applicable laws, policies, regulations, and guidance, 

including, but not limited to those listed below:

 Privacy Act.

 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

 Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) (available at https://www.cisa.gov/).

 National Defense Authorization Act.

 OMB Circulars (related to Federal data management).

 NIST Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS).

 NIST Special Publications (800 series).
Various VA Mailers Page 7 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

 Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S. Code 1905).

 Unauthorized Access Act (18 U.S. Code 2701 and 2710).

 VA Directive 5400 (Information Security Program) (available at https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm).

 VA Directive and Handbook Series 0710 (available at https://www.va.gov/vapubs/index.cfm).

CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY: Contract personnel performing work under this contract shall 

satisfy all requirements for appropriate security eligibility in dealing with access to sensitive information and 

information systems belonging to or being used on behalf of the VA. To satisfy the requirements of the VA, a 

Moderate Risk Background Investigation shall be completed by VA prior to performing work under this contract. 

The level of access and the individual’s capability to perform work under this contract will be the determining factor 

in deciding if a higher investigative requirement is needed. The contractor shall ensure their personnel complete all 

actions required for the level of investigation within 30 calendar days of initiation of such investigations. The 

contractor shall ensure personnel who change positions have the appropriate background investigation required for 

the position and shall contact the VA Contract Manager to initiate the required investigation before the individual 

assumes duties in the new position.

The VA Security Investigation Center (SIC) provides department-wide policy on the assignment of appropriate 

position sensitivity designations associated with positions involving national security and public trust 

responsibilities, and on the level of background investigations required for applicants and for incumbents of those 

positions. The contractor shall work with the VA Contract Manager in determining the position sensitivity level for 

the required services. Further, the contractor shall be responsible for the actions of all individuals provided to work 

for the VA under this contract. In the event that damages arise from work performed by contractor personnel under 

the auspices of this contract, the contractor will be responsible for all resources necessary to remedy the incident.

In conjunction with contract award and prior to contract performance, the VA Contract Manager shall obtain from 

the contractor the following information in order to request the appropriate investigative action: list of full legal 

names of contractor personnel doing work on this contract, Social Security Number (SSN) of contractor personnel, 

and home addresses of contractor personnel.

PRODUCTION FACILITY: The contractor’s facility must be a United States Postal Service (USPS) Detached 

Mailing Unit or Postal Substation to provide assurance of the contractor’s expertise in mailing high volume of 

letters/inserts via the USPS mail stream. Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) certifications shall be present 

within the facility of manufacture. The CASS certifications shall be at all applicable USPS presort levels.

All processes entailed in the development and production of the letters and the distribution of the complete mailers

must be housed within one facility. Production must begin and end within the same facility to enhance production 

efficiency, security, and control. However, the contractor may have additional facilities strategically distributed 

throughout the United States.

PHYSICAL SECURITY CONTROLS FOR CONTRACTOR’S FACILITY: The facility shall have an active 

security program, including but not limited to, access control, intrusion detection with 24-hour monitoring, 

surveillance cameras, physical intrusion barriers, and an access auditing method.

All visitors to the contractor’s facility shall be required to present a valid Government-issued photo identification 

(such as a state-issued driver’s license) and be logged in and out of the facility.

At least one surveillance camera shall be installed to monitor the area where Federal information is processed. For 

analog video recording, images shall be recorded at not greater than 120-hour mode; videotapes shall be changed 

out promptly (within five (5) minutes) upon reaching the end of the tape (not recorded over); and, videotapes shall 

be retained for six (6) months or upon completion or termination of the contract. If digital video recording is used, 

images shall be recorded at a frame rate of at least four (4) images per second and retained for a period of at least

six (6) months or until the completion or termination of the contract. The contractor shall make such video 

recordings available for review on site by VA security personnel when requested.
Various VA Mailers Page 8 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

All fire/security/environmental-monitoring systems shall be provided with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) 

backup power source and be periodically checked for proper operation by trained technicians. The UPS shall 

provide power to these systems for a minimum of 24 hours.

The contractor may not move VA’s materials to another location without specific authorization by an authorized 

VA person, except in an emergency, in which case the contractor shall notify the VA of the alternate location within 

four (4) hours.

All personnel who will have physical or electronic access to Federal information systems shall obtain the applicable 

VA security clearance before being granted access (or after submitting the necessary information to initiate a 

background investigation, when permitted).

To ensure individual accountability, contractor-issued, physical access cards shall not be shared, loaned, or given 

to any other person. Persons authorized to access the area where Federal information is processed shall not allow 

another person to enter the area during the time they have the door open (also known as “tailgating”), except for 

authorized and escorted visitors. The contractor shall escort visitors authorized by the contractor to enter the area 

where VA’s information is processed with an access badge, and each visitor’s name shall be logged on a separate 

log sheet. The person escorting the visitor(s) shall maintain constant observation of the visitor(s) to ensure they do 

not access the VA’s information. The physical access control system shall generate reports listing each person who 

entered the area during any specified time period. The contractor shall provide these reports to VA security 

personnel when requested.

INFORMATION SYSTEM: The contractor must provide a computer network (also known as an “information 

system”) to process, store, and transmit data that is in compliance with all applicable policies governing the 

transmission and use of the data transmitted by the VA including the Privacy Act, the Health Insurance Portability 

and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and applicable Department of Veterans Affairs policies and procedures. The 

contractor shall ensure their information system is configured and managed to meet the minimum 

recommendations described in NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-53 (Recommended Security Controls for 

Federal Information Systems) (http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsSPs.html) and VA Handbook 6500.2 

(Management of Data Breaches Involving Sensitive Personal Information (SPI)

(https://www.va.gov/vapubs/Search_action.cfm).

It has been determined that the VA information processed is defined in the following categories – Sensitive Personal 

Information (SPI) and Regulatory/Program Specific Information – therefore the levels of security must be set for a 

moderate impact information system. 

Annex 2 from NIST SP 800-53 will be used as a tool to review the awarded contractor’s compliance with the 

requirements above. Further information is available at http://www.nist.gov. Only compensating controls that have 

been approved by the VA in writing may be used in lieu of the recommended controls in NIST SP 800-53. The 

contractor shall coordinate with VA to establish an SSH over the internet using a NIST FIPS 140-2 compliant 

cryptographic module capable of interchanging data with the VA’s network. 

The contractor will be required to sign an Interconnection Security Agreement (ISA) and Memorandum of 

Understanding (MOU) with VA and complete a Contractor Security Control Assessment (CSCA) and System 

Security Plan (SSP) correcting any non-compliant items before the connection may be established. Additionally, 

the contractor shall support and assist VA staff and/or auditors in periodically assessing their information system’s 

compliance with these requirements or in conducting investigations into security incidents.
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Federal information systems (40 USC 11331) are information systems used or operated by an executive agency, by 

a contractor of an executive agency, or by another organization on behalf of an executive agency. Information 

systems may include servers, workstations, operating systems, databases, and applications, as well as any 

information/data stored, processed, or transmitted by the system. Federal information systems may contain 

information that is subject to the Privacy Act, the HIPAA, or other regulations. Every Federal information system 

at the VA processes information that is categorized as “sensitive but unclassified” (SBU).

