USPS Seeking Vendors For Small Footprint Flat Sequencing System (FSS Lite)
Filed under: fedbizopp, flat sequencing system, FSS, postal, postal news, usps
USPS posted the following notice on the Federal Business Opportunities website:
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is currently conducting market research and seeking to identify potential sources for a Phase II of our Flat Sequencing System (FSS) Program. Our Phase I designed machine currently in deployment is a large system that was primarily intended to accommodate high mail volume processing runs and targeted for our most highly populated flats mailing markets. Phase II is seeking and envisions a smaller footprint FSS (FSS Lite) machine as a solution to efficiently, reliably, and accurately sort and sequence flat mail to the order in which the mail is delivered on a letter carrier’s route (Delivery Point Sequence or DPS). The USPS seeks a system which can be deployed nationally and incrementally to provide maximum flexibility and efficiency in the DPS of flat mail within the existing and future Postal Service infrastructure.
The desired system would automate the DPS of flat mail for the purpose of reducing costs, absorbing growth and stabilizing postage rates at the USPS. Delivery point sequencing of flat mail reduces a carrier’s office time at the delivery unit by providing flat mail that is machine sorted, thereby avoiding manual casing. DPS also reduces clerk manual handling at delivery units.
The intent of this initial notice is to seek information from suppliers that currently have a small footprint system that sequences flat mail, or that will have a fully functional system available for demonstration in calendar year 2011. The USPS may request additional discussions relating to a responding supplier’s design, capabilities, and qualifications to manufacture production quantities of the proposed system.
Critical factors for flats DPS success include: sort and sequence accuracy, time to market, price, system reliability, accept rate, operating costs, and overall machine space requirements. As space is a cost consideration for the USPS, the solution should accomplish this task within the smallest footprint possible to allow for a wide range of implementation at USPS facilities. The system would be required to maintain a consistent throughput and be volume independent concerning the number of delivery points processed. We are seeking a solution which would maximize our ability to handle a high number of delivery points as a critical design element.
source: Federal Business Opportunities
USPS Seeking Vendors for FSS Software Maintenance Support
USPS posted the following notice on the Federal Business Opportunities website:
The United States Postal Service is requesting information to pre-qualify parties interested in providing software engineering services for the Flats Sequencing System (FSS) for the Technology Acquisition Management (TAM) organization at United States Postal Service (USPS) Engineering.
The FSS is designed to sort flat mail into Delivery Point Sequence (DPS) for the letter carriers of one or more zones through a two-pass sequencing operation. The USPS has identified the need to be able to maintain, modify and enhance the software.
General requirements:
The USPS TAM organization seeks to secure a dedicated contract with an organization experienced in the type of engineering support required to maintain the FSS.
The USPS will retain title to all intellectual property developed under contract.
Sources sought for this effort are those suppliers who have a minimum of four-years experience in the following:
• Experience in FSS system/subsystem software
• Experience in software development languages, including C++, C, and C#
• Experience in Oracle and SQL database development
• Experience in Web Application development
• Experience in PLC development
The main purpose of this effort is to:
• Enhance FSS functionality, maintainability and usability
• Provide adaptive support
• Provide extended system field support
• Provide support in improving current FSS SRS, RTM, SDD and STD
• Provide training and documentation to enhance USPS maintenance capabilities and to support USPS personnel
• Provide knowledge transfer from Vendor to USPS
The ideal supplier will have resources with prior FSS software engineering experience.
source: Federal Business Opportunities
Northrop Grumman Corporation, the Postal Service’s second largest supplier was awarded a $874.6 million fixed-price contract in 2007 to provide 100 Flats Sequencing Systems (FSS) The contract called for installation of FSS production units at USPS facilities nationwide beginning in 2008 with the remaining FSS installations scheduled for completion by 2010.
Northrop Grumman announced on March 22, 2011:
Northrop Grumman Corp., one of Maryland’s largest employers, said Tuesday that 145 Elkridge-based employees will lose their jobs because the U.S. Postal Service contract they have been working on is ending. [ source: Baltimore Sun]
USPS: Halfway There – 50 Phase 1 FSS Machines Now In Operation
Filed under: flat sequencing system, postal, postal news, usps
The Postal Service now has 50 flats sequencing system (FSS) machines in operation — half of the 100 machines scheduled to become operational during phase 1 of FSS implementation.
According to FSS Executive Director Rosa Fulton, the 50th machine, located in San Jose, CA, became fully operational this week. An additional 40 machines are installed and ready for testing. “The schedule for system burn-ins and activations is aggressive, with 10 machines starting up every 3 weeks,” said Fulton. All 100 machines are scheduled to be sorting flats by July.
More than 14,000 letter carriers now are receiving sequenced flat mail each day. Route adjustments — made possible with FSS — are ongoing, with more than 500 city routes eliminated since the first FSS machine went online.
Bringing an FSS machine online requires an orchestrated quality process — one that takes a few weeks to implement. In the first week, zones are added to the machine. Over the next 2 weeks, acceptance tests are conducted. After the machine has met acceptance criteria, the Postal Service begins to ramp up to full FSS operations.
Postal Service’s Flat Sequencing System won’t need breaks
Filed under: flat sequencing system, postal, postal news, usps
The U.S. Postal Service’s new mail-sorting machine is about the size of 14 double-decker buses —- and it’s fast.
It can do the job of 26 humans working at full-bore. Unlike its fleshy counterparts, it will work nonstop 17-hour shifts and won’t ever get paper cuts or carpal tunnel syndrome.
