Security Ink and Field Evaluation Readers

This is a pre-solicitation notice published in accordance with FAR 5.203 announcing that a solicitation will be published in the Federal Business Opportunity (FedBizOpps) on or about August 31, 2010 for Security Ink and Readers for the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Office of Security and Integrity (OSI). Security ink, in conjunction with decision stamps, is used principally by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to connote official conclusive action on submitted applications, travel documents, arrival and departure records, declarations, assorted forms, and petitions for benefits and services. Through a network of Application Support Centers, Service Centers, local immigration services field offices, Asylum Offices, National Customer Service Call (NCSC) Centers, and Forms Centers. USCIS processes all immigrant and non-immigrant benefits provided to visitors of the United States. The security ink formula must be proprietary to each participating DHS component, containing security features that make its departmental origin identifiable, and difficult to remove from, or alter on , a document, while maintaining the identity of the component origin. Contractor tasks will include creating a formula for security ink, with specified characteristics and security features, to include distribution and quality control. In addition, the contractor will provide field evaluation readers. This acquisition will be a total small business set-aside. The acquisition is expected to result in one Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The contract will be awarded for a 12-month base performance period with four 12-month option periods. This notice is not a request for proposals and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract. All questions concerning this competition must be directed in writing via email to Richard.March@dhs.gov. No questions or inquiries will be accepted by telephone. The distribution of the resulting solicitation will be accomplished solely through FedBizOpps. Hard copies of the solicitation documents will not be available, therefore, no written, telephone, or facsimile requests for the document will be accepted. All future information about this acquisition, including the solicitation and any amendments, will be distributed solely through FedBizOpps.