All contractor and subcontractor personnel must read and abide by the security requirements in place at the 

contractor’s facility. Failure to comply with these security requirements may result in revocation of physical and/or 

electronic access privileges and/or termination of the contract for default. Failure to complete the work in a timely 

manner, or by any required completion date, caused by delays in requesting security clearances, or due to revocation 

of access privileges resulting solely from the actions of the contractor or their personnel, is not sufficient reason to 

warrant an extension in contract time or cost.

TRAINING: All contractor personnel requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall 

complete the following before being granted access to VA information and networks.

(a) Sign and acknowledge understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the National Rules of 

Behavior related to access to VA information and information systems.

(b) Successfully complete VA Cybersecurity Awareness training and annual refresher training which will be 

due within one (1) month of the beginning of any contract option year.

(c) Successfully complete VA General Privacy training and annual refresher training which will be due within 

one (1) month of the beginning of any contract option year.

(d) Successfully complete any additional cybersecurity or privacy training as required for VA personnel with 

equivalent information system access.

The contractor will provide the VA Contract Manager with a copy of the training certificates for each applicable 

employee within 30 calendar days of beginning work on the contract. Certificates for refresher training will be due 

within one (1) month of the beginning of any contract option year. Courses are available through the online VA 

Learning Management System. Access to the website will be coordinated with the VA Contract Manager.

PREAWARD SURVEY: In order to determine the responsibility of the prime contractor or any subcontractor, the 

Government reserves the right to conduct an on-site preaward survey at the contractor’s/subcontractor’s facility or 

to require other evidence of technical, production, managerial, financial, and similar abilities to perform, prior to 

the award of a contract. As part of the financial determination, the contractor in line for award may be required to 

provide one or more of the following financial documents:

1) Most recent profit and loss statement 

2) Most recent balance sheet(s)

3) Statement of cash flows 

4) Current official bank statement

5) Current lines of credit (with amounts available) 

6) Letter of commitment from paper supplier(s) 

7) Letter of commitment from any subcontractor 

The documents will be reviewed to validate that adequate financial resources are available to perform the contract 

requirements. Documents submitted will be kept confidential, and used only for the determination of responsibility 

by the Government. Failure to provide the requested information in the time specified by the Government may 

result in the Contracting Officer not having adequate information to reach an affirmative determination of 

responsibility.
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Additionally, the preaward survey will include a review of all subcontractors involved, along with their specific 

functions; and the contractor’s/subcontractor’s business continuity, security control, quality control, and disposal 

of waste material plans, as required by this specification.

PREAWARD PRODUCTION PLANS: As part of the preaward survey, the contractor shall present, in writing, 

to the Contracting Officer within five (5) workdays of being notified to do so by the Contracting Officer or his/her 

representative, detailed plans for each of the below activities. If the Government requests additional information 

after review of the production plans, the contractor must submit updated plans within two (2) workdays of request.

Option Years: For each option year that may be exercised, the contractor will be required to review their plans and 

re-submit in writing the below plans detailing any changes and/or revisions that may have occurred. The revised 

plans are subject to Government approval and must be submitted to the Contracting Officer or his/her representative 

within five (5) workdays of notification of the option year being exercised.

NOTE: If there are no changes/revisions, the contractor will be required to submit to the Contracting Officer or 

his/her representative a statement confirming that the current plans are still in effect.

These proposed plans are subject to review and approval by the Government, and award will not be made 

prior to approval of same. The Government reserves the right to waive some or all of these plans.

Business Continuity Plan – The contractor will maintain either separately or within their business continuity 

program a plan of action that will allow for continued provision of services to the VA within 72 hours of an event 

that disrupts or destroys the ability of the service provider to operate at the primary location used to provide services. 

In addition, the plan of action should demonstrate how materials and information provided to the contractor by the 

VA will be protected and recovered such that continued services will be provided within the timeframe specified.

NOTE: All terms and conditions of this contract will apply to any alternate/backup location.

Security Control Plan – The contractor must have a detailed Security Control Plan. The integrity of any furnished 

discs or electronic submission must be given the highest priority. Therefore, the contractor must guarantee that the 

furnished addresses will be used only to complete this contract. 

The Security Control Plan shall provide in detail, at a minimum:

 How all accountable materials containing PII will be handled throughout all phases of production.

 How the disposal of waste materials containing PII will be handled (see “Disposal of Waste Materials”

specified herein).

 How all applicable Government-mandated security/privacy/rules and regulations, as cited in this contract, 

shall be adhered to by the contractor and/or subcontractor(s).

Quality Control Plan – The contractor must implement quality control systems for all letters that are billing 

statements produced under this contract to reduce the number of double stuffs (two different statements in the same 

envelope) to the maximum extent possible. 

The contractor must maintain the highest quality during the production and mailing of all letters to include 

accounting for all letters to ensure that the number of pieces of mail is equal to the number on the automatically 

generated postal mailing reports.

Due to the sensitive nature of the letters, the contractor must achieve as near to 100% accuracy as possible in the 

mailing of the letters. 
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The quality control plan must show the quality control measures that will govern the production and mailing of all 

letters, and how they will ensure an accuracy rate for all orders of 99% or higher (which includes printing on the 

correct paper, using the correct letter (form or billing statement), inserting the correct insert(s) (either contractorproduced or Government-furnished), and inserting into the correct mail-out envelope. 

Disposal of Waste Materials – All waste materials used in the production of sensitive records containing PII must 

be destroyed in accordance with NIST Special Publication 800-88 Revision 1, “Guidelines for Media Sanitization.”

The contractor is required to demonstrate how all waste materials will be definitively destroyed. Contractor required 

to show proof of disposal.

NOTE: Disposal of waste materials is a predominant production function and cannot be subcontracted.

PREAWARD INSPECTION OF SECURITY CONTROLS: Prior to award, the VA reserves the right to perform 

an on-site inspection of the contractor’s security controls to ensure that they are in compliance with all of the items 

listed in this document. To facilitate this inspection, the contractor shall supply the following items at least three 

(3) workdays prior to the scheduled site visit:

(a) All policies, regulations, standard operating procedures, etc., related to physical, personnel, and 

technical/network security controls.

(b) Building/site drawings and diagrams depicting, at a minimum, fences, walls, parking areas, physical 

security controls (cameras, door locks, motion sensors, etc.) and rooms. The drawings/diagrams shall label 

all controls related to the physical security of the VA data (that is, if there is a section of the facility that is 

altogether unrelated to the services contracted for, it is not necessary to label the controls in that area).

(c) Network diagram depicting the major components and security controls in place. This should include 

network segments, servers, external connections, routers, firewalls, intrusion detection devices, etc. It 

should specify operating systems (by name and version) for routers, VPN appliances, servers, and 

workstations.

ANNUAL SITE INSPECTIONS: The VA will perform an annual site visit at the contractor’s facility to ensure 

that all compliance standards specified herein are strictly adhered to.

