Notice of Intent to Sole Source CTIP III Engraved Metal Plates

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, through its Office of Chief Procurement Officer, intends to award a sole source Firm Fixed Price contract to Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions for the procurement of proprietary brass and stainless-steel engraved metal plates compatible with the CTIP-III intaglio laser engraving system at the Eastern Currency Facility in Washington, D.C. The plates are essential to U.S. currency production and are uniquely designed for use with K& B’s technology, making them unavailable from any other source, thereby justifying the sole source determination under FAR Subpart 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)(b). The contract will cover a four-year period composed of a twelve-month base period and four optional twelve-month periods, with initial delivery of plates required within twenty-two weeks of award. Technical specifications mandate precise dimensional tolerances of ±10 microns, surface smoothness below 4μm Rz, and hardness levels between 150–200 HV for both material types, with each shipment required to include a Certificate of Analysis and a Safety Data Sheet approved by BEP’s Environmental Health and Safety Office. Final acceptance is contingent upon successful completion of the Bureau Acceptance Test, completion of contractor training, and resolution of all punch-list items. The contractor must comply with stringent security protocols, including mandatory background investigations for all personnel, wearing visible identification badges while on site, and adhering to strict non-personal service guidelines prohibiting direct supervision of government staff or policy-making roles. All contractor personnel must pass a federal background check and be subject to ongoing security requirements, with access limited to authorized areas of the BEP facility. Confidentiality is paramount; all information accessed during performance is considered strictly proprietary, and violations constitute material breach. The contractor is responsible for ensuring the plates are free from defects under a one-year warranty and must submit all required documentation in Word or PDF format. No solicitation will be publicly posted; responses to this notice must be submitted solely via email to kendra.napper@bep.gov no later than 2:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time on May 19, 2026, and all interested parties must maintain an active registration in the System for Award Management. No formal evaluation factors, pricing details, or packaging specifications beyond delivery and documentation requirements are outlined, and payment details, accounting codes, and invoicing systems are not specified in the documentation.