51 -- COMMERCIAL MANUFACTURER OF STORAGE BOXES TO PARTNER WITH SELECTED NONPROFIT TO FURNISH SUCH PRODUCTS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER THE ABILITYONE PROGRAM

The Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (Committee), the Federal agency that oversees the AbilityOne (formerly Javits-Wagner-O?Day/JWOD) Program, is seeking a U.S. commercial manufacturer of storage boxes to partner with a selected nonprofit agency to furnish such products to the Federal Government under the AbilityOne Program. The following product specific requirements have to be met: 1) the product must be a closed box that resists dirt and dust and is made of engineered plastic resin with interlocking features at the corners for stackability; 2) the box must have a central locking point for securing a lid and additional locking points intended for padlocks; 3) the padlock locking points must be indented to minimize the protrusion of the lock, 4) 4 side slots (for strapping and water relief) and flat, recessed center section that doubles as a table top; 5) dimensions of the box should be as follow: length: 36 to 37 inches, width: 21 to 22 inches, depth: 20 to 21 inches, volume: 6.3 to 6.8 cubic feet; 6) design of the box must be patented or patent pending; 7) the boxes must be built to accommodate military specified padlocks and other military requirements, must be TAA compliant and must meet and/or exceed the FAR and other published Federal standards, including Executive Orders and applicable agency-unique requirements. To be considered for the commercial partner opportunity, the following criteria at a minimum must be met: 1) Possession of a nationally-known brand name that can be demonstrated to have significant appeal through evidence of substantial sales and market share. 2) Ability to offer a complete line of storage boxes. 3.) Willingness to enter into a multi-year agreement, which includes on-going technical and production assistance while enabling the selected nonprofit agency to meet the suitability criteria of the AbilityOne Program in the production process by supplying the boxes not fully assembled and instructing the non profit agency in proper assembly techniques to complete the manufacturing and subsequent packaging of the products, thereby creating employment for people who are blind or severely disabled. 4) The chosen commercial manufacturer must be willing to set a high priority for delivering the bulk materials to the nonprofit agency in order to assure the agency of on-time deliveries to the end-use customers. 5) Commitment to working cooperatively with AbilityOne personnel to market the products to Government customers under the AbilityOne Program. 6) Willingness to work with the selected nonprofit agency, NIB or NISH and the Committee to ensure that the products? price to end-users is a fair and reasonable price. 7) All products must be manufactured and lab tested, certified and customer tested to be effective according to their purpose. 8) Manufacturers? submissions must demonstrate that the specific products meet the listed criteria, as well as indicate what functions the nonprofit agency?s employees would perform. Submission should recommend ways to maximize the employment for people who are blind or severely disabled in the fulfillment of the products. NOTE: Proposals must satisfy all listed criteria in order to be considered for selection. The deadline for response is February 22, 2008.