ASSIGNMENT OF JACKETS, PURCHASE AND PRINT ORDERS: A GPO jacket number will be assigned 

and a purchase order issued to the contractor to cover work performed. The purchase order will be supplemented 

by an individual print order for each job placed with the contractor. The print order, when issued, will indicate the 

quantity to be produced and any other information pertinent to the particular order.

ORDERING: Items to be furnished under the contract shall be ordered by the issuance of print orders by the 

Government. Orders may be issued under the contract from Date of Award and ending October 31, 2022 plus for 

such additional period(s) as the contract is extended. All print orders issued hereunder are subject to the terms and 

conditions of the contract. The contract shall control in the event of conflict with any print order. A print order shall 

be “issued” for purposes of the contract, when it is electronically transmitted or otherwise physically furnished to 

the contractor in conformance with the schedule.

REQUIREMENTS: This is a requirements contract for the items and for the period specified herein. 

Shipment/delivery of items or performance of work shall be made only as authorized by orders issued in accordance 

with the clause entitled “ORDERING.” The quantities of items specified herein are estimates only and are not 

purchased hereby. Except as may be otherwise provided in this contract, if the Government’s requirements for the 

items set forth herein do not result in orders in the amounts or quantities described as “estimated,” it shall not 

constitute the basis for an equitable price adjustment under this contract.
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Except as otherwise provided in this contract, the Government shall order from the contractor all the items set forth 

which are required to be purchased by the Government activity identified on page 1.

The Government shall not be required to purchase from the contractor, requirements in excess of the limit on total 

orders under this contract, if any.

Orders issued during the effective period of this contract and not completed within that time shall be completed by 

the contractor within the time specified in the order, and the rights and obligations of the contractor and the 

Government respecting those orders shall be governed by the terms of this contract to the same extent as if 

completed during the effective period of this contract.

If shipment/delivery of any quantity of an item covered by the contract is required by reason of urgency prior to the 

earliest date that shipment/delivery may be specified under this contract, and if the contractor will not accept an 

order providing for the accelerated shipment/delivery, the Government may procure this requirement from another 

source.

The Government may issue orders which provide for shipment/delivery to or performance at multiple destinations.

Subject to any limitations elsewhere in this contract, the contractor shall furnish to the Government all items set 

forth herein which are called for by print orders issued in accordance with the “ORDERING” clause of this contract.

ADDITIONAL EMAILED BID SUBMISSION PROVISIONS: The Government will not be responsible for any 

failure attributable to the transmission or receipt of the emailed bid including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Illegibility of bid.

2. Emails over 75 MB may not be received by GPO due to size limitations for receiving emails.

3. The bidder’s email provider may have different size limitations for sending email; however, bidders are 

advised not to exceed GPO’s stated limit.

4. When the email bid is received by GPO, it will remain unopened until the specified bid opening time. 

Government personnel will not validate receipt of the emailed bid prior to bid opening. GPO will use the 

prevailing time (specified as the local time zone) and the exact time that the email is received by GPO’s 

email server as the official time stamp for bid receipt at the specified location.

PAYMENT: Immediately upon completion of each order, the contractor shall submit an itemized statement of 

billing to the ordering agency for verification, approval, and signature. The contractor must email their invoice 

along with all supporting documentation to the agency contact as specified on the print order.

After agency verification and approval, the contractor must submit the approved, signed billing invoice to the U.S. 

Government Publishing Office.

Submitting invoices for payment via the GPO fax gateway (if no samples are required) utilizing the GPO barcode 

coversheet program application is the most efficient method of receiving payment. Instruction for using this method 

can be found at the following web address: 

http://winapps.access.gpo.gov/fms/vouchers/barcode/instructions.html.

Invoices may also be mailed to: U.S. Government Publishing Office, Office of Financial Management, Attn: 

Comptroller, Stop: FMCE, Washington, DC 20401. 

For more information about the billing process, refer to the General Information of the Office of Finance web page located 

at: https://www.gpo.gov/how-to-work-with-us/agency/billing-and-payment.

Contractor’s billing invoice must be itemized in accordance with the items in the “SCHEDULE OF PRICES.”
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PRIVACY ACT NOTIFICATION: This procurement action requires the contractor to do one or more of the 

following: design, develop, or operate a system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function in 

accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, Public Law 93-579, December 31, 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) and applicable 

agency regulations. Violation of the Act may involve the imposition of criminal penalties as stated in 5 U.S.C. 552a 

(i)(1) CRIMINAL PENALTIES. It is incumbent upon the contractor to inform its officers and employees of the 

penalties for improper disclosure imposed by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, specifically, 5 U.S.C. 552a 

(i)(1) CRIMINAL PENALTIES and m(1) GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS.

PRIVACY ACT

(a) The contractor agrees:

(1) to comply with the Privacy Act of 1974 and the rules and regulations issued pursuant to the Act in the 

design, development, or operation of any system of records on individuals in order to accomplish an agency 

function when the contract specifically identifies (i) the system or systems of records and (ii) the work to 

be performed by the contractor in terms of any one or combination of the following: (A) design, (B) 

development, or (C) operation;

(2) to include the solicitation notification contained in this contract in every solicitation and resulting 

subcontract and in every subcontract awarded without a solicitation when the statement of work in the 

proposed subcontract requires the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals 

to accomplish an agency function; and

(3) to include this clause, including this paragraph (3), in all subcontracts awarded pursuant to this contract 

which require the design, development, or operation of such a system of records.

(b) In the event of violations of the Act, a civil action may be brought against the agency involved where the 

violation concerns the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals to accomplish 

an agency function, and criminal penalties may be imposed upon the officers or employees of the agency where 

the violation concerns the operation of a system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function. 

For purposes of the Act when the contract is for the operation of a system of records on individuals to 

accomplish an agency function, the contractor and any employee of the contractor is considered to be an 

employee of the agency.

(c) The terms used in this clause have the following meanings:

(1) “Operation of a system of records” means performance of any of the activities associated with maintaining 

the system of records including the collection, use, and dissemination of records.

(2) “Record” means any item, collection or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by 

an agency, including, but not limited to, his education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal 

or employment history and that contains his name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying 

particular assigned to the individual, such as a finger or voice print or a photograph.

(3) “System of records” on individuals means a group of any records under the control of any agency from 

which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or 

other identifying particular assigned to the individual.
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SECTION 2. – SPECIFICATIONS

SCOPE: These specifications cover the production of various mailers consisting of letters, inserts, return envelopes,

and mail-out envelopes requiring such operations as printing/variable imaging, binding, construction, inserting, 

packing, and distribution.

TITLE: Various VA Mailers.

FREQUENCY OF ORDERS AND QUANTITY: 

Separate print orders will be issued for each application to include all letters types for that application.

Exact quantities will not be known until each run is electronically transmitted to the contractor. NO SHORTAGES 

WILL BE ALLOWED.

Files will be electronically transmitted daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly, as specified below for each application

and as specified under “GOVERNMENT TO FURNISH.” When each electronic transmission is received, the 

contractor is to process the files and complete production and distribution. Upon completion, contractor must 

provide a report with the breakdown of the counts for each letter/per application back to VA (see “REPORTS” 

specified herein). Upon receipt of this report, VA will issue the print order with the final counts and any other 

pertinent information.

