39 -- FSC 3920

FedBizOpps NoticeFPI Production of Materials Handling Equipment, Non Self-Propelled FSC code 3920 In furtherance of the FPI Board of Directors? directive to seek and pursue the creation of inmate jobs without mandatory source, a notice was published in the December 21, 1998 edition of the Commerce Business Daily(CBD) regarding FPI?s production of products for the Federal government on a competitive (non-mandatory) basis. The notice stated that the Board of Directors had granted approval for FPI to competitively bid on products for which it did not rely on its mandatory source of supply. Under this procedure, FPI would not follow the public involvement guidelines process established by 18.U.S.C. 4122(b) which is required for new products FPI offers as a mandatory source. FPI is required to publish a notice of its intentions to competitively produce a product purchased by the Federal government. This notice announces FPI?s intentions to produce metal containers for federal agencies on a competitive basis and not use its mandatory source status. Once a product is sold competitively, by FPI, it remains a competitive product and will never be added to FPI?s Schedule of Products as a mandatory source product. FPI will not attempt to exercise its mandatory source at some future point in time nor seek from its Board of Directors to expand production of the product by invoking the guidelines process at some later date. It has been previously determined by the FPI Board of Directors that whatever share of the market FPI acquires on a competitive basis will be deemed to be a reasonable share of the market within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. 4122(b)(2). Sales of products manufactured under this procedure will be tracked and recorded separately by FPI as is the case for subcontracting and services. Interested parties have a right to comment or raise questions with FPI?s Board of Directors. All written correspondence should be addressed to: Chief, Strategic Business Development and Marketing Branch, Federal Prison Industries, Inc., 320 First Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20534.