It’s part of a $1.5 billion investment expected to shave hours off the processing time for millions of pieces of mail every day and save the financially ailing Postal Service billions of dollars. And it’s coming to San Diego County in May.
The machine is called the Flats Sequencing System. It sorts flats, a type of mail that includes magazines, advertisements, newspapers, manila envelopes and the like.
full story: North County (CA) Times
USPS: FSS Celebrates Third Anniversary With Record Efficiency, Savings
The Postal Service recently marked the third anniversary of its first fully-operational Flats Sequencing System (FSS) at the Dulles, VA, Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) — a milestone in the way the Postal Service sorts flats.
Each FSS can sort mail in delivery point sequence (DPS) at a rate of 16,500 pieces an hour, or 280,500 pieces per day to more than 125,000 delivery addresses — allowing letter carriers to start delivering mail earlier in the day.
The first FSS arrived at the Dulles facility Nov. 30, 2007, and sorted flats for the Reston, VA, Carrier Annex — the first delivery office in the nation to receive its flat mail completely in DPS. Today the Dulles P&DC has four FSS machines, processing mail for 95 ZIP codes assigned to 51 delivery units.
“FSS processed 5.6 million pieces last week,” said Isaac Cronkite, Dulles P&DC acting senior plant manager. “The machines set records for weekend and monthly processing in November.”
FSS technology also has helped the Northern Virginia District reduce costs. The district has eliminated 150 letter carrier routes, reduced letter carriers’ base delivery time by more than 400,000 hours each year and lowered rural carriers’ delivery time by more than 75,000 hours annually. Reducing routes produced additional savings by making it possible to reassign long life vehicles to rural carrier routes.
“FSS has removed a significant number of workhours and we continue to see improvements weekly,” said Northern Virginia District Manager Michael Furey. “These savings will allow us to pay for the machines quickly.”
The Postal Service plans to have 100 FSS machines deployed and operational at 47 locations nationwide by the summer of 2011. Currently about 20 machines are fully operational at eight sites.
source: USPS News Link
DPMG Donahoe:USPS FSS Deployment On Track To Deliver Improved Efficiency
Filed under: flat sequencing system, FSS, usps, USPS News Link
As national deployment of flats sequencing system (FSS) equipment continues, DPMG and COO Pat Donahoe emphasizes that communication is key to successful implementation. This means delivery, processing, transportation and maintenance must be sure they complete all identified readiness activities.
“Right now, about two-thirds of all FSS systems are either currently installed or in the process of being installed,” says Donahoe, explaining that 12 machines are now fully operational in five sites — Dulles, VA; Columbus, OH; Kansas City, MO; Phoenix, AZ; and South Florida.
According to Donahoe, more than 140 delivery units with 259 zones are now on-line with FSS, and more than 4,100 routes are receiving sequenced flats. By mid-December, USPS expects to have a total of 28 systems operational in nine sites and all 100 systems will be operational by the summer of 2011.
USPS Updates Flat Sequencing System Deployment Information
“The USPS® is deploying a new technology that will boost efficiencies in the processing, distribution, and delivery of flats–the Flats Sequencing System (FSS). FSS will automatically sort flat-sized mail into delivery point sequence at high speeds. The efficiencies gained by employing FSS are influencing many changes within both the Postal Service® and the mailing industry.”
FSS facility summary by FSS location – 47 sites
FSS Locations as of May 2010
FSS Deployment Schedule for 100 machines to 47 sites
FSS Deployment Schedule – Updated August 2010 – RIBBS Version
Zone listing for 9 FSS operational sites
A list of zones and their anticipated live mail dates for each site and corresponding machine(s) activated up through November 29, 2010.
Zone List by Operational Site
Zones for all sites as of September 7, 2010 Zone List for RIBBS – September 2010
USPS Update On Flats Sequencing System
Filed under: automation, flat sequencing system, FSS, mtac, usps
USPS Update on FSS presented at the MTAC meeting last montn.
Download PDF file of the presentation
USPS Revises Plan For Deployment of FSS Machines
USPS is updating its plan for deployment of its Flats Sequencing System (FSS) machines. The changes are due primarily to lower mail volume.
Under the revised plan, the Postal Service will redirect 19 of the 100 new FSS machines to new plants. Two of the 32 locations originally scheduled to receive the machines — Aliso Viejo, CA, and the Atlanta BMC, now a Network Distribution Center (Link, 8/14) — have been removed from the list. However, the revised plan increases to 42 the number of facilities receiving the high-tech sorting machines, including 12 locations that were not in the original deployment.
FSS technology automatically sorts flat mail in the order that letter carriers deliver their routes. This technology means that carriers will no longer have to case flat-size mail. Large envelopes, magazines and catalogs will arrive in walk sequence order in the same way that letter mail arrives for carriers today.
By sorting the mail in sequence order, FSS will reduce the amount of time carriers spend manually sorting mail and increase the time available to deliver mail. Improving delivery efficiencies helps the Postal Service control costs associated with the addition of nearly 1.8 million new delivery addresses each year.
Machines are already installed and operating at plants in Dulles, VA, and Columbus, OH. USPS is installing machines in Kansas City, MO, and Phoenix, AZ, that are scheduled to be operational by September 2009. The Dulles facility is sequencing flats for 41 delivery units totaling 1,238 routes.
Click here for more information on the FSS revised deployment plan.
source: USPS News link