Typically, the print order for each application is furnished approximately three to five workdays after the files have 

been transmitted to the contractor.

For each application below with daily runs, contractor is put on notice that there may be an occasional workday 

when no files are furnished for a particular application. For each application with weekly, monthly, and yearly 

runs, those files may be furnished with the daily runs for that application and included on the same print order.

The Government reserves the right to increase or decrease the quantity by up to 25% of the total letters ordered 

annually. This 25% includes any new or modified letter/application developed during the term of this contract (see 

“PROGRAMMING TIME/SUPPORT”).

The figures indicated below are estimates based on historical data of past production runs.

NOTE: For the purpose of this contract, the term “application” refers to the letters specified below. The term 

“mailer” refers to the complete package (i.e., letter and inserts/return envelope, as required, inserted in to the mailout envelope).

Debt Management Center (DMC)/Centralized Accounts Receivable System (CARS) Letters: (NOTE: Hereinafter, 

this application will be referred to as “DMC.”)

Daily Run (Monday through Friday): Up to approximately 10,800 copies per day.

Monthly Run (once per month): Up to approximately 34,000 copies per month. (NOTE: Files may not be 

furnished on the same day each month.)

Veterans Assistance Discharge System (VADS) Letters:

VADS Veterans Initial Letters (VIL): 

Daily Run (Monday through Friday): Up to approximately 1,400 copies per day.

VADS 12 Month Letters:

Daily Run (Monday through Friday): Up to approximately 550 copies per day.
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VADS 24 Month Letters:

Daily Run (Monday through Friday): Up to approximately 245 copies per day.

VADS Follow-Up Letters (FUL):

Weekly Run (Wednesday): Up to approximately 7,700 copies per week.

Loan Guaranty Outreach Letters (LGY):

LGY Outreach Letters:

Daily Run (Monday through Friday): Up to approximately 350 copies per day.

LGY Loss Mitigation Letters:

Daily Run (Monday through Friday): Up to approximately 240 copies per day.

LGY 589 Letters:

Daily Run (Monday through Friday): Up to approximately 2,300 copies per day.

Gravesite Reservation System (GRS) Letters:

GRS Letter:

Monthly Run (once per month): Up to approximately 1,040 copies per month. (NOTE: Files are typically 

furnished shortly after the first of each month, but may not be on the same day each month.)

Chapter 33 Long Term Solutions Letters (CH33):

CH33 Long Term Solution Letters (CH33 LTS):

Daily Run (Monday through Friday): Up to approximately 7,250 copies per day.

CH33 Long Term Solution Power of Attorney Letters (CH33 POA):

Daily Run (Monday through Friday): Up to approximately 1,700 copies per day.

Compensation and Payment System Tax Abatement Letters:

C580V Letter:

Monthly Run (once per month): Approximately 18,000 to 770,000 per month. 

(NOTE: Files may not be furnished on the same day each month. Seasonal high quantities are from November 

through March; seasonal low quantities are from May through October. Typically, there are no files during the 

months of April, August, and September.)

NUMBER OF PAGES:

Letters: Approximately 1 to 28 pages (1 to 14 leaves) per letter.

Inserts: 1 leaf (face only or face and back).

Reply Envelopes: Face only (after construction).

Mail-out Envelopes: Face only (after construction).
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1735-S (10/22)

TRIM SIZES:

Letters: 8-1/2 x 11”.

Inserts: 8-1/2 x 11”.

Return Envelopes: 3-7/8 x 8-7/8” (No. 9) plus flap (with and without window).

Mail-out Envelopes:

4-1/8 x 9-1/2” (No. 10) plus flap (with one or two windows).

6 x 9-1/2” plus flap (with window).

6 x 9-3/4” plus flap (with window).

GOVERNMENT TO FURNISH: 

Electronic Media (software/electronic letters): Electronic letters are in a PostScript or Portable Document Format 

(PDF) format. The data is compressed using PKZIP software and then sent to the contractor via electronic data 

transfer using an SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) over the Internet using a NIST FIPS 140-2 compliant 

cryptographic module capable of interchanging data with the VA network. 

All files electronically transmitted contain a complete record for each letter with the variable data included with 

each letter. Any programming or other format changes that are needed due to the contractor’s method of production 

will be the full responsibility of the contractor and must be completed prior to the start of live production. Any 

alteration of the letter content in the file is not permitted. The contractor must not merge file dates and mailers (if 

applicable) during processing, printing, and mailing.

NOTE: Live data will not be provided to the contractor until the necessary on-site security checks are completed.

The interval between contract award and actual production will be used to satisfy the security requirements 

contained in the specifications (including any necessary site visits), to establish the secure SSH connection between 

the VA and the contractor, and to transmit test data to ensure that all requirements can be met by the contractor. 

(NOTE: Testing will consist of the contractor confirming receipt of the transmitted file, ability to open and process 

the file, and ability to output the files.

Envelopes: Previously printed sample of each envelope. Contractor is responsible for all typesetting.

Preprinted Inserts: The below inserts will be furnished (in the quantities specified) at the beginning of the contract

and are to be used throughout the term of the contract. Contractor must track inventory amounts and maintain an 

inventory list (see “NOTE” under “INSERTING”). Contractor will not be allowed additional time in the schedule 

due to the contractor’s failure to notify VA for replenishments of any of the below inserts. NOTE: Insert volumes 

are variable and driven by the letter data population.

VA Form 0748 (estimated annual volume of 100,000 copies)

VA Form 0749 (estimated annual volume of less than 1,000)

VA Form 5655 (estimated annual volume of 200,000)

VA Pamphlets 22-09-1, 22-09-2, 27-12-31, 27-0501, 27-12-2

Mailing indicia: Identification markings such as register marks, commercial identification marks of any kind, etc., 

carried in electronic files, must not print on finished product.

EXHIBITS: The facsimiles of sample pages of the return and mail-out envelopes shown as Exhibits A through H

are representative of the requirements which will be ordered under this contract. However, it cannot be guaranteed 

that future orders will correspond exactly to these exhibits.
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CONTRACTOR TO FURNISH: All materials and operations, other than those listed under “GOVERNMENT 

TO FURNISH” necessary to produce the product(s) in accordance with these specifications.

The contractor must be able to accept VA files electronically via a contractor-hosted SFTP server. Appropriate logon instructions and protocol must be provided at time of award. The contractor must provide necessary security for 

the SFTP, which at a minimum, must have a unique security key exchange with VA. VA will provide appropriate 

key. 

PROGRAMMING TIME/SUPPORT: During the life of the contract, new or modified letter requirements may 

occur. The contractor will be required to provide programming support to implement these new or modified 

requirements.

STOCK/PAPER: The specifications of all paper furnished must be in accordance with those listed herein or listed 

for the corresponding JCP Code numbers in the “Government Paper Specification Standards No. 13” dated 

September 2019.

