USPS Solicitation Request for Information - Government Mail Irradiation

This Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Postal Service under solicitation number 3A-26-A-0052 seeks market input on Government Mail Irradiation Services to assess industry capability, feasibility, and competitiveness in support of potential future procurements. The RFI is purely for planning purposes and does not constitute a commitment to award a contract, nor will respondents be compensated for their submissions. Responses are due by June 12, 2026, and must be submitted via email to the designated point of contact, Edsel Basco. The USPS is evaluating the ability of industry to provide irradiation treatment using X-Ray (minimum 5MeV) or E-Beam (minimum 10MeV) technologies to process government mail, including letters, flats, and parcels, with a minimum dose of 53 kGy per run. The contractor must operate a facility within reasonable driving distance of Washington, DC, process mail on the same day of receipt, ensure no residual radioactivity, and deliver processed mail back to the USPS facility in Washington, DC. Mail must be delivered in sealed stainless-steel racks or totes provided by USPS, with specific weight and dimensional limits, and the supplier must not handle the mail directly. Technical requirements include maintaining a certified Quality Management System, providing Certificates of Irradiation with run-specific data on dose, temperature, and humidity, operating with high system uptime, reporting daily performance metrics, and establishing protocols for incident notification and ad hoc testing. The procurement office is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but performance is required in Virginia, with remittance and contracting administration handled through the Merrifield, VA facility. The RFI does not include formal contract clauses, evaluation factors, award basis, pricing, or contract value, as it is not intended to lead to immediate award. Respondents are not required to provide Unique Entity IDs, CAGE codes, or socioeconomic certifications, nor are they obligated to submit cost proposals at this stage. However, affirmative responses to technical requirements—such as maintaining preventive maintenance programs, reporting equipment upgrade recommendations, and supporting government testing—will be critical to demonstrating readiness should a future solicitation be issued. All submitted materials become property of the USPS, and proprietary information must be clearly marked. The response deadline follows a May 26, 2026 issuance date, with an amendment published to include a question-and-answer log. Packaging requirements are strictly based on USPS specifications, with no reference to military standards, and