99 -- Proposed addition of Tripod Easels to the Procurement List of the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

This notice DOES NOT constitute a request for information, quote, or proposal for procurement of products or services. It concerns an action which may affect the current procurement of Tripod Easels by the Federal Government. The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled is an independent agency of the Federal Government. The Committee, under the authority of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act of 1971, provides employment opportunities for persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities through Federal Government purchases from nonprofit agencies employing such individuals. Those products which are required to be purchased by the Federal Government under the AbilityOne (formerly JWOD) Program are added to the Committee's Procurement List (P/L). You can view the P/L on our website at www.jwod.gov. Once a product is added to the P/L to be performed by a nonprofit agency, it is no longer available to be provided by commercial firms. The Committee has been asked to consider adding the total Government requirement for the following product to the P/L: Tripod Easel 7110-00-NIB-0052 7110-00-NIB-0053 7110-00-NIB-0036 (Full Size) 7110-00-NIB-0054 (Full Size) 7110-00-NIB-0055 (Tabletop) 7110-00-NIB-0056 (Full Size) The contracting agency involved is the General Services Administration, Region 2, New York, NY. Before adding a product to the P/L, the Committee considers the potential impact that removal from commercial channels of this product, as well as similar products, would have on the sales of the firms that are currently providing Tripod Easels to GSA and the extent to which the potentially affected suppliers are dependent on the income. Similar products are: QRT50T ? Pad Retainer for Telescoping Aluminum Tripod Easel, Aluminum QRT51T - Pad Retainer for Telescoping Aluminum Tripod Easel, Black QRT55E ? Heavy Duty Telescoping Aluminum Tripod Easel, Aluminum QRT29E ? Full Size Instant Easel, Black QRT28E ? Tabletop Size Instant Easel, Black QRT27E ? Heavy Duty Lightweight Instant Steel Easel, Black In order for the Committee to be able to assess the potential impact on affected companies, it is important that these firms report the following information to the Committee: 1) Total Revenues accrued from all sources for the most recent 12-month time period 2) Revenues accrued by providing Tripod Easels to GSA for the same most recent 12-month period 3) The length of time the potentially affected firm has been providing these products to GSA. The information prescribed above must reach the Committee no later than February 27, 2008 and can be submitted in letter format. If information is not received by the date requested, the Committee could conclude that potentially affected firms have determined that there will be no severe adverse impact should the listed products be added to the P/L. It is only with this information that the Committee can perform an accurate impact analysis. Your letter can be returned either by mail to the address on this notice or by fax to +1 (555) 000-0000. You may also provide any other information you deem appropriate. If any of the information you provide is proprietary, please advise us in your reply, and we will ensure that it is safeguarded from disclosure. When assessing impact on a commercial firm, the Committee takes into account the revenues of the parent, subsidiary, and affiliated corporations as well. If a company is a parent, subsidiary, or affiliated corporation to another corporation, please identify the other corporations to which the company is related, the nature of the relationship, and the other corporations total revenue data. General information concerning the Committee and its authority can be found in Title 41 United States Code, Sections 46-48c, or Title 41 Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 51. Both of these references can be found on the Committee's website at www.jwod.gov. If you have specific questions or require further explanation concerning this letter or the addition of the above-referenced product to the P/L, please contact Ms. Connie Mehr at +1 (555) 000-0000.