Government Paper Specification Standards No. 13 - https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/forms-andstandards-files-for-vendors/vol_13.pdf.

Color of paper furnished will be of a uniform shade and a close match by visual inspection of the JCP and/or attached 

color sample(s). The Contracting Officer reserves the right to reject shipments of any order printed on paper the 

color of which, in their opinion, materially differs from that of the color sample(s) specified. 

All paper used in each copy must be of a uniform shade.

The paper to be used will be indicated on each print order.

Letters and Contractor-Produced Inserts: White High-Quality Xerographic Copier, Laser Printer, basis weight: 24 

lbs. per 500 sheets, 17 x 22”, equal to JCP Code O-61.

Return Envelopes: White Writing Envelope, basis weight: 24 lbs. per 500 sheets, 17 x 22”, equal to JCP Code V20.

Mail-out Envelopes (No. 10, 6 x 9-1/2”): White Writing Envelope, basis weight: 24 lbs. per 500 sheets, 17 x 22”, 

equal to JCP Code V20.

Mail-out Envelopes (6 x 9-3/4”): Light-Brown (Kraft Shade) Envelope, basis weight: 24 lbs. per 500 sheets, 17 x 

22”, equal to JCP Code V10.

PRINTING:

At contractor’s option, the product may be produced via conventional offset, inkjet or digital printing provided that 

Quality Level III standards are maintained. Final output must be a minimum of 150-line screen and at a minimum 

resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi x 1 bit or 600 x 600 dpi x 4-bit depth technology.

NOTE: GPO imprint is waived and must not print on any of the final products.

Stockpiling of Envelopes: The Government reserves the right to make changes to the format/text of the envelopes 

at any time during the term of the contract. Notification of a proposed change will be given with sufficient time to 

the contractor to allow for the change. Therefore, the contractor should not preprint or maintain more than a 60-

calendar day surplus/inventory of any of the envelopes required on this contract (not to exceed 250,000 copies of

each envelope type with the exception of the envelopes for C580V not to exceed 800,000 copies). The Government 

shall not be required to purchase from the contractor the surplus/inventory of any envelope remaining on hand in 

excess of what was authorized when an envelope format/text change is implemented.
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Letters: Print face only, face and back, or head-to-head in black only. All printing required in performance of this 

contract includes both static and variable data from furnished transmitted files.

Inserts: Print face only or face and back in black only. Printing consists of text and line matter.

All Envelopes: Print face only (after construction) in a single color. Two applications (VADS VIL and C580V

Envelopes) print in black; balance of applications print in Pantone 280 (Blue). Printing on all envelopes consists 

of text and line matter and department logo.

For the return envelopes, contractor is responsible for creating the Facing Identification Marks (FIM) and for placing 

the FIM on the mailing piece according to the current U.S. Postal Service Mail Manuals.

For all envelopes (return and mail-out), the contractor must print the contractor-created Intelligent Mail Barcodes 

(IMB) and is responsible for placing the IMB on the mailing piece according to the current U.S. Postal Service Mail 

Manuals.

Printing on all envelopes shall be in accordance with the requirements for the style envelope ordered. All printing 

shall comply with all applicable U.S. Postal Service regulations. The envelope shall accept printing without 

feathering or penetrating to the reverse side.

The majority of envelopes require a security tint (lining is not acceptable) printed on the inside (back – before 

manufacture) in Pantone 280 (Blue). Contractor may use their own design but must guarantee that the product will 

ensure complete opacity and prevent show through of any material contained therein.

MARGINS: Unless otherwise specified, maintain margins will be indicated on print order or furnished electronic 

file.

BARCODING: The contractor is required to add a 2D barcode to the face of each leaf of each letter. The barcode 

will allow the VA and or contractor to query by barcode the names, addresses, and times that different pieces were 

inserted and will allow a redundant check on the contents of each mailing. Additionally, the vendor maintains the 

barcode as part of their assurance to reduce/eliminate double insertion. If there is a privacy incident, the vendor will 

use this as part of their research to identify what happened and provide corrective actions.

NUMBERING: Each letter must be assigned a unique, sequential number for accounting purposes and to allow 

the contractor to reproduce any documents destroyed in processing. Contractor to create the numbering sequence 

to be used in conjunction with the 2D barcode specified above.

BINDING (Letters/Inserts): 

Trim four sides.

Perforations: Two applications will require a perforation as follows –

 DMC Application – Perforate (slit or slot without ink) across the entire 8-1/2” dimension with the 

perforation located 3-1/2” from the bottom. 

 GRS Application – Perforate (slit or slot without ink) across the entire 8-1/2” dimension with the perforation 

located 3” from the bottom.
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CONSTRUCTION (Envelopes): All envelopes are open side, high-cut diagonal or side seams, at contractor’s 

option, with suitable, full-gummed, fold-over flap for sealing. Flap depth is at the contractor’s option but must meet 

all USPS requirements. Flap must be coated with suitable glue that will securely seal the envelope without adhering 

to contents, not permit resealing of the envelope, and permit easy opening by the recipient.

Envelopes shall be sufficiently high cut so as to prevent the flap adhesive from coming in contact with the 

envelope’s contents. The sealed seam shall not adhere to the inside of the envelope. Envelopes shall be free from 

cuts, folds, tears, machine marks, foreign matter, dirt, ink smears, and adhesive stains.

Windows: All windows are to be covered with a suitable transparent material that must be clear of smudges, lines, 

and distortions. Material must be securely affixed to the inside of the envelope so as not to interfere with insertion 

of contents. Window material must meet the current U.S. Postal Service’s readability standard/requirements.

VA E1 (No. 10) (for GRS and C580V Applications): Face of envelope to contain two (2) die-cut windows as 

follows:

 Window No. 1 (Mailing Address) – Die-cut window (1-3/8 x 4” in size) with rounded corners, to be located 

5/8” from the left edge of envelope and 13/16” from bottom edge of envelope.

 Window No. 2 (Return Address) – Die-cut window (1/2 x 3-1/4” in size) with rounded corners, to be located 

5/8” from left edge of envelope and 2-5/8” from bottom edge of envelope.

VA E2 (No. 10) (for VADS (12-Month/24-Month/FUL) and LGY Applications): Face of envelope to contain one 

(1) die-cut window (mailing address). Die-cut window (1-3/8 x 4-3/4” in size) with rounded corners, to be located 

3/4” from left edge of envelope and 1/2” from bottom edge of envelope.

VA E4 (No. 10) (for DMC Application): Face of envelope to contain one (1) die-cut window (mailing address). 

Die-cut window (1-3/8 x 4-3/4” in size) with rounded corners, to be located 3/4” from left edge of envelope and 

1/2” from bottom edge of envelope.

VA E6 (Return No. 9 Envelope) (for DMC Application): No window required.

VA E7 (Return No. 9 Envelope) (for GRS Application): Face of envelope to contain one (1) die-cut window

(mailing address). Die-cut window (1-5/8 x 3-1/2” in size) with rounded corners, to be located 4-3/4” from left

edge of envelope and 7/8” from bottom edge of envelope.

