Choose VA Postcard Campaign

The contract is for the production and mailing of 3,880,000 postcards—3,060,500 male and 819,500 female versions—as part of the ChooseVA Postcard Campaign, managed by the U.S. Government Publishing Office under solicitation number 450-971. Work includes four-color process printing with dull aqueous coating, variable data imaging using government-furnished Excel files containing names and addresses, trimming, binding, packaging per USPS guidelines, and mailing via VA Presorted Standard Mail Permit #1090. All handling of personally identifiable information (PII) is subject to strict security protocols, including encryption, accountability for every piece, immediate breach reporting, and complete deletion of government-provided files after contract completion. Contractors must develop and submit a Government-approved Security Control Plan prior to award and ensure no defective pieces enter the mail stream. Production must adhere to GPO Publication 310.1 for Level III Quality Assurance Through Attributes and comply with USPS DMM, CASS, PAVE, and NCOA Link standards, requiring ZIP+4 coding and PostNet barcodes on all mailings. Bids must be submitted electronically by April 30, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, to bids@gpo.gov, with the subject line clearly stating Jacket 450-971 and the bid date; no other submission methods are permitted. The bid opening will be conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams, and interested parties must request a live stream link by email one hour prior. Proof submissions, including press-quality PDFs, are due by May 7, 2026, and printing cannot begin until written “OK TO PRINT” authorization is received. Performance is scheduled to conclude by June 26, 2026, with mailing occurring in ten scheduled batches across May and June. Delivery is F.O.B. the contractor’s location, and postcards must be packaged and labeled in full compliance with USPS standards. Contractors are also required to provide same-day shipment notifications with tracking details and all mailing documentation upon delivery. The award is anticipated for May 5, 2026, with payment processed via GPO fax gateway or mail, and the solicitation does not employ any set-asides, making it open to all eligible bidders regardless of size or socioeconomic status.