2026-27 FSA COC Ballots and Postcards

The contract requires the production and mailing of over four million election-related materials, including 1,250,007 Nomination Postcards, 1,800,007 Annual Election Ballot Self-mailers, 1,250,007 Reminder Postcards, and 10,007 Make-up Election Ballot Self-mailers, all to be printed in four-color process and Pantone inks with variable data personalization. Operations encompass electronic file downloading, proofing, pre-production sampling, offset printing, addressing, and bulk mailing under U.S. Postal Service regulations, with all items requiring direct imaging of variable data at a minimum resolution of 240 x 240 dpi using laser or high-quality inkjet—labels are prohibited. The scope mandates strict compliance with Quality Assurance Level 3 for printing and finishing, adherence to ANSI/ASQC Z1.4 inspection standards, and full alignment with GPO Publication 310.2 and OMB Memorandum 07-16 for personally identifiable information (PII) protection, including secure handling, destruction of excess materials, and immediate breach notification. Offset printing must be performed in-house, with no subcontracting permitted for this core function, and all pre-production samples must be submitted for government approval prior to full-scale production. Performance is time-critical with non-negotiable delivery deadlines: Nomination Postcards by June 15, 2026; Annual Election Ballots by October 13, 2026; Reminder Postcards by October 26, 2026; and Make-up Ballots by January 4, 2027, each tied to precise data submission and proof deadlines. Deliveries follow a mixed F.o.b. structure—bulk mailings originate from the contractor’s facility under USDA Permit G-96, while proofs and samples must be delivered f.o.b. destination to USDA’s Washington, DC office at the contractor’s expense. The contractor must coordinate with designated government contacts for proof approvals, shipment notifications, and compliance reporting, and return all digital media and materials after contract completion. Evaluation prioritizes technical capability, PII security compliance, financial stability, and operational readiness through preaward surveys over price, with award based on a trade-off approach. All submissions must be in PDF format, under 75 MB, emailed to bids@gpo.gov by May 21, 2026, and include