VA E10 and E12 (6 x 9-1/2”) (CH33 LTS Application): Face of envelope to contain one (1) die-cut window

(mailing address). Die-cut window (1-1/2 x 4-3/4” in size) with rounded corners, to be located 1/2” from left edge 

of envelope and 2-1/8” from bottom edge of envelope.

VA E14 (6 x 9-3/4”) (for VADS (VIL) Applications): Face of envelope to contain one (1) die-cut window (mailing 

address). Die-cut window (1-1/4 x 4-1/4” in size) with rounded corners, to be located 7/16” from left edge of 

envelope and 2-7/8” from bottom edge of envelope.

INSERTING:

For Mail-out Envelopes (No. 10): Gather all required pages of the letter in proper sequence, letter-fold (with a “C”

or “Z” fold) from 8-1/2 x 11” to 8-1/2 x 3-2/3” with addressee’s name and address facing out for visibility through 

mailing address envelope window and insert into the mail-out envelope. Some applications will also require the 

return address to be visible in the return address envelope window. 
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1735-S (10/22)

For Mail-out Envelopes (6 x 9-1/2” and 6 x 9-3/4”): Gather all required pages of the letter in proper sequence and 

fold in half from 8-1/2 x 11” to 8-1/2 x 5-1/2” with the addressee’s name and address facing out for visibility through 

the mailing address envelope window and insert into the appropriate mail-out envelope. 

Additional inserts (inserts produced by the contractor, furnished pamphlets/inserts, and/or return envelope) will be 

required for approximately half of the mailings. 

When required, fold inserts (either contractor-produced or Government-furnished) (as required for the mail-out 

envelope), and insert behind the folded letters, followed by return envelope, if required.

NOTE: VA will supply all inserts not produced by the contractor and all preprinted pamphlets (see 

“GOVERNMENT TO FURNISH”). The contractor will need to maintain an inventory list with an updated list sent 

back to VA weekly. The contractor will notify VA when supplies are received and the condition of the shipment. 

Any damage to the shipment must be reported as soon as possible so corrective action can be taken by VA. The 

contractor must establish an automated preset order limit for each print job to avoid running out of VA-furnished 

supplies. When the level is reached, the contractor must notify VA so that additional supplies can be provided to 

the contractor.

It is the contractor’s responsibility to assure that only the mailing address and IMb barcode on the notice will be 

visible through the window in the envelope, when applicable, and that only one copy of all required letters and any 

inserts/return envelope is inserted into each envelope. 

After inserting, seal mail-out envelopes that are to be mailed individually.

PACKING: The DMC and CH33 applications will require occasional hand separation and packing of letters (and 

inserts, if required), to be shipped to VA facilities, as specified. Contractor will ship via VA’s UPS account. Account 

information to be provided after award.

Contractor must pack the letters into UPS-issued envelopes or containers. Contractor is responsible for obtaining 

the necessary envelopes/containers from UPS.

All shipments which fill less than a shipping container must be packaged with materials of sufficient strength and

durability and in such a manner which will guarantee that the product will not be damaged and the package will not 

open nor split during shipment.

INSPECTION SAMPLES: When indicated on the print order or otherwise requested, two (2) samples shall be 

sent for inspection to the U.S. Government Publishing Office, Customer Services, Dallas Regional Office, Agency 

Procurement Services, 1100 Commerce Street, Suite 731, Dallas, TX 75242, Attn: Inspection Samples.

These samples cannot be deducted from the total quantity ordered. The package or envelope containing the samples 

shall be identified by the GPO jacket number, program number, print order number, title, and include a facsimile 

of the print order on which they were ordered. The contractor will comply with the shipping schedule regardless of 

this requirement and will be notified of the test results only if there are deficiencies.

DISTRIBUTION:

 Mail f.o.b. contractor’s city the majority of letters (using furnished mailing indicia) to both domestic 

(nationwide, including Alaska, Hawaii, American Territories, and APO/FPO) and foreign destinations. 

(Contractor is responsible for all costs associated with transporting mailer packages to the USPS.)

 When required, ship f.o.b. contractor’s city (using VA-supplied UPS account) the letters to the specified 

VA facility. (Address for VA facility(ies) to be furnished with order.)
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For letters being mailed by furnished postage indicia, all mailing shall be made at the First Class rate. 

The contractor is cautioned that the furnished “Postage and Fees Paid” mailing indicia may be used only for the 

purpose of mailing material produced under this contract.

Orders which result in mailings of less than 200 pieces or less than 50 pounds will require the contractor to apply 

the appropriate postage to each mailing. Contractor will be reimbursed for postage by submitting a properly 

completed Postal Service Certificate of Mailing with their invoice for billing.

For all letters that do not qualify for mailing under the furnished mailing indicia and for international mail, 

contractor is to meter those mail pieces against the contractor’s postage meter. The contractor is required to prepare 

all metered mail in accordance with the rules and regulations in USPS’s Domestic Mail Manual and International 

Mail Manual, in effect at the time of mailing. The meter and all meter equipment/supplies must be borne by the 

contractor. Quantity and cost of metered mail will be provided to VA for each production job and included on the 

contractor’s billing invoice submitted to GPO for payment.

The contractor is cautioned that VA’s UPS account may only be used for the purpose of shipping material produced 

under this contract.

Contractor is required to sort/process the mail pieces as necessary in order to obtain the maximum postage 

discount(s) allowed by the USPS, in accordance with the appropriate USPS rules and regulations, in effect at time 

of mailing.

Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb) – Contractor will be required to create and use a USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode on 

all mail pieces produced under this contract. Contractor is responsible for presorting and mailing of letters against 

VA permit to include USPS IMb markings.

Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) – Contractor is required to process the address files through CASS for 

address accuracy. If an address fails CASS, the contractor is required to correct the address prior to printing (see 

“PRODUCTION FACILITY” in SECTION 1).

Contractor to provide the pre-CASS addresses (furnished files) along with their post-CASS addresses and the 

contractor-created IMB associated with each address. This information is to be provided in an Excel file via the 

contractor-hosted SFTP site.

National Change of Address (NCOA) and Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) – The contractor shall run all 

addresses through NCOA for address accuracy. If an address fails NCOA or requires an NCOA move update, 

contractor must make the necessary changes.

Contractor to provide the pre-NCOA addresses (furnished files) along with their post-NCOA addresses and the 

contractor-created IMB associated with each address. This information is to be provided in an Excel file via the 

contractor-hosted SFTP site.

Presort Accuracy Validation and Evaluation (PAVE) – Contractor’s software must also be PAVE certified.

All copies mailed must conform to the appropriate regulations in the U.S. Postal Service manuals for “Domestic 

Mail” or “International Mail,” as applicable.

Certificate of Conformance: When using Permit Imprint Mail the contractor must complete GPO Form 712 -

Certificate of Conformance (Rev. 10-15), and the appropriate mailing statement or statements supplied by USPS. 

A fillable GPO Form 712 Certificate of Conformance can be found at https://www.gpo.gov/how-to-work-withus/vendors/forms-and-standards.
Various VA Mailers Page 22 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

Upon VA request, the contractor will be required to provide tracking numbers by date for UPS shipments shipped 

by the contractor using the VA-supplied UPS account number.

NOTE: Shipments that are not the exact count as the quantity on the print order shall be investigated by the 

contractor to determine the cause for this variance, and the contractor must advise the Department before the mailing 

can be released to the Postal Service for distribution. 

When transmitted files do not contain electronic slip sheets to sort the printed products to multiple 

stations/destinations and when directed by the VA, the contractor must manually intervene to sort the printed 

documents.

Each print order’s mailings via USPS shall have quantity documentation generated by CodeOne and Mailstream 

software programs (or similar). The Postal Service Form 3600-R will have the number of letters, trays, and total 

cost, along with the breakdown of the letters provided to the contractor. The contractor will also produce Postal 

Service Form 3553, CASS certificate.

When the contractor delivers these individual print order shipments to the post office, VA requires that the 

contractor’s internal job number or work order number be entered into the remarks section of the postal 

transaction(s) as viewable via the USPS Business Customer Gateway.

Within 30 calendar days of completion of all distribution for each print order, contractor must delete/scrub all 

furnished data from their system.

Upon completion of the contract, the balance of any furnished materials (i.e., Government furnished inserts) must 

be shipped (either via VA’s UPS account or Government Bills of Lading (GBL) to the awarded contractor on the 

next contract. Contractor will be provided shipping instructions at that time.

Upon completion of the contract, the contractor may be required to ship any remaining envelope inventory (see 

“PRINTING, Stockpiling”) to the awarded contractor on the next contract, at the Government’s expense (either via 

VA’s UPS account or Government Bills of Lading (GBL). Contractor will be provided shipping instructions at that 

time.

SCHEDULE: Adherence to this schedule must be maintained. The contractor must not start production of any job 

prior to receipt of the individual print order (GPO Form 2511).

Print order and furnished electronic files will be provided via SFTP. The Government will ship all furnished 

materials to the contractor’s facility.

Workday – The term “workday” is defined as Monday through Friday each week, exclusive of the days on which 

Federal Government holidays are observed.

Federal Government Holidays are as follows: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King’s Birthday, President’s Day, 

Memorial Day, Juneteenth Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, 

and Christmas Day.

NOTE: The contractor’s software shall be operational for the receipt of data files 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a 

week, unless otherwise specified by the Government. Typically, production files are transmitted Monday through 

Friday; however, there may be instances when they are transmitted on Saturday, Sunday, or a Federal holiday. If 

production files are transmitted on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, the schedule would start the next 

workday (i.e., if files are received on Saturday, the schedule would start on the following Monday).
Various VA Mailers Page 23 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

The following schedule begins the workday after receipt of the electronic transmission of files; the workday after 

receipt will be the first workday of the schedule.

Regular Schedule: 

C580V Mailers –

 Contractor must process all files within two (2) workdays of receipt of file transmission for up to and 

including 250,000 leaves received in a single day. 

 One (1) additional workday will be allowed for any transmission over 250,000 leaves, up to and including 

500,000 leaves in a single day. 

 One (1) additional workday will be allowed for any transmission over 500,000 leaves, up to and including 

800,000 leaves in a single day. 

Balance of Mailers – Contractor must complete production and distribution within two (2) workdays of receipt of 

the electronic transmission of files (excluding weekends and Federal holidays).

The ship/deliver date indicated on the print order is the date products ordered for mailing/shipping f.o.b. contractor’s 

city must be delivered to United States Post Office or picked up by UPS.

Unscheduled material such as shipping documents, receipts or instructions, delivery lists, labels, etc., will be 

furnished with each order or shortly thereafter. In the event such information is not received in due time, the 

contractor will not be relieved of any responsibility in meeting the shipping schedule because of failure to request 

such information.

For compliance reporting purposes, the contractor is to notify the U.S. Government Publishing Office of the date 

of shipment or delivery. Upon completion of each order, contractor must contact the GPO Dallas Regional Office

via email at jhunt@gpo.gov or call (217) 767-0451, ext. 5.

SHREDDING: Any letters that are damaged or otherwise rendered unfit for insertion into envelopes during the 

printing or inserting process must be destroyed (see “Disposal of Waste Materials” specified herein).

DAILY REPORTS: The contractor will provide the VA with a daily report to include, but is not limited to the 

following:

 Number of files received

 Number of leaves per file

 Number of images per file

 Number of letters produced per file

 Number of mailers requiring a contractor-produced insert per file

 Number of mailers requiring a Government-furnished insert per file

 Number of complete mailers mailed using furnished mailing indicia per file

 Number of complete mailers mailed that were metered per file

 USPS EPS transaction numbers, as applicable per file

 Number of letters shipped via VA’s UPS account per file

Each report must include the contractor’s internal job or work order number(s).

NOTE: The Government reserves the right to add or delete items required in the daily reports.

Daily reports are to be provided as a secure .csv file via e-mail or other mutually agreed upon format.
Various VA Mailers Page 24 of 45

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Various VA Mailers Page 25 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

SECTION 3. – DETERMINATION OF AWARD

The Government will determine the lowest bid by applying the prices offered in the “SCHEDULE OF PRICES” to 

the following units of production which are the estimated requirements to produce one (1) year’s production under 

this contract. These units do not constitute, nor are they to be construed as, a guarantee of the volume of work which 

may be ordered for a like period of time.

PREMIUM PAYMENTS: Orders requiring an accelerated schedule will be paid for at the premium rate in 

accordance with the contractor’s offered percentage in the “SCHEDULE OF PRICES.”

All other orders will be placed with the regular schedule and paid for at the basic prices offered.

Percentages offered for premium priced work are additional to the basic prices offered for units of work. Premium 

payments, when authorized, will apply to all items except for Item II., “PAPER” in the “SCHEDULE OF PRICES.” 

Failure of the contractor to deliver work at the time specified will result in disallowance of premium payments that 

were anticipated and the contractor will not list such items on their invoice.

It is estimated that 15% of the orders placed on this contract will require an accelerated schedule. Premium payments 

for an accelerated schedule will be evaluated for award. Evaluation will be affected by applying the percentage 

increase, offered for the accelerated schedule in the “SCHEDULE OF PRICES” (Item IV.) to 15% of the prices 

offered for all items except for Item II., “PAPER.” 

The following item designations correspond to those listed in the “SCHEDULE OF PRICES.”

I. (a) 40,904

(b) 12

(d) 2,880

(d) 12

(e) 4,202

(f) 2,841

(g) 1,813

(h) 350

II. (a) 22,305

(b) 2,892

(c) 7,043

(d) 1,813

(e) 350

III. (a) 3,120

(b) 5

IV. a) 1. 7,436

2. 1,172

b) 812
Various VA Mailers Page 26 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK.
Various VA Mailers Page 27 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

SECTION 4. – SCHEDULE OF PRICES

Offers are to be f.o.b. contractor’s city.

Prices must include the cost of all required materials and operations for each item listed in accordance with these 

specifications.

Bidder must make an entry in each of the spaces provided. Bids submitted with any obliteration, revision, or 

alteration of the order and manner of submitting bids may be declared nonresponsive.

An entry of NC (No Charge) shall be entered if bidder intends to furnish individual items at no charge to the 

Government. 

Bids submitted with NB (No Bid), NA (Not Applicable), or blank spaces for an item may be declared nonresponsive.

The Contracting Officer reserves the right to reject any offer that contains prices for individual items of production 

(whether or not such items are included in the DETERMINATION OF AWARD) that are inconsistent or unrealistic 

in regard to other prices in the same offer or to GPO prices for the same operation if such action would be in the 

best interest of the Government.

All invoices submitted to the GPO shall be based on the most economical method of production. 

Fractional parts of 1,000 will prorated at the per-1,000 rate.

Contractor’s billing invoice must be itemized in strict accordance with the line items in the “SCHEDULE OF 

PRICES.”

Cost of paper must be charged under Item II. “PAPER.”

I. PRINTING, BINDING, AND CONSTRUCTION: Prices offered shall include the cost of all required 

materials(excluding paper) and operations(excluding perforations) necessary for the printing/imaging, binding, 

and construction of the products listed in accordance with these specifications.

NOTE: Prices must include the cost all makeready/setup charges.

(a) Letters: 

Printing in black only,

including binding.................................................................... per side/per 1,000 leaves......$___________

(b) Inserts:

Printing in a black only, including binding ............................ per side/per 1,000 copies......$___________

(c) Return Envelope (No. 9) without Window:

Printing face only in a single ink color,

including construction and security tint ......................................... per 1,000 envelopes......$___________

____________

Initials
Various VA Mailers Page 28 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

(d) Return Envelope (No. 9) with One Window:

Printing face only in a single ink color,

including construction, die-cut window, 

and security tint .............................................................................. per 1,000 envelopes......$___________

(e) Mail-out Envelope (No. 10) with One window:

Printing face only in a single ink color,

including construction, die-cut window, 

and security tint .............................................................................. per 1,000 envelopes......$___________

(f) Mail-out Envelope (No. 10) with Two Windows:

Printing face only in a single ink color,

including construction, two die-cut windows, 

and security tint .............................................................................. per 1,000 envelopes......$___________

(g) Mail-out Envelope (6 x 9-1/2”) with One Window:

Printing face only in a single ink color,

including construction, die-cut window,

and security tint .............................................................................. per 1,000 envelopes......$___________

(h) Mail-out Envelope (6 x 9-3/4”) with One Window:

Printing face only in a single ink color,

including construction, die-cut window, and security tint.............. per 1,000 envelopes......$___________

II. PAPER: Payment of all paper supplied by the contractor under the terms of these specifications, as ordered 

on the individual print orders, will be based on the net number of leaves furnished for the product(s) ordered. 

The cost of any paper required for makeready or running spoilage must be included in the prices quoted.

Computation of the net number of leaves will be based on the following:

Letter – Each trim/page-size leaf.

All Envelopes - One page-size leaf will be allowed for each envelope.

Per 1,000 Leaves

(a) Letters/Inserts: White High-Quality Xerographic Copier, 

Laser Printer (24-lb.).............................................................................................................$___________

(b) Return Envelopes (No. 9): White Writing Envelope (24-lb.)...............................................$___________

(c) Mail-out Envelope (No. 10): White Writing Envelope (24-lb.)............................................$___________

(d) Mail-out Envelope (6 x 9-1/2”): White Writing Envelope (24-lb.).......................................$___________

(e) Mail-out Envelope (6 x 9-3/4”): Light-Brown (Kraft Shade) Envelope (24-lb.) ..................$___________

____________

Initials
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1735-S (10/22)

III. ADDITIONAL OPERATIONS:

(a) Perforation............................................................................................ per 1,000 leaves......$___________

(b) Programming time/testing .................................................................................per hour......$___________

IV. INSERTING, PACKING, AND DISTRIBUTION: Prices offered must include the cost of all required 

materials and operations necessary for the mailing of the letters including cost of gathering (collating) letters

(single or multiple leaves) in proper sequence, folding (if applicable) to required size in accordance with these 

specifications, insertion of letters and appropriate inserts and/or return envelope (as required) into appropriate 

mail-out envelope, packing, shipping containers, all packing materials, and complete distribution in accordance 

with these specifications.

(a) No. 10, 6 x 9-1/2”, and 6 x 9-3/4” Envelopes:

1. Folding and inserting letter only .................................................... per 1,000 letters......$___________

2. Folding and inserting letter and required inserts/return envelope.. per 1,000 letters......$___________

(b) Packing and sealing shipping containers................................................... per container......$___________

____________

Initials
Various VA Mailers Page 30 of 45

1735-S (10/22)

SHIPMENT(S): Shipments will be made from: City _______________________, State ___________________

The city(ies) indicated above will be used for evaluation of transportation charges when shipment f.o.b. contractor’s 

city is specified. If no shipping point is indicated above, it will be deemed that the bidder has selected the city and 

state shown below in the address block, and the bid will be evaluated and the contract awarded on that basis. If 

shipment is not made from evaluation point, the contractor will be responsible for any additional shipping costs 

incurred.

DISCOUNTS: Discounts are offered for payment as follows: __________ Percent, _________calendar days. See

Article 12 “Discounts” of Solicitation Provisions in GPO Contract Terms (Publication 310.2).

AMENDMENT(S): Bidder hereby acknowledges amendment(s) number(ed) __________________________

BID ACCEPTANCE PERIOD: In compliance with the above, the undersigned agree, if this bid is accepted 

within____________ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted by the bidder) from the 

date for receipt of bids, to furnish the specified items at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the designated 

points(s), in exact accordance with specifications.

NOTE: Failure to provide a 60-day bid acceptance period may result in expiration of the bid prior to award.

BIDDER’S NAME AND SIGNATURE: Unless specific written exception is taken, the bidder, by signing and 

submitting a bid, agrees with and accepts responsibility for all certifications and representations as required by the 

solicitation and GPO Contract Terms – Publication 310.2. When responding by email, fill out and return one copy 

of all pages in “SECTION 4. – SCHEDULE OF PRICES,” including initialing/signing where indicated. Valid 

electronic signatures will be accepted in accordance with the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, §2. Electronic 

signatures must be verifiable of the person authorized by the company to sign bids. Failure to sign the signature 

block below may result in the bid being declared non-responsive. 

Bidder _______________________________________________________________________________________________

(Contractor Name) (GPO Contractor’s Code)

___________________________________________________________________________________________

(Street Address)

___________________________________________________________________________________________

(City – State – Zip Code)

By ________________________________________________________________________________________

(Printed Name, Signature, and Title of Person Authorized to Sign this Bid) (Date)

___________________________________________________________________________________________

(Person to be Contacted) (Telephone Number) (Email)

________________________________________________________________________________________

THIS SECTION FOR GPO USE ONLY

Certified by: __________ Date: __________ Contracting Officer: __________ Date: __________

(Initials) (Initials)

___________________________________________